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

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