I'm enjoying the whole football thing.
Not a supporter of any one team in particular, and perhaps a bit cynical about England.
But the Germany were lass than impressive today against Poland and came away with a win that puts them in the second round.

I have a hunch that England will slip up this year, and not do as well as everyone hopes. Don't ask me why.
Could it come in tomorrow's game (today, in fact) when Trinidad & Tobago get the biggest international of their lives?
Hope not, it would be embarassing, but I'm going ot suggest this game will end 1-1. England will go a stupid goal down early on and then battle and equalise towards the end.
Which throws the group wide open. Actually that's appropriate because it wouldn't be right if their place in the second round was guaranteed. It would be fun to see it dependant on the result of another game (T&T v Paraguay??).

I expect us to get to the second round.. My money for the final is on the Czech Republic. The freshest and most inspiring side I've seen yet with a realistic chance. Although Spain looked good earlier.
Germany v Czech Republic.

What are the chances...?
What the f**k do I know about football??

Work is starting to feel as if we are really moving forward.

I went up to Oxford (again!) today and agreed terms with LJ to Project manage the new DK World Atlas.
What was particularly encouraging was that most costings we not wildly inaccurate and I went in asking for only £5K more than they wanted to offer, so we have done a good old-fashioned compromise and everyone is happy.
I'm still nervous about coping with the biggest single job I've ever done tho!
Put this in with the Botley branding thingy and we have now cashflowed the business for the rest of the year on cartography alone!
At the end of 2005, we forecast about £15K income for the year only onthe mapping as it has declined in the last two years. So far now up to over £40K. How silly we are - and naive, perhaps.
This is certainly true of the Cruise terminals which are really attracting some big Media-Buying Super Wanky Agencies from London. They'll pay five figures easily for a campaign, so if we can get this right as well things are sorting themselves out.
New Forest map goes to print end of the month. Third edition. We have less than 1000 left in stock, so a 20K print runis working out exactly right.
I'm doing the Hampshire Conference Guide in the daytime this week, and working for Thomas Cook in the evening on some really crappy maps for there travel packages. cash in the pocket though, to add to the fund.
Room Folders starting to pile up, and we will be ordering the covers for those int he next week or so. D has negotiated a free room down the corridor to lay them all out in and Jo will soon be setting up a litl eproduction line ot put them together.
Not to mention another ten sites for pageone (inc. all the libraries at last) and the Hamble River Directory for the next two years...

Seems we are to be graced with avisit from the girls this weekend. Kink is going to drive all the way herself, with Biscuit, to work at the Art GAllery for the afternoon on Sunday. Not quite sure I understand the logic, but it will be great to see them.
Seem to still be talking, despite working together now...
Ties in with a visit from Mum and Dad on Saturday too - so a busy weekend.
Flo has a sleepover at brownies, Stan has another birthday party on Sunday afternoon. This one's a Peter Pan theme, so he'll be dressing up as a pirate again.
Had his 'health check' at school this morning and passed everything with perfectly average marks. Can't ask for more than that.
Noticed that his reading has really picked up in the last couple of weeks and he has all of a sudden grasped the basics.Great to listen when he helps out withthe story of an evening. We had "When Ted fellout of Bed" tonight.:p

I'm still impressed not only with TCM, but also now Guthrie's album "Continental" which I played in the car up to Oxford today. Won't probably be reviewing it as I'm not familiar enough with his stuff and I can't be bothered, but I would recommend it. A unique sound, very cleverly structured.
Its proving a good year for music.
i think three new albums so far, and all superb.
The Drift, TinyColourMOvies and Continental.

Should hopefully get the Hydrogen Dukebox collection tomorrow.