28th October
I know - it has been an age hasn't it and I do apologise. Things have been pretty hectic and exciting recently but I am now very much back on track.

So where were you when England palyed in the World Cup Final 2007. I was in Cornwall on holiday and as the TV in the cottage is only about 4" square we decided to go the local pub - The Harbour Inn. It was not too crowded so Mum and I managed to get a pew on the leather sofa with a good view of two screens. I had already had a couple of wines with my dinner so I was feellng pretty merry. I decided to have another one.... and then asked hubby for another and from then on it all went down hill rapidly. Hubby, in his infinite wisdom, decided to by me a whole bottle to share with Mum. As Mum managed a thimble full it rested with me to drain the bottle - of course - it would have been rude not to! Consequently, there is no point at all in asking me what happened in the second half. I simply do not remember it! What a disgusting old soak! God I felt ill!

The next day I felt as though somebody and driven nails into my skull. My mood was not sweetened as I looked at my Blackberry® to see that I had in fact texted a well know England Rugby Player (guess who) 3 minutes after the match had ended with the word 'Gugger!' Couldn't even spell it right! God how embarrassing. Anyway, nothing has been said so I am just pretending that my phone was 'phone-jacked'. Lesson here girls. If you are going to get plastered, leave your phone at home!

Today we are very excited as our Under 15s have won their first match of the season AND son and heir remained on the pitch for 80 minutes injury free. A miracle in itself as the previous match we were off to the hospital within 6 minutes of it starting with concussion. Great! Today was good though and I am looking forward to writing the match report - it gets hard to sound positive when your boys have played like a bunch of Zombies - but today, they played like a rugby team which is just what we have wanted for about 3 years now. Well done my boys!

It has to be said that I am less of a woman from the last time that I blogged. At the beginning of September I parted company with my gall bladder. All very dramatic as I react badly to any opium based drugs. The scene resembled last Saturday night really. Not pleasant. They kept me in for another day just in case but as soon as I got back I set my office up on the sofa and carried on. It was great at the weekends though as I just had to sit and watch at least 8 hours of World Cup Rugby!

Well, I am very proud to announce the arrival Benji's beautiful 2008 Calendar managed by yours truly. They are selling like hotcakes which is amazing as they only got printed on Friday. The photoshoot was hard work as you can imagine but someone had to do it! Interestingly, 80% of the purchasers so far have been men........ girls, time to catch up with our gay friends!

So, until next time, enjoy the blogs and let me know if you would like to join in.

TTFN

16th August
Training for the newly formed Under 15s has now well and truly started. We had 26 boys turn up for the first session. It was great, but I am not sure they thought so and the first thing they had to do was the 'bleep test'. This is where they have to run between two different points keeping in time with the bleeps, which get faster and faster. Sweaty exhausted boys everywhere! Anyway, that soon sorted out the wheat from the chaff!

It has been the summer holidays so most sessions since then we have the statutory 15 boys, but they are definitely getting fitter... all except poor old Liam. Last night we were running a tackling drill and Liam, who up to this point had been doing really well, was tackled effectively by Conan. 'Crack'! Ouch!..... Liam is rolling around the ground holding his leg in agony shouting out words that he really would not want his Mum to hear him saying. Hubby and Greg (assisting at the time) immediately administered first aid and tried to stop him blaspheming to no avail.

Mum and Ambulance arrived together and the swearing miraculously stopped and Liam was given gas and air, splinted and carried off to the local hospital (well, I say local, about 30 miles away actually - good old NHS!). We have heard this morning that he has broken both bones in his lower leg and may well have to be operated on. Poor old Liam.

Hubby and I did comment that it made a change for it not be our Son being carried off in said ambulance - maybe that was because he was off for a holiday in Kefalonia (alright for some!).

Have you seen the new Ben Cohen site? Created by the same people who own Rugby for the Girls. How cool is that! Don't forget to have a look and send your emails into Ben. He does answer them himself - I can vouch for that. The first set will be going live on the site any day now. 

What are your thoughts on the RWC England squad. Real shame about James Haskell not getting in. Let us know your thoughts for the notice board and we will put them up. You can read what Lucy things here.

TTFN

2nd July 2007
It has been a while since I have updated my blog - not much has been happening on the rugby front with my boys as they have been having a summer break - not for long though as training starts on July 11th. As team manager I have been busy writing welcome back letters and printing out new fixture lists.

Sam did get involved in something call 'Passport to Sport' which is run every year near to where we live. It is where all types of sports get together to show off what they do and encourage kids to get involved and get fit. Sam spent the whole day holding a tackle bag and being relentlessly attacked by teenage girls (for some reason)! He didn't seem to mind though. Mind you, it was just as well that Passport for Sport occurred.... I needed to give Sam and George squad shirts for the day.... now, where did we put the kit, I couldn't think where it was. Then I remembered - it is in 'smelly car' in which we keep all the rugby gear, and it had been there UNWASHED since tour!!! Oh No!

Anyway, what's a bit of mould amongst friends....

Dramas have continued to occur in the Tipping household. The other day Mowser (black and white Moggy) came in with a lump on her back as big as an egg. I had no idea what it was so not wanting to miss out on 'pet owner of the year` I took said animal down to the vets. She has an abscess - they tell me - and as such must wear a rather fetching Elizabethan collar to stop her licking it. Well, bless Mowser. As you can imagine, she was not impressed - I would go so far as to say she was decidedly miffed - as you can see.

We did go the vets again today in the hope that he would take Mowser's collar of torture off, but alas, still a few more days to go Mowser. She was even more miffed I can tell you.

Never mind!

You will all be pleased to know that the dancing lessons are coming on well - NOT! Well no, to be fair, we have now conquered the Cha Cha. Not bad as we only started learning it last October. We had the village Summer Ball last weekend and we thought it would be a good time to test out the new 'steps'. Well, we waited all evening - eagerly anticipating a Ricky Martin tune or something. Nothing! We ended up giving it a go to Mustang Sally, which worked remarkably well considering.... John only stood on my toes once which was also a plus. It is dancing tonight actually - we are now working on The Jive - should be interesting. Matt Dawson would be so proud!

TTFN

9th May 2007 - Under 14s Tour 2007
Well I have just surfaced from 3.5 ton of washing - (very smelly ) and have recovered from sleeping on a minute bunk bed in the school dormitory - yes, we have been on tour. 8 adults and 20 under 14 boys hit Southwold this weekend for three days of activities - we did rock climbing, quad biking, problem solving, bowling, rugby training, camp fire and Acky 123... the boys did lots of activities as well! Ha!

Our match was against Diss who slightly beat us 39 - 0 but we lost brilliantly - as always. We decided to have a change around in the team and try out some different positions and so my Sam (left) ran out as number 11 (even though he played most of the match as flanker) but he had 10 minutes at the end charging up and down the wing and we can definitely see him there in the future.

Sam did manage to get himself injured as normal - I expected nothing less, but we did not have to explore the delights of the local minor injuries unit as we decided they wouldn't be able to do anything about his cracked rib anyway. He is still 'wincing' now but I think we are just badly bruised. My fears were reduced when he came out for activities in the afternoon following a post match shower and a lie down. The other boys were scaling the climbing wall and some boys were obviously better than others - Sam being a bit of a Jack the Lad was not going to be left out so he promptly donned hat and harness and scaled the wall like rampant monkey - what a show off! The cracked rib seemed less likely by that stage and following quad biking and bowling that night, most unlikely.

The food was good, the activities were great, the company was fantastic, the accomodation was..... challenging. In our room we had a set of bunk beds, a single bed, a desk and wardrobe oh and a mirror - and that was it! Nothing else, not even a lampshade. John immediatley selected the single bed so I thought I would get into the mood of things and choose the top bunk - a tip here - DO NOT DO IT! Bunk beds are not made for people over 40, especially when they are made of metal and only 2 feet wide. I spent a peculiar night feeling as though I was about to fall off the edge of the world. I was extremely relieved the next morning to be able to 'alight' from said bed, the spectacle of which was topped only by me getting into the bed the night before...according to my John who watched smuggly from his single bed - I can't remember much about what he said but I think it resembled 'look out, a vast behind me hearties' or something like that - how rude!

The next night however I became a bit wiser and selected the bottom bunk and slept better apart from the wild dreams of being buried alive in a yellow, metal coffin.

So, my first rugby tour is now over and I survived...just (following the bunk incident). Our boys had a great time and we delivered them home completely and utterley exhausted - just right for them all to take their SATS tests this week - brilliant timing!! Oh Well..

TTFN

27th April

Well, life has been just as hectic as ever over the past week or so. I have been on yet another visit to Accident and Emergency with son and heir - we are up to 8 now this season I believe. However, this one (bruised foot) was picked up whilst he was playing football! FOOTBALL! I ask you - what an insult! So, I made him wait for an hour at school whilst I finished my business lunch - football! Whatever next! Anyway, no major damage done which is just as well because the finger has only just healed in time for the U14's tour at the end of next week.

Equally as exciting was the RFTG media visit to the H Cup Semi at the Ricoh Stadium in Coventry. Preeti Virdee (Press) and I (Photographer) gained ERC accreditation to be on pitch side to get the best pictures and talk to the boys after the match. Very exciting! It is great being one of the media; you get lunch laid on before the match, tea afterwards, access to the press conferences and the players. A great experience all round.

Once out on the pitch side in my very 'natty' yellow bib (number 36 - my age - I wish!!) I chose a suitable spot and made camp - how I wish I had one of those cute little chairs that fold up into the size of an umbrella - anyway, the warm up was underway so I started clicking away like some middle aged pervert. You can see the results on the H Cup Gallery going up very soon. Then I spotted Mr Cohen running around the pitch - 150 snaps later I decided I had better photograph some of the other players!! What do you mean that's a bit excessive - well yes, I see what you mean but don't forget we are looking after Ben's new site which will be launched in a few weeks, so I needed the material - hard job but someone's got to do it!

The other photographers were all there with their enormous lenses waiting to take shots when the match started. By this time I had already used up one 250 image memory cards but I crouched down with the Saint's crowd right behind me to concentrate on the match - the noise was deafening.

Great fun! After the match I met up with Preeti 'Press' Virdee and we found our way to the press conferences. I nearly slit my wrists after the Saint's one - Paul Grayson and Bruce Reihana were just a tadge low!! More snaps taken (with the flash this time! What a techno genius.) We then lurked around in the room where the players come through after they have got changed. We immediately caught up with RFTG fav James Haskell who was as obliging and stunning as ever. In between players coming through Preeti and I chatted (Preeti is very good at chatting). She said to me, 'you know, I don't get this 'Cohen' thing' I just looked at her as though she had three heads:- she continued, 'I looked at him on the pitch side as he was standing near Sackey and I just can't see what all the fuss is about' Words failed me.... then he walked into the room and came over to us. 'Hi Ben' I said 'let me introduce you to my colleague Preeti..' at which he said hello, smiled and shook her hand..... now I have not ever known Preeti lost for words - but there she was, right in front of me.....speechless! A classic 'one off' moment in life which I am so glad I captured on film....however, she did admit that speechlessness had happened before - every single time in the presence of certain Martin Johnson.

Half way through the conversation in which she didn't say much, she turned to me (as I was standing on a chair being David Bailey) and said - 'I see exactly what you mean now' - I think Ben was too shattered to really catch on but I am sure he will be delighted to know he now has another member to add to his fan club.

We are hoping to gain accreditation for the final in May, even though press officer John did catch me standing on a chair - not how I was brought up!

TTFN xxx

14th April
I know, it's been ages hasn't it - but I have been very busy with all sorts of stuff.

The broken finger needed a general anaesthetic to make sure it mended straight so that was fun. Sam and I spent the day in Margate hospital children's ward. I went down with him to have his op and of course as they sent him off to sleep the conversation was all about how Sam is going to run out for England some day. It is quite weird with an anaesthetic because just as you go under, your eyeballs terrifyingly roll back to front - very scary for a neurotic parent to witness!! I was fine until they said 'would you like to give him a kiss' and he suddenly changed from a great big hairy teenager into my baby again and I promptly burst into tears. Pathetic!

Anyway, you will all be glad to know that he came round right as rain talking complete gibberish so no change there.

The tricky bit has been keeping him off of the rugby pitch - especially as Mum and Dad are at the club training the boys twice a week. The other day I spied him in the local rec 'hanging' from the goal posts showing off his athletic prowess to the local girlies. Great for broken finger!

Last weekend we had a visiting Dutch team to play our Under 14s and Under 15s. Nice bunch if not slightly strange. The second match for the older group was stopped at half time. The Dutch boys were losing at this point and told us that they thought they had come over to play a 'friendly' game of rugby and they didn't consider what we were playing was friendly...... hands up anyone who has EVER seen a friendly game of rugby!! Surely the friendly stuff happens in the bar afterwards!

Everyone seemed to have a good day though - except the Dutch bus driver who took exception to the fact that he had to pay for his own dinner. I explained that the food was for the boys and coaches and everyone else needed to pay as the kitchen is in fact someone's business. He said 'but I am the coach driver!'...... to which I thought, yes and you are probably the only person who is being paid to be here..... Strangely enough this put a dampener on the day for me, especially as he was being asked to pay £1 for his dinner! He went without - in protest. What a plum!

Oh well, you can't please everyone.... TTFN

Well, this weeks injury to son and heir is a broken finger! The things he does just to get attention. The match was against Old Gravesendians and we lost by quite a lot. I have no idea what the score was which is unfortunate as I have to write the match report for the local paper. Now that is no picnic I can tell you - especially when we don't win that many - there is only so many encouraging comments you can make when the boys have actually played like a bunch of girly la la's. No, to be fair, they played their little 14 year old hearts out and I have to say that our try was of course the best one of the whole match!

Anyway, yes it is my birthday today and I am ** years young. We are just off out to 'trip the light fantastic' and this week I have to catch up because hubby went on his own last week (and ended up dancing with this gorgeous young lady who was at least 20 years younger than me and 'danced like an angel') Ha! We'll see about that. Me-thinks that hubby was trying to make me jealous - not my fault that I couldn't be there as I was at Ben Cohen's photo shoot!

So, we are then going on to have a bite to eat with our friends Jane and Colin who trip the light fantastic with us every week. As usual my birthday was a bit of a non-event but never mind - should be a good night. Off to change into my magic dancing shoes. Tarra!

March 8th
Well, it is official - I am actually married to a TV superstar - nearly - we had a great day with RDF Media who are making a programme called Read On which highlights the plight of dyslexic adults. It was great! We were filmed out walking, working in the office together, me reading to John AND they treated us to a meal in the local pub and filmed us there too. My John now has 6 months of trips to London every week to be filmed in the class room.

You know I was once interviewed to go on wife swap! Yes indeed! They wanted business women to swap with whoever. It was not quite the right time for us so we didn't go ahead. I think I am a bit too ordinary anyway.

Talking of hubby - had to laugh. Two weeks ago there I was watching 8 hours of rugby - feet up on sofa - phone off the hook - what was hubby doing - HOOVERING! Talk about role reversal! But hey, it gets better - the next week I snuggled on the sofa to watch Leicester play Quins. Where was hubby? Baking a cake? Nope - he was applying a face pack! Is it me? We are not talking effeminate man here - we are talking 16 stone navvy with tattoos who has hands the size of shovels. He did shave first though so I suppose it is OK.

Son and heir is back on the pitch following the (fake) ankle incident. He had a 'staff development day' last Monday so didn't have to go to school - great joy for him. Lucky little blighter got to accompany his Mum up to Northampton Saints to join in a days photo shoot with Ben Cohen - his BIG hero. What an amazing memory for a 13 year old to be able to keep.

The kitchen is full of mud tonight - training night, of course. Hubby (coach) and son (flanker) and me (manager) plus various other miscreants who form part of the team, all pile into our cars and off we go - well actually, not quite true - muddy, horrible teenagers go with coach in 'Smelly Car' which is constantly filled to the ash trays in mud, cones, water bottles, deflated balls and various items of abandoned rugby clothing whilst Manager (Moi) sedately 'purrs' down to Crabble Athletic ground in 'Black Panther' (massive black Volvo with leather seats and personalised plates) Well I'm sorry but Smelly Car just doesn't do it for me OR my image now does it?

I stomped round the pitch in the dark talking on my mobile looking important whilst hubby spent an hour and a half shouting at the boys. It was cold, wet and very 'rugby'. We were all just about to go home when we discovered to our horror that Dylan (other flanker) had in fact gone home with William's (second row) specs and as William is virtually blind without them (bless him) we thought it was not a good idea for him to ride his bike home in the dark.

The RFU would have been proud of Coach's 'duty of care' in sorting out this predicament - well I think it got sorted out - I got in my black panther, purred home and left them to it. I did however fling a pizza in the oven for their return home so I am not all bad you know.....

February 23rd
The Minor Injuries Unit at our local hospital has a special cubicle with my son Sam's name on it - yes, we were there again this Sunday with yet another badly sprained ankle following an Under 14's match against Maidstone (our team, Dover, were beaten soundly  - 54-0, I believe, ouch!). Anyway, the hospital do not give out crutches unless there is a broken bone and they sent us away with Paracetamol, a leaflet on ankle injuries (we now have the full set) and instructions to 'ice and levitate', which I thought sounded very spiritual.

Son and heir is delighted that he cannot walk due to lack of crutches as his school (which is built into a hillside - Hogwarts) is on five different levels. Oh Dear! I cannot possibly go to school Mum! 'Is he faking it?' I ask myself - probably. Anyway, he gave in after a second visit to the hospital when this very large, strict, Scottish nursing sister told him to take two tablets and walk on it - whatever it takes 'and get back to school you great big Jessie' I think was her comment. I mouthed a grateful 'Thank You' as we left A and E for the 8th time this season - I jest not!

I actually wasn't even there when the injury occurred which means that once again I have blown my nomination for Mother of the Year. Hubby and I had spent a very nice weekend in Doncaster where we were treated to Doncaster playing National 1 leaders Leeds. Former Saints scrum half Ben Jones (left), now playing for Donnie invited us up and we had a great time watching him play. We were all ready to take some post match pictures of the boys for the RFTG site when disaster struck, the camera broke - Great! So the Doncaster boys (including England 7s Ben Gollings) had spent hours doing their hair for nothing. Never mind. We will be up again to see Bedford play the boys at the end of the season by which time the holy camera will be back from camera hospital.

Exciting news! We are being filmed by Channel 4 on Monday. RFTG on the tele? No, hubby John has been chosen to take part in a Channel 4 Documentry about dyslexia and filming will be taking place over the next 6 months with the programme being shown late this year. Will keep you posted! They want to see him and Sam playing rugby in the garden - Aha! Now he will HAVE to cut the grass!

February 12th 2007
Ever since I have known that blogging existed I have been meaning to find somewhere to put one up - now I have! Fantastic. Now I can babble on about absolutely nothing.

As a rugby mum, rugby fan, rugby coach (oh yes, I have level 1 coaching - bow down in honour) and also manager of the U14s at Dover, my life is pretty full of rugby really - so there is lots to talk about.

Last November we invested in Sky Plus - the England v New Zealand match fell on the day I was taking my Level 1 Coaching Certificate so it seemed reasonable to take the plunge and order in Sky Plus. What a God send it is! I now never miss a game.

This weekend whilst England were playing Italy (is that what they were doing?) I was out in the cold watching a real rugby match in Thanet where my team (Dover) were playing in a local cup match. The referee was a 'lady'. I have never seen that before. Anyway, suffice to say she let us girls down a bit by disallowing a perfectly good try which even the linesman agreed should have been allowed. This meant that the boys lost 18 - 14 which was a shame. Thanet Wanderers, 2 leagues above Dover, you should not have won that match BUT you do make great chips in your kitchen so you're not all bad.

So, I was feeling a bit flat and all I had to look forward to was Tesco's on the way home. Never mind - the England v Italy match would cheer me up! How wrong could I be. In fact, the rumour had spread that it was a bit of a howler so I decided to watch it first thing in the morning knowing that a water logged pitch had meant our Under 14's match was off.

So, I settled down to watch it with anticipation at 8am the next morning.... the highlight was Austin Healey's coat and the fact that I didn't have to listen to Sky Sport's Stuart Barnes commentating. That's how good I thought it was! Talking of commentators, I do love that Brian Moore - he is fab - it's great when he gets going with Eddie Butler and they have a domestic all of their own in the commentary box. They never let Brian and Austin get together apparently, you may have heard, because they don't like each other - does anyone like Austin Healey? - perhaps his Mum does.

Well, must dash now - off to Ball Room dancing lessons. I am sure we must look a right couple of lemons, but we quite enjoy 'tripping the light fantastic' once a week. TTFN.