It was a lovely afternoon - a crisp chill in the air, intermittent sunshine, and a charming attempt at some hail that melted as soon as it landed on our puffa jackets. It's been a while since I've had a chance to take some football photos, and Arsenal Women, once they'd overcome the initial resistance of Yeovil Town Ladies FC, attacked in numbers that gave me a gentle refresher course in timing and focus. Danielle Carter kindly scored the first goal at a great angle for my little camera (see above). However, although her team-mates were rather pleased about this, she made nary a gesture of celebration (see below).
I have previous photographic evidence that Dan Carter will at least point to the sky with one finger in the traditional celebratory pose, but today she did not. It was disappointing from a camera point of view. Nevertheless, I set off home at the end of a 4-0 victory for AWFC in excellent spirits and looking forward to seeing what I'd got in my camera.
On the way back, I was checking social media, and read the sad news that an inspirational colleague has entered hospice care. Some years ago, she had survived a terrible car crash, and defied all prognoses, fighting her way back to life and work. She is someone who has changed the world in which she lives, and we celebrate her leadership and achievements. It is hard to accept that this time she probably will not defy her doctors' predictions. Now when I look again at Dan Carter after scoring her goal, I'm not quite sure why, but I'm glad she's not jumping for joy.
