My god, I've woken up this morning with a killer sore throat. Spent most of today answering the phone at work sounding like that bloke who used to sing in The Lighthouse Family.

So, I'm officially counting down to the start of the new hockey season. Our first league game is this Saturday at Lux Park against Marjons of Plymouth. It guess you could say it's out derby day as Marjons is the closest club to Saltash...and funnily enough where I got my degree, so I'm sure there will be some whipper snapper young students running around the pitch, with my puffing and panting behind.

Seriously though starting training a month in advance has been such a massive help. It's still a gradual build up by my recovery rate after a match or even a long sprint has improved ten fold. All the fixtures and results are normally up at www.firststophockey.co.uk on a Tuesday (we're in the ladies section - obviously! - in South Division - we are Essanians) Our name comes from, I believe, the borough of Saltash being Essa - Saltash is Essa in Cornish ...something like that!

Any road, looking forward to a relatively quiet weekend after that. It's my mate's birthday and Ben is up visiting a friend in London so I'll have to see how the days plan out but I'm sure a tipple or two will be involved. Then it'll be just two weeks until I go on my own travels again up to London for the charity set by Melanie at the Hard Rock cafe, which'll be nice. Of course nice to see her perform and her and the band always make it worth the journey but also nice to catch up with the buddies I've made through the years.

Oh...and some 'lucky' hotel will be hosting me and the Chiz Biz for the evening too! Londonders, you have been warned...there's a Cornish bumpkin on the tube!