It's not often I get to combine all five of my favourite things in one day but the plan is for tomorrow to be one of them.
This is how it's likely to happen.
Family - spending some quality time with Monkey, the 5yo boy in my life. His 3yo sister, known as Missy Woo, is staying at grandparents whilst her room is re-decorated. This means I have to keep Monkey away from creating havoc in her room.
Fitness - the plan is tomorrow morning, I will do the last workout in the 30 day challenge I've been doing on EA Sports Active. It's the second one I've finished and I have done it on the hard setting so I'm very proud of what I have achieved so far, but there is still a long way to go and I'll start a new one on Monday.
Football - Monkey is currently obsessed with football. It's hardly surprising in this house as we all love it, but really, he takes it to the limit. He watches Sky Sports News endlessly, he asks if there is football every night, every morning, every afternoon. He's started collecting those Match Attax card as well. Anyhow, last weekend, he asked to go to a "proper" football match and I decided it was a perfect time to take him to one as I think he's more able to cope with the noise and the people now. I looked around and only two matches appear to be on in the North West of any note. Blackburn Rovers v Man United on Sunday (fat chance of tickets) or Preston North End v Scunthorpe. Now, PNE is my team and I used to have a season ticket, right up until Monkey was born. However, his Daddy isn't - in fact, it couldn't be worse as he's from Blackpool, and supports the Seasiders who are Preston's deadly rivals. We have always got round this by saying that Monkey will support Barcelona - which he does - but as he's not coming with us to the Nou Camp when we visit in a couple of weeks, Preston will have to be his first experience of "live" league football. It's helped by the fact that PNE run a scheme called Mini Whites whereby registered under 8s can get FREE tickets. Off I trotted to Deepdale on Tuesday and one free ticket later, my little boy's first match ticket is mine for free, tho mine cost £22. We're going for the full matchday experience and no doubt, I will take him early so we can go visit the National Football Museum for one last time before it closes and moves to Manchester. Bastards.
Food - Monkey has already told me he wants to have a pie so a pie it will have to be. I've just found out they don't do butter pies at Deepdale anymore. Gutted. You may find me trawling the streets of Preston tomorrow lunchtime in my quest for one with a 5 yo hanging off my arm with a mad unsated look in my eye.
Fun - well, it will be if Preston win! We desperately need the 3 points so here's hoping. I am suspecting that I am going to be fielding constant questions and talking from Monkey. He's inquisitive (tho not quite as much as his sister) and talkative (ditto). His insights are hilarious sometimes so I'm planning on making his first match experience memorable. For both of us.
And when that is all over....... there is a bonus F.
Football (part 2) - tomorrow night is one of the events of the season in our household. It's Real Madrid - Barcelona also known as El Clasico or El Derbi (great anglicisation there). In the second half of the season, it's always more important and as we are united by our support for Barcelona and our hatred for Real Madrid., the need to win is even great. Barca have got to win as it will give them the upper hand in La Liga where the two teams are level on points. It's also an opportunity to watch Lionel Messi again. He's so on fire at the moment, he's scored almost a goal a game this season but has scored about half of those in the last couple of weeks, including the 4 against Arsenal on Tuesday. Great to watch, particularly when you're supporting the team he plays for. A great match is anticipated by all even tho there is unlikely to be a pig's head thrown on the pitch this time.
We normally combine this occasion with lots of tapas (more food) but mr k so far has been reticent on whether he actually wants to have some so I'll be flying by the seat of my pants. Monkey will want to stay up but as the game doesn't kick off until 9pm UK time, the only way he'll be seeing it is thanks to Sky+ on Sunday morning.
So that's the plan for tomorrow. Five Fs, one day. Will I manage it? Come back soon and find out.
