RHIAN SOCCER JOURNALS           

NETHERLANDS AND BACK IN CAMP       29 May 2011

I have been very fortunate recently. I had only been back in camp in Rome for two days, before the squad was given a day off. My teammates have been working really hard and I know they have all been as excited as I am, to have some time off to relax and recover.

No one was very late back last night from watching the Champions League game. As soon as the game was over, we all headed straight back to the hotel and our beds.

Everyone knows the pleasure of being able to lie in bed in that dozy state just between sleep and consciousness in the morning and not having to put a wake-up alarm on. Days off are my favorite for this reason alone, I HATE waking up to an alarm, especially D's which features church bells joyfully pealing - grrrrrr!

I have been away from camp for a few days as after the game against Switzerland in Zurich, I headed to Winnipeg for a family wedding. My sister and her husband Chris, and my brother David and his wife Kristina were there too, and my baby nephew Zachary. I really enjoyed the break and the ceremony meeting Jill’s family and getting to see Winnipeg for the first time. The only upsetting event was that my uncle and aunt from the UK missed the wedding as they were stuck in Minneapolis due to tornadoes ravaging the States.

Then, it was a long journey and back to camp. I studied for my first morning back in camp. For some reason, I had carted all my school books home to Canada, went to the wedding in Winnipeg, and, of course, I did not open them once. Now I have to get back to work. It was a beautiful day here, so it was almost relaxing to sit and  study while sitting outside and still enjoying the day.

Tomorrow we start again bright and early, with less than one month left to the kick-off for the FIFA Women's World Cup.