January 25 - in which I dish out post-match treats

Off to a nearby primary school to see my stepdaughter play for her school football team. They're "played 2, won 2" so far, and I am bringing the dog along as their lucky mascot. It's a bitterly cold day, and they are up against their toughest opposition so far - a team containing one girl who trains with Arsenal and two who play for Enfield Ladies. It's not going to be easy.
At half-time, however, they're just 1 goal down. After their coach gives them their team talk, I step in to provide extra inspiration. "This big packet of Minstrels is for you lot if you win!" I tell them. The general feeling among the girls appears to be that I should share them out right now to give them extra energy. And this may be because they had some idea of what would befall them in the second half. Sadly, despite a spirited performance, they go down 4-0. They get the Minstrels anyway, of course...