Well I went back to the pool this afternoon. I didn't get there until half two because I'd been waiting for a delivery of boilies to come. Why is the courier always late when I want to go fishing?

Anyway, I quickly put a bait over the area I'd baited and a second one to the outer edge of the area. I followed up with a few freebies and was just sorting myself a drink when I had a screaming run which resulted in a lovely looking common of exactly 15lbs.

I sat back quite content and thought again about that drink when the other rod went but this time a slow run which I think was just a liner as it resulted in nothing more than a weedy hook.

All this was too much for the carp pool and it settled into something of a sulk, it just stopped feeling like I may get a bite. I went through the motions for another couple of hours before packing to come home and sort some gear for an early start in the morning. I don't know why I should make such an effort as opening day is usually a let down but hey, its traditional.

Football

As I type this Brazil are playing world cup minnows North Korea. As with virtually all of the opening matches, so far it is slow and disappointing. The first round of games are always like this but the next couple of rounds will see some of the best games of the competition... I hope.

Its funny but here we are almost a week into the biggest football competition there is and the main points of conversation are about the ball and those bloody vuvzelas. Well here's my two penneth worth.

First the ball. How can FIFA allow a world cup to be decided by the lottery of a bloody ball that floats and swerves like those cheap plastic jobs I used as a kid? It is the roundest ball ever - huh! If that's the case then give us an oval one. I remember back in 1970 when the high altitude made the ball fly faster and unpredictably and that was a great heavy leather thing. We are now back at altitude with a balloon.

Oddly enough, the only side that has got on well with the ball are the Germans. Did you know that the ball was developed and made in Germany and used in the Bundesliga last season? Hmm, clever buggers.

I must mention that constant droning sound that accompanies every game from the dreaded vuvezelas. Please God they don't find their way into the English grounds! There is only one saving grace that can be attributed to the little plastic horns, they drowned out the sound of that awful band that follows the England team.