Relax, this isn't so long - 27/07/98

That is for two reasons. First, bugger all has happened, second, this @#(*$&#@ machine bluescreened just before I clicked send the first time I wrote this.
Anyway, nothing happened big game wise, no Soccer game since Rory won the POD trophy. He has already mentally given it up and no longer sleeps with it. Only five games left in the season. Team photo was taken last week and they let me be in it!
Rain. Bloody rain. I have composed a small poem to cover it all.

It rains
no soccer
it rains
no kayaking
it rains
lots of jobs done in the house
it rains
rain sucks

I will send it to the Listener and see if they will publish it.

Rugby was good but not satisfactory in outcome. South Africa won 13-3. We missed 5 kicks, or more accurately Carlos Spencer did. Hart must be feeling the pressure. Although it is technically feasible for us to win the Tri-Nations I can't see it happening.
Tau jokes continue, including "Tau Snubbed" on the cover of the Listener this week. Very boring. Christine Fletcher (National MP with largest majority, our answer to Alan B'Stard) is now standing for Auckland Mayoralty. Will continue to serve as an MP. Stupid cow. She announced she wasn't going to about a year ago. Heaps of people are now planning to vote for Camp Mother (a Topp Twin in character) who wants more pink in Auckland.
Rain continued. This time north of Auckland. Funny, it always seems to rain in Auckland as well. Record rainfall for July in Glenfield, Orewa, and Freemans Bay (although more in Orewa and Glenfield - I keep telling you the shore is wetter, Ross). Floods, slips, etc up North. Boring.

South Taranaki has apparently made a name for itself by using some green colour paint to discourage graffiti. Spokesman said he was interviewed on BBC and mentioned South Taranaki five times in three minutes.

Rory's friend Jared (soccer player as well) turned up on Friday for Rory's "D" party in costume, shame it is next Friday. Poor little bugger. Anyway, we took him with us to McD's on Saturday morning seeing there was no soccer (he was in his soccer outfit by 6:40 apparently). Wore the kids out. Rory had cheese on toast before we went so he only ate half a muffin and about three hash browns.

Rory lost another tooth, finally, on Saturday morning. Now he has one missing top and bottom. Hannah says she has two wobbly teeth. She had a sleep in the afternoon on both days of the weekend, must have been pretty knackered from first week back at Kindy.

Stuck in the house all weekend, so I put up a shelf over the back door for my bags (soccer, gym, etc). Bought a Camelbak H.A.W.G. last week, was relatively cheap. Will use for kayaking if I ever go again.
Went bowling on Friday with Sandy (Liam's mum, Liam is in the team), Christine (Sandy's sister) and Cathy. Sandy and Christine are solo mums, Cathy soon will be. Her son is about to get the two year all-clear from cancer, poor little bugger. Gavin came too. I played like crap the first game, getting about 11 in the first 4 frames (not good, when you think about it). Improved considerably by the second game and got 132 which is okay but not flash. We had the music and lights and everything (disco night). I improved when the music came on. I've got rhythm, I've got music, ..
Diana is hoping to tee up Gavin with Sandy but that may be a long shot. Keep you posted if anything happens there.

Got a new gym program last week. Do three whole exercises once every five days. Still hard work but not long like it has been in the past. Do cardio the rest, including other visits with no weights. Hit a high score on the cross-trainer I use (I am NOT competitive). Never been able to beat 2.0 k's in 20 minute. Closest I got was 1.98. Got 2.31 the other day. Could only manage 2.10 yesterday. Best not to attempt that on the days where I am doing the weights. Legs were utterly screwed and then had to do the leg press. Anyway, it is based on a new theory, so I will test it for a month or so.
Rory threw up in the car yesterday morning, so we kept him home the rest of the day. Got some Lego that builds two competing cars where you try to hit each others target's and knock the other guy off his seat. Rory played me, then Diana, Hannah (when she woke up), the cat, anything he could find. He was considerably happier later in the day.

So, only four sleeps to Rory's birthday, the big S I X. Rory is going as a dragon slayer, Diana has spent the last week making the costume and finding pictures of dragons. I said just get a mirror. Anyway, we are going to do the "ball Olympics" which is something I dreamed up as a diversion for me and Rory one day where you throw a tennis ball through, at, and around things. Obviously Rory like that more than I realised. Will sneak off early on Friday to attend the function. Thinking of dressing up as a clown, but I won't have time so might not get carried away.
Hope you all have a good week, pray for no rain in Auckland until about 9:30am Saturday (when the game is finished).