as if in a dream - a landscape

the night garden - a landscape

becalmed - a landscape

Most of the ships were lost on the tenth day at sea, engulfed in a maelstrom of angry waves. Ours was spared and two others beside. The first made off into the night and the second sank shortly thereafter. We heard their cries.

Our mast and rudder lay shattered beyond repair. 

Becalmed as the skies darkened around us we watched the moon dragged down beneath the waves. There was an occasional trace of white spume then nothing. We slept fitfully.

There was no sense of time.  Many lost hold of their senses and threw themselves overboard. Anything to escape the maddening black silence.

It came eventually. A purple dawn surfing across the face of the water. We were lost souls, our ship gone too. All that remained was to watch the final black wave ride toward us.

Colour drained, the landscape dissolved.

asti .. the new car

aston villa 1 - 2 sheffield wednesday

It's Steve Bruce's one hundredth match in charge of the Villa but sadly it proves not to be a happy anniversary.

After victory against Rotherham in mid-week spirits are high, despite the occasional blustery shower.  Whilst the weather fails to dent the mood, the first-half sadly saps the sell-out crowd. Villa appear listless, unable to make much impact on the muscular and well-organised Owls.  

It comes as little surprise when Marco da Silva nets the opener for Sheffield shortly after the break.  The goal kick-starts Villa into action, albeit on a temporary basis.  A fantastic volley from John McGinn draws us level and ten minutes of sustained Villa pressure follows.

Sadly, it turns out to be yet another false dawn.  We concede a second, a header from Steven Fletcher and there's no way back. Time after time this season the Villa defence has leaked goals. The back-line now looks more porous than a paper submarine at the bottom of the North Sea with recent attempts to bolster its ranks seemingly sponsored by Age Concern.

Oh well, there's always another game ...