oh and Rovers…
So its with extreme delight that I am writing this latest blog after the meteoric rise to League One by Bristol Rovers. It’s been an eventful few seasons working at Rovers with demotion to the conference followed by back to back promotions. It’s been incredible. The reason for their success from my point of view is the team spirit that has been built primarily by the fantastic leadership of Darrell Clarke but is backed up by a special group of players that look after each other, love dressing room banter and support each other on and off the field. I have been in many many professional teams dressing rooms and this one is best. Success and team spirit is no coincidence. For those that were there the scenes were amazing. Lee Brown, a close friend, scored the winner that took them up in the last minute of injury time and the crowd erupted. It was real Roy of the Rovers Stuff (for those old enough to remember the magazine) as we then had to wait for the Accrington Stanley game to finish. With a second cheer (this time more of relief and wonderment) as we realised that Accrington had drawn. And I think that is all anybody can remember as this part of Bristol went wild in celebration that lasted days and put a spring into the step of thousands as the sun finally started to shine on Bristol. I for one cannot wait to see what next season brings for Bristol Rovers with the new owners and the promise of something better. Now all we need is Bristol Rugby to get the monkey off its back and win the Play off final against a tough Doncaster.
I would be amiss if I didn’t admit to a short break away in Lanzarote this month. Jen and I, the two little ones and the in-laws (#babysitters) for a week’s sunshine and battery recharge in the Canaries. The reason I bring it up is not to brag, I promise, but to highlight the increased injury rate actually from holidays as the season cranks up. I did exactly one of the things I warn people about as they partake in the seasons sunshine frivolity. I had a drink or two and on my way back into the villa, to get another beer from the fridge, I tripped up the marble steps in my flip flops and broke my big toe (well it felt like I broke it). The pain was indescribable and I rolled round on the floor like a baby. The agony made me temporarily mute as everybody rushed over asking me if I had broken my leg… or my arm…my head? ‘No my toe’ I said as they turned and walked away muttering how they ‘thought it was serious’… ‘the way he went down’… ‘what a fuss’…Thanks loved ones. I’ll hobble to get my own beer then.
But the bigger point is that on holiday injuries happen. So be careful. You can’t do much about a hard mattress but you can take care lifting heavy suitcases and walk carefully on marble floors (and up steps) – you have been warned. Another little tip is sunscreen. What is now becoming more well known is that sunscreen has a large amount of chemicals in it that can be potentially harmful to our skin. Sometimes the heat rash that people get is entirely down to the sunscreen that we put on (higher than factor 15) and there is growing evidence of worse skin conditions that are attributable to our high factor sun cream protection. The higher the factor, the more chemicals that are in it that could be harmful. Getting burnt is also obviously bad for you so what are we to do? Especially when it comes to putting cream all over the children’s delicate skin? Well we researched and found some sun creams that don’t have many of the harmful attributes of the more well know brands. We have previously used a company called Lavera but this holiday we used a lovely one by Green People called Organic Children, factor 30. They do adult ones too, sorted.
Not much to talk about next month apart from Iain and Hannah’s wedding…oh and that trip to Vegas…
