Looking ahead

The greatest derby in world, the head lines blaze. Manchester United against a newly invigorated Manchester City. Spookily the league tables from the 1960s put United and City equal top of the league. Just as they are now. Still the papers may be over hyping the occasion. In other cities there seems to be genuine hatred, Glasgow, Milan, North London, but in Manchester I don't get the same sense of hatred. Sure there's rivalry, and no shortage of fervent banter, but hatred? I don't recognise that. There seems to be much more mixing of people supporting either team and the sectarian origins have been forgotten. There's a new movement spreading around the bill boards. I love Manchester, like the I love NY campaign, seems to be spreading.

Emily, Anne, Lucas and me, all went over to Leeds yesterday to see Lizzy. We had lunch in a Leeds United pub. There were photographs of the old Leeds team. Now that was a hated team.

Earlier in the week I put an offer in for a house in Chorlton. A house about half the size was going to be about the same price as I'd get for my present house. The sums didn't add up. Besides I love my present house. It has everything I need.

At work things are a little easier. I have reduced my working time to three half days a week, allowing more time to focus on other things. Principally I would like to do more writing and in due course to the Clinical Commissioning Group, and weekends in London to see Jonnie and Rachel.

Rivalry, hatred and betrayal are strong words to use in recent blogs. It's time to put those words back in their box marked 'looser', and open the box marked 'winner'. Come on you Reds! and good luck you Blues, lets hope for a jolly good contest and make Manchester the winner.

I love Manchester and my house