Farewell, Stephen

Stephen Hendry retired from International snooker competitions yesterday. He was knocked out of the world championship at the Crucible by Steven Maguire, a fellow Scot and he made the announcement almost straight away.

This small event probably doesn’t mean much in the scheme of things but Hendry has been around for as long as I can remember snooker. Though I was always firmly in the Jimmy White camp – mainly because, like me, he wore an earring – Hendry was always there, with his own brand of methodical cuemanship. He was always a force to be reckoned with.

He is the youngest player to ever win the world title (aged 21) and ended up winning it seven times, throughout a career that included every major tournament in the snooker playing world.

He’ll be missed on the international circuit. Not just by the fans but also by his fellow competitors because word has it he’s also a very nice chap. Nothing shows this more than during his final match when he shared a little chat with his opponent, something that very rarely happens.

Stephen Hendry managed to finish in great style by scoring a maximum 147 break during his previous match, a feat I was lucky enough to see. It seemed a fitting way to end a shining career.

Thank you, Stephen, for many hours of enjoyment and inspiration and, in part, for making snooker what it is today. You may be missed but you’ll never be forgotten.

A great snooker star

In other news…I had my weekly lunch date with Mirinda today. We met at the flat and went for a lovely stroll (albeit under steely grey skies) around the Mill Quay.

We spotted a few birds, including this duck with the rather odd bill decoration. Is this some sort of strange bird piercing?

Does my bill look big in this?

We also saw a preening cormorant but he refused to spread his wings out for me. He was on the Tern Float, in the opposite corner to the coot on the nest I photographed a few weeks ago. The coot was still there, by the way.

You lookin' at me?

After the usual lovely lunch at our Lebanese restaurant, we walked back to the flat before I made the long journey home.