WORLD CUP 2010, SOUTH AFRICA

As is quite clearly obvious, I have done very little blogging recently. This is because of my back/neck problems, as those of you who visit my blog regularly (and I love you all!) already know about.

The plan had been to dictate to John, so he could write my blog exerts for me, but it hasn't panned out like that.

However, I'm getting a new chair on Wednesday, which should give far more support for my back, and then John (and this will takes weeks for him to get round to) will lower my table appropriately so that my arms can actually rest properly on the table. Then we'll see if I can write again more regularly without my back seizing up. Fingers crossed because I've found myself very bored not being able to write. (And, by the way, steriod injections have helped greatly.)

But I can't go off to Morocco next week for the Festival without airing my views on the World Cup. So, here goes.

* I adore the World Cup. It's such an opportunity for people across the world to have a positive shared experience. And I like watching football, which helps.

* Very moved by watching and listening to the people of South Africa celebrating this massive event in their country after all those years of exclusion from world sport.

*Supporting England, of course. We have a large England flag hanging out of our bedroom window and I have a flag on my car. Now, we live on a very long street in Winchester and there are only three flags on display. Says a lot about our street. I'm half-expecting some-one to say that we're lowering the tone of the street, so I'm practising my sarcastic, you-must-be-crazy laugh. As one of my friends commented, though, it just confirms to some of my neighbours how crazy I am. (It's always me, never John.)

*Do I think Enland will win? Let me just stop here until my laughter has ceased...As I've been telling all those prepared to listen to me (including total stangers), in order to win the World Cup you need good ball control and accurate passing. I rest my case.

*However, I would love to be proved wrong!

*Think it's very unfair that only days before the tournament started, players have been told that they'll be sent off if they swear. Now, I'm all in favour of that in theory, but to give so little notice I think is asking too much for players who like to let off steam by using an expletive or two. And how can the referrees learn all the different swear words in so many different languages in just a few days?

*The tournament started yesterday and the only match I've seen so far was France v Uruguay, which was so lack-lustre that I couldn't wait for it to end so we could watch Prison Break, which I hope to write about at some time. Suffice to say, we're on Season Three so that tells you something. (Bob Wisdom from 'The Wire', who we met at the Festival last year (such a charming man) is in this season and plays a very different character from the jovial Bunny. Plus the actor, Wentworth Miller, who plays a pivitol role in all the seasons, is a delight to watch because he's so handsome.)

*Back to the football. Must mention those the irriting noise of those foul hooters being blown during matches. Before even half-time of last night's match, I was heartedly wishing they had never been invented.

*In less than half-an-hour England will play their first match against the USA. I predict a 2-1 win for England but that could just be wishful thinking and I certainly haven't put money on it. But fingers crossed!