Book Review: The Love of the Game: Parenthood, Sport and Me by Mark Chapman

Posted on by Libby Price

I feel like I’ve ‘known’ Mark Chapman (although he will always be Chappers to me) forever. From when he was the sports monkey on the Sara Cox show, through the Chappers and Dave era, and then to being a sports presenter on MOTD2 and the BBC Rio Olympics coverage.  I knew we were a similar age (from some Googling he is exactly 5 months older than me – but the same school year – although not sure why I would even think that relevant when we’re both 43?!) and I remember weeping when he phoned in to tell Sara and the team that his first child had been born (but I was 6 months pregnant with my first child at the time, so blaming that squarely on my hormones!)

Anyway, when he was shamelessly plugging recommending his new book on Twitter at the end of last year I downloaded it.  And promptly ignored it on my Kindle for months.

But I’m doing a Reading Challenge this year, and one category is ‘bestseller in a genre you don’t normally read’ – and whilst I’m not sure if this hit the bestseller lists – it’s definitely a genre I don’t normally read – so I decided to give it a go.

 

The Love Of The Game

 

This is the Amazon blurb:

“BBC sports presenter Mark Chapman is no longer in his physical prime. There is an argument to suggest he has never been in his physical prime. Now in his forties, he is facing a world of knee replacements and ever-expanding waistlines, whilst his children are thriving.

There is huge pride that they are doing so well, mixed with a fair amount of jealousy that actually they are better at a wide range of sport than he ever was. He is passionate about sport and it has played a huge part in his life. His parents encouraged him from a very early age and he wants to pass the baton on to his son and daughters. Although there is every chance he might drop it and have a massive strop instead. He is also very aware of the huge changes in sport today compared to when he was growing up; and he is determined that his own attitude to his son and daughters’ sport – be it football, netball, cricket or gymnastics – will be exactly the same. And he wants to shine a light on grass roots sports – the incredible and largely unsung contribution that volunteers make in the sporting community, without whom – for example – no professional footballer would be in the game today.

Funny, touching, passionate about sport and parenthood, Mark Chapman paints sport as a touchstone for everything important: growing up, becoming a parent, enjoying family time, getting old, learning how to win (and how to lose gracefully), the legacy we all hope to leave our children; in short, life and all that goes into it.”

Quite early on I could completely relate to the book – I remember propping up a small baby to watch the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup because it was history in the making (not realising quite what an exciting game it would be, and that England winning would make it all the more historical!)

I could also empathise with the coaching of a child’s team – as my husband coached our son’s rugby team for a while – and the politics involved with children’s sports is crazy!  My sister and brother in law are heavily involved in my nephew’s football club – and have been for years – and it is such a massive commitment, and often unappreciated.  My brother in law is also in the Chappers mould of subbing his own son more than any others as he doesn’t want to appear biased! I also  got in to trouble going to watch my nephew play by screaming ‘encouragement’ a little too loudly and agressively (this was before my own children were playing competitive sport) – I’d forgotten I was at the side of a bit of grass in a Hampshire park and not in the stands at Villa Park!  Equally our eldest son and daughter were disappointed there was no corporate hospitality for under 8s footie, as they were used to that when watching Aston Villa #firstworldproblems

The attempt at doing a bun for a gymnastics competition also had me amused – my husband is exactly the same when it comes to doing our girls’ hair – despite being a father to 3 girls (thankfully the eldest being a teenager means she can do her own hair now!)  In fact he said to me the other day that nothing could happen to me ever, as there is no way he could do their hair into buns for their ballet exams!

The book is written with humour and emotion – and seemingly honesty about parenthood and the trials and tribulations of it, generally with a sporting bent.  I did get a bit choked up at times – and had a full on cry at the bit written by Chappers’ friend whose son is autistic and not into sport at all.

To enjoy this book I think you need to be a parent and enjoy sport – but if neither of those apply to you I’m not sure why you’d even consider the book anyway given the title!?! An enjoyable foray into someone else’s parenting world, which I really liked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Cows by Dawn O’Porter

Posted on by Libby Price

The Cows

I was very lucky to be given a sneak preview copy of this – Dawn O’Porter’s first foray into writing for adults after a huge success with YA fiction.   It’s sat on my Kindle for months as I’ve kept being given ‘real’ books to borrow, and I feel pressured in to reading them first as they sit on my bedside table in a huge TBR pile just looking at me.  I started this last night in the bath for 2 hours due to hideous medical condition and finished it today having had to languish horizontal for hours. I think the only upside from an abscess and cellulitis in the stomach is being able to read without feeling guilty (and the fact that it’s killed my appetite #weightloss)

“Fearlessly frank and funny, the debut adult novel from Dawn O’Porter needs to be talked about.
COW [n.]
/kaʊ/

A piece of meat; born to breed; past its sell-by-date; one of the herd.

Women don’t have to fall into a stereotype.

Tara, Cam and Stella are strangers living their own lives as best they can – though when society’s screaming you should live life one way, it can be hard to like what you see in the mirror.

When an extraordinary event ties invisible bonds of friendship between them, one woman’s catastrophe becomes another’s inspiration, and a life lesson to all.

Sometimes it’s ok not to follow the herd.

The Cows is a powerful novel about three women – judging each other, but also themselves. In all the noise of modern life, they need to find their own voice.”

 

‘THE COWS’ IS FABULOUS!!

I don’t want to tell you too much – as it twists and turns through the lives, loves and livers of Tara, Cam and Stella – and there are some fundamental things in the story that if you know beforehand will definitely distract from the enjoyment of reading it.  A couple of times I was literally gobsmacked (which doesn’t happen often for me!).  I would definitely recommend reading this as soon as you can after it’s published so that you’re not at risk of spoilers.  I’ve just Googled reviews and some people practically tell you the entire story – DO NOT READ THEM – much better to come at it not knowing what to expect (Why do people do that in reviews? Seems a bit selfish to me?)  I can also see this being made into a film / TV series, it just cries out for it.

If you are a bit of a prude – then this may not be the book for you.  Be prepared for real life ‘adult humour, strong language and scenes of a sexual nature’ (obviously read in the style of a TV announcer) It definitely put me in the mind of the TV series Catastrophe in  that it puts ‘normal’ things into a fictional setting that you don’t often see – masturbation, periods, abortions – nothing is off limits.

The main characters are all very different – but all beautifully written, and you really feel you get to know Tara, Cam and Stella well.  The clever way their stories interweave is done brilliantly – as is the use of modern interactive tools like blogging / Tinder / Youtube etc.  Just all feels really relevant.

So there you go – a definite recommendation from me – although #dontfollowtheherd…….

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Girl From The Savoy by Hazel Gaynor

Posted on by Libby Price

 

The Girl From The Savoy

I was unsure what to expect with this book – as 2 friends had read it recently (both whilst ill with the flu) and one had enjoyed it and the other struggled through – and I didn’t know which category I would fit in to!

Here is the Amazon blurb:

“Dolly Lane is a dreamer; a downtrodden maid who longs to dance on the London stage, but the outbreak of war takes everything from her: Teddy, the man she loves – and her hopes of a better life.

When she secures employment as a chambermaid at London’s grandest hotel, The Savoy, Dolly’s proximity to the dazzling guests makes her yearn for a life beyond the grey drudgery she was born into. Her fortunes take an unexpected turn when she responds to an unusual newspaper advert and finds herself thrust into the heady atmosphere of London’s glittering theatre scene and into the sphere of the celebrated actress, Loretta May, and her brother, Perry.

All three are searching for something, yet the aftermath of war has cast a dark shadow over them all. A brighter future is tantalisingly close – but can a girl like Dolly ever truly leave her past behind?”

 

I started reading this a few weeks ago – and I have to say I found it a bit dull to start with.  Due to the era and setting it reminded me of the ITV drama series Mr Selfridge ( in particular the start of the final series which was so boring we ended up giving up on it) and in fact Harry and the Selfridges store both get a mention a few times throughout the book!

At the weekend I posted in my Reading Challenge Facebook group that I was unsure if I could face plodding through it – or whether I should quit! The general consensus was that life is too short to be reading something you’re not loving (mostly by friends I had ‘encouraged’ to persevere with The Goldfinch and have never forgiven me!!)  I ummed and ahhed – but then due to a particularly unpleasant medical condition I have had to spend a large chunk of the last 3 days in the bath – so decided I’d finish it off.

Each chapter is told by a different person – Dolly, Loretta or Teddy – but not in strict rotation, and probably weighted in the order I’ve written them rather than evenly.  Dolly is likeable enough, Loretta a bit annoying, and you don’t really get to know Teddy. In fact I would say you don’t really get to know anyone that deeply emotions-wise at all thinking about it now.

Given the population of London in the 1920s was £7.4million people (yes, I just Googled that) there are some completely implausible coincidences – but I guess that happens lots in books.

Obviously I liked the plentiful gin references.  One favourite line being ‘ Gin is an acquired taste, but once acquired rarely lost’ – so true!!

I’m glad I finished it (because I hate being beaten by anything) but I definitely wouldn’t sing its praises from the rooftops.  It’s very ‘plodding’ at times – and quite a lot of the descriptions, whilst I am sure are completely historically researched and accurate – also seem to be incredibly repetitive – it almost felt like they were copied and pasted between chapters and then someone forgot to change them slightly to freshen them up.

But hey – I’ve ticked off ‘A book set in a hotel’ from my reading challenge!

‘Relaxing’ spa break……

Posted on by Libby Price

My husband has always enjoyed a good spa break – in fact where we got married in St Lucia you had a treatment each day included in the price – and he quite happily had a massage / facial / body scrub up in the treatment area (there were A LOT of steps to get up there!)  Hey – he even had a back, sack and crack there once – but that’s a whole other blog post!!!

Tonight we are at a fabulous hotel in the Cotswolds overnight for my birthday and that has included some time in the spa.  But it has been far from relaxing with the husband in tow!

Dormy House Spa

Last time we were here he struggled with doing nothing – and spent most of the time working in the restaurant / bar attached to the spa.  Today he was even more of a nightmare!

Firstly – he sprayed me with cold water in the steam room as I was quite happily enjoying the temperatures.

Then – as I was enjoying a ‘tropical rain’ shower, he crept up on me and put a handful of crushed ice down my swimming costume.

And subsequently, he jumped into the tranquil swimming pool causing a mini tidal wave.  Then there was no calm swimming with your head out of the water in a true spa day style – now – he had to prove he could swim to one end from the other under the water (he did!)

Thank goodness I have a spa break with the girls booked next month – I am sure they will be far better behaved!!

 

 

 

 

 

An armful?!

Posted on by Libby Price

I grew up going with my parents when they donated blood –  it was a special treat (mostly because as the daughter of a donor you could blag biscuits!!)  As soon as I turned 18 I started donating – particularly as by blood was useful.   I’m O negative –  ‘the universal donor’ – because anyone with any blood group and rhesus negative or positive can be given O neg (to sound like I’m in ER!) blood, so it’s often used in an emergency before the blood type of the patient is confirmed.

Right through university years I carried on donating – although I would be wary of what alcoholic proof content these years of blood contained!

Like my mother, I am a slow bleeder (it gushes out of my Dad) and so sometimes I would time out before giving a whole pint – but it was still useful (although probably not a full armful!!)

Being a proud Brummie you can’t mention donating blood without reference to the famous Tony Hancock (who was born in Southam Road in Hall Green where I used to have piano lessons) sketch…….

tony-hancock

“A pint? Have you gone raving mad? I mean, I came here in all good faith, to help my country. I don’t mind giving a reasonable amount, but a pint? Why, that’s very nearly an armful.”

I remember when I started work as an accountant that one Friday lunchtime everyone else went for a pint, whilst I went to give one *polishes halo*.

When I had my first child we found out that the husband was O negative too.  This meant that our children had to be O negative – and also meant I wouldn’t have the complications some mothers can have if the child is rhesus positive (something to do with antibodies #notadoctor!)  Interestingly I was believed that my husband was the father of my children in all 4 cases, and so wasn’t forced to have the anti d injection post births (their faces as well as their blood groups definitely confirm their parentage!!)

My first birth was pretty traumatic (there’s a whole separate blog post in that!) but I lost a lot of blood and had to have a plasma transfusion. All was well – thankfully – but that now means I’m not allowed to donate blood any more. It’s all to do with CJD – more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease (and let’s face it – it’s probably something I’ve been referred to at times!) – and other diseases that may not have been screened for historically.  I thought there might be a time limit on giving again – but 13 years on, I’m still not allowed to.

I’m quite sad that I can’t donate any more – as the relatively painless procedure can save lives.  So many people have to have transfusions – be it post accident, operation or going through other treatments for diseases like cancer – that blood supplies often run low.

I never looked at the needle going in to my arm (I look at operations etc through my fingers on the TV – I am ridiculously squeamish) but it wasn’t an unpleasant experience – and you really could save a life.

Not often you can say you’ve saved a life by lying down for a bit and then consuming a biscuit and a cup  of tea!  Definitely my preferred way to be a superhero!!

 

blood

 

 

 

 

 

Kisses for Oreos!

Posted on by Libby Price

The other night the husband was putting the 6 year old to bed…

Daddy “Can I have a kiss goodnight?”

E, thinks for a moment, “Only if you bring me an Oreo”

Daddy “Well, if I can have a kiss now I’ll go and get the Oreo for you”

E “Nope, no kiss until I actually have the Oreo”

oreos

I’m not sure whether to be impressed or concerned for the future…..

#kissesfororeos

There are good people out there!

Posted on by Libby Price

Yesterday I got an 8am call from a crying 13 year old who had lost her purse on the way to school. She retraced her steps from Tescos to the station but couldn’t find it. She gave me details of what it looked like and the contents (Nando’s loyalty card, debit card, David Lloyd card and about £20 – in that order!) and I reported it online with both London Midland and lostproperty.org – but didn’t hold out much hope (the previous purse she lost on her school train journey didn’t ever turn up again!!)

Then, mid afternoon, I had an email from PDSA Pet Protectors. This is a club that all 4 kids belong to which is part of the PDSA charity for sick animals where they get the Animal Antics magazine every couple of months, and a free gift each year.  Anyway – they’d emailed to say the purse has been found!!

D had clearly missed her Pet Protectors membership card off the list of contents!!

So – there are lots of wonderful people out there to thank –

Firstly the person who found the purse and handed it in at the station with all of the contents intact, including the cash.

Secondly the staff at Worcester Foregate Street station who didn’t just chuck the purse in a lost property box, but went through it to try and track the owner down.

And finally the PDSA Pet Protectors staff who definitely went above and beyond their remit to track us down. They left a voicemail on the home phone – and emailed me too.

All in all there was a very happy 13 year old (although she doesn’t look that enamoured in the photo!) reunited with her purse!!

There are good people out there.

daisy

Parenting ‘Treats’

Posted on by Libby Price

I’ve been a parent now for 13.5 years.  If you’d told me a decade and a half ago what I would now consider to be a ‘treat’ I would have laughed hysterically – but here goes!

Going to the toilet on your own.
Sounds simple – but happens rarely when your children are in the same house.  It’s like as soon as your bum hits the seat there is something that needs opening / closing / refereeing / discussing in great detail.

This Rosie Made A Thing card sums it up perfectly (she has some other EXCELLENT cards too, ideal for Mothers’ Day or my birthday next month!)

im-a-mum

Sleeping in your own bed with just your husband.
I drafted a large chunk of this blog post in my head last night whilst sharing a bed with a wriggly 5 year old who was really unsettled (last night before returning to school after half term probably being the main reason.)  In the last 13 years it’s been pretty rare to have an uninterrupted nights sleep where both the husband and I stay in the same bed ALL NIGHT.  On the rare occasion this does happen – it’s pretty much guaranteed that you won’t get 2 consecutive nights…

Wearing clean clothes.
Thankfully I’m pretty much past the vomit / snot / breast milk on clothes stage – but it was around for a long time.  I remember being asked in the hairdressers which was my coat – and I pointed out ‘the one with baby sick on the shoulder’. #classy

Going to the supermarket on your own.
Most of the time the weekly shop is conducted online – sometimes even from on the loo if you get a spare 5 minutes to yourself in there (see above!).  But on the odd occasion I get to wander around now it feels like I’ve been let out! And supermarkets now sell EVERYTHING – so you can pick up a nice, longline ‘Mum’ top with the kale and blueberries (ok, nuggets and oven chips!!)

Driving on your own
If we’re going on a family drive there has to be negotiations about whether we’re watching a DVD (Trolls is the incumbent at the moment) or listening to the radio.  Then there’s negotiations about what radio station it has to be.  None of this matters to the 12 year old who will be pretending he’s Stormzy listening to his phone and rapping along in the back anyway.  The 5 year old will have a melt down if anyone starts singing as she hates loud noise – and there will undoubtedly be a breakdown because a toy / snack / drink has been dropped and can not be retrieved. If the phone or Sat Nav dares interrupt a critical scene in the film or the chorus of a favourite track – then there is also likely to be stroppage.
So the BLISS of driving along alone with your favourite music blaring (generally Heart – don’t judge me!!) and the windows down is just fabulous.

[ETA – I was driving the big 2 home from the station tonight when Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey came on the aforementioned Heart  – and the 3 of us sang along at the tops of our voices. It was one of those real #winningatparenting moments – and better than being on my own most definitely.]

Not having to share your food
It doesn’t seem to matter what my kids order – they then decide what I’ve ordered looks way better.  The current case in point being chicken and cheese rolls from our local Chinese takeaway.  They are LUSH – so I ordered myself some as a treat.  The children had been asked what they wanted and at no point had mentioned chicken and cheese rolls – but of course, when they arrived they wanted them!  And being a good Mum (sometimes anyway) I let them have them.  So on the occasions I get to eat what I’ve ordered, it does feel like a treat (especially if I can actually savour it and if I’m not hiding in the utility room stuffing my face before anyone spots the food !!)

Watching an adult film at the cinema
And by ‘adult film’ I’m not meaning anything risque (hey, I’ve not even seen a Fifty Shades film!) – but anything that isn’t animated! A girls’ night out to see Bridget Jones was great – as I didn’t have to referee my friends as to who sat next to whom, there was no fighting over snacks, no wanting to swap seats or sit on my lap – and I didn’t have to take anyone out to the toilet half way through.  Perfect!

Packing for one
Usually my packing is for a family of 6.  The 13 year old will need to take at least 2 pairs of shoes per day.  The 12 year old will want to take his most recent remote controlled purchase.  Whilst the 6 and 5 year olds suddenly *NEED* every cuddly toy they’ve ever owned to come away with us. And the husband always packs loads of toiletries and belts (why anyone needs to take as many belts as him on holiday I do not know!)   Therefore I’m left with a corner of the case for my own things.  So packing for just me and the husband (and his belts) is great – but just for me is so decadent (and pretty rare!).

Reading a book
I remember ‘holidays past’ where half of my case would be taken up with books.  Obviously this is now a no-no (see above re packing!) and thank goodness for a Kindle which is a much more efficient use of space.  But many times the Kindle will return from a holiday fully charged due to lack of time to actually sit and read! The odd stolen afternoon with a mug of tea (or glass of wine) and a book or Kindle is just AMAZING!

I reckon most parents are pretty cheap dates now – with ‘treats’ not needing to be being wined and dined somewhere exotic, or splashing the cash wildly.  In fact based on the above I’d be happy in the Sainsbury’s cafe with my book for an hour, maybe stopping for a peaceful wee before heading home with the tunes cranked up in the car!!

Any ‘treats’ you’d like to ‘fess up to??

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Posted on by Libby Price

When I was given this book to borrow by a friend she told me it was amazing – which always makes me feel a bit pressured reading a book.  And after reading the blurb – see below – I knew there was going to be a huge twist – so I had my wits about me from the start!

“Don’t Trust This Book
Don’t Trust These People
Don’t Trust Yourself
And whatever you do, DON’T give away that ending…

Behind Her Eyes has been called the new Girl on the Train and Gone Girl . This is one psychological thriller you will not want to miss.

Louise
Since her husband walked out, Louise has made her son her world, supporting them both with her part-time job. But all that changes when she meets…
David
Young, successful and charming – Louise cannot believe a man like him would look at her twice let alone be attracted to her. But that all comes to a grinding halt when she meets his wife…
Adele
Beautiful, elegant and sweet – Louise’s new friend seems perfect in every way. As she becomes obsessed by this flawless couple, entangled in the intricate web of their marriage, they each, in turn, reach out to her.

But only when she gets to know them both does she begin to see the cracks… Is David really is the man she thought she knew and is Adele as vulnerable as she appears?
Just what terrible secrets are they both hiding and how far will they go to keep them?”

behind-her-eyes

 

From the start I really enjoyed it (although was bit confused by the first 2 super short chapters entitled ‘then’ and ‘later’).  After that it settled in to a routine of the chapters being told from the view point of either Adele or Louise – and their complicated love triangle with David – Adele’s husband and Louise’s ‘Man In the Bar’ / boss.

It twists and turns and is very clever – a true psychological thriller.  There were times when you just wanted to shout at Louise to come clean or talk to someone – but still it kept you reading.

I can’t really give any more of the plot away – you need to see it unfurl yourself.

On the back of the book Sam Baker (co-founder of The Pool, and someone whose book choices I tend to agree with) is quoted as saying ‘Just when you think you’ve nailed it, Pinborough pulls the rug out from underneath you…. A tenner says you’ll NEVER guess this ending.’ and I would totally concur with her – and the hashtag also on the back #WTFthatending.

It’s so very clever – and I will definitely be searching out further books by Sarah Pinborough.

Another one ticked off the 2017 Reading Challenge in a number of possible categories!

 

 

 

 

Human Soup!

Posted on by Libby Price

Yesterday there was a Tree Top Trek – today there wasn’t – thank goodness!

There was A LOT of walking (but that’s good for the Fitbit challenge I’m in – where my little sister is in marathon training and so the usual winner!) and also quite a lot of time spent in the ‘Subtropical Swimming Paradise’.

longleat-rapids

To be honest I would question all of the words used in that description.

I fear ‘Human Soup’ is a better description.  At one point this afternoon the rapids were shut because someone had VOMMITED in the pool (I am seriously hoping it was a baby and not some adult who’d been on the Jagerbombs at lunchtime?!)  But – they were shut for about an hour (I am assuming to give time for the sick to dissipate?!?  I am hoping there are protocols / chlorine levels to ensure this is dealt with safely?!?)

I am pleased to report I saw no evidence of vom floating about – but plasters / hair / unidentified floating solid things were all witnessed!

The kids adore the rapids – and despite being 42 and a size 18, I threw myself down them too (thankfully not landing on too many people in the process!)  I did, however, manage to flash most of Centerparcs after my boobs escaped after a particularly vigorous descent.

You will be pleased to hear there are no photos of today’s escapades!!

I also fear a rotator cuff injury and a mid back muscle issue – and all this despite the fact I only take responsibility for myself – with the older siblings (and spare one!) doing a sterling job with the little ones.

I also thought the pool water would be kill or cure for my horrific eczema – and at the moment it seems to be cure #winning

So no doubt there will be more Subtropical Swimming Paradise – Storm Doris Flailing Nightmare – tomorrow! #livingthedream