One week to school holidays - 21/06/99

Heard bugger all real news lately, mostly sports.
Alamein Kopu held a meeting for her party and nobody came. Well, actually about 30 people, mostly journalists and a few people who wanted a free scone and a cup of tea. She felt the meeting numbers were considerably higher as all her whanau attended in spirit. Her ancestors were also present, and heaps of mana. They seem to think they will get every Maori woman voting for them. We'll see.
The Ben and Olivia trial started last week. They are going to call about 500 witnesses, I am not kidding. Will be longest, most costly trial in living memory. The fathers of the two missing/dead people were on the stand first, telling us what good kids they were (they were in their late teens). We have had discussion on the length of Olivia's fingernails, Bens university results, you name it. This is going to be much much worse than when they were looking for them. I think I am going to have to turn on the news about ten minutes late for the next eight months.
Was a fuss the previous week over an HIV kid biting other kids at Bayfield School in Herne Bay, Pt Chevalier School expects some people to move their kids as a result. They reckon about 20 kids are out there with HIV in NZ.
The Kosovo thing doesn't get any better, now the Albanians are harassing the Serbs. Somehow this doesn't feel like a solution. Either way seems to involve refugees leaving.
An eight year old was found with marijuana in his pockets when visiting someone in prison. No idea whether it was for personal use or supply. A Pokemon was confiscated as well.
One child died and another was seriously burnt after playing with matches in a car.
The pool people were fined a total of $20,000 for the kid who drowned in the pool of the house they were renting. They had arranged for someone to fence it, work had not started. The parents are now suing Auckland City Council. I still think the mother should be more than partially responsible. The kindergarten next door had signs everywhere about the pool. I am sure that it is a guilt thing on her part, but would they have had someone to sue if the kid wandered onto the road?
Mike Moore is still stuffing around with the WTO thing.
More public servants leaving with golden handshakes, this time someone from the qualifications authority. I don't know if it is a new practice or if they are just looking at it more.
A Doctor replaced the wrong hip at the new Ascot Hospital next to Ellerslie Racecourse, in the news everywhere. Happens all the time. Usually while the patient is concsious, they write "not this leg, not this leg" or whatever, on the one which doesn't require attention. Must have lost their felt-tip pen.
Build up to the cricket semi-final was a bit much. Couldn't bring myself to stay up to watch it, much. In the end we lost convincingly, but we got 241 first, and then couldn't get anyone out, the had about 13 balls to spare, so wasn't that easy for them, but first wicket fell at about 194. Some bastard Paki had a sign saying "Deja Vu '92", the prick. And it was. Anyway, they did good considering expectations. I was a wreck after that loss in 1992, not this time. It was also the day that my dog's pustule exploded on me and I spent the evening in the vet worrying about him and being all sad about the cricket. Bloody vet's, they always said don't worry about it when I asked. Wasn't them that got covered in pus. Not that I am bitter or anything.
Peter, my business partner, was admitted to hospital the night of the semi, he would have stayed up and watched it but instead couldn't from his hospital bed. Poor bugger, mind you we lost so it wasn't so bad.
Watching the semi-final between Aust and SA was a killer. The game resulted in a tie after Klusener did his best then with three balls left got Alan Donald run-out. That meant Australia went through to the final then Pakistan folded like a house of cards. All out for about 133, a target reached by the Australians in the first ball of the 21st over. Australia are World Champions, but NZ was the only team that beat them so we can hold our heads up a little but.
The RRRrugby was interesting. All Blacks first real game, against Manu Samoa (Otago versus South Auckland). Can't remember the score, was about 71-13 or something. Wilson got four tries, Umaga played really well and got two, think Cullen got one, Jonah one, Norm Maxwell (who I hate) had a really good game and got one.
The SAf's beat major rugby nation Italy 101-0. Some say it was a one-sided affair, well duh! Australia beat Ireland but were down at half time.
NZ A team played France and beat them about 40-24 or thereabouts. Quite a good game, the AB's play France next weekend.
The All Whites drew 2 all with Thailand and lost in a penalty shootout, then 0-0 against Poland and lost in a penalty shootout.
The Silver Ferns thumped the SAf's by 39 points then 43 in two tests, knew it was likely after the NZA team beat them. Poor Irene Van Dyk, and in a week they announce the release of Netball Barbie. Devlin was fantasising for days.
Also, the Warriors beat the Canterbury Bulldogs by 30-10! Amazing, they have about 12 points, one third of which they got for having two byes.
We had no real soccer this weekend, ground nazi's wouldn't allow it. Rory and I went to see Paul Chambers and the Avondale College 2nd XI. They played Lynfield and won 3-0. Should have scored about three more, they blew heaps of chances, mind you the other team cocked up two sitters as well.
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim. Did you know DeForest Kelly died the other day? The real McCoy. Sad. He was 78, quite a lot older than the others.
Nanny returned from the Gold Coast on Thursday with gifts, including a Darth Maul lightsabre filled with lollies and a poster of all 150 Pokemon. She had a ball, she couldn't stop talking about it. Good on her, she is going to go again next year.
I took the day off on Friday to take Hannah on a kindy trip, may be her last so I did the decent thing. I am a little scared at how much Hannah stands out in the crowd. She was first to answer a question at the Museum, sitting amongst the whole kindy. No trace of shyness to be seen anywhere, and I didn't have to look for her, just listen. Hopefully she won't lose it too quickly (well, perhaps not ALL of it). She is kind of scary. Still wants to be a Dr Mummy Spice Girl.
I managed to liberate a couple of coffees at the coffee shop on the trip back to the bus, Craig Hanham needed one after spending the night before with some French rugby supporters.
On the way back, the bendy bus clipped a car on Newton Road, Hannah had been given a lift with the Thommies, so she didn't get to see it. Car lost bumper and bonnet, driver was okay, all the kids were okay. A constant stream of kids to the back of the bus to see the damage to the car was quite funny, as was the parents who brought them to see, whether they wanted to or not.
I called Diana and she let the parents know who were waiting for their kids at the kindy wondering where they were. She came and rescued me, Craig Hanham with George and Harry (who took the morning off school to come along) and Peter and Connor (Koos, Conner is Christine's son, Peter is her ex-husband). We went down to my office so the kids could ablute and got picked up from there.
Such a nice day that I hung around home then went with Diana to help in the computer class. Rory was very happy to see me, and very pleased that I dropped him off and picked him up.
Went to see Episode I again on Saturday, with Hannah and Diana this time. Then Diana dug out a copy of Episodes IV and V we have and that got watched. Also got bitten by the Pokemon bug, set up the game for Rory on Friday afternoon and ended up playing it most of the weekend in spare moments (me and Rory). I know all about some of the Pokemon now, like Rattata, Pidgey, Bellsprout, Charmeleon, Geodude, Gravelar and others - there are 150 in all. Sort of an adventure game, using a virtual gameboy on the PC. Graphics are crap, sound is crap, don't know why we do it.
We mucked about at home Sunday morning and Diana made bacon and eggs for breakfast, something of a treat really. Didn't have it until about 9:30 or something unheard of for us.
Visited Thomas on Sunday afternoon, I think he really wants to crawl or walk, can't decide which. It will be soon I am sure. Diana went shopping for her birthday present with Kath, didn't find anything. Happy birthday for Wednesday my darling. She is going to see Notting Hill with Kindy on the big day so buggered if I know what to do that day. Any suggestions, please reply. Also, any ideas what to get a bored middle aged (35) housewife for a present, please reply. Ross got a leaf-blower and a ladder so I am thinking an electric toothbrush and a new mop. Any ideas for an excuse for putting this in the email, please reply. Anyone charitable enough to plead for clemency on my behalf, send your message straight to Diana.