LEAP YEAR

© leapyearday.com

Something special to celebrate - a whole extra day today!

VI NATIONS - III

© bbc

It was an interesting rugby week-end, not least because Mirco was sin-binned for the first time in his career. I have to admit that the strange and obscure laws of rucks and mauls are still surrounded in mystery for me at times. Before the match, the BBC reported that “the Azzurri have been accused of illegal tactics in the contact area and flanker Mauro Bergamasco has been picked out as one of the main culprits.” After the match, it was reported that Mauro has been cited for eye gouging in the closing moments of the match. But the biggest surprise of the week-end was that England won their match against France. Good news, too, for Stade; even in the absence of their internationals, they are still winning: 47-13 against Castres.

SUPER SATURDAY

© mb.it

There are three VI Nations matches in a row today! It’s also birthday time again for Mirco! Hope there’s another win for Italy like last year!

ECLIPSE

© bbc

On Wednesday, there was a full moon. There was also a lunar eclipse and I found myself awake at precisely those small hours when it was supposed to be happening. However, England being England, the sky was obscured by clouds and the moon was, alas, behind them. Luckily, other people around the world were able to see it and the BBC showed us their pictures instead.

AN OVERHEATED CHICKPEA

© ruhr-uni-bochum.de

“A chickpea in a pot leaps from the flame,
out from the boiling water,
Crying, "Why do you set fire to me?
You chose me, bought me, brought me home for this?"
The cook hits it with her spoon into the pot.
"No! Boil nicely, don't jump away from the one who makes the fire.
I don't boil you out of hatred.
Through boiling you may grow flavourful, nourishing,
and united with vital human spirit.
I don't inflict this suffering out of spite.”

FILMS

© imdb

Bereft of my UGC card, my trips to the cinema these days are few and far between but I have still been managing to watch some films. Two I’ve seen, and liked, recently are ‘Fur’ and ‘The Bridge’. Two more contrasting films you probably couldn’t find (and be warned, the last one is not the most cheerful) but they are both fascinating and thought-provoking. 'Jumper' beckons next.

HEART

© nasa

VI NATIONS – II

© bbc

This week-end was ‘marginally’ better, ‘marginally’ more gripping, and at least two of the games could have gone either way. Personally, it's more interesting like that even when the team I’m rooting for could lose. In the case of Italy – England, though, I wouldn’t have minded one jot whoever had won and to be honest, I thought Italy deserved it more since they played so well and England seemed to do their usual second-half-nodding-off trick. Still, I was glad to see Nick Easter get a run round the paddock. Mirco too (is it too much to expect a try these days?). Even Mauro played like a demon. I'm sad to say that there’s no international rugby next week-end :( so be prepared to be bored with art and/or botany things.

FROM RUSSIA

© russiandrama.net

The latest Royal Academy exhibition is very interesting, a snapshot of fin/début de siècle French and Russian art. It is also very popular (= busy) but my only real (tiny) complaint is that there seems to be a very familiar French feel to it. Luckily there are some really good russki paintings to see.

READER

At long last, I am now the proud owner of 'Reader' cards for the British Library and the Wellcome Library. Research, here I come!

SHIBBOLETH

Over the years, there have been some very interesting temporary exhibitions in the turbine hall at Tate Modern. At the moment, there is a very long, very noticeable crack in the floor. As usual with these installations, I think it creates more questions than it answers.

XYLEM

© botany.org

Having done human anatomy, we've now moved on to the scientific study of plant life, or botany as it's really known. There are no bony landmarks (and no undressing) but it does mean I get to visit lots of herb gardens and look at amazing things under the microscope.

VI NATIONS – I

© bbc

My word to describe the opening week-end of the VI Nations is: ‘big fat disappointment’. Okay, that’s three words but it has to be said that the level of the rugby was mostly below par and the only time I felt even vaguely gripped was when David Strettle ran away with the ball early in the (now best-forgotten) England-Wales game. Then, woe, he was injured .. It may be that I’m being too fussy (moi?), but I want to be on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, pulling my hair, shouting and jumping, experiencing that joy-despair rollercoaster of emotions, not knowing which way the game is going to turn. Bref: I want exhilaration. Yes, even from the forwards. I’m hoping next week’s word is ‘thrilling’.

YOGA - II

© yogajournal

I'm still keeping up the yoga but somehow I have a feeling I'm going to have a few difficulties with this month's pose ..

VI NATIONS

© sixnations

Yaay - it’s VI Nations time again! I’m quite happy with a lot of the names on the England team sheet, I'm very happy that Mirco is playing for Italy and I'm a bit sad that Clément Poitrenaud has been left out of the French team. So, as of 2.00p.m. tomorrow, and most week-ends thereafter for the duration, you’ll know where to find me.