Football or Rugby? An Englishman in America on a day like tomorrow is difficult. My local football, rugby and all things Irish bar wants $20 to see each game. The footie is at 9am but the rugby is at 2pm. I have offers to go and see both but more than likely will just pick one. What with the cricket as well, tomorrow would be a perfect day to refuse to leave the sofa, is I was at home in the UK.

I am off work again today, probably because at 5.30pm last night I realised I could. Last Friday I was in my shorts, today the weather is 40 degrees colder and it is hard to imagine some of the scenes witnessed at last Sunday's Chicago marathon. As they say, this is fall in Chicago, with the vanishing summer battling the looming winter for the skies.

This time next week we will be heading to the airport for our 12-hour flight to Tokyo's Narita airport. Am very excited about that, although I have just realised that I will be on a plane for the Rugby World Cup Final. Bah, although if England don't make it, then not bothered.

This weekend will be a quiet one, we have friends over for dinner tonight, I'm playing 'soccer' Sunday and then Monday I have to go to Detroit meaning a 3.30am alarm call. Yikes.  ¶ 14:41