You either love it...

According to the advert for a well known ‘yeast extract’, Marmite, you either love it or you hate it. Now I happen to be a fan of this savoury spread, which really does divide opinion.

Melissa, on the other hand, cannot abide it. In fact, she refuses to kiss me when I’ve eaten it. It’s obvious, then, that this would be a bit of a battle ground for Harry.

So, last week, I decided to get the first shot in by surreptitiously giving Harry a taste of my Marmite-smothered toast. Ha, I thought, get him used to the flavour now and I’ll have an ally for life.

Harry, however, had other plans. He’d just finished seven ounces of milk and a generous bowl of porridge. After tasting the Marmite, his breakfast came straight back up while I hastily tried to clean the worst off the high chair and Harry himself, watched by a smug-looking Melissa. Poor old Harry did not look impressed and he’s definitely had an air of suspicion when I’ve fed him since.

Of course, I tried to blame the sudden sickness on teething troubles – he’s now the proud owner of two surprisingly sharp gnashers – but I don’t really believe it.

So it looks like I’ve lost the Marmite battle. From now on, I’ll be concentrating my efforts on the cricket battle – if I can’t turn Harry into a fan of this fine sport, I might find myself having to listen to Test Match Special in the garden shed.

What's happened to summer?

Like most people, I'm thoroughly miserable about our weather we've been subjected to over the last couple of weeks.

It's cost me important cricket matches, prevented me from sitting outside my local and enjoying a pint and, worst of all, has stopped me spending time in my beloved veggie patch while the weeds multiply at a terrifying rate.

However, the wet weather has also thrown up one unexpected bonus - I'm not jealous of my colleagues taking holidays in July and August.

As with most businesses, there's always a rush to book holidays during the summer holidays with the place resembling the Mary Celeste at times as a result. Normally, this makes me grumpy because I tend to take my holidays at other times.

This year, though, the bad weather means I don't feel I'm missing out - sitting in an office all day when it's pouring down is much easier than sitting in an office all day when it's glorious sunshine outside.

I've got a week off at the end of September. Hopefully, the weather will be fantastic and all of my colleagues will hate me.

Thank goodness... I'm not as old as I thought

I've just had a conversation with my mum. She's discovered the internet and, after a fair bit of prompting it has to be said, she has found this blog.

Apart from complaining that my picture isn't as big as it should be (it's plenty big enough, thanks), our conversation centred around the 'about me' section and, in particular, my choice of music.

'I've never heard of any of those bands,' she said in one of those reproving voices that only mums can muster.

However, on this occasion, I took it as a big compliment. With my 32nd birthday on the not-to-distant horizon and the grey hairs colonising my hair (though goodness knows how long that will last), I was beginning to feel a bit over the hill.

I've spent years watching football and cricket matches, complaining that so-and-so should call it a day and retire with dignity now he's past 30; now I'm in the same boat.

So my conversation with mum made me feel better. If she still doesn't recognise any of the artists I'm listening to, maybe there's still hope. Now where did I put that Roxette CD?

I want to be a guitar hero

I've discovered something entertaining and brilliant... a video game.

Now I'm not really into computer games. I own a Playstation 2 and I have been considering upgrading. However, I only play a couple of games - the Pro Evolution football series and any cricket games that look half decent.

However, my desire to upgrade became a good deal more pressing when I visited my brother at the weekend. He introduced me to the previously unknown world of Guitar Hero and now I'm hooked. I mean, fancy being able to play Poison. On a guitar. It's brilliant.

When I managed to perform the whole of Paranoid by Black Sabbath, I did a lap of honour around Barry's front room. I'm not sure what his neighbours made of my performance (it was approaching midnight) but as somebody who doesn't have a musical bone in his body, I felt like a rock god.

So I've decided it's time to upgrade to an Xbox 360 with Guitar Hero. Now I've just got to persuade Melissa.

North West Water Cricketers

For anybody interested in the escapades of my cricket team, North West Water, we've got a new blog to mark the start of the new season.

I'll try to keep it up to date with news, results, comment and maybe even a picture or two as the season progresses.

To visit, just click this link:

http://www.northwestwater.blogspot.com/