Pleasant weekend, all the more so with the current spell of lovely weather continuing. Saturday, in the best tradition, was football day. Two games, two laboured victories, but never complain about a win. First, to the pub to watch les hommes d'Arsène Wenger uncharacteristically dig out a satisfying 1-0 result thanks to a man of the match display by the 3rd choice keeper. As soon as the final whistle went, we headed off to Gerland, a journey which would normally have taken less than half an hour and got us there just before kickoff. However we neglected to take account of the ongoing public transport strike, which I'd erroneously thought wasn't continuous. The automatic metro line was running, but it only got us half way there. Fortunately there were replacement shuttle buses running. Though only to one stop short of the ground, so after a brisk 400m walk, we ended up missing about 10 minutes of the game. And the opening goal, for the opposition.
Toulouse were playing well and OL continued to struggle for the rest of the first half, but a half time change of tactics and an 18 year-old substitute livened things up. The young striker scored a lovely equaliser and Lyon eventually scored a scrappy winner a few minutes from time. Another quick exit as soon as the final whistle went, another brisk walk back to where the shuttle buses departed, and who should we bump into on the bus but a former colleague of la bienheureuse who left Lyon 3 years ago. Funnily enough we bumped into him in the pub a year or two ago, again without being aware he was visiting Lyon. Quelle coincidence. Or maybe not, when you consider he's as much of a football fanatic as me (even if he supports the dark side).
A more gentle day Sunday. Stroll along the river and through the park, amble round the garden centre looking for more indoor greenery, then a tough trudge back home bearing large plant and self-watering pot. Rather warm work for a late September sunday. Today, the good weather continues and so does the strike...
