Pot Black

George and I have been missing our Monday night Taiko drumming after not getting onto the latest course through a combination of over-subscription and procrastination. So we headed out tonight to play snooker. For about the first time in 18 months.

I used to play loads as a teenager at school. Me and my friend Richard would walk to the Mercury Hotel in Ellon, where there were three tables (and two in another room I think, but we only played there once), and play for a couple of hours once a week (at least). Later Richard would drive us (he was a year or two older than me) but gradually became more interested in driving round the town centre in circles beeping his horn at girls and thinking this constituted chatting-up.

Briefly I played in a pool league, where I endured a pitiful record, but did come home quids in a few times after games of 'killer'. All of this makes my cue about 20 years old. A Riley in black. Jet black. The bottom half of the shaft being in carbon fibre (I presume it has a wooden core. It's a bit pimpy, but I loved it as a kid, and it holds so many memories.

I'm still not that great (though I was 3-0 up in frames against George and ahead in a fourth when our light went off); but there's something about the game that really appeals. I've always wanted my own snooker table - one day that lottery win will come in.

So Monday done. 3 and a half work days left before we're on holiday for a week... Not that I'm counting. Also a week and a day till we find out the job fate. I thought I'd been coping with that well, but to be honest it's been getting to me, all of the uncertainty, a bit recently. I took a break from cycling forums and the like because I could tell I was getting narky and taking things too seriously. I'm pretty certain it's down to the big countdown.

Oh, and I plan on having a shave tonight. Looking a bit too much like Yehuda Moon in my cycling cap at the moment (a reference for the cyclists out there, doubt it'll mean much to anyone - I interviewed the chap who created the 'toon right back at the beginning).

Final final final thing. It also looks like the second of our first two chickens is not long for this world. She's really old now, and it's showing. Keeping an eye on her and keeping her comfortable is about all we can do at the moment. Making sure she doesn't appear to be in any pain. The eternal downside to pets, but you've just got to think of all the joy they bring otherwise.