15 June 1998

Well, I'm knackered already - 15/06/98

Well, back onto winning form for the Orcas. Joseph was back, and he and Harry got back into their rhythm. We won 3-1. Harry took a face plant in a large mud puddle but came up smiling. Rory had a quiet game. Weather was atrocious, which affected the other big game of the day, NZ A against England in Hamilton. NZ A won 18-10 in 30 knot wind and heaps of rain.
In lesser known competitions, the World Cup Soccer kicked off with the usual amount of disinterest in NZ for a game we can't play. TV One, while picking up some of the games, refused to interrupt their incredibly important breakfast television show to play games live. Fair enough, not wanting to upset all seven people in their audience (rumoured to be the same seven that voted for compulsory superannuation).
The NZ dollar took a nosedive, to below US50c. We are in deep shite. Luckily, Diana and I decided to refinance our mortgage on a fixed rate for 5 years just before the rate went up again.
Busy week last week in funny ways. Mad panic on some numbers for a relatively large job for a client that wants to install a system at three other locations.
Played Ross at tennis the other night, score was 6-1, 2-6, 6-6 to him. Technically he won but tennis was the winner on the day. Bloody cold, Diana was convinced I was going to come home with an injury (blew my soleus on a cold night and last time I played Ross at night I buggered my back). I am still considering giving up tennis but need an alternative that I enjoy (something that gets my heart rate up as well).
Ben & Olivia were back in the headlines with some more crap from the tip. Either they better find the bastards soon or there could be riots. Still, gives the reporter from Blenheim something to do.
They arrested a guy and he appeared in court yesterday for the Ben and Olivia murder. No bodies yet, but the head cop looked pretty happy with himself. The guy owns the boat they took from the water about 4 days after they disappeared. I guess he was the main suspect all along. No name suppression, no plea, waiting to see what happens in two weeks. The news said last night "huge public interest in this story". What they mean is "unreasonable obsession on the part of the media with this story". I just hope the bastard pleads guilty then we can stop hearing about it.
AMP listed yesterday at about $28, went up then down. $3.3billion injection into NZ from it. More shares going overseas potentially.
Apparently global temperatures this year have been records every month this year so far. We are still getting Monarch butterflies, hit one in the car on Sunday.
Went to Hamilton yesterday, weather was a damn sight better than over the weekend.
I think I need about four coffees.
No birthdays this week.
Saw my grandparents today. Gran is back at home, saw them yesterday, she came home in the morning. Pop was getting pissed off with paying $450 per week for them to do nothing (his words). She is pretty tired looking, although she said her neck didn't hurt and she was actually quite cheerful all things considered. I think they have got her on some new painkillers. He said there was bugger all they could do about the arthritis in her neck, and now she is getting pain at the base of her back.
It is pretty tiring for Pop to look after her. Mostly because of the conversation than anything. She can't really remember what happened five minutes ago, and that gets to be emotionally draining even for half an hour. Very much like Dad was when he had his stroke. He does growl at her now and again, gets quite frustrated. I think he likes to have a proper conversation with someone now and again.
He was cheerful enough though, was quite happy about the idea for me to get him a bottle or two of gin duty free. He said he was a bit disappointed that Peter didn't pop in over the weekend, the weather was crap so he didn't think he would have gone to his bach.
They have had some problems with the "central heating" that the new unit has, but it doesn't actually work so he bought a heater that he keeps on in her room. He is doing a pretty reasonable job of looking after her, but he knows she is on the downhill track. I think she does too, and although she hasn't exactly given up, with her memory the way it is there isn't much fight left in her.
She still reads, something she couldn't do before her eyes were fixed, but she doesn't remember the operation. She probably only needs one book now, which sound a bit cruel but I can't see how she would remember the previous page.
He is still fighting fit which is good to see. He has put up some plywood on the sides of the carport himself and is getting a rollerdoor fitted.

No comments: