The Wokingham Paper is published each Friday and within its pages you can find my regular column "Nellie Knows", as each new issue is printed and delivered to shops in Wokingham Borough I share my column on my blog. Well normally I do but I was a bit delayed this week!
This was previously published in The Wokingham Paper on Friday 12 June 2015.
Large excitement in the Williams house as the Wokingham & Emmbrook Girls U10 came home from another football tournament with the all important cup. Last Saturday we headed over to the Tilehurst Panthers Tournament and watched our youngest as she dashed across the pitch in her orange and black kit proudly wearing her FA WSL headband that she won after I did a “tweet from my seat” at the Reading vs Millwall game when she was a mascot. Blimey, was I proud of her and the team, as indeed all the supporters were! I’m a recent convert to football mum status but I had my heart in my mouth when the team got to the quarter final, then semi final and penalties so I was beside myself when they got to the final and was subsequently unbearable when they got to penalties. Then they won and I cheered, roared and of course had to wipe a fleck of dust away as my emotions got the better of me! I’d like to say a very big thank you to John and Andy who have coached them, Will who has managed them and Sarah who has managed us and made sure we were where we should be and on time, as well as John Wood Sports who have sold us a steady stream of footballs that have landed up in borders, over the hedges or mauled by the dog and who have listened to a cheery little 10 year old talk skills and tactics whilst I say every time we go in that I got my hockey boots from them when I was her age!
Telly time
It does make me chuckle that I mention telly like I am glued to it, when really I watch so little, but I am gripped by Home Fires and am pleased to see there is a second series. During a recent discussion about telly and what is cult viewing these days my husband told me that I must watch Breaking Bad but as I am still trying to work out what actually happened in Twin Peaks I reckon it will be another 20 years before I watch it. We did watch the England game and cheered on Fran Kirby who has been one of the after-school coaches so I am keeping up with sport, albeit as a spectator!
On the bookshelf
I have been busy reading though and have recently had the pleasure of reviewing Coming up Roses by Rachael Lucas which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am now reading the proof for Shelan Rodger’s new book The Yellow Room which I can assure you is as outstanding as her debut novel Twin Truths which I also reviewed. During my recently visit to Crickhowell Mark Zytynski kindly gave me a copy of his stunning book Kensington Garden Treescapes which is a really attractive coffee table book and one I can recommend.
Keeping in touch
I “get” social media however I am very fond of the written word, both sending and receiving so I have been enjoying writing letters and have (obviously!) had to stock up on stationery. I got some personalised stationery from a great website called This is Nessie and picked up some lovely cards from Wiltshire artist Sally Swannell whose designs are instantly recognisable, Licorice Trading who also have a selection of Welsh cards as well as another Wiltshire artist Vicky Palmer whose labrador and cow prints are so lifelike.
In amongst all of this I have launched a website www.nelliepompoms.co.uk which features previous Nellie Knows columns as well as shopping ideas and inspiration, book reviews, recipes, random musings and my blog.
So it’s all go here and the sun, as I write, is shining so I must get out into my garden and watch my girls play football whilst I request that they kindly refrain from kicking the balls into my roses and over the hedge.