Well, labour day got in the way, sorry folks. Spent all my times having flat whites in cafe's, well one or two. Send your complaints to the subscriptions department at rackoff.noddy@email.co.nz.
Went away for the weekend, in a bach with no aerial, tv and two radios that didn't work. Something interesting might have happened in NZ, I just don't know about it yet.
In sport, the ABs beat Scotland this morning, not convincingly exaclty but never looked in danger of losing. Now advance to semi-final against France (who beat the Argies). Australia beat Wales and South Africa beat England and they play the other semi. Dream result is that Aussie lose to South Africa but Bobby Skinstadt and Joost Van Der Westhuizen suffer injuries that put them out for ten days and Honiball gets cited and misses a week. Getting down to the business end, happens right sharpish sometimes, dunnit? Fiji lost to the poms, Scotland beat Samoa, and the Argies just beat Ireland midweek.
I heard a rumour that the Football Kingz drew away with Newcastle this weekend, not a bad result if true. Man U lost to Olympic Marseilles I think.
Kiwi League team beat Tonga 67-0 or something but Stacey Jones broke his wrist, not a good result at all. Aussies beat the poms but don't know the score (neither do the poms half the time).
Auckland beat Wellington in the NPC final, no idea who did what in the other two divisions. Was trying to avoid all media until I saw the Scotland game this afternoon when replayed at 4:00pm.
Back caps disassembling themselves so they can lose the second test, should be over by the time you read this. We were five wickets down with about ten runs needed to match their first innings score.
Don't know if anyone died on the roads, but someone died in a freak rafting accident (althpough it was referred to as a canoeing accident in one bulletin). This was when someone who looked like the elephant man was driving the boat, one assumes. Surely a freak accident is when the bearded lady cuts herself while shaving? Silly really.
We are almost exactly one month from the election. Nothing happened of interest this week in that department, each poll is a few percent up or down on the last. No trends to speak of.
Took Hannah for a bike ride today, just me and her. She is improving and the confidence is growing. Momentous occasion, we no longer need a car seat or booster for either child now. Makes life one bucket load easier getting around.
While we were away, we got a new shower. An Englefield one with Gohe tap type stuff. Kids tried it out tonight. Starting to see benefits of the whole renovation thing, at last. Second turd-server could be on-line tommorow.
Today went to R&K's house, had a swim. Saw actual walking by Thomas who turns one on Wednesday.
Got your message Koos, what was there a call anyone in NZ for 5 quid offer on or something? Shame we missed you, couldn't really ring you by the time we got the message and I had finished talking to Sjaan (thought you might be here).
We holidayed in Mahurangi, went to Ti Point and fished (caught eight shrimps), had a ride in the glass bottom boat at Goat Island, had fish and chips at Leigh, went for a small kayak ride, visited downtown Puhoi (not discernable from uptown Puhoi). Nice break, kids had a good time. I need more of a break than that, but we shall see. Working out of home seems to be working so far. Spent all day out at clients one day so didn't really feel like a day at home. Snuck off to the Observatory with Rory's class trip another day. Not bad, I suppose. Cricket starts this saturday. Practice tomorrow.
25 October 1999
18 October 1999
The New Frontier - 18/10/99
Well. A variable week, I must say. Thursday was the low, really shitty day, nothing went right. Lowest ebb was when I grabbed the tomato sauce at dinner, realised I really wanted the parmesan, put the sauce bottle down (after managing to valiantly resist the temptation to hurl it across the room), ran my fingers through my hair, and in doing so pioneered the use of tomato sauce as a hair treatment.
Then, later on, when all hope had long gone, the f*&king things in my new office started to work. I hadn't done anything other than un-install the program on the client PC and it started to work (don't even go near trying to figure that out, it works so be happy for me).
In news, god knows. There was a parade for the America's Cup on Friday (racing starts today in the Challenger series and the defenders are starting to race too). Peter Montgomery must be wetting himself in anticipation (Peter calls him Peter MontCommentary).
Build up to rugby NPC semi-finals. Harbour lost to Auckland and Wellington beat Waikato. Final at Eden Park this weekend, Michael Jones' last game.
We just beat the Aussies in the League on Friday night. Up 24-4 at half-time, finished 24-22. It was closer than it should have been really, think they were knackered after the first half. Pretty happy though. Would have been such a bummer to lose to the Aussies again so soon after the netball.
B-Team ABs beat Italy 101-3, Jeff Wilson now highest try-scorer in NZ history. The signed Action Man Jeff went up in price, although Thomas's saliva does seem to dissolve the ink.
Samoa upset the Welsh, Graham Henry demoted from God-position. Fiji have to play England to get to the quarter finals after being robbed of a try by a pathetic Paddy O'Brien (NZ ref, normally decent).
Been stuff in the news but nothing really grabs me. Pakistan was big with the Indian test going on with NZ (we salvaged a draw after blowing the position we were in on Day one, could have easily lsot so not a bad result really).
Max Bradford, education minister, took out a protesting student with a hand to the throat. Made the news for a couple of days. Looked good, have to admit. I think he was attempting the Vulcan death grip. Many think his fend should mean he was called up to replace Carlos Spencer rather than Bruce Reihana. As for the student, well, his little dive has earned him a nomination in the NZ Film and TV awards, Drama category and a contract with an Italian football club. Was funny at least.
More bus strikes are threatened, apparently there was some road chaos but I never saw it.
A student working part time at a BP station risked life and limb by jumping on a 4wd that took off without paying for $5 worth of petrol. Dork. Anyway, who would buy $5 worth of petrol, use more getting into the station and out again. Price did drop last week, after a series of three rises in recent weeks. Price of bread went up in reaction, no mention of it dropping now that petrol has gone down....
Nothing newsworthy election-wise. Tempted to put up some billboards of my own saying things like "Hi there from Rob" and make a noise about how rude they are and who gave them the right to put them up and how come the Resource Management Act hasn't got some sort of relevance.
Ansett say they have just about got things sorted, but I think they are mostly screwed now. Will have lost heaps of customers.
After the hard slog on Saturday last week, my back and shoulders were really sore. Monday night this became almost crippling and I could barely move.
Diana massaged me and it made a big difference, defying all expections that we both had. Drove to Hamilton for Tuesday, achieved most of what was required, and despite four hours of driving my neck.shoulders were improving. Was my first trip to Hamilton since my grandfather died. Spent Wednesday working on installing a new mdaemon and wingate server for a client (dry run for my fun on Thursday). Hard but eventually rewarding in that it worked.
Shoulders etc were better so I played squash and pulled a muscle in my forearm (doh!). My hopes of being in reasonable shape for the move on Saturday were not so good.
Then Thursday, please, don't mention Thursday. Not a good one at all.
As Arthur Dent said in HGTTG - "This must be Thursday, I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays"
Nothing went right, people misunderstood other people and rang me. Then the people they misunderstood rang me. Then people who barely spoke English from somewhere like Singapore wanted to explain to me stuff I already knew. All during which I was trying to make something work. I was stressing and freaking and wondering if I would ever receive email ever again. Good fun all round. Notice this has been sent with a new address. No idea if it will change permanently.Could be a quiet week for email this week.
Friday went much better. Looks like the 0800 thing will actually start off again. Give me something fun to do.
The weekend was kind of mixed. Did sod all helping Symon. Moved the toys out of the office to a lock up on Saturday morning with help from Allan, Colin (Emori's bro-in-law and a complete stranger to me), Emori (supplier of truck, known him for about seven years, works at a clients, he is Fijian), Gavin, Peter, Ross, Scott and Sarah. The truck was great, needed two trips but heaps of room in the second haul. Was home soon after 12. Diana finished the cleaning in the office and was home by about half twelve.
Spent the afternoon stuffing around with cables and things. Have three power boards on the wall. Have two shelving units now elevated above the desks and on the wall. Wired for sound and all sorts. Server, desktop, fax, hub, modem, zip drive, Psion cable, three phones, cellphone charger, monitor switchbox, you name it. Got caller-id on the main phone. Wired. Did a bit on Sunday two, powreed it all up last night, it actually worked! First time and everything. Who would have thought.
Went to Ross & Kath's Sunday morning, no actual evidence of Thomas walking, but rumours continue. Went for swim in their slightly heated pool (just under 20 degrees). Kids froze, I was okay after inital acclimatising.
Went to see Sixth Sense on Saturday night. Hard going to start, but worth it in the second half.
Highlight on Sunday was going to my first match for the Football Kingz (let's not mention the Z okay). Took Hannah with me, plus Paul Chambers and friend Allesandro (Rory went to a birthday party). They played South Melbourne, who are in the world club challenge, and won 1-0 !!! Their first win, and we were there. Cool. Awesome. Rory wasn't happy, I let Hannah wear his ManU outfit and I wore my shirt. And Man U beat Watford, something Liverpool couldn't manage.
So, anyway, today is my first day working form home. No more commuting to the office. I can charge someone for going anywhere in my car now.
Have a happy week, I just hope this one is better than the last one as far as I am concerned. Note the new email address may be temporary (did I mention that already?)
Then, later on, when all hope had long gone, the f*&king things in my new office started to work. I hadn't done anything other than un-install the program on the client PC and it started to work (don't even go near trying to figure that out, it works so be happy for me).
In news, god knows. There was a parade for the America's Cup on Friday (racing starts today in the Challenger series and the defenders are starting to race too). Peter Montgomery must be wetting himself in anticipation (Peter calls him Peter MontCommentary).
Build up to rugby NPC semi-finals. Harbour lost to Auckland and Wellington beat Waikato. Final at Eden Park this weekend, Michael Jones' last game.
We just beat the Aussies in the League on Friday night. Up 24-4 at half-time, finished 24-22. It was closer than it should have been really, think they were knackered after the first half. Pretty happy though. Would have been such a bummer to lose to the Aussies again so soon after the netball.
B-Team ABs beat Italy 101-3, Jeff Wilson now highest try-scorer in NZ history. The signed Action Man Jeff went up in price, although Thomas's saliva does seem to dissolve the ink.
Samoa upset the Welsh, Graham Henry demoted from God-position. Fiji have to play England to get to the quarter finals after being robbed of a try by a pathetic Paddy O'Brien (NZ ref, normally decent).
Been stuff in the news but nothing really grabs me. Pakistan was big with the Indian test going on with NZ (we salvaged a draw after blowing the position we were in on Day one, could have easily lsot so not a bad result really).
Max Bradford, education minister, took out a protesting student with a hand to the throat. Made the news for a couple of days. Looked good, have to admit. I think he was attempting the Vulcan death grip. Many think his fend should mean he was called up to replace Carlos Spencer rather than Bruce Reihana. As for the student, well, his little dive has earned him a nomination in the NZ Film and TV awards, Drama category and a contract with an Italian football club. Was funny at least.
More bus strikes are threatened, apparently there was some road chaos but I never saw it.
A student working part time at a BP station risked life and limb by jumping on a 4wd that took off without paying for $5 worth of petrol. Dork. Anyway, who would buy $5 worth of petrol, use more getting into the station and out again. Price did drop last week, after a series of three rises in recent weeks. Price of bread went up in reaction, no mention of it dropping now that petrol has gone down....
Nothing newsworthy election-wise. Tempted to put up some billboards of my own saying things like "Hi there from Rob" and make a noise about how rude they are and who gave them the right to put them up and how come the Resource Management Act hasn't got some sort of relevance.
Ansett say they have just about got things sorted, but I think they are mostly screwed now. Will have lost heaps of customers.
After the hard slog on Saturday last week, my back and shoulders were really sore. Monday night this became almost crippling and I could barely move.
Diana massaged me and it made a big difference, defying all expections that we both had. Drove to Hamilton for Tuesday, achieved most of what was required, and despite four hours of driving my neck.shoulders were improving. Was my first trip to Hamilton since my grandfather died. Spent Wednesday working on installing a new mdaemon and wingate server for a client (dry run for my fun on Thursday). Hard but eventually rewarding in that it worked.
Shoulders etc were better so I played squash and pulled a muscle in my forearm (doh!). My hopes of being in reasonable shape for the move on Saturday were not so good.
Then Thursday, please, don't mention Thursday. Not a good one at all.
As Arthur Dent said in HGTTG - "This must be Thursday, I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays"
Nothing went right, people misunderstood other people and rang me. Then the people they misunderstood rang me. Then people who barely spoke English from somewhere like Singapore wanted to explain to me stuff I already knew. All during which I was trying to make something work. I was stressing and freaking and wondering if I would ever receive email ever again. Good fun all round. Notice this has been sent with a new address. No idea if it will change permanently.Could be a quiet week for email this week.
Friday went much better. Looks like the 0800 thing will actually start off again. Give me something fun to do.
The weekend was kind of mixed. Did sod all helping Symon. Moved the toys out of the office to a lock up on Saturday morning with help from Allan, Colin (Emori's bro-in-law and a complete stranger to me), Emori (supplier of truck, known him for about seven years, works at a clients, he is Fijian), Gavin, Peter, Ross, Scott and Sarah. The truck was great, needed two trips but heaps of room in the second haul. Was home soon after 12. Diana finished the cleaning in the office and was home by about half twelve.
Spent the afternoon stuffing around with cables and things. Have three power boards on the wall. Have two shelving units now elevated above the desks and on the wall. Wired for sound and all sorts. Server, desktop, fax, hub, modem, zip drive, Psion cable, three phones, cellphone charger, monitor switchbox, you name it. Got caller-id on the main phone. Wired. Did a bit on Sunday two, powreed it all up last night, it actually worked! First time and everything. Who would have thought.
Went to Ross & Kath's Sunday morning, no actual evidence of Thomas walking, but rumours continue. Went for swim in their slightly heated pool (just under 20 degrees). Kids froze, I was okay after inital acclimatising.
Went to see Sixth Sense on Saturday night. Hard going to start, but worth it in the second half.
Highlight on Sunday was going to my first match for the Football Kingz (let's not mention the Z okay). Took Hannah with me, plus Paul Chambers and friend Allesandro (Rory went to a birthday party). They played South Melbourne, who are in the world club challenge, and won 1-0 !!! Their first win, and we were there. Cool. Awesome. Rory wasn't happy, I let Hannah wear his ManU outfit and I wore my shirt. And Man U beat Watford, something Liverpool couldn't manage.
So, anyway, today is my first day working form home. No more commuting to the office. I can charge someone for going anywhere in my car now.
Have a happy week, I just hope this one is better than the last one as far as I am concerned. Note the new email address may be temporary (did I mention that already?)
11 October 1999
It's....um....like....nineteen....ninety....five...all over again! Lomu !!!! - 11/10/99
Well, we beat the poms. The above is a direct quote from the much venerated Keith Quinn (the Quinster) after Jonah's little run to break the 16-16 deadlock and open the game up with a pretty damn good try. The way the poms pronounce his name, some think that Joanna Lumley is playing in the number 11 jumper. Excellent stuff though, and Byron Kelleher again came on to replace that tosser Justin Marshall and scored a try. If the opposition don't get sixty minutes of a geriatric half-back they would be awake, I suppose but really, why do we insist on continuing with Marshall? Anyway, the easier route to the final is ours, and the poms have to beat South Africa in the quarters probably, which will be fun after they play a fairly physical Tonga next. Interestingly, it was a Fijian that got sent home after a minor headbutt. Share prices should improve today, after our win.
The front page of the herald devotes about four centimetres across the bottom to East Timor, otherwise it is all rugby.
Blair, got you comment about Chelsea, no comment. Did you make it to the game? Looked hard in the crowd and couldn't see you. There were two NZers that died in that horrific train crash were going to go to that game, their parents went over. "I know he would have wanted me to go to the match" said one Dad, whose wife wouldn't let him go to the World Cup but now had a good excuse to stay for the final. But seriously, I know the Dad of one of the two dead guys, Peter Macaulay, he used to run The Number One Software Company that sold WordPerfect in it's heyday in the eighties. I also got a photographer to take a pic up his kilt once at a PC World awards do. There was something worn underneath, thankfully. We put the pic in the mag, saying "do you recognise this face?". Anyway, becomes more meaningful when you know someone involved. I am assuming that Jono has made efforts to ensure that police think he was in the crash too, so as to escape liability for his student loan.
In other sport, NZ were unlucky to not make the next round of the Dunhill Cup in golf, with Spain eventually winning.
The first cricket test in India started with the Indians all out for 83, we are 199 for 3 overnight. Dion Nash with 6/27 not a bad effort. If they can rack up a decent score in their first innings we could have a win on our hands.
Lots of analysis of the netballers. They choked, simple as that.
Auckland play Harbour at Eden park in one semi, Waikato play Wellington in the other. First semi for Wellington since this scheme was put in place, and first time no South Island team not in the top four since about 1982. Having 17 players away on all black duty is probably a good reason why. They had a bye-bye for Michael Jones over the weekend against Counties. Northland won their fourth game of the season at home against Canterbury, Wellington beat Otago in the very last game at Athletic Park.
The America's Cup Challenger Series starts today (I didn't know until I saw something about Tim Finn in the paper this morning). I don't know that anyone cares for the moment, the rugby is where it is at.
Parliament closed for the year this week, like anyone notices when it is open. The advert for Whittakers Peanut Slab is running regularly:
Man comes to door, knocks: Hello, I am Max Gerbils, running for parliament in your electorate.
Man in bathrobe hands him a peanut slab, Max starts eating it.
Max: My party stands for basically whatever we think will get us elected, which will all change once in power. I intend to defect from my party shortly after that and basically hold the country to ransom while running up huge bills on junkets with my wife and mistress. I will spend a lot of time in bars and massage parlours, at your expense.....
and so he goes on. Could be the most meaningful ad of the election campaign.
No more Jack Elder, John Banks, and a few others. Yawn. Now Banks says he wants to be mayor of Auckland. J
A big natural dam formed somewhere down south, residents are worried about it breaking. More exciting stuff overseas, with a school washed away in Mexico while we opened a new school to replace one that got flooded a while back.
News seems pretty hard to come by other than regarding sport.
Bit of building done, just Saturday. gibbed most of the bathroom. Can still remember the number of nogs I have cut. Did some bits of gib on my own too. Still an almost builder though. Place is still pretty messy, but liveable.
Rode up the Bullock Track with Rory on Monday night, Rory pushed his bike most of the way, rode the last 20 metres so he can say he rode to the top (just not from the bottom). Went down Zoo Hill, again walking (me too, I had to hold his bike or we would still be there now). He went from about a third of the way from the bottom, but didn't use his brakes so shot past me like a flaming rocket. Hannah worked on her riding, doing well.
Life is exceedingly complicated between renovating and shifting offices. Should all be over by next Monday, but if you get no mail you will know the email bit isn't quite right.
Saw Thomas and parents yesterday, he didn't want to show us walking. He ate a hammer. Not a very baby friendly house at the moment. Charles, the package arrived, well done.
So, have a lovely week, bask in the glory of an important win, pray for the Black Heads to win the test in India
The front page of the herald devotes about four centimetres across the bottom to East Timor, otherwise it is all rugby.
Blair, got you comment about Chelsea, no comment. Did you make it to the game? Looked hard in the crowd and couldn't see you. There were two NZers that died in that horrific train crash were going to go to that game, their parents went over. "I know he would have wanted me to go to the match" said one Dad, whose wife wouldn't let him go to the World Cup but now had a good excuse to stay for the final. But seriously, I know the Dad of one of the two dead guys, Peter Macaulay, he used to run The Number One Software Company that sold WordPerfect in it's heyday in the eighties. I also got a photographer to take a pic up his kilt once at a PC World awards do. There was something worn underneath, thankfully. We put the pic in the mag, saying "do you recognise this face?". Anyway, becomes more meaningful when you know someone involved. I am assuming that Jono has made efforts to ensure that police think he was in the crash too, so as to escape liability for his student loan.
In other sport, NZ were unlucky to not make the next round of the Dunhill Cup in golf, with Spain eventually winning.
The first cricket test in India started with the Indians all out for 83, we are 199 for 3 overnight. Dion Nash with 6/27 not a bad effort. If they can rack up a decent score in their first innings we could have a win on our hands.
Lots of analysis of the netballers. They choked, simple as that.
Auckland play Harbour at Eden park in one semi, Waikato play Wellington in the other. First semi for Wellington since this scheme was put in place, and first time no South Island team not in the top four since about 1982. Having 17 players away on all black duty is probably a good reason why. They had a bye-bye for Michael Jones over the weekend against Counties. Northland won their fourth game of the season at home against Canterbury, Wellington beat Otago in the very last game at Athletic Park.
The America's Cup Challenger Series starts today (I didn't know until I saw something about Tim Finn in the paper this morning). I don't know that anyone cares for the moment, the rugby is where it is at.
Parliament closed for the year this week, like anyone notices when it is open. The advert for Whittakers Peanut Slab is running regularly:
Man comes to door, knocks: Hello, I am Max Gerbils, running for parliament in your electorate.
Man in bathrobe hands him a peanut slab, Max starts eating it.
Max: My party stands for basically whatever we think will get us elected, which will all change once in power. I intend to defect from my party shortly after that and basically hold the country to ransom while running up huge bills on junkets with my wife and mistress. I will spend a lot of time in bars and massage parlours, at your expense.....
and so he goes on. Could be the most meaningful ad of the election campaign.
No more Jack Elder, John Banks, and a few others. Yawn. Now Banks says he wants to be mayor of Auckland. J
A big natural dam formed somewhere down south, residents are worried about it breaking. More exciting stuff overseas, with a school washed away in Mexico while we opened a new school to replace one that got flooded a while back.
News seems pretty hard to come by other than regarding sport.
Bit of building done, just Saturday. gibbed most of the bathroom. Can still remember the number of nogs I have cut. Did some bits of gib on my own too. Still an almost builder though. Place is still pretty messy, but liveable.
Rode up the Bullock Track with Rory on Monday night, Rory pushed his bike most of the way, rode the last 20 metres so he can say he rode to the top (just not from the bottom). Went down Zoo Hill, again walking (me too, I had to hold his bike or we would still be there now). He went from about a third of the way from the bottom, but didn't use his brakes so shot past me like a flaming rocket. Hannah worked on her riding, doing well.
Life is exceedingly complicated between renovating and shifting offices. Should all be over by next Monday, but if you get no mail you will know the email bit isn't quite right.
Saw Thomas and parents yesterday, he didn't want to show us walking. He ate a hammer. Not a very baby friendly house at the moment. Charles, the package arrived, well done.
So, have a lovely week, bask in the glory of an important win, pray for the Black Heads to win the test in India
4 October 1999
Another week, another month, another term - 04/10/99
Well, a new term, the last of the year, for the kids today. Hannah goes back to a larger class than she left with all the newly-turned five year olds arriving.
Caught sod all news during last week. Peter was away for three days so I didn't see many papers.
Safe to assume that East Timor featured, with more troops going over after they finished winding up their tanks and getting corks from wine bars in Ponsonby Road (ammo for their pop-guns). Costing NZ $75million so far, sending the bill to the presidente, I should think.
Electioneering continued, though nothing interesting. Centre-left holds slender lead but Winston seems to be bouncing back. I will not forgive the country if they vote him into a coalition again.
Weather was good, news was mostly the sort of thing they do on a quiet news day.
Far more interesting crap coming down overseas. Earthquake in Taiwan, Mexico, Nuclear disaster in Japan. We are sooo boring in NZ. What I wouldn't give to be able to report a nice eruption, or perhaps a tidal wave. News the other day that we were working on a bomb to create tidal waves during WWII. Canned the project after the war finished but tested it on Whangaparoa peninsular (test it now and government would save heaps in pensions).
In reality, news bulletins were dominated by sport, as they should be.
Netball was all over the telly, with basically a game every day for the Silver Ferns. Lots of whinging from the West Indians, reckoned they were getting picked on, maan. The South Africans lost to England in a close game in the quarter finals, shame. We lost to the Australians by one lousy point, we were up more often than them, very sad.
Rugby World Cup kicked off on Friday night our time, much excitement with Christian Cullen at centre and Jonah back on the wing to start. We played Tonga, and although it was close in the first half, we won about 45-9 or so. Play England this weekend, the big game.
Wellington beat Canterbury in a surprise result, Auckland just beat Taranaki, Waikato did their last Ranfurly Shield defence successfully against Otago. North Harbour just beat Counties, Northland beat Southland. I figure Auckland has a home semi regardless of the last round next week, so should Waikato. North Harbour play Canterbury, the winner will be third place semi-finalist and Wellington at home should beat Otago to clinch fourth.
We won some golds in a bowls world champs in KL (yawn).
Man U pulled one out of the hat mid-week, Andy Cole scored a superb Pele-style goal and they won 2-1 over some loser team in the Euro Champs. They lead their group. Then, last night, they lost their first championship game in 29 or something, a convincing 5-0 loss to Chelsea. Rory was philosophical. He hates Chelsea now, known as the mincers.
First ever game for the Kingz FC, the first ever professional football club in NZ. I was at an Italian Dinner. I don't even like Italian football. They missed a penalty and lost 3-0, better than Man U this weekend so not all bad.
Kids spent the week going to yet more birthday parties. They went to Rainbows end one day, for a party. Diana got soaked on one of the rides, was the highlight for Hannah, I think.
I keep doing my bit preparing to move the office. Chaos at home and work.
The house is getting there slowly. Moved the washing machine and dryer, new basin by the old toilet. Ripped out the wall where the mirror was in the bathroom, which now extends to where the old toilet door was. Not much gib on the walls, yet, pretty drafty. The bath was replaced yesterday, with a new one, pretty hard fiddling work. (Rossco - it is a real pain to have sellotape holding the plastic on that creates a mission to remove, all the stickers are much easier to remove. Also, Rory says it should say pipework or pipes, not piping on the sticker about not lifting). The new bath has jets and stuff, which I think the kids will overuse.
Worked damn hard yesterday on the house and not really ready for this week at all, need a rest and it isn't even 10:00 yet. Cut my first nog, nailed it in. Carried gib and fetched and carried for Symon, whilst burning wood most of the day. Should start coming together in the next fortnight or so. Haven't lost the shower yet, that will be a major pain. Get heaps of wiring work done this week hopefully, in the bathroom (heater, lights, mirror demister, heated towel rail, shaver socket, extractor fan for shower, gear for bath) uses more power than a server room I think.
By the way, we did the daylight saving thing in NZ over the weekend - that was big news too. It must be twenty years since the farmers started bleating about it. They have bitched about the seasons being all wrong for millenia so not much of a surprise.
No news of Thomas over the weekend, although his health improved during the week.
Anyway, everyone be happy, definitely on the downhill route to the end of the year now. Start buying for Christmas.
Caught sod all news during last week. Peter was away for three days so I didn't see many papers.
Safe to assume that East Timor featured, with more troops going over after they finished winding up their tanks and getting corks from wine bars in Ponsonby Road (ammo for their pop-guns). Costing NZ $75million so far, sending the bill to the presidente, I should think.
Electioneering continued, though nothing interesting. Centre-left holds slender lead but Winston seems to be bouncing back. I will not forgive the country if they vote him into a coalition again.
Weather was good, news was mostly the sort of thing they do on a quiet news day.
Far more interesting crap coming down overseas. Earthquake in Taiwan, Mexico, Nuclear disaster in Japan. We are sooo boring in NZ. What I wouldn't give to be able to report a nice eruption, or perhaps a tidal wave. News the other day that we were working on a bomb to create tidal waves during WWII. Canned the project after the war finished but tested it on Whangaparoa peninsular (test it now and government would save heaps in pensions).
In reality, news bulletins were dominated by sport, as they should be.
Netball was all over the telly, with basically a game every day for the Silver Ferns. Lots of whinging from the West Indians, reckoned they were getting picked on, maan. The South Africans lost to England in a close game in the quarter finals, shame. We lost to the Australians by one lousy point, we were up more often than them, very sad.
Rugby World Cup kicked off on Friday night our time, much excitement with Christian Cullen at centre and Jonah back on the wing to start. We played Tonga, and although it was close in the first half, we won about 45-9 or so. Play England this weekend, the big game.
Wellington beat Canterbury in a surprise result, Auckland just beat Taranaki, Waikato did their last Ranfurly Shield defence successfully against Otago. North Harbour just beat Counties, Northland beat Southland. I figure Auckland has a home semi regardless of the last round next week, so should Waikato. North Harbour play Canterbury, the winner will be third place semi-finalist and Wellington at home should beat Otago to clinch fourth.
We won some golds in a bowls world champs in KL (yawn).
Man U pulled one out of the hat mid-week, Andy Cole scored a superb Pele-style goal and they won 2-1 over some loser team in the Euro Champs. They lead their group. Then, last night, they lost their first championship game in 29 or something, a convincing 5-0 loss to Chelsea. Rory was philosophical. He hates Chelsea now, known as the mincers.
First ever game for the Kingz FC, the first ever professional football club in NZ. I was at an Italian Dinner. I don't even like Italian football. They missed a penalty and lost 3-0, better than Man U this weekend so not all bad.
Kids spent the week going to yet more birthday parties. They went to Rainbows end one day, for a party. Diana got soaked on one of the rides, was the highlight for Hannah, I think.
I keep doing my bit preparing to move the office. Chaos at home and work.
The house is getting there slowly. Moved the washing machine and dryer, new basin by the old toilet. Ripped out the wall where the mirror was in the bathroom, which now extends to where the old toilet door was. Not much gib on the walls, yet, pretty drafty. The bath was replaced yesterday, with a new one, pretty hard fiddling work. (Rossco - it is a real pain to have sellotape holding the plastic on that creates a mission to remove, all the stickers are much easier to remove. Also, Rory says it should say pipework or pipes, not piping on the sticker about not lifting). The new bath has jets and stuff, which I think the kids will overuse.
Worked damn hard yesterday on the house and not really ready for this week at all, need a rest and it isn't even 10:00 yet. Cut my first nog, nailed it in. Carried gib and fetched and carried for Symon, whilst burning wood most of the day. Should start coming together in the next fortnight or so. Haven't lost the shower yet, that will be a major pain. Get heaps of wiring work done this week hopefully, in the bathroom (heater, lights, mirror demister, heated towel rail, shaver socket, extractor fan for shower, gear for bath) uses more power than a server room I think.
By the way, we did the daylight saving thing in NZ over the weekend - that was big news too. It must be twenty years since the farmers started bleating about it. They have bitched about the seasons being all wrong for millenia so not much of a surprise.
No news of Thomas over the weekend, although his health improved during the week.
Anyway, everyone be happy, definitely on the downhill route to the end of the year now. Start buying for Christmas.
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