Saturday

Another bad night health-wise is, at least, followed by a decent lie-in this morning as I eventually emerge from bed at 10.30. Some may consider this a fairly unspectacular lie-in; but it's definitely the latest I've stayed in bed for months. It's looking like being a scorcher today and my bushy beard and longish (for me) hair are starting to feel inappropriate, so when K heads into Wood Green to buy some fabric I get the clippers out and lay my head and face to waste, like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite.

When she returns we head off to Sainsbury's for the big shop and I pick up some new smart trousers to wear at the Book Fair on Monday and for the wedding in the week. On trying them at home, however, I find that they don't fit, confirming once and for all that I have indeed put on a wee bit of weight since Christmas. The main reason I can think of for this - since I haven't changed my eating or drinking habits - is that since we've moved my walk to and from work has dropped from a bracing hour-or-so up and down hills to a paltry 10-minutes-each-way shuffle. I'm fully aware that I need to make up the shortfall - K insists that I get more involved with the Wii Fit. I'm not wholly convinced.

After I've been out to Wood Green myself and finally found some trousers that fit, we head over to Ant's for pre-barbecue drinks in his rather lovely garden. Later we head over to the house K lived in when we met for a busy barbecue birthday party, where, thanks to the host's subscription to ESPN I am able to anti-socially watch the Tottenham v Chelsea game which kicks off at 5.30. With Man United having scraped a win against City in the lunchtime kick-off, a win here is vital for Chelsea to keep clear at the top - although as Arsenal found on Wednesday, winning at White Hart Lane is not so easy these days. In the event Chelsea lose 2-1; a dubious early penalty for Defoe, an inexplicable solo effort from Gareth Bale and a consolation goal for Frank Lampard accounting for the goals. The gap between the top two is now a single agonising point, with Chelsea still having to visit Anfield. Eek.

In much better footballing news, Rochdale secured promotion to League One with a 1-0 victory over Northampton. This is astonishing in that the Dale have been in the bottom division since 1974 - longer than any other club. I'm sure many thought it would never happen, but Keith Hill has finally assembled a team up to the job. Well done, boys.