Chirping and singing

Chirping and singing 
Warming light casts over us
The whistle awaits

Saturday night drifted into Sunday in that slightly messy way weekends sometimes do. I remember struggling a bit to get to sleep, my mind not quite settling properly, knowing the alarm would come too soon.

And it did.

Sunday morning arrived with the sound of the alarm cutting through sleep, quickly followed by something softer — birds singing outside, already awake and busy with their own day. There was something oddly comforting about that contrast: the artificial urgency of the alarm, and the natural calm of the birds.

When I opened my eyes properly, the room was already glowing. The sun was shining through the blinds, striping the bedroom in warm light. It should have been enough to make getting up easy, but the bed had other ideas. It was warm, comfortable, and in that perfect state where it feels like the world outside can wait a little longer.

But it couldn’t.

We had to get moving — get washed, fed, dressed, and out in time for Max’s football game. That familiar weekend routine kicked in: the quiet coordination of getting everyone ready and out the door on schedule.

By the time we left, the weather had already settled into something warm and promising. It wasn’t just a nice morning — it was one of those mornings that feels like it’s building towards something. The temperature kept climbing as the hours went on, the kind of day where even standing still feels like you’re slowly being warmed through.

When we arrived at the away venue, the mood was relaxed. There was no tension in the air, just the usual mix of parents chatting, kids kicking balls around, and coaches preparing for kick-off. I felt calm too — unusually so. Positive, even. One of those moments where everything feels straightforward.

That changed slightly when I ended up on the line.

Linesman is not a role I enjoy. I never feel confident doing it, and I’m always aware of how many offsides I miss or question in my head after the moment has passed. It’s one of those jobs where you’re constantly half a second behind your own judgment.

But there wasn’t really a choice. If I didn’t do it, the game might not have gone ahead properly, or Stephen — the head coach — would have had to run the line himself while also managing everything else. That would have left him effectively coaching alone, something I’ve never seen him have to do before.

So I did it.

The game itself started well. The lads looked sharp in the first ten minutes — organised, confident, playing like a team that had built something solid over the season. It was good to watch, and for a moment, it felt like it would be one of those comfortable matches where everything just clicks.

But football has a way of changing quickly.

Slowly, things started to drift. Positions were forgotten. The formation that had held them together started to dissolve. Players ended up where they shouldn’t be, gaps opened up, and the shape that had been so clear earlier in the season just… disappeared.

It was frustrating to watch, especially in a friendly, after how strong they’ve been overall this year.

In the end, we lost 2–1. Not a heavy defeat, but one that felt slightly heavier than the score suggests. It could easily have been worse, though, so there was at least that small consolation.

Max played well, though not quite at the level he’s shown he can reach. Nothing dramatic — just one of those games where things don’t quite flow for him the way they usually do.

By the time it was all finished and we were heading home, the warmth of the morning still lingered in my mind. That peaceful start with birds singing and sunlight pouring through the blinds felt a long way away from the slightly frustrating end to the match.

It left me in that strange in-between feeling — not angry, not upset exactly, just a bit deflated. A reminder that even on the brightest, calmest mornings, things don’t always unfold in the way you expect.

Still, that early moment stays with me more than the scoreline does. Sometimes the beginning of the day is what lingers longest, even when the ending doesn’t quite match it.