Sunday, October 23, 2005 - Does it get any better than this?

Today was a good day, one of those days when everything is just right with the world and it's all good.

I have been playing football (soccer) with a bunch of guys every Sunday for about the last 8 years. It's a 'pick-up game', people tend to come and go, leave the city, disappear without notice, stop showing up for the game, but somehow new players always appear. 

Playing soccer in Los Angeles is not as easy as it should be sometimes,  public American parks have no goal posts or  few designated football areas, we have found ourselves competing with AYSO soccer or other sports such as baseball for decent playing surfaces.

Permits must be applied for and paid for to the various cities if you do wish to play on the few designated football fields, which are usually taken by better financed, organized kids AYSO and adult leagues. We have literally been chased off many school fields by having the police called on us for playing without official permission  from the authorities and PTA's on school grounds ( which makes me wonder if the police have nothing better to do than visit a bunch of old farts playing footie at 9AM on a Sunday morning while most people are still in bed?!?!), but have  managed to keep our weekly game together over the years.

Today we had our official unofficial annual BBQ at the park where there has been no problems with us playing on for about the past year.

Some of the players and their families

The guys (and occasional girls) that play every week are from all over the world, most are first or second generation immigrants from such diverse counties as Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Germany, United States and myself who is English of course. The players ages range from 19 - 60 odd,  I am in the median age demographic at 41.

We had the BBQ when the wives, girlfreinds and kids showed up immediately after the game and a good time was had by all.

My son( center) and the daughter and grandson of some Argentinian players.

After enjoying flank steak, ribs, empenadas, sausages, potato salad, chips and various salads washed down with beer and red wine I came home and watched the Newcastle V Sunderland derby game but fell asleep, not to worry the Spurs V Man U game followed later that afternoon.

All in all it was a day made in heaven, the stuff dreams are made of, but then I am a man of simple tastes.