Hi John,

Nothing at Osterley. To be honest, my heart wasn't in it. Had a real tricky end of week and, nowt against the guys but I could of done with a bit of solitary.

Dropped the kids at school and off up the A4 beneath a big blue sky of optimism. The skywriter of my mind trailing "Leave The City". I got properly lost in it and my thoughts turned from Pike to Carp. Then I got out of the car and onto the back path. Not a horse in sight. Omen? Nah, fucking freezing. It's January, fool.

The guys had been there a couple of hours already. Dave was grafting as usual. Earns his fish that man. Up to his tits in water chucking a marker float around. The official cartographer.
Jak and Andrew were sat on the wall behind dead roach. Andrews mug shot eyes between a vintage Tacchini / Napariji combo. South westerly Stanley knives to the face.

I took a walk around the lake with a spinner and realised I was doing it for the exercise. I wasn't going to be fishing today.

Me and Andrew were back at mine by 1,with tea, cake and Scrabble on the table. Bugger hit an eighty on his second word and it was uphill from there. 1 - 0 away.

Dave stayed on for the afternoon and is owed a fish next visit.

Would have liked to have been out yesterday. Wasn't it a beauty. Next Monday afternoon is a plan and in the diary. Hopefully I can keep it there and we get Pennie S to join us. Both other dates will be cool. I'll let you decide which one is Blenheim.

have a good week,

Jeff