AYSO soccer starts this week and what a great day for it as I watched Alice's practice and then coached her opening Xtra game against their great rivals, the ADFH Silver Stars. They handed us a 2-0 beating which Coach Nichols was not happy about. I don't think it was the reverse Christmas Tree 1-2-3 formation that did it but it could have been the missed penalty and lack of communication. Or it could have just been the hot day and the other team played better.
Complete disaster on the Eastern front. Mrs N and Ted have gone to his State Cup game in Jersey and I get a frantic phone call at 5pm that the referee won't play the game because our coach, Ray, does not have his pass. I have told him a million times that I don't have his pass but will he listen?
In the end, the ref leaves, we play a friendly, beat them 5-2 (Ted scores) and the other team say they are going to find it hard to schedule the game again next week (Oh what a surprise).
I am craving a quiet night in but as soon as Mrs N gets home we are off to the Castle in Tarrytown for dinner with Rob, Tom and partners. It's a great night out and once again I am humbled by their high opinion of me and the gifts that follow - an inscribed "teacher's apple" with a quote from Einstein - "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge". Bloody hell, that sets the bar a little high.
In addition I get the most inspired gift I've seen in a long while - a miniature but fully functioning harp. Beautiful.
We get home and Ellen is not on iChat. Knock me down with a feather
