The cat we got a week after we moved into our first house, in 1987, known as "Trouble", died on Tuesday night (25th July) at the vets. He was nearly thirteen years old. The whole family was there, and said goodbye to him. He had some pretty bad tumours in his bowel, and his kidneys were in bad shape. Hannah and Diana stayed with him while the vet did the deed, Rory wanted to go out, so I went with him but we went in again afterward. Kids cried a lot, we did a bit as well, hard not to. He was an enigmatic feline, not outrageously friendly but had his moments. He was the kids favourites and has been around their whole lives. Thomas was trying to play with him on Saturday night when they visited. Funny how quickly things change. My advice to everyone, eat lots of fibre and food that maintains urinary tract health.
Tuesday night was team photo night for the Orcas, luckily we got the photo before the cat thing (Rory wouldn't have looked good afterward), then I went back for the 11th grade team.
Also was a bad night for Concorde, don't know about overseas but was huge here. We got all the footage of the Concorde visiting New Zealand (slow news night), interviews with a travel writer who had ridden Concorde once when it had to make an emergency landing, and a pilot who pretends he is flying a concorde every time he takes off in his Cessna 172 (his nose shape make this quite easy).
An NZ soldier was killed in Timor during the week, buried in Te Kauwhata on Saturday. He was shot, then had his throat slit and his ears removed. The gory details raised some controversy about what needed to be said on the news. Lots of coverage of the army grieving etc. When did they find time for that in the trenches in WWI, I don't think it was a priority. First NZ soldier killed in action for quite a while.
The Fijians arrested George Speight on Thursday, and in revenge his followers took a couple of NZ pilots hostage. Neither of them has ever flown a concorde, and their noses seemed to be appropriately proportioned. They were released on Friday.
Also on Thursday, a guy got stuck in a sewer, but got out again with minor injuries. The Concorde has flown over the Suez canal (get it? Sewer - Suez? Oh, never mind, it was pretty desperate).
News also this week that my father is having an operation on his prostate. He probably won't appreciate me spreading the news over the world, so don't get a t-shirt printed with it on (okay, maybe a small tshirt). Damn genetics to hell. Good news is that Penny is coming over to visit him, and therefore us as well. Every cloud has a silver lining. Just don't fly Concorde, Penny. I better start maintaining urinary tract health myself.
Harry Potter books have been banned from the reading list at some schools because they have magic in. Get a life, you pack of uptight religious tossers. The Lord of the Rings probably has magic too, let's ban that.
On Friday, some over-zealous parking nazi got the chance to give the Helen Clark (our PM for those who don't know - or care) a parking ticket. I wonder if it is possible to giving the undead a parking ticket. I mean, death and taxes are inevitable, but are taxes for the undead inevitable? The act was caught on film while our very own living dead prime minister was being interviewed for some meaningless thing. During the week a bitter Dover Samuels (not Sammy Davis) referred to the PM's floor in parliament (the ninth) as Channel 9, seems the label might stick. Personally, I think it should be the 9th Hell.
Question: Why did the Zombie not get out of his coffin?
Answer: He was feeling quite rotten.
(Rory got a jokebook or two for his birthday)
Also, late last week was announced that the police were going looking for Ben & Olivia again. These two disappear from the face of the earth but live on in our news.
Friday was parent teacher interviews. Kids came out squeaky clean, girlie swots. I didn't make it, busy with BG, the client who supplied accomodation in London for us. Me and Diana got to go to Dinner with them on Friday night, at Metropolis. A free feed and a chance for Diana to meet the new boss. They all raved about a book "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" about part of Greece during the second world war. A good read by all accounts. I lost the same book at Starship the night Rory was there, only read about one chapter. Young Paul took the book with him on our trip. It must be good. Not sure of the spelling of the name, but try getting it out of the library or something as all the Harry Potter books have gone. It is by Louis de Bernieres. Sorry for this unusually cultural interruption.
Saturday. The day of the big birthday party, and the soccer was cancelled for the midgets so no Orcas or Tuis. 11th Graders still played, in swimming pool-like conditions, missed about seven chances and had a 0-0 draw. Paul Chambers won 6-1 in the morning and lost 7-1 in the afternoon. The coach was pretty pissed off, but I suspect he has to take some responsibility.
Birthday party was a big success. He invited heaps of kids. Harry, Jared, Ryan, Billy, Adam, Logan from the Orcas, Quinn who plays for the dreaded Tigers, Charles and Tom from his class, Lilly and Ruby (her sister, for Hannah's benefit), Jeremy Thompson, Zac, and baby Thomas.
Question: What do you call a girl with a frog on her head?
Answer: Lilly
(Rory did not think that was funny at all)
They were all in the YMCA at Mt Albert, ran around like idiots, as did I. I can dribble a really big ball basketball style, with about four kids chasing me. Can also juggle it with my feet really easily, because it is slow-moving (like me). Rory is heaps heavier than Quinn and Lilly, they all had me lifting them for slam-dunks.
That night, Rory went to the basketball with Harry, Auckland beat North Harbour by about 20 points.
Much soul searching going on for me as I have to nominate players for the soccer prizegiving. Rory is probably due something but I am unwilling to do so if everyone says he got it because he is the coach's son. Done my best to canvass the parents who pay attention at games (not many). Have to put it in by Wednesday. Don't know what to do.
Last game of the season for the Warriors, last game for three players. Nobody really cared. Ownership worries continue to be a problem for them, with Tainui wanting out and the Auckland Rugby League possibly about to get them by default. They won the game, 32-22, something of a bonus. I think they were 2nd from bottom on the table.
The Wallabies beat South Africa 24-6 or something. The NZ Netball under 21s crashed out in the semi losing to Jamaica 51-48 or so. Club rugby finals in NZ, Waiuku won for first time in 42 years, Otahuhu beat Ponsonby (another surprise).
In Chatham Cup quarter finals, Waitakere are out, and bloody Central just managed to beat Metro (I hate Central, their team is the one that has beaten the Orcas twice).
I had a game of tennis with Rossco yesterday, but I am too much of a gentleman to mention the score. We discussed urinary tract health and are considering some sort of prostate care pact. Apparently one reader of this email has had his checked, and wouldn't do it for recreational purposes. Not something I relish the thought of, but may be necessary. Yuck. Rather fly in a concorde.
We then took Rory to Gladiator after he went to Zac's party at Megazone (electronic shoot 'em up type thing). He enjoyed it, little bit of blood here and there but kids see worse (like the xenical advert during Digimon). Went with sister Sarah and Scott, then picked Hannah up from Granny's house. First thing in the morning, Rory wanted to go get the Sunday paper. I walked behind him, then left him to cross Pt Chev Road on his own, by the paper, and return to our street. He wants to do it all himself but wanted me to semi-accompany him the first time. More concerned about him being abducted than doing something silly while crossing the road.
Paul Chambers, my travelling companion, had his school ball on Saturday night. Haven't heard any reports yet.
Sunday morning, there was an Earthquake near Taupo, 3.5 on richter scale, no damage. You'll be interested to know that 240,000 people visit the superloos in Taupo, this is not the reason for the earthquake.
Not to be forgotten, tonight at about 6:38pm is the 8th anniversary of the night I delivered my first baby, a boy. Rory Stewart James Aloysius Clarke, at home, in a hurry, during the Paul Holmes show live from Barcelona (during the Olympics). I believe Diana was there too, but she shot off quickly with three complete strangers, and took my son with her. I didn't even have the benefit of a machine that goes bing.
Now it is only six weeks to Hannah's birthday. Her front teeth are growing, but she still looks funny.
Well, better go, have a good week, you blokes eat a few pumpkin seeds and don't go concorde.
24 July 2000
It all seems to Blur - 24/07/00
Okay, no "what I did on my holiday" thing, all right. Will bore you to tears. Needless to say, had a great time. The Euro 2000 final was awesome, an opportunity of a lifetime, a once in four years event, or perhaps two years if you count the world cup. Well, thinking about it, there is the under 17 and the olympics, the under 21, the FA cup final, UEFA Champions league, the confederation cup. Okay, a once in every 3.73 months opportunity. Anyway, it was a cool game. May never see Italy and France play each other again.
The rest of the trip was also great, but no travel brochures. I will say that Hearst Castle in San Simian was way better than I expected and I am glad I got to see Wembley even if it wasn't during a match. Haven't come close to sorting out my photos yet, but I will try this week.
Welcome to some new victims of this sad bit of writing. Aneta & Jaap from Holand who will forward this on to Koos' sister Heidi (after censoring it and cutting down to about fifty words), and Linda in chicken land (somewhere north of San Francisco, she had the misfortune to be exposed to my insanity during our little road trip to lala land).
Nothing happened in New Zealand while I was away, Diana lied. But somehow stuff happened in Holland, then England, then the US. Kind of follows me around I think.
No idea what really happened in Holland because my Dutch isn't so good, didn't read any newspapers. However, I found it much harder to be understood in America, for them English isn't even a second language.
The 8yo girl that was lost while I was in England was found in a fairly dead condition last week. Not nice, but could predict she wasn't going to be in very good shape. Found 16km from where she went missing.
Fiji coup is over but still very confused. No real idea what is happening, George Speight seems to have be completely taken over by Winston Peters as he is just like him. Somehow thinks he has some sort of a say in things.
Auckland model Robyn Reynolds bedded Robbie Williams for a couple of days. Really cheap shot in the Herald about being so hungry she "grabbed one of his plums". Stupid woman, they're not in season at the moment. Must have been a prune. Huge coverage of him here, with one young lady running around topless at a press conference and all sorts.
John Tamihere, MP, has been avoiding some understatements he made about the number of convictions he has. Otherwise, the political arena has been reasonably quiet.
Violent weekend, with a murder, a mortal wounding, a man running over his girlfriend in his car, and a few aggravated robberies. An 8yo boy was mauled by two dogs and needed 200 stiches. Glad none of this happened near us, our weekend was comparatively peaceful it has to be said.
Got home to find out the Black Socks won the Softball World Champs. They arrived home about the same time as us. We heard they were winning here and there but that was about it.
The All Blacks win over Australia, which I missed, sounded like a killer game, we scored three early tries then they came back and we won (just). They then beat South Africa over the weekend, not convincingly but 25-12 isn't too bad. Some supposedly pointed a laser at the SAf kicker but the photo I saw looks like a mosquito bite on his neck, or worse, could be a love bite from Corne Krige (don't think about that, trust me). Tana Umaga got a few in him and made a git of himself that night.
Tiger Woods swept the field in his domination of the British Open, no surprises there.
Hannah lost her other front tooth on Thursday, call her "gummy granny" now.
Hannah's team won 6-1, Hannah set up one goal and played very well. The Orcas lost 2-1 in a very niggly game that they could have won, maybe next time. The 11th graders lost 5-4 in a game they lead until the last four minutes. Never relax. Played on a full sized pitch so there was heaps of room.
Then, yesterday, we had the Orca's team trip. All the team bundled into a mini-van off to Warkworth for a game. We had heaps of parents, some grandparents, and siblings follow us up, and many came to Waiwera afterward. They won 5-1, then we had a barbecue and stuff afterward. We traded player of the day certificates so the good players got an exotic one for their efforts. Then we trundled off to Waiwera hot pools for a go on the slides and things. Kids were a lot quieter in the van on the way home, but still a handful. Great day, all organised by Craig, not me, and an outstanding success. I have to say that Rory played pretty well in both games, working much harder than he has earlier in the season.
We saw baby Thomas on Saturday, who is talking more and getting around more.
Well, sort of out of time, lots to do. Neither me or Paul are entirely back to normal. I've been sleeping about ten hours a night since I got home, but it has to stop sooner or later. Mind you, Diana was watching "you've got mail" last night which I think is the equivalent of a sleeping pill for any normal bloke.
The rest of the trip was also great, but no travel brochures. I will say that Hearst Castle in San Simian was way better than I expected and I am glad I got to see Wembley even if it wasn't during a match. Haven't come close to sorting out my photos yet, but I will try this week.
Welcome to some new victims of this sad bit of writing. Aneta & Jaap from Holand who will forward this on to Koos' sister Heidi (after censoring it and cutting down to about fifty words), and Linda in chicken land (somewhere north of San Francisco, she had the misfortune to be exposed to my insanity during our little road trip to lala land).
Nothing happened in New Zealand while I was away, Diana lied. But somehow stuff happened in Holland, then England, then the US. Kind of follows me around I think.
No idea what really happened in Holland because my Dutch isn't so good, didn't read any newspapers. However, I found it much harder to be understood in America, for them English isn't even a second language.
The 8yo girl that was lost while I was in England was found in a fairly dead condition last week. Not nice, but could predict she wasn't going to be in very good shape. Found 16km from where she went missing.
Fiji coup is over but still very confused. No real idea what is happening, George Speight seems to have be completely taken over by Winston Peters as he is just like him. Somehow thinks he has some sort of a say in things.
Auckland model Robyn Reynolds bedded Robbie Williams for a couple of days. Really cheap shot in the Herald about being so hungry she "grabbed one of his plums". Stupid woman, they're not in season at the moment. Must have been a prune. Huge coverage of him here, with one young lady running around topless at a press conference and all sorts.
John Tamihere, MP, has been avoiding some understatements he made about the number of convictions he has. Otherwise, the political arena has been reasonably quiet.
Violent weekend, with a murder, a mortal wounding, a man running over his girlfriend in his car, and a few aggravated robberies. An 8yo boy was mauled by two dogs and needed 200 stiches. Glad none of this happened near us, our weekend was comparatively peaceful it has to be said.
Got home to find out the Black Socks won the Softball World Champs. They arrived home about the same time as us. We heard they were winning here and there but that was about it.
The All Blacks win over Australia, which I missed, sounded like a killer game, we scored three early tries then they came back and we won (just). They then beat South Africa over the weekend, not convincingly but 25-12 isn't too bad. Some supposedly pointed a laser at the SAf kicker but the photo I saw looks like a mosquito bite on his neck, or worse, could be a love bite from Corne Krige (don't think about that, trust me). Tana Umaga got a few in him and made a git of himself that night.
Tiger Woods swept the field in his domination of the British Open, no surprises there.
Hannah lost her other front tooth on Thursday, call her "gummy granny" now.
Hannah's team won 6-1, Hannah set up one goal and played very well. The Orcas lost 2-1 in a very niggly game that they could have won, maybe next time. The 11th graders lost 5-4 in a game they lead until the last four minutes. Never relax. Played on a full sized pitch so there was heaps of room.
Then, yesterday, we had the Orca's team trip. All the team bundled into a mini-van off to Warkworth for a game. We had heaps of parents, some grandparents, and siblings follow us up, and many came to Waiwera afterward. They won 5-1, then we had a barbecue and stuff afterward. We traded player of the day certificates so the good players got an exotic one for their efforts. Then we trundled off to Waiwera hot pools for a go on the slides and things. Kids were a lot quieter in the van on the way home, but still a handful. Great day, all organised by Craig, not me, and an outstanding success. I have to say that Rory played pretty well in both games, working much harder than he has earlier in the season.
We saw baby Thomas on Saturday, who is talking more and getting around more.
Well, sort of out of time, lots to do. Neither me or Paul are entirely back to normal. I've been sleeping about ten hours a night since I got home, but it has to stop sooner or later. Mind you, Diana was watching "you've got mail" last night which I think is the equivalent of a sleeping pill for any normal bloke.
3 July 2000
By Diana While Rob is Away - 03/07/00
Just in case you've been visiting another planet and haven't realised, Rob is currently away in Europe for the final of the European Soccer Cup. He has described Holland as the America's Cup Village on steroids! Apart from Paul's suitcase going on a little trip by itself it sounds like the trip over was uneventful although long.
Rob missed Rory's best soccer day ever, he scored 3 goals out of 8 scored by the team. They were playing a small club which only fields one team per grade. So the poor St Francis team were no match for our A division team.
Hannah's team won 1-0 with Hannah contributing a few good kicks here and there. Other news, Samuel Davis, the Maori minister in charge of amongst other things, the high teenage preganancy rate, has been sacked as a minister due to his personal contribution to the above while the teenager was in his care and he was 42 (and married).
Mark Todd continues to avoid confirming or denying his gay sex/cocaine allegations although the Olymipic Selection Committee is calling for him to come clean (or bent as the case may be). Apparently Bell Tea have cancelled his sponsorship, but he's had an offer from Fagg's Coffee !! (That's probably worse than Rob's jokes).
NZ lost the netball(NZ vs World7) and won the rugby (NZ vs Scotland).
Thomas and his parents are fine. No ear infections and no Charles.
Hope Koos and Heidi have survived Rob and Paul. Jono and Paul Grant, get ready, it's your turn next.
Just watched the final, France won. Nailbiting game, 1-0 to Italy until the last 90s of the game when France snuck one in, then overtime and France won 2-1!!!. What do they put in their snails over there? Anyway, have a good week everyone. Next week's message will be delayed because I will be away.
We have a new phone number because we couldn't get caller id on our last no. Now 815 7004.
As this is not from Rob, this is as long as it needs to be.
Rob missed Rory's best soccer day ever, he scored 3 goals out of 8 scored by the team. They were playing a small club which only fields one team per grade. So the poor St Francis team were no match for our A division team.
Hannah's team won 1-0 with Hannah contributing a few good kicks here and there. Other news, Samuel Davis, the Maori minister in charge of amongst other things, the high teenage preganancy rate, has been sacked as a minister due to his personal contribution to the above while the teenager was in his care and he was 42 (and married).
Mark Todd continues to avoid confirming or denying his gay sex/cocaine allegations although the Olymipic Selection Committee is calling for him to come clean (or bent as the case may be). Apparently Bell Tea have cancelled his sponsorship, but he's had an offer from Fagg's Coffee !! (That's probably worse than Rob's jokes).
NZ lost the netball(NZ vs World7) and won the rugby (NZ vs Scotland).
Thomas and his parents are fine. No ear infections and no Charles.
Hope Koos and Heidi have survived Rob and Paul. Jono and Paul Grant, get ready, it's your turn next.
Just watched the final, France won. Nailbiting game, 1-0 to Italy until the last 90s of the game when France snuck one in, then overtime and France won 2-1!!!. What do they put in their snails over there? Anyway, have a good week everyone. Next week's message will be delayed because I will be away.
We have a new phone number because we couldn't get caller id on our last no. Now 815 7004.
As this is not from Rob, this is as long as it needs to be.
26 June 2000
Here we go, here we go, here we go - 26/06/00
Leave for Rotterdam on Wednesday for the big final. Huge variety of emotions coursing through my veins. Fear, excitement, sadness (going to miss the kids heaps, and perhaps even Diana a little), disappointment, happ
The Fiji coup isn't quite over, although was supposed to be. George wants pay for his henchman. Hilarious. They did release the remaining women, otherwise it continues. Solomons seem quiet.
Minister of Maori Affairs (wait for the pun) was accused of having a Maori affair with a 15 year old 14 years ago. He is now suspended on full pay. Former MP, Alamein Kopu is now trying to figure out how she could have got suspended on full pay while in parliament.
The fire in the hostel at Childers in Queensland was reasonably big news. Note sure if any kiwis died in it, but some escaped, 15 people died. A visiting beneficiary is blamed, a man who seems to have put the arse back in arsonist.
An army chap has been charged with desertion after resigning and some dispute over his notice period. More to it than it appears I reckon, perhaps some fraud or something, we'll see.
The Poms beat the Springboks (good job), and the Argies had a good go at the Wallabies, but lost to them.
The Australian under 23 rugby team were beaten by South Africa (just).
The All Blacks whipped Scotland 69-20. Jonah got a hat-trick. Anton Oliver got two. I'm going to miss the 2nd Scotland test and the first one against the Wallabies.
In the Euro soccer Poms lost to Romania and got knocked out, after beating Germany and they were ahead for a while, shame really but they were playing like crap. Holland beat a second string France team in the last game of the pool, both made it through to the next round.Portugal beat Turkey 2-0 and Italy beat Romania 2-0 in the quarters overnight.
The Warriors did their bit and made it five losses in a row, losing to Sydney City about 36-4 or something pathetic. The loss of the Silver Fern netballers to Australia by 23 points has done nothing for them.
Final defections have occured for Team NZ now. Will be interesting next time around.
Mark Todd's fall from grace seems to be rivalling Shane Warne's. Sounds like he was set up, but if you plan to stick something up someone elses bum while snorting cocaine you probably should choose that person reasonably carefully (not that I would know, but this much I can figure).
Good week with the kids. Only visited Starship to get the book Diana left there (she reckons it was my fault). Saw them at gymnastics on Monday. The Orcas won 4-1 against the Panthers (drew 3-3 last time), another important game for them, although theoretically a smaller hill to climb than the Tigers. They have two easy games while I am away (relatively easy). Hannah's team lost, but they now have her friend Brittany in the squad and they had a morning tea after the game for two who are heading to Dunedin. Didn't get to 11th grade game, they lost and were seriously short of players - I would be real rude about it if I was the head coach.
Didn't see Charles before he skulked back to Saudi, Thomas has another ear infection. Thomas is now officially expecting a little sister in November.
Diana turned 36 on Friday. No old jokes, please.
Malcolm in the Middle is now the family's favourite viewing. The mother is more psycho than Diana (really, she is, and I didn't think that was possible either). The kids are worse behaved that our two (see last parentheses). The father is a nice guy who just spends all his time coping with the behaviour of everyone else (now, that sound very feasible).
We had Paul, along with Allan and Jackie and Nicola, over for a last chat about the trip. Koos' Mum and sister also came over to give me some stuff to take to Heidi.
Well. May not send anything while I am away. Seeing I will be seeing half of you, you won't care. The rest can prepare yourselves mentally for a War & Peace edition in about three weeks. I have suggested that you get Diana's view of the world in my stead so that I have some sensational to read while I am abroad.
The Fiji coup isn't quite over, although was supposed to be. George wants pay for his henchman. Hilarious. They did release the remaining women, otherwise it continues. Solomons seem quiet.
Minister of Maori Affairs (wait for the pun) was accused of having a Maori affair with a 15 year old 14 years ago. He is now suspended on full pay. Former MP, Alamein Kopu is now trying to figure out how she could have got suspended on full pay while in parliament.
The fire in the hostel at Childers in Queensland was reasonably big news. Note sure if any kiwis died in it, but some escaped, 15 people died. A visiting beneficiary is blamed, a man who seems to have put the arse back in arsonist.
An army chap has been charged with desertion after resigning and some dispute over his notice period. More to it than it appears I reckon, perhaps some fraud or something, we'll see.
The Poms beat the Springboks (good job), and the Argies had a good go at the Wallabies, but lost to them.
The Australian under 23 rugby team were beaten by South Africa (just).
The All Blacks whipped Scotland 69-20. Jonah got a hat-trick. Anton Oliver got two. I'm going to miss the 2nd Scotland test and the first one against the Wallabies.
In the Euro soccer Poms lost to Romania and got knocked out, after beating Germany and they were ahead for a while, shame really but they were playing like crap. Holland beat a second string France team in the last game of the pool, both made it through to the next round.Portugal beat Turkey 2-0 and Italy beat Romania 2-0 in the quarters overnight.
The Warriors did their bit and made it five losses in a row, losing to Sydney City about 36-4 or something pathetic. The loss of the Silver Fern netballers to Australia by 23 points has done nothing for them.
Final defections have occured for Team NZ now. Will be interesting next time around.
Mark Todd's fall from grace seems to be rivalling Shane Warne's. Sounds like he was set up, but if you plan to stick something up someone elses bum while snorting cocaine you probably should choose that person reasonably carefully (not that I would know, but this much I can figure).
Good week with the kids. Only visited Starship to get the book Diana left there (she reckons it was my fault). Saw them at gymnastics on Monday. The Orcas won 4-1 against the Panthers (drew 3-3 last time), another important game for them, although theoretically a smaller hill to climb than the Tigers. They have two easy games while I am away (relatively easy). Hannah's team lost, but they now have her friend Brittany in the squad and they had a morning tea after the game for two who are heading to Dunedin. Didn't get to 11th grade game, they lost and were seriously short of players - I would be real rude about it if I was the head coach.
Didn't see Charles before he skulked back to Saudi, Thomas has another ear infection. Thomas is now officially expecting a little sister in November.
Diana turned 36 on Friday. No old jokes, please.
Malcolm in the Middle is now the family's favourite viewing. The mother is more psycho than Diana (really, she is, and I didn't think that was possible either). The kids are worse behaved that our two (see last parentheses). The father is a nice guy who just spends all his time coping with the behaviour of everyone else (now, that sound very feasible).
We had Paul, along with Allan and Jackie and Nicola, over for a last chat about the trip. Koos' Mum and sister also came over to give me some stuff to take to Heidi.
Well. May not send anything while I am away. Seeing I will be seeing half of you, you won't care. The rest can prepare yourselves mentally for a War & Peace edition in about three weeks. I have suggested that you get Diana's view of the world in my stead so that I have some sensational to read while I am abroad.
19 June 2000
A trip to Starship - 19/06/00
Well, big scare on Tuesday night. Soccer training was cancelled as the ground was shut. Rory was still complaining of a sore leg, so I took him to the a&e. He had a temperature too, so we were sent to Starship (children's hospital). We had never been there before, even to visit someone else. It is kind of cool, I guess if you are sick, there are worse places you could go. Not a lot of fun in admitting where there are kids crying, screaming, etc with pain and suffering. (fear leads to pain, pain leads to suffering, suffering leads to the dark side - at least that is what Yoda says).
The theme was waiting. Wait for registrar, wait for triage nurse, wait for doctor. The urine sample was pretty messy. They numbed his hands for a blood test, with stay-hard cream I think. Had a couple of x-rays, then we were told after the blood test came back normal that they wanted to keep him overnight for observation. So, tired and unhappy, I took Rory up to the ward about midnight. Spent the following day with a few kids who had it much worse than Rory, and he was finally allowed to leave about 2pm. He was okay, but boy what a night. Didn't really recover from that one for the rest of the week. It wasn't a heck of a lot of fun, glad it's over.
Huge week in other areas. Hannah is now a member of the Tuis soccer team, got player of the day in her first game on Saturday, the team won 6-1, played in a tournament on Sunday (five games, won one, lost four, pretty tough). George Hanham played with them on Sunday, although he is a Dolphin.
The Orcas played the Tigers on Saturday morning, the bogey team, the only team to beat the Orcas twice (2-0 both times). Well, they all played out of their skins on Saturday, and whipped the Tigers 5-0, Rory scored the last goal from a relatively offside position. Much happiness on that one, got the monkey off their backs, well and truly, and now 1 goal ahead on goal difference with them.
The 11th graders won their game 2-0, against a team that hasn't lost all season, they played reasonably well, but defended very hard, big Hannah just refused to give up.
Handed Paul Chambers a squash lesson on wednesday night (he's left handed and I just pummelled his backhand, not very nice but his backhand is starting to improve).
News today that Mark Todd took cocaine, etc in one of the more reputable English crap papers. He's a druggie! Apparently he was seen SMOKING SOME WEED (burning garden rubbish), was overheard saying to someone COME OVER TOMORROW NIGHT FOR A JOINT (of roast lamb), and told someone I HAVE HEAPS OF GRASS (about to become hay). Anyway, doesn't it really matter only if the horse takes the drugs?
After a 20 seater plane landed without wheel during the week, Eagle grounded their aircraft as they found cracks in the undercarriage.
Bert Potter not wanted by neighbours in housing estate. Thought he was paid out of Centrepoint, not sure why he needs a government subsidised house.
Budget was the world's dullest, made the news very boring that day.
900 arrests in Belgium, so most of the naughty ones will be gone by the final, I hope, good that England beat the Germans. Been watching it heaps (except when in hospital). Norway is down 1-0 to Yugoslavia as I write this.
You'll be relieve to know that Ches and Dale are back.
All Blacks beat Tonga 102-0. Was a lot more fun to watch than the Maoris versus Scotland, which the Maoris won 18-15.
The Warriors lost. More Team NZ people left, including Tom Schnackenberg's moustache (removed for charity).
Didn't see Thomas, his father woke us up last night - it was five past nine, who rings at that hour?
We went to a quiz night on Friday, Diana won the raffle, and our table came second. We have to go as members of a nativity play. Those of you who aren't married, before it is too late, ensure your prospective spouse doesn't like fancy dress. Diana went as the virgin mary. I was some obscure arab.
Hannah lost another tooth. Big week for her, really. Big week for all of us. Next Monday is the last one before I go on my trip to visit some of you.
Getting a Casio Pocket PC today, should be fun.
The theme was waiting. Wait for registrar, wait for triage nurse, wait for doctor. The urine sample was pretty messy. They numbed his hands for a blood test, with stay-hard cream I think. Had a couple of x-rays, then we were told after the blood test came back normal that they wanted to keep him overnight for observation. So, tired and unhappy, I took Rory up to the ward about midnight. Spent the following day with a few kids who had it much worse than Rory, and he was finally allowed to leave about 2pm. He was okay, but boy what a night. Didn't really recover from that one for the rest of the week. It wasn't a heck of a lot of fun, glad it's over.
Huge week in other areas. Hannah is now a member of the Tuis soccer team, got player of the day in her first game on Saturday, the team won 6-1, played in a tournament on Sunday (five games, won one, lost four, pretty tough). George Hanham played with them on Sunday, although he is a Dolphin.
The Orcas played the Tigers on Saturday morning, the bogey team, the only team to beat the Orcas twice (2-0 both times). Well, they all played out of their skins on Saturday, and whipped the Tigers 5-0, Rory scored the last goal from a relatively offside position. Much happiness on that one, got the monkey off their backs, well and truly, and now 1 goal ahead on goal difference with them.
The 11th graders won their game 2-0, against a team that hasn't lost all season, they played reasonably well, but defended very hard, big Hannah just refused to give up.
Handed Paul Chambers a squash lesson on wednesday night (he's left handed and I just pummelled his backhand, not very nice but his backhand is starting to improve).
News today that Mark Todd took cocaine, etc in one of the more reputable English crap papers. He's a druggie! Apparently he was seen SMOKING SOME WEED (burning garden rubbish), was overheard saying to someone COME OVER TOMORROW NIGHT FOR A JOINT (of roast lamb), and told someone I HAVE HEAPS OF GRASS (about to become hay). Anyway, doesn't it really matter only if the horse takes the drugs?
After a 20 seater plane landed without wheel during the week, Eagle grounded their aircraft as they found cracks in the undercarriage.
Bert Potter not wanted by neighbours in housing estate. Thought he was paid out of Centrepoint, not sure why he needs a government subsidised house.
Budget was the world's dullest, made the news very boring that day.
900 arrests in Belgium, so most of the naughty ones will be gone by the final, I hope, good that England beat the Germans. Been watching it heaps (except when in hospital). Norway is down 1-0 to Yugoslavia as I write this.
You'll be relieve to know that Ches and Dale are back.
All Blacks beat Tonga 102-0. Was a lot more fun to watch than the Maoris versus Scotland, which the Maoris won 18-15.
The Warriors lost. More Team NZ people left, including Tom Schnackenberg's moustache (removed for charity).
Didn't see Thomas, his father woke us up last night - it was five past nine, who rings at that hour?
We went to a quiz night on Friday, Diana won the raffle, and our table came second. We have to go as members of a nativity play. Those of you who aren't married, before it is too late, ensure your prospective spouse doesn't like fancy dress. Diana went as the virgin mary. I was some obscure arab.
Hannah lost another tooth. Big week for her, really. Big week for all of us. Next Monday is the last one before I go on my trip to visit some of you.
Getting a Casio Pocket PC today, should be fun.
12 June 2000
Wet, wet, wet, and football heaven - 12/06/00
The Olympic flame went around the country, after the accompanying bus ran over one participant (minor injuries) it left for Australia. I am a little peeved with who go to carry the torch. Many Olympians were forgotten and instead we had Jim the weatherman, Liz Gunn off the telly and Hillary "Lotto" Timmins. Peter Jackson (the Brain Dead guy) was another. I mean for christ's sake, why should they carry the torch when there are many others who would have liked to? Cronyism and who has their tongue down the back of who's trousers. About as bad as the daughter of the IOC member who did it. At least the flame went out when Helen Clark had it (the undead are very nervous around fire).
Nasty crash left one dead and injured nine when a car collided with a bus on the north western motorway on Saturday night, the bus changed sides and hit three other cars. Driver had recently been on an offensive driving course.
A nasty murder (ever hear of a nice murder?) in Glen Innes, a 23yo woman (Kylie Jones) in a park, near the police station, about 100 metres from home, on her way home from her bus. Move over Ben and Olivia. An arrest was made over the weekend but the police still looking for clues (and they need them, believe me).
Moves to create a separate highway patrol continue, we will be blessed with some 120 specialists (assume three shifts, that is 40 over the entire country). To make us all feel better, they will increase fines to cover the cost.
Between Fiji and now the Solomons, the Pacific is not aptly named. Phil Goff went to the Solomons with a threat that if they didn't sort things out they would be sent Helen Clark and Jim Anderton as well. A similar threat was made to Fiji with a threat of sending in Winston Peters. They say that the same person cannot occupy the same place at the same time so George Speight was worried for a while.
Way cool hail in North Harbour during the week, piled up like snow. Didn't hear about it until day after and there was still quite a lot around in some places. Kev got it at his place (Kath's brother).
A Wellington based Sri Lankan taxi driver, ramalamadingdong aratheesavacardozrypornot, was murdered during the week as well, but we didn't hear until this morning due to problems spell checking his name. They caught the bloke on Sunday.
More chaos in west Auckland when an 11yo girl drove at 100km/h on Great North Road in Henderson. She was halted without injury. I think I will stop going out west.
The Orcas beat the Metro Reds 3-0, the team the Tigers drew 2-2 with last week. We play the Tigers next. Still no cancellations in the season. They played really well, all of them, including Rory who helped in some great moves.
11th graders cocked up and lost 3-2. Some players lacking in commitment and not turning up on time. The Tigers won 4-2 against the team we beat 3-0 last week. They must be beatable.
Hannah hasn't got a team yet, but should do soon. She has three very wobbly teeth that need to fall out. The tooth fairy is starting to get impatient. Speaking of that, Rory told us that he didn't believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the tooth fairy last weekend. Innocence disappearing. Sworn not to tell Hannah, but he listed of various bits of evidence he had as to why. It felt like some TV lawyer presenting a case. Quite convincing, had my faith shaken for a while. Was kind of sad but at least he told us.
In shock news, the Warriors lost. The Scottish Rugby team lost to the Vikings, a sort of Northland amalgam. They are playing the Avondale College Girls 2nd XV this week.
Grant Dalton sailed 625.7 miles in 24 hours in Club Med, a big cat.
Woollongong Wolves beat Perth Glory in a penalty shootout after 3-3 in extra time in the NSL final (the comp the Kingz play in).
Shane Warne got turned down, poor bugger. So there are women out there with taste after all. Suspect he will move back to Australia where there are more without.
An NZ woman has qualified for weightlifting at the Olympics. She trained by shifting pallets of hamburger patties at Mcdonalds.
Climbing wall is still being climbed. Better than them climbing the walls inside.
Proving what lengths some people will go to, in order to feature in this message, Charles has returned to NZ temporarily - supposedly to renew his Visa (he could have just got a Mastercard). Charles punished Ross for his birthday (on Friday) by making him ride his new bicycle around the lake twice. Craig had a birthday on Saturday, both he and Ross are now 36. That's fully double the age they were at their sexual peak (but at least Ross can blame the new bike seat). Commiserations to Penny and Kathryn. Given that both are now pregnant at least we know neither of the lads are shooting blanks (they just misfire now and then). Not that we wanted to know, come to think of it.
Charles is still working in Saudi, toying with moving at the end of his contract (for a change). We'll see, these things take time. Thomas continues to increase in verbosity, our kids like playing with him and was good they saw him after missing him twice last week. Ross seemed very tired.
We had Sjaan with Helene, Moses, and kids over for dinner on Saturday night. Kids behaved. Managed to sneak a look at a Euro 2000 preview in after dessert.
Watched the first game of Euro 2000 Sunday morning. Told Rory if the Belgians won we would have to eat waffles, if the Swedes won we would have to go rent a porn movie. Didn't think of meatballs until later. Had to explain what a porn movie was. Glossed over a fair bit. Something like Sleeping Beauty, without clothes, and without much sleeping. Thankfully the Belgians won. We didn't have waffles though.
Watched Czech Republic against Holland, wanted Holland to win, would be awesome if they make the final in terms of atmosphere. Holland won just, 1-0, with a penalty in about the 87th minute. CR were very unlucky, the ball stopped on the goal line once. Seeing the Dutch won, the kids have to pay for their own food next time we go to Mcdonalds.
France won 3-0 over Denmark so we can't get a great dane or have any pastries, and Italy beat Turkey 2-1 so it's pasta for dinner tonight (flavoured with garlic to honour the French).
Hannah finally lost second tooth last night, after much wobbling. Two more still really need to give up the fight.
Lots of rain, very cold. Take me to the July sun in Holland. Should be a song.
Nasty crash left one dead and injured nine when a car collided with a bus on the north western motorway on Saturday night, the bus changed sides and hit three other cars. Driver had recently been on an offensive driving course.
A nasty murder (ever hear of a nice murder?) in Glen Innes, a 23yo woman (Kylie Jones) in a park, near the police station, about 100 metres from home, on her way home from her bus. Move over Ben and Olivia. An arrest was made over the weekend but the police still looking for clues (and they need them, believe me).
Moves to create a separate highway patrol continue, we will be blessed with some 120 specialists (assume three shifts, that is 40 over the entire country). To make us all feel better, they will increase fines to cover the cost.
Between Fiji and now the Solomons, the Pacific is not aptly named. Phil Goff went to the Solomons with a threat that if they didn't sort things out they would be sent Helen Clark and Jim Anderton as well. A similar threat was made to Fiji with a threat of sending in Winston Peters. They say that the same person cannot occupy the same place at the same time so George Speight was worried for a while.
Way cool hail in North Harbour during the week, piled up like snow. Didn't hear about it until day after and there was still quite a lot around in some places. Kev got it at his place (Kath's brother).
A Wellington based Sri Lankan taxi driver, ramalamadingdong aratheesavacardozrypornot, was murdered during the week as well, but we didn't hear until this morning due to problems spell checking his name. They caught the bloke on Sunday.
More chaos in west Auckland when an 11yo girl drove at 100km/h on Great North Road in Henderson. She was halted without injury. I think I will stop going out west.
The Orcas beat the Metro Reds 3-0, the team the Tigers drew 2-2 with last week. We play the Tigers next. Still no cancellations in the season. They played really well, all of them, including Rory who helped in some great moves.
11th graders cocked up and lost 3-2. Some players lacking in commitment and not turning up on time. The Tigers won 4-2 against the team we beat 3-0 last week. They must be beatable.
Hannah hasn't got a team yet, but should do soon. She has three very wobbly teeth that need to fall out. The tooth fairy is starting to get impatient. Speaking of that, Rory told us that he didn't believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the tooth fairy last weekend. Innocence disappearing. Sworn not to tell Hannah, but he listed of various bits of evidence he had as to why. It felt like some TV lawyer presenting a case. Quite convincing, had my faith shaken for a while. Was kind of sad but at least he told us.
In shock news, the Warriors lost. The Scottish Rugby team lost to the Vikings, a sort of Northland amalgam. They are playing the Avondale College Girls 2nd XV this week.
Grant Dalton sailed 625.7 miles in 24 hours in Club Med, a big cat.
Woollongong Wolves beat Perth Glory in a penalty shootout after 3-3 in extra time in the NSL final (the comp the Kingz play in).
Shane Warne got turned down, poor bugger. So there are women out there with taste after all. Suspect he will move back to Australia where there are more without.
An NZ woman has qualified for weightlifting at the Olympics. She trained by shifting pallets of hamburger patties at Mcdonalds.
Climbing wall is still being climbed. Better than them climbing the walls inside.
Proving what lengths some people will go to, in order to feature in this message, Charles has returned to NZ temporarily - supposedly to renew his Visa (he could have just got a Mastercard). Charles punished Ross for his birthday (on Friday) by making him ride his new bicycle around the lake twice. Craig had a birthday on Saturday, both he and Ross are now 36. That's fully double the age they were at their sexual peak (but at least Ross can blame the new bike seat). Commiserations to Penny and Kathryn. Given that both are now pregnant at least we know neither of the lads are shooting blanks (they just misfire now and then). Not that we wanted to know, come to think of it.
Charles is still working in Saudi, toying with moving at the end of his contract (for a change). We'll see, these things take time. Thomas continues to increase in verbosity, our kids like playing with him and was good they saw him after missing him twice last week. Ross seemed very tired.
We had Sjaan with Helene, Moses, and kids over for dinner on Saturday night. Kids behaved. Managed to sneak a look at a Euro 2000 preview in after dessert.
Watched the first game of Euro 2000 Sunday morning. Told Rory if the Belgians won we would have to eat waffles, if the Swedes won we would have to go rent a porn movie. Didn't think of meatballs until later. Had to explain what a porn movie was. Glossed over a fair bit. Something like Sleeping Beauty, without clothes, and without much sleeping. Thankfully the Belgians won. We didn't have waffles though.
Watched Czech Republic against Holland, wanted Holland to win, would be awesome if they make the final in terms of atmosphere. Holland won just, 1-0, with a penalty in about the 87th minute. CR were very unlucky, the ball stopped on the goal line once. Seeing the Dutch won, the kids have to pay for their own food next time we go to Mcdonalds.
France won 3-0 over Denmark so we can't get a great dane or have any pastries, and Italy beat Turkey 2-1 so it's pasta for dinner tonight (flavoured with garlic to honour the French).
Hannah finally lost second tooth last night, after much wobbling. Two more still really need to give up the fight.
Lots of rain, very cold. Take me to the July sun in Holland. Should be a song.
5 June 2000
Happy birthday QE II - 05/06/00
Well, Queens birthday weekend. Russell Coutts got the order of NZ or some other thing, not many people would agree with that award now. The skipper of Prada got something too.
To celebrate, the Queen has met Camilla for the first time, and realises she poses no threat. I think even the Queen Mother is better looking than Camilla so no danger of her being on the front page all the time.
A boy lost in bush was recovered alive. Weather has been pretty bad, buckets of rain, minor flooding.
David Tua had a 51 second boxing bout in Las Vegas. Another yawn. Glad, yet again, that I didn't wait for nearly two hours to catch the blink and you miss it fight. Supposedly he will fight Lennox Lewis in November. Remember to keep two minutes free for that.
The Olympic flame is being carried through NZ for three days this week.
Some westie brain surgeon crashed into a power pylon in Massey, took out two of the four legs, about a 100 people were evacuated at 2am in the morning as risk was about 7 or 8 pylons could fall if this one did. Went up a bank and somehow still managed to take two out.
The Southern Sting beat the Canterbury Flames in the netball final.
Nasty accident with two trucks and some chemicals north of Taupo. Last I heard they thought a van was mushed in between with people in the area needing to seek medical attention because of toxins floating around.
Doctor Morgan Fahey was sentenced to 6 years for molesting patients for 30 years, a councillor and fine upstanding citizen who nearly managed to convince the world that all these women were somehow mistaken. A complete scumbag. I even wrote a letter to the Herald I was so annoyed with the wimpy sentence.
The army took charge in Fiji, but nothing really happened. I decided that George Speight, coup leader, was a bit like a Fijian Winston Peters, then soon afterward Winston issued a statement to the contrary (my conclusion was alluded to on the telly). He does, though. It is the most times Winston has been mentioned in ages.
Michael Campbell came second equal in English Open Golf tournament after leading by heaps earlier in the tournament (not British Open).
Big news in soccer, Hannah is going to start playing. Been working on her with irrefutable logic. The two girls in the 11th grade squad are really good, they came 1st and third in their cross country, Hannah came first in her cross country, therefore she must be a good soccer player. Same sort of method used for proving the guilt of witches a few years back. She will probably play for Lissies team. We got some old boots off Jared and have been practicing for next weekend. She got a gold medal at school assembly on Friday for her effort in the cross country.
Discovered that the Orcas are playing in the A Division, that is why they are finding it harder this year. We don't play wimpy teams any more.
Orcas won 3-0 on Saturday, Rory saved a certain goal by deflecting it at the last second. Rory and Harry played for the Tigers, and I coached the game, as they were short and they played right after us. Never thought we would play. Wet all week on and off, missed training for the first time so far this season this week. Rain stopped at 8:28, we kicked off at 8:30. Had the whole team there, except Billy who was away, other team only had six so we played with two subs. Ryan nearly got a hat trick, scored two. Tigers game back from 1-0 down to get a 2-2 draw.
11th graders were short two players to start, had one arrive 15 minutes late, played the rest of the game with 10, against 11 with a sub as well. We were up 3-0 early in the second half, but the other team clawed back to 3-3. Norris scored his fourth goal just at the end to get a win, he has scored 7 in the last two games. They won last week, when I couldn't be there due to commitments with the Orcas.
Climbing wall being well used. Has been tested by a number of Rory's friends now.
Spent a wet Sunday doing lots of household maintenance. Removed lots of things from the garage and installed them where they could be useful - like some batts that had been in the way for ages. Hung lots of things on the wall, towel rail, hooks, rack for holding garden equipment, security light, had a real party. Blocked the hole left by the chimney we removed a few weeks back.
Hannah has been miserable with a cold, mostly cheerful but very quiet and with a tissue permanently attached to her face.
Haven't managed to finalise my travel, but getting close. Leave on the 28th June, get to London on the 3rd July, not sure about SF date yet. Starting to look forward to it. Holiday prior is now completely off. Might go somewhere in August.
To celebrate, the Queen has met Camilla for the first time, and realises she poses no threat. I think even the Queen Mother is better looking than Camilla so no danger of her being on the front page all the time.
A boy lost in bush was recovered alive. Weather has been pretty bad, buckets of rain, minor flooding.
David Tua had a 51 second boxing bout in Las Vegas. Another yawn. Glad, yet again, that I didn't wait for nearly two hours to catch the blink and you miss it fight. Supposedly he will fight Lennox Lewis in November. Remember to keep two minutes free for that.
The Olympic flame is being carried through NZ for three days this week.
Some westie brain surgeon crashed into a power pylon in Massey, took out two of the four legs, about a 100 people were evacuated at 2am in the morning as risk was about 7 or 8 pylons could fall if this one did. Went up a bank and somehow still managed to take two out.
The Southern Sting beat the Canterbury Flames in the netball final.
Nasty accident with two trucks and some chemicals north of Taupo. Last I heard they thought a van was mushed in between with people in the area needing to seek medical attention because of toxins floating around.
Doctor Morgan Fahey was sentenced to 6 years for molesting patients for 30 years, a councillor and fine upstanding citizen who nearly managed to convince the world that all these women were somehow mistaken. A complete scumbag. I even wrote a letter to the Herald I was so annoyed with the wimpy sentence.
The army took charge in Fiji, but nothing really happened. I decided that George Speight, coup leader, was a bit like a Fijian Winston Peters, then soon afterward Winston issued a statement to the contrary (my conclusion was alluded to on the telly). He does, though. It is the most times Winston has been mentioned in ages.
Michael Campbell came second equal in English Open Golf tournament after leading by heaps earlier in the tournament (not British Open).
Big news in soccer, Hannah is going to start playing. Been working on her with irrefutable logic. The two girls in the 11th grade squad are really good, they came 1st and third in their cross country, Hannah came first in her cross country, therefore she must be a good soccer player. Same sort of method used for proving the guilt of witches a few years back. She will probably play for Lissies team. We got some old boots off Jared and have been practicing for next weekend. She got a gold medal at school assembly on Friday for her effort in the cross country.
Discovered that the Orcas are playing in the A Division, that is why they are finding it harder this year. We don't play wimpy teams any more.
Orcas won 3-0 on Saturday, Rory saved a certain goal by deflecting it at the last second. Rory and Harry played for the Tigers, and I coached the game, as they were short and they played right after us. Never thought we would play. Wet all week on and off, missed training for the first time so far this season this week. Rain stopped at 8:28, we kicked off at 8:30. Had the whole team there, except Billy who was away, other team only had six so we played with two subs. Ryan nearly got a hat trick, scored two. Tigers game back from 1-0 down to get a 2-2 draw.
11th graders were short two players to start, had one arrive 15 minutes late, played the rest of the game with 10, against 11 with a sub as well. We were up 3-0 early in the second half, but the other team clawed back to 3-3. Norris scored his fourth goal just at the end to get a win, he has scored 7 in the last two games. They won last week, when I couldn't be there due to commitments with the Orcas.
Climbing wall being well used. Has been tested by a number of Rory's friends now.
Spent a wet Sunday doing lots of household maintenance. Removed lots of things from the garage and installed them where they could be useful - like some batts that had been in the way for ages. Hung lots of things on the wall, towel rail, hooks, rack for holding garden equipment, security light, had a real party. Blocked the hole left by the chimney we removed a few weeks back.
Hannah has been miserable with a cold, mostly cheerful but very quiet and with a tissue permanently attached to her face.
Haven't managed to finalise my travel, but getting close. Leave on the 28th June, get to London on the 3rd July, not sure about SF date yet. Starting to look forward to it. Holiday prior is now completely off. Might go somewhere in August.
29 May 2000
The New Captain Blackadder - 29/05/00
Well, action packed weekend. Todd Blackadder named last night as the next All Black captain. Also known as "the Toddfather", the captain of the Crusaders helped them to win the Super 12 final on Saturday night, their third in a row, their third away final. The threepeat. The triple crown. Was a tight match, the Brumbies didn't get in front until about ten minutes to go, then Crusaders got back in front 20-19 and hung on for dear life. They worked very hard in defence, forced the Brumbies backwards at every phase, but were running out of steam in the second half.
The new all black squad includes two Auckland players, Craig Dowd and Doug Howlett (a winger). Two North Harbour players, Troy Flavell and Ron Cribb. Four Wellington backs (Cullen, Umaga, Lomu, Ieremia), nobody from Waikato at all, eight from Otago (too many), and ten from Canterbury.
Other news all over the place.
Murder suicide near Napier, with two kids left sleeping.
No teachers in NZ were shot in the face by a pupil.
Some Maori support the Fiji coup.
Helen Clark starting to lose her popularity tag quite well, especially after not having a baby recently. Shipley is considering that as an option to get a boost in the polls.
Warriors lose, how that is news I don't know.
Petrol prices rising all over the place.
Exchange rate crashes to point where you sods would be mad to send money home unless you intend to come home to spend it.
All Whites lose 1-0 in South Africa, not a bad result.
England draws 1-1 with Brazil after Brazil beat well known footballing nation Wales 3-0. Wales had some issues with the Welshness of a few players. They tried to convince FIFA that one boyo's grandfather was welsh (the grandfather was Pele).
Well, Fiji, eh? Phoooaww. Not going now, not sure where we are going but not Fiji. Main decision for me was running out of time to find an alternative. Shootings over weekend didn't make me regret the call. Utterly ridiculous, replacing parliament with non-democratically elected people. I would think the Indians are going to start getting mighty pissed off sooner or later. NZ says don't go. Fiji Tourism says "everything fine, Bula, come visit". Like hell. A policeman was basically assassinated last night and the TV station destroyed. Welcome to Fiji, Bosnia of the South Pacific.
Big news that John Hawkesby has bought into a vineyard. Really? Slow news day. We also got coverage of Liz and Hugh's breakup about three days in a row. Good grief.
A couple and baby got killed when a bus ran into them. I would say the driver of the car wasn't being careful, was an intersection near Otorhonga on the main drag. A bloody local who feels that through traffic doesn't count. Well that bus bloody counted. Two kids survived.
The Minister of Corrections wanted conjugal visits for prisoners and children to stay until five years old. Well, what a prize prick. I suspect it was brought up to divert attention from something else. Fell short of supplying working girls for those who didn't have someone to visit.
Two ten year old girls who were swapped at birth in Timaru both want to stay with the same parenets, and the Cildren's Commissioner says they have a right to choose. Pity for the woman who raised the wrong kid for eight years and now has none.
Vitriol continues over Coutts and Butterworth leaving Team NZ. Becoming something of a standing joke.
Friday morning was the Juniors cross country. As some of you already know, Hannah was the first girl home in all of the year ones, which is about five classes full. Given that there are more girls than boys as well, not a bad effort. She came 6th or 7th overall, no other girl was near her, she blitzed them. I got some shots of her in action and her website has been updated (hannahclarke.8m.com) with a couple of shots. Was a very happy girl. Saturday she got some new clothes including a bonus shoulder bag for her efforts and she were them as much as she could.
The Orcas lost 2-0 to Central Smit (dumb name) on Saturday, very unlucky, two very dribbly goals and we missed a couple including one that Rory should have got that was just cleared. Didn't see the 11th graders, had to go to Macdonalds with the Orcas after their game (do it once a season). Still no rain cancelling play.
On Saturday we commenced work on the climbing wall, which was completed yesterday. The kids can now climb up about 2.5 metres into the air up a sheet of tanalised plywood with bits of four by two bolted on. Hannah was all over it, thought it would be just for Rory for while. Rory climbed it this morning before school, said he could see the Harbour Bridge from the top. I made them both help me, pass me tools, Rory put in some of the bolts, drilled some holes, they both sat on pieces of wood, tested it as we went with each handhold. They both got scraps and nailed and drilled them. Rory tried to cut a piece of old four by two with his toy saw, he managed to scratch it. Was stuffed at the end of the day, did all the woodcutting with a handsaw. The whole swing frame structure that we used is now considerably stronger with the bracing that has been added.
Saw baby Thomas twice during the week. He visited on Wednesday when the kids were asleep, then we babysat him Saturday night but he was asleep practically the whole time. Kids were very pissed off, but the climbing wall distracted them. By the way, Kath is pregnant but I wasn't allowed to tell, until now. About 19 weeks gone I think. She has been very rash lately and quith scratchy. Some sort of hormone reaction, not enjoying it at all. I pointed out that there was a leper colony in the Solomons where she would fit right in.
And good news this morning, Fiji lost to Argentina in the quarter finals in Paris in the sevens and NZ won 60 something to 10 against South Africa in the final so we won the world sevens championship (needed to win with Fiji beaten in semi at best). An excellent result, it looked like the only way they could win was if the NZ team threw a game to beat Fiji early on themselves. Glad they didn't cheat, but suspect they lost some key players to the Pac Rim tournament and perhaps their morale was low with the coup. Sevens stalwart Eric Rush was out with injury.
Got a Palm V last week, been playing with it, getting there slowly. typing on keyboard is faster than character recognition by about 33%. Will use on my travels (it was free).
Finally got the network going in the house so Diana can print and email without harassing me (been like that since we moved the computer out of the bedroom). Bought a crimper and did it myself (twice, wrong way around the first time).
Well, a busy week I suppose. No prizes won, but Hannah won her race.
The new all black squad includes two Auckland players, Craig Dowd and Doug Howlett (a winger). Two North Harbour players, Troy Flavell and Ron Cribb. Four Wellington backs (Cullen, Umaga, Lomu, Ieremia), nobody from Waikato at all, eight from Otago (too many), and ten from Canterbury.
Other news all over the place.
Murder suicide near Napier, with two kids left sleeping.
No teachers in NZ were shot in the face by a pupil.
Some Maori support the Fiji coup.
Helen Clark starting to lose her popularity tag quite well, especially after not having a baby recently. Shipley is considering that as an option to get a boost in the polls.
Warriors lose, how that is news I don't know.
Petrol prices rising all over the place.
Exchange rate crashes to point where you sods would be mad to send money home unless you intend to come home to spend it.
All Whites lose 1-0 in South Africa, not a bad result.
England draws 1-1 with Brazil after Brazil beat well known footballing nation Wales 3-0. Wales had some issues with the Welshness of a few players. They tried to convince FIFA that one boyo's grandfather was welsh (the grandfather was Pele).
Well, Fiji, eh? Phoooaww. Not going now, not sure where we are going but not Fiji. Main decision for me was running out of time to find an alternative. Shootings over weekend didn't make me regret the call. Utterly ridiculous, replacing parliament with non-democratically elected people. I would think the Indians are going to start getting mighty pissed off sooner or later. NZ says don't go. Fiji Tourism says "everything fine, Bula, come visit". Like hell. A policeman was basically assassinated last night and the TV station destroyed. Welcome to Fiji, Bosnia of the South Pacific.
Big news that John Hawkesby has bought into a vineyard. Really? Slow news day. We also got coverage of Liz and Hugh's breakup about three days in a row. Good grief.
A couple and baby got killed when a bus ran into them. I would say the driver of the car wasn't being careful, was an intersection near Otorhonga on the main drag. A bloody local who feels that through traffic doesn't count. Well that bus bloody counted. Two kids survived.
The Minister of Corrections wanted conjugal visits for prisoners and children to stay until five years old. Well, what a prize prick. I suspect it was brought up to divert attention from something else. Fell short of supplying working girls for those who didn't have someone to visit.
Two ten year old girls who were swapped at birth in Timaru both want to stay with the same parenets, and the Cildren's Commissioner says they have a right to choose. Pity for the woman who raised the wrong kid for eight years and now has none.
Vitriol continues over Coutts and Butterworth leaving Team NZ. Becoming something of a standing joke.
Friday morning was the Juniors cross country. As some of you already know, Hannah was the first girl home in all of the year ones, which is about five classes full. Given that there are more girls than boys as well, not a bad effort. She came 6th or 7th overall, no other girl was near her, she blitzed them. I got some shots of her in action and her website has been updated (hannahclarke.8m.com) with a couple of shots. Was a very happy girl. Saturday she got some new clothes including a bonus shoulder bag for her efforts and she were them as much as she could.
The Orcas lost 2-0 to Central Smit (dumb name) on Saturday, very unlucky, two very dribbly goals and we missed a couple including one that Rory should have got that was just cleared. Didn't see the 11th graders, had to go to Macdonalds with the Orcas after their game (do it once a season). Still no rain cancelling play.
On Saturday we commenced work on the climbing wall, which was completed yesterday. The kids can now climb up about 2.5 metres into the air up a sheet of tanalised plywood with bits of four by two bolted on. Hannah was all over it, thought it would be just for Rory for while. Rory climbed it this morning before school, said he could see the Harbour Bridge from the top. I made them both help me, pass me tools, Rory put in some of the bolts, drilled some holes, they both sat on pieces of wood, tested it as we went with each handhold. They both got scraps and nailed and drilled them. Rory tried to cut a piece of old four by two with his toy saw, he managed to scratch it. Was stuffed at the end of the day, did all the woodcutting with a handsaw. The whole swing frame structure that we used is now considerably stronger with the bracing that has been added.
Saw baby Thomas twice during the week. He visited on Wednesday when the kids were asleep, then we babysat him Saturday night but he was asleep practically the whole time. Kids were very pissed off, but the climbing wall distracted them. By the way, Kath is pregnant but I wasn't allowed to tell, until now. About 19 weeks gone I think. She has been very rash lately and quith scratchy. Some sort of hormone reaction, not enjoying it at all. I pointed out that there was a leper colony in the Solomons where she would fit right in.
And good news this morning, Fiji lost to Argentina in the quarter finals in Paris in the sevens and NZ won 60 something to 10 against South Africa in the final so we won the world sevens championship (needed to win with Fiji beaten in semi at best). An excellent result, it looked like the only way they could win was if the NZ team threw a game to beat Fiji early on themselves. Glad they didn't cheat, but suspect they lost some key players to the Pac Rim tournament and perhaps their morale was low with the coup. Sevens stalwart Eric Rush was out with injury.
Got a Palm V last week, been playing with it, getting there slowly. typing on keyboard is faster than character recognition by about 33%. Will use on my travels (it was free).
Finally got the network going in the house so Diana can print and email without harassing me (been like that since we moved the computer out of the bedroom). Bought a crimper and did it myself (twice, wrong way around the first time).
Well, a busy week I suppose. No prizes won, but Hannah won her race.
22 May 2000
Well, Friday was busy, I'll give you that - 22/05/00
You're heard me complain about slow news days, well Friday was quite the opposite. Two major stories breaking at the same time, well major for NZ. Another coup in Fiji, 13 years after the last one (remember, Paul? The hotel project was canned). The other news, Brad Butterworth and Russell Coutts leaving Team NZ and going to a Swiss syndicate. Major betrayal, defection, call it what you like.
It's not often I have to watch the telly for news, but that was Friday night. Shame, I had to go out. It was the Under 23 Olympic Soccer game against South Africa. Realistically, we didn't have a chance. We scored in about the 14th minute and went 1-0 up. Then they came back and scored twice, then a third time but for us, 2-2 by half time and stayed that way most of the match. Quinton Fortune scored the second goal, plays for Manchester United, Rory was very pleased. They managed to sneak a third just before full time, about 87th minute. Final score 3-2 and a very credible result although qualification is almost impossible now. Have to win in South Africa, and score three goals or more. Was wondering, with the away goal rule, does SA get double for the own-goal as well?
Not sure where I stand on the Team NZ thing. They have been vilified by some, one commentator said that they better get enough money to start a life in another country because they won't be able to live here. That is a little bit strong. There is a deep sense of betrayal from many quarters but Chris Dixon got dumped when they didn't want him. Not sure why that was okay and this isn't. Anyway, Team NZ battening down the hatches and speculation rife as to who else will leave. A Swiss syndicate. I wonder if NZ will support them in the challenger series, I suspect not.
Some weird news out there.
St Stephens, the maori boys school near the Bombay hills, had an "incident" where a pupil was injured by another with an iron bar in the head. Called bullying, but clearly the attack was retaliation for a bit of thieving. Whilst I don't condone the iron bar, a lump of four by two would have done just as well, I don't believe it should be called bullying. I think it could well be the bullied seeking revenge. There were 23 pupils punished in Feb for another "incident" (23? In one incident? come on, that's a bloody big incident. 23 people is a riot or a small war). Calls have been made for the school to close, others have called for iron bars to be better fastened.
A guy sailing to Japan to save the whales was hit by a whale and knackered his rudder. Shaken by the incident, his views have changed somewhat and he is now spotting on the bow of the Hoki Koki Maru for the Nippon Whale Research and Fish Fillet Corporation.
The other Rory at Pt Chevalier Primary was in the local paper because he couldn't afford the $3 to watch some dork blowing a didgereedoo (sp?). Big sob story, had to have the day off school the next day. Little bastard spends all his pocket money on vandal pens and spray paint. There were more than a hundred who didn't go and frankly I think I would rather my two spent their three dollars on Pokemon cards. They can watch a few natives blowing their tooters any time on the Discovery Channel. With $3 times 400 kids the guy made $1200 for an hour or so. That's more than most abbo's make in a month. Slow news day in the Harbour News.
Impact of the Fiji coup still being established. We go to Fiji in about a month, so that could be interesting. Not so much a coup as a hostage drama with a few riots and some looting. They will have to get it sorted reasonably quickly.
A man in a wheelchair was attacked by a woman with a knife then chased down the road for about 500m. Police were particularly slow to respond.
Jeff Wilson announced his semi-retirement from rugby after the Highlanders lost to the Crusaders on Saturday. The Brumbies won, so Crusaders versus Brumbies in ACT for Super 12 final. He wasn't playing well and I don't think it is a bad thing. NZ rugby is not in good shape though.
The Kings Road mincers beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup final, a dour 1-0 bore that I didn't watch.
Rory and Billy played for the Panthers on Sunday in a tournament in New Lynn. They won one game, lost the other two in pool play. Then they went on to the plate round, won their quarter final and lost in the semi. They were knackered but did reasonably well. I was stuffed, too, it was a very long day. The Bats also played but lost in first round of plate, after two losses and a draw in the round robin.
The Warrior beat the Bulldogs, don't know the score, don't care. League is mostly dull.
Didn't have much time for anything other than football over the weekend. Watched eight games in all. The Orcas beat the Bats 3-0 on Saturday morning, again didn't look like conceding a goal. They are starting to come together with the new rules. Harry stood on a nail in bare feet on Tuesday, only scored one goal Saturday. Nothing stops him.
Paul Chambers lost the match I went to see, 3-1 I think. That was his club game, he plays two on a Saturday. I took Hannah with me, everyone else was busy - Diana went to see Angela's Ashes, Rory went to a friends house. Couldn't see the 11th graders play as they were playing right after the Orcas finished and they were in Ellerslie while we were at home. It was good spending time with just Hannah, she sat on my shoulders for a while watching the game, constant chatter from above. I got her some beads for her hair yesterday afternoon and we put some in, quite easy because it comes with a doofer for threading them on. She will be looking like a pale Venus Williams today at school.
We had eleven sheets of tin replaced on the roof on Monday after the leakage last week. The fireplace was removed as well. Have some bricks to thump some time soon.
Hopefully will start getting my little trip organised this week. Diana won a prize this week for losing more weight than anyone else over 12 weeks at the gym. Kathryn reckons the other entrants must have all been anorexic already as some blobby should have be able to lose more than Diana's entire body weight in 12 weeks. Haven't seen the Goodins but it was the house of sickness last week so we thought it best to avoid them.
It's not often I have to watch the telly for news, but that was Friday night. Shame, I had to go out. It was the Under 23 Olympic Soccer game against South Africa. Realistically, we didn't have a chance. We scored in about the 14th minute and went 1-0 up. Then they came back and scored twice, then a third time but for us, 2-2 by half time and stayed that way most of the match. Quinton Fortune scored the second goal, plays for Manchester United, Rory was very pleased. They managed to sneak a third just before full time, about 87th minute. Final score 3-2 and a very credible result although qualification is almost impossible now. Have to win in South Africa, and score three goals or more. Was wondering, with the away goal rule, does SA get double for the own-goal as well?
Not sure where I stand on the Team NZ thing. They have been vilified by some, one commentator said that they better get enough money to start a life in another country because they won't be able to live here. That is a little bit strong. There is a deep sense of betrayal from many quarters but Chris Dixon got dumped when they didn't want him. Not sure why that was okay and this isn't. Anyway, Team NZ battening down the hatches and speculation rife as to who else will leave. A Swiss syndicate. I wonder if NZ will support them in the challenger series, I suspect not.
Some weird news out there.
St Stephens, the maori boys school near the Bombay hills, had an "incident" where a pupil was injured by another with an iron bar in the head. Called bullying, but clearly the attack was retaliation for a bit of thieving. Whilst I don't condone the iron bar, a lump of four by two would have done just as well, I don't believe it should be called bullying. I think it could well be the bullied seeking revenge. There were 23 pupils punished in Feb for another "incident" (23? In one incident? come on, that's a bloody big incident. 23 people is a riot or a small war). Calls have been made for the school to close, others have called for iron bars to be better fastened.
A guy sailing to Japan to save the whales was hit by a whale and knackered his rudder. Shaken by the incident, his views have changed somewhat and he is now spotting on the bow of the Hoki Koki Maru for the Nippon Whale Research and Fish Fillet Corporation.
The other Rory at Pt Chevalier Primary was in the local paper because he couldn't afford the $3 to watch some dork blowing a didgereedoo (sp?). Big sob story, had to have the day off school the next day. Little bastard spends all his pocket money on vandal pens and spray paint. There were more than a hundred who didn't go and frankly I think I would rather my two spent their three dollars on Pokemon cards. They can watch a few natives blowing their tooters any time on the Discovery Channel. With $3 times 400 kids the guy made $1200 for an hour or so. That's more than most abbo's make in a month. Slow news day in the Harbour News.
Impact of the Fiji coup still being established. We go to Fiji in about a month, so that could be interesting. Not so much a coup as a hostage drama with a few riots and some looting. They will have to get it sorted reasonably quickly.
A man in a wheelchair was attacked by a woman with a knife then chased down the road for about 500m. Police were particularly slow to respond.
Jeff Wilson announced his semi-retirement from rugby after the Highlanders lost to the Crusaders on Saturday. The Brumbies won, so Crusaders versus Brumbies in ACT for Super 12 final. He wasn't playing well and I don't think it is a bad thing. NZ rugby is not in good shape though.
The Kings Road mincers beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup final, a dour 1-0 bore that I didn't watch.
Rory and Billy played for the Panthers on Sunday in a tournament in New Lynn. They won one game, lost the other two in pool play. Then they went on to the plate round, won their quarter final and lost in the semi. They were knackered but did reasonably well. I was stuffed, too, it was a very long day. The Bats also played but lost in first round of plate, after two losses and a draw in the round robin.
The Warrior beat the Bulldogs, don't know the score, don't care. League is mostly dull.
Didn't have much time for anything other than football over the weekend. Watched eight games in all. The Orcas beat the Bats 3-0 on Saturday morning, again didn't look like conceding a goal. They are starting to come together with the new rules. Harry stood on a nail in bare feet on Tuesday, only scored one goal Saturday. Nothing stops him.
Paul Chambers lost the match I went to see, 3-1 I think. That was his club game, he plays two on a Saturday. I took Hannah with me, everyone else was busy - Diana went to see Angela's Ashes, Rory went to a friends house. Couldn't see the 11th graders play as they were playing right after the Orcas finished and they were in Ellerslie while we were at home. It was good spending time with just Hannah, she sat on my shoulders for a while watching the game, constant chatter from above. I got her some beads for her hair yesterday afternoon and we put some in, quite easy because it comes with a doofer for threading them on. She will be looking like a pale Venus Williams today at school.
We had eleven sheets of tin replaced on the roof on Monday after the leakage last week. The fireplace was removed as well. Have some bricks to thump some time soon.
Hopefully will start getting my little trip organised this week. Diana won a prize this week for losing more weight than anyone else over 12 weeks at the gym. Kathryn reckons the other entrants must have all been anorexic already as some blobby should have be able to lose more than Diana's entire body weight in 12 weeks. Haven't seen the Goodins but it was the house of sickness last week so we thought it best to avoid them.
15 May 2000
Happy Mothers Day and I WON !!!! - 15/05/00
Well, better start with the important bit. As many of you already know, I did win the House of Football video competition with my sad video, so I am off to Rotterdam for the final of Euro 2000. Am going to take Paul Chambers (Allan & Jackie's son) with me. Diana quite happy not to go, doesn't like football, would rather go to Italy and Greece, and someone has to mind the kids (Elsie will be on the Gold Coast). The final of Euro 2000 is 2nd July, which is Paul's birthday. He is nuts about soccer. Would love to take Rory but it is too much and too scary for a seven year old (a stadium filled with 50,000 screaming fans). Rory is okay with not going and wants a technic destroyer droid. Hannahs wants a dutch barbie, means Ken only pays for half of everything. Diana wants diamonds. Yeah, right. They might all get bus timetables and suspicious cookie.
No idea of what route I am going, but if I go via Singapore, might say hi to Roger, or if we go other way might be able to pop in to you, Paul.
Thursday night was very stressful, mostly knew I was in the final about Tuesday, thought there were three or four finalists, only two as it turned out. They tossed a sodding coin, I love heads now. I was wearing the Newcastle shirt that I won on House of Football a while back (Ross says there must only be three people who watch the show). This is now my lucky shirt. I was pretty rapt, I set out to do an award winning video and it did win an award. Paul is pretty rapt too, told him if I won I would take him the night before and he was trying to convince himself that it wouldn't win. Half a mind to not take him because he didn't believe in me.
So far, Sky hasn't cost anything with the prizes I have won. Will try to keep it up.
Anyway, Mothers Day. Hmmmmmm.
Mitre 10 were promoting a power drill for the butch mother.
K'Rd sex shops were offering strap-ons for the kinky mother.
Hugh Wrights were discounting suits for the cross-dressing mother.
The Caci clinic was offering a package, a liposuction and wrinkle removal voucher, plus police protection and a one way ticket to South America for the gift giver (sensible I thought).
Some stores were selling Easter eggs for those who were running a bit late.
Diana got some stuff. We went out to lunch with Granny as it was her birthday as well.
Looks promising on the mouse prevention front, now we just have the neighbours kitten to deal with but Mum seems to have run out of chloroform (don't ask, you don't want to know).
Earlier in the week, details were released of the police officer who shot the window smasher. He was part maori so all the racist shit went out the window. He was an experienced officer, and it sounds like he was backed against a glass shop front and had little choice. Fact is, if the guy had stayed home he wouldn't be dead. Sorry, uncharitable but there you are.
Scott Watson, convicted for murdering Ben & Olivia, had his appeal turned down. A book on the thing was then released immediately.
An Auckland man got his genitals caught in a belt sander. Fireman were called in to free him. One firefighter said "I felt a bit of a prick, actually". The man was unharmed, the belt sander will have counselling. One news reader was fitted for a truss after rupturing himself trying to suppress laughter whilst reading the story.
A 12yo schoolboy got his bag stuck in the door of a bendy-bus and was dragged under the wheels and killed. Police are investigating as they think someone deliberately held onto his bag. Firefighters were not required.
Police in Christchurch and Dunedin have run out of the stickers that say nobody under 25 should be driving, these are stuck on cars to prevent theft. Amazing, parents tell these kids that stealing cars isn't nice, but it doesn't work. Then a sticker stops them. Maybe if they were given a stamp on their hand for every car they don't steal? Anyway, they are talking about doing it in Auckland but they need sponsorship to pay for the stickers. I assume an insurance company would do it.
They seem to think the honeymoon is over for the government. Didn't ever start if you ask me. At least now they are starting to piss off normal people, not just people like me. Helen Clark must have changed her brand of embalming fluid.
Burton Shipley was on radio over weekend, had to choose three songs. "Fat Bottomed Girls" was one of them. Not sure if Tank Commander Spice would be happy about that. A laugh, though.
Not a good weekend for rugby. Every NZ side lost, a first this year and possibly in Super 12 history. ACT plays the Cats, Crusaders versus Highlanders in semis. Highlanders are pathetic. ACT might win I think (the final, I mean). Only two games this weekend and no football.
I think FIFA should seriously consider suing anyone who uses the term "football" that isn't to do with soccer. Rugby and League both have other names and don't need to use the football word. In any case, it is more like handball in both games. I think I will send a letter to Sepp Blatter.
The Warriors actually won. The new Manly-North team must be crap. On a weekend where we can't win a single rugby game, that won't hurt them.
The Orcas won 1-0 at Walker park. Rory did well, other team never looked like scoring. 11th grade drew 2-2 after being 1-0 down within a minute and clawing their way to a 2-1 lead before letting the ball into the net in the dying minutes. Other team was second on the table.
Wimbledon lost 2-0 to Southampton, and are out of the premier league. Bradford beat Liverpool 1-0, so Liverpool don't manage to play in the champions league next year. Liverpool haven't scored a goal in about five games. Leeds sneak in courtesy of a 0-0 draw with West Ham. ManU beat Aston Villa 1-0, Chelsea 4-0 over Darby County, Middlesborough beat Everton 2-0, Newcastle beat Arsenal 4-2. That's it for the season, FA Cup final about all that is left.
No more until August. By the way, NZ has dropped to 107 in the latest Fifa world rankings. Brazil still 1. Czech Rep is 2.
NZ Under 23 team plays South Africa this Friday night for Olympic qualifying. Will be nearly impossible, Quinton Fortune, who plays for Manchester United, is in the team, plus others who play in Europe. Wish we were playing Zimbabwe or Sierra Leone. Half the players would have legs missing.
Weather has been mostly crap, finally starting to fall to pieces. We had water coming in through ceiling in kitchen and my office Thursday night. Getting four new sheets of tin on the roof (after the crap ones have been painted and everything) today.
Showed the kids how to make pom-poms. Their reaction to finished product - "Looks just like a koosh ball!". Who'd have thought. Bought Episode 1 on video yesterday, Rory pretty happy with that, been talking about it for a while. Took the kids for a bike ride, 3km we went (my bike has a thingie on it that Diana gave me, sound like Yoda, I do). Couple of things on the wall, I put up. A heater for the linen cupboard (yes, they actually make them and people buy them) and a toilet brush (all glamour in my weekends, innit). Now the floors in the bathroom/laundry are completely in, we have lots of things to put up, attach, reinstate, etc.
Anyway, will try to sort out my travel this week. Nothing to look forward to at all. Hannah goes on trip to Museum today. Diana has a thing with the Warriors for work tomorrow.
No idea of what route I am going, but if I go via Singapore, might say hi to Roger, or if we go other way might be able to pop in to you, Paul.
Thursday night was very stressful, mostly knew I was in the final about Tuesday, thought there were three or four finalists, only two as it turned out. They tossed a sodding coin, I love heads now. I was wearing the Newcastle shirt that I won on House of Football a while back (Ross says there must only be three people who watch the show). This is now my lucky shirt. I was pretty rapt, I set out to do an award winning video and it did win an award. Paul is pretty rapt too, told him if I won I would take him the night before and he was trying to convince himself that it wouldn't win. Half a mind to not take him because he didn't believe in me.
So far, Sky hasn't cost anything with the prizes I have won. Will try to keep it up.
Anyway, Mothers Day. Hmmmmmm.
Mitre 10 were promoting a power drill for the butch mother.
K'Rd sex shops were offering strap-ons for the kinky mother.
Hugh Wrights were discounting suits for the cross-dressing mother.
The Caci clinic was offering a package, a liposuction and wrinkle removal voucher, plus police protection and a one way ticket to South America for the gift giver (sensible I thought).
Some stores were selling Easter eggs for those who were running a bit late.
Diana got some stuff. We went out to lunch with Granny as it was her birthday as well.
Looks promising on the mouse prevention front, now we just have the neighbours kitten to deal with but Mum seems to have run out of chloroform (don't ask, you don't want to know).
Earlier in the week, details were released of the police officer who shot the window smasher. He was part maori so all the racist shit went out the window. He was an experienced officer, and it sounds like he was backed against a glass shop front and had little choice. Fact is, if the guy had stayed home he wouldn't be dead. Sorry, uncharitable but there you are.
Scott Watson, convicted for murdering Ben & Olivia, had his appeal turned down. A book on the thing was then released immediately.
An Auckland man got his genitals caught in a belt sander. Fireman were called in to free him. One firefighter said "I felt a bit of a prick, actually". The man was unharmed, the belt sander will have counselling. One news reader was fitted for a truss after rupturing himself trying to suppress laughter whilst reading the story.
A 12yo schoolboy got his bag stuck in the door of a bendy-bus and was dragged under the wheels and killed. Police are investigating as they think someone deliberately held onto his bag. Firefighters were not required.
Police in Christchurch and Dunedin have run out of the stickers that say nobody under 25 should be driving, these are stuck on cars to prevent theft. Amazing, parents tell these kids that stealing cars isn't nice, but it doesn't work. Then a sticker stops them. Maybe if they were given a stamp on their hand for every car they don't steal? Anyway, they are talking about doing it in Auckland but they need sponsorship to pay for the stickers. I assume an insurance company would do it.
They seem to think the honeymoon is over for the government. Didn't ever start if you ask me. At least now they are starting to piss off normal people, not just people like me. Helen Clark must have changed her brand of embalming fluid.
Burton Shipley was on radio over weekend, had to choose three songs. "Fat Bottomed Girls" was one of them. Not sure if Tank Commander Spice would be happy about that. A laugh, though.
Not a good weekend for rugby. Every NZ side lost, a first this year and possibly in Super 12 history. ACT plays the Cats, Crusaders versus Highlanders in semis. Highlanders are pathetic. ACT might win I think (the final, I mean). Only two games this weekend and no football.
I think FIFA should seriously consider suing anyone who uses the term "football" that isn't to do with soccer. Rugby and League both have other names and don't need to use the football word. In any case, it is more like handball in both games. I think I will send a letter to Sepp Blatter.
The Warriors actually won. The new Manly-North team must be crap. On a weekend where we can't win a single rugby game, that won't hurt them.
The Orcas won 1-0 at Walker park. Rory did well, other team never looked like scoring. 11th grade drew 2-2 after being 1-0 down within a minute and clawing their way to a 2-1 lead before letting the ball into the net in the dying minutes. Other team was second on the table.
Wimbledon lost 2-0 to Southampton, and are out of the premier league. Bradford beat Liverpool 1-0, so Liverpool don't manage to play in the champions league next year. Liverpool haven't scored a goal in about five games. Leeds sneak in courtesy of a 0-0 draw with West Ham. ManU beat Aston Villa 1-0, Chelsea 4-0 over Darby County, Middlesborough beat Everton 2-0, Newcastle beat Arsenal 4-2. That's it for the season, FA Cup final about all that is left.
No more until August. By the way, NZ has dropped to 107 in the latest Fifa world rankings. Brazil still 1. Czech Rep is 2.
NZ Under 23 team plays South Africa this Friday night for Olympic qualifying. Will be nearly impossible, Quinton Fortune, who plays for Manchester United, is in the team, plus others who play in Europe. Wish we were playing Zimbabwe or Sierra Leone. Half the players would have legs missing.
Weather has been mostly crap, finally starting to fall to pieces. We had water coming in through ceiling in kitchen and my office Thursday night. Getting four new sheets of tin on the roof (after the crap ones have been painted and everything) today.
Showed the kids how to make pom-poms. Their reaction to finished product - "Looks just like a koosh ball!". Who'd have thought. Bought Episode 1 on video yesterday, Rory pretty happy with that, been talking about it for a while. Took the kids for a bike ride, 3km we went (my bike has a thingie on it that Diana gave me, sound like Yoda, I do). Couple of things on the wall, I put up. A heater for the linen cupboard (yes, they actually make them and people buy them) and a toilet brush (all glamour in my weekends, innit). Now the floors in the bathroom/laundry are completely in, we have lots of things to put up, attach, reinstate, etc.
Anyway, will try to sort out my travel this week. Nothing to look forward to at all. Hannah goes on trip to Museum today. Diana has a thing with the Warriors for work tomorrow.
8 May 2000
Nobody Loves Me and That's Not Fair - 08/05/00
After the attack of the love bug virus on Friday, which Jono warned me of (thanks Jono), I want to say how disappointed I am that nobody sent it to me. Some chaos here, was at a client where their London office was still eliminating the thing at 3pm our time, long day for them. Some people got 300 copies of the virus. Vodafone's mail server ran out of space.
The Waitara shooting continues to get debated in the news. Then a policeman was stabbed a couple of days later, to help their case.
The two Mt Eden escapers were caught.
Bill Gates is supposedly funding an America's Cup Challenge that is trying to lure Team NZ people away with big dollars.
Duck hunting season began on Saturday.
The siamese twins born early in the week died on Friday. They never had a heck of a lot of a chance.
The Warriors managed to lose 54-0 to St George. Another record. Good thing this is their comeback season. Come back to tiddly winks.
The Blues lost to the Cats, bummer, Canterbury beat the Waratahs, not by a lot. The Highlanders beat the Bulls, ACT only just beat the Reds in the end, by 6 points, were whipping them in first half. Chiefs beat the Sharks. Hurricanes and Stormers don't appear to have played.
I can't tell you how MU did, I haven't watched the game yet. Leceister beat Bradford 3-0, Liverpool had an exciting 0-0 draw with Southampton. Sunderland beat West Ham 1-0. The Arse beat Chelsea 2-1.
The Kingz won their last game of the season away against Parramatta Power. Excellent result, 2-1, with Silva scoring and Lee Jones, the guy who was really nice to Rory and Hannah.
My sad video went in to the competition on Friday, long shot to win a trip to Rotterdam for Euro 2000. Not sure if they have results this week. Koos, could meet you there.
In real sport, the Orcas had a 3-3 draw, very tense game. 11th graders lost 4-1 to Three Kings.
We had a mouse attack during the week, so Saturday afternoon we attempted to fill every orifice in the kitchen cupboards. There were a few holes where wiring and pipes had been installed. It took ages, but along with blocking holes we have installed some fatal food. Fingers crossed.
Saw Ross & Kath together for first time since before Doug died. We went out to dinner with them, I think a first since Thomas was born. Didn't get up to much mischief, we got back to their place by about 9:30.
Rory and Jared climbed up the soccer goal and collapsed it. I was not happy, made Rory ring Ross (he made it for him, originally) and explain what he had done. Then Sunday we went to Placemakers and bought some steel plates we could nail on and I gave Rory the bill. He asked me how old I was when I got my first bill. We managed to partially repair it before we ran out of time and weather. I was pretty pissed off about it, was considering removal of a limb as punishment but sort of got over it a bit by Sunday. Rory suggested we build a climbing wall so it doesn't happen again, not a bad idea really.
Rained like buggery all afternoon and evening yesterday, which was a bummer after Saturday which was like a spring day. We went and had lunch with Helen Anderson (Koos), turns out she also applied for the job at Lynfield (which Diana got), bit of a laugh. Sjaan came too, so we saw your actual photos of Sri Lanka. Then we went to mum's for dinner and I tried to get her modem going, but no real joy. Came home and watched Planet of the Apes on sky with Rory. Still a good movie after 32 years (made in 1968).
Hope someone loves you all, stay away from viruses.
The Waitara shooting continues to get debated in the news. Then a policeman was stabbed a couple of days later, to help their case.
The two Mt Eden escapers were caught.
Bill Gates is supposedly funding an America's Cup Challenge that is trying to lure Team NZ people away with big dollars.
Duck hunting season began on Saturday.
The siamese twins born early in the week died on Friday. They never had a heck of a lot of a chance.
The Warriors managed to lose 54-0 to St George. Another record. Good thing this is their comeback season. Come back to tiddly winks.
The Blues lost to the Cats, bummer, Canterbury beat the Waratahs, not by a lot. The Highlanders beat the Bulls, ACT only just beat the Reds in the end, by 6 points, were whipping them in first half. Chiefs beat the Sharks. Hurricanes and Stormers don't appear to have played.
I can't tell you how MU did, I haven't watched the game yet. Leceister beat Bradford 3-0, Liverpool had an exciting 0-0 draw with Southampton. Sunderland beat West Ham 1-0. The Arse beat Chelsea 2-1.
The Kingz won their last game of the season away against Parramatta Power. Excellent result, 2-1, with Silva scoring and Lee Jones, the guy who was really nice to Rory and Hannah.
My sad video went in to the competition on Friday, long shot to win a trip to Rotterdam for Euro 2000. Not sure if they have results this week. Koos, could meet you there.
In real sport, the Orcas had a 3-3 draw, very tense game. 11th graders lost 4-1 to Three Kings.
We had a mouse attack during the week, so Saturday afternoon we attempted to fill every orifice in the kitchen cupboards. There were a few holes where wiring and pipes had been installed. It took ages, but along with blocking holes we have installed some fatal food. Fingers crossed.
Saw Ross & Kath together for first time since before Doug died. We went out to dinner with them, I think a first since Thomas was born. Didn't get up to much mischief, we got back to their place by about 9:30.
Rory and Jared climbed up the soccer goal and collapsed it. I was not happy, made Rory ring Ross (he made it for him, originally) and explain what he had done. Then Sunday we went to Placemakers and bought some steel plates we could nail on and I gave Rory the bill. He asked me how old I was when I got my first bill. We managed to partially repair it before we ran out of time and weather. I was pretty pissed off about it, was considering removal of a limb as punishment but sort of got over it a bit by Sunday. Rory suggested we build a climbing wall so it doesn't happen again, not a bad idea really.
Rained like buggery all afternoon and evening yesterday, which was a bummer after Saturday which was like a spring day. We went and had lunch with Helen Anderson (Koos), turns out she also applied for the job at Lynfield (which Diana got), bit of a laugh. Sjaan came too, so we saw your actual photos of Sri Lanka. Then we went to mum's for dinner and I tried to get her modem going, but no real joy. Came home and watched Planet of the Apes on sky with Rory. Still a good movie after 32 years (made in 1968).
Hope someone loves you all, stay away from viruses.
1 May 2000
A soccer extravaganza and the police are worried - 01/05/00
The funeral for Ross's dad was on Thursday. Ross said the church was packed, which is kind of nice. Life should return to almost normal for the Goodin's this week.
Well, in case you were thinking this week isn't very important, it is Fine Awareness week this week here in Auckland. And Tommy the ticket says "Pay your fine on time, or it's cost will multiply by nine" (well, ten actually, but you lose the rhyming effect). Good grief. Next we'll have "Sad Arse Local Body Politician Awareness Week". Are you aware of your fines?
Nearly 200 guns were stolen from a Wellington gun shop this week. Police are concerned that they will fall into the wrong hands. Huh? So let me get this straight. People who STEAL two hundred GUNS might NOT already BE the wrong hands?
2pm Friday afternoon, two men escaped over the wall at Mt Eden Prison. Bit of a bugger really, I was right there about 3/4 of an hour earlier, would have been fun to watch. One is accused of murder. They used a rope of sheets and blankets, and staged a fight to distract guards. They didn't need to, the guards were all watching the Colditz movie at the time, anyway, looking for tips. Police fear they may now be armed. Well, let's face it, there are two hundred for sale somewhere.
Six people went splat in a plane on the way home from an air show on Monday or Tuesday, people driving along nearby got an unplanned air show. One boy was alive but died en route to hospital. Whole bunch of doctors and nurses were driving past, which was lucky but not lucky enough. Pilot was a dork, by the sound of it, flying through Lindis (sp?) pass with low cloud. Easter toll was relatively okay, with sod all happening after the first day or so. Roads were pretty busy the last two days of the weekend. Police wanted people who saw the accident to get counselling.
Some controversy late last week about three men found guilty of rape, then the victim making a statement that it was consensual, then making another statement that the last one was under duress (not Durex). Sounds bizarre, either way, but it gives Holmes something to do I suppose, now that everyone knows about him getting a new car. Speaking of crap in the news, Peter Blakes house is regularly in the news, no idea why.
Police shot and killed a 23yo unemployed moron that was smashing windows around Waitara, near New Plymouth, yesterday. His Mum seemed pretty pissed off, but one wonders why he was rampaging around the place with a baseball bat. He did not have a gun (the only criminal in the lower half of the north island without one after the robbery).
A trainee microlight pilot had his instructor faint and die on him, mid-flight. Poor bastard had to land it on his own, with a body at the controls. Made it, with a perfect landing.
A child has got amoebic meningitis, the first reported instance in about 20 years. It's the version you get from hot pools when water goes up your nose.
The Kingz played their last home game on Saturday for the season. They won 2-1, were up 2-0 played reasonably well. Rufer has signed for another year.
Ruud van Nistelrooy's move to MU is all off. They were going to pay 19m pound for him, but he wouldn't agree to letting them look at his doubtful knee, due to insistence from their insurance company. He returned to Holland and then blew the knee at training and is out for a year. Rory is relieved as either Cole or Solskjaer would have gone and they are his favourite two players.
In real soccer, the Orcas had their grudge match against the Tigers on Saturday, the only team they lost to in their first season. They lost against them this season too. The score was 2-0. Rory played well, though, and it was 0-0 at half time. Their third loss of their career.
Famous 2-0 losses were the theme as Liverpool went down to Chelsea in a surprise result. Newcastle beat the Cov 2-0, in others ManU beat Watford 3-2, Sunderland drew 1 all with Villa, West Ham lost to Middlesborough 1-0 who looked good against MU. Arsenal now level with Liverpool, game in hand, Manchester United 19 points in clear.
Sunday was the tournament, the Orcas were bolstered by Quinn (from the Tigers, but a mate of theirs) and Sam from the Bats and a relative stranger. They won their first game 2-0, which was a relief. Then they won their next game 2-0. Then people started talking about semi-finals. The third game was tougher, a 0-0 draw, then another 0-0 draw in the fourth. They qualified second in their pool, without conceding a goal. Rory and Quinn were the goalies, alternating a half each. In the semi, it was a lot tougher, Rory stayed in goal the whole game. We were down 3-0, wasn't looking good, then they got themselves together and scored twice, 3-2 and people were counting corners, then they just ran out of steam and the final score was 6-2. That team went on to win in the final. The biggest news in the semi was that Jared scored a goal, his first ever for the Orcas. Now he knows he can do it. It was funny, but each game a different player would either have an off game or play out of their skin. You see it happen with proper soccer and you think they have an off day, but these guys were having an off 20 minutes. I was really happy with their effort, many of the teams were rep teams picked out of all the teams in the club. They learnt a lot, and I was especially proud of Rory, that last game was pretty tough and he did stop a few, but the other players were pretty good.
The Crusaders gave the Bulls a thumping in a 100 point game, 75 to 27. Bulls got a couple of late tries. Hurricanes played 20 minutes of the second half with 13 men (that's down two players for those who don't know), and the rest of the second half with 14. They still managed to hang on to be NSW 27-20. Jonah was red carded for two pathetic offences, the captain was off for ten, and one of the loose forwards. One player in the sin bin for ten is worth 11 points I heard, well the Waratahs should have scored about forty points in the second half on that basis. They didn't, clearly. Weird, given that they beat the brumbies. The had a complete shocker. ACT beat the Chiefs, no surprises there. Cats beat the Reds, surprising. The Stormers beat the Highlanders. The Highlanders are pathetic. The Blues won 30-19 over the Sharks, now they play the Cats next.
The Warriors lost over the weekend, can't remember who to, they lost 30-4 or something.
Lomu has a two week ban now, after the Waratahs game. Hurricanes are in trouble. They have also lost Umaga and Slater through parental leave.
Hannah lost her first tooth on Friday, much excitement and dismay, because she really did LOSE it. Diana found it and the tooth fairy obliged. Hannah and Rory start gymnastics today, and she can still spell it backwards. Her reading is going forward rapidly at the moment.
Sod all happening otherwise, weekend utterly dominated by soccer. We have lino down in the bathroom now, so it is practically finished at long last.
Well, in case you were thinking this week isn't very important, it is Fine Awareness week this week here in Auckland. And Tommy the ticket says "Pay your fine on time, or it's cost will multiply by nine" (well, ten actually, but you lose the rhyming effect). Good grief. Next we'll have "Sad Arse Local Body Politician Awareness Week". Are you aware of your fines?
Nearly 200 guns were stolen from a Wellington gun shop this week. Police are concerned that they will fall into the wrong hands. Huh? So let me get this straight. People who STEAL two hundred GUNS might NOT already BE the wrong hands?
2pm Friday afternoon, two men escaped over the wall at Mt Eden Prison. Bit of a bugger really, I was right there about 3/4 of an hour earlier, would have been fun to watch. One is accused of murder. They used a rope of sheets and blankets, and staged a fight to distract guards. They didn't need to, the guards were all watching the Colditz movie at the time, anyway, looking for tips. Police fear they may now be armed. Well, let's face it, there are two hundred for sale somewhere.
Six people went splat in a plane on the way home from an air show on Monday or Tuesday, people driving along nearby got an unplanned air show. One boy was alive but died en route to hospital. Whole bunch of doctors and nurses were driving past, which was lucky but not lucky enough. Pilot was a dork, by the sound of it, flying through Lindis (sp?) pass with low cloud. Easter toll was relatively okay, with sod all happening after the first day or so. Roads were pretty busy the last two days of the weekend. Police wanted people who saw the accident to get counselling.
Some controversy late last week about three men found guilty of rape, then the victim making a statement that it was consensual, then making another statement that the last one was under duress (not Durex). Sounds bizarre, either way, but it gives Holmes something to do I suppose, now that everyone knows about him getting a new car. Speaking of crap in the news, Peter Blakes house is regularly in the news, no idea why.
Police shot and killed a 23yo unemployed moron that was smashing windows around Waitara, near New Plymouth, yesterday. His Mum seemed pretty pissed off, but one wonders why he was rampaging around the place with a baseball bat. He did not have a gun (the only criminal in the lower half of the north island without one after the robbery).
A trainee microlight pilot had his instructor faint and die on him, mid-flight. Poor bastard had to land it on his own, with a body at the controls. Made it, with a perfect landing.
A child has got amoebic meningitis, the first reported instance in about 20 years. It's the version you get from hot pools when water goes up your nose.
The Kingz played their last home game on Saturday for the season. They won 2-1, were up 2-0 played reasonably well. Rufer has signed for another year.
Ruud van Nistelrooy's move to MU is all off. They were going to pay 19m pound for him, but he wouldn't agree to letting them look at his doubtful knee, due to insistence from their insurance company. He returned to Holland and then blew the knee at training and is out for a year. Rory is relieved as either Cole or Solskjaer would have gone and they are his favourite two players.
In real soccer, the Orcas had their grudge match against the Tigers on Saturday, the only team they lost to in their first season. They lost against them this season too. The score was 2-0. Rory played well, though, and it was 0-0 at half time. Their third loss of their career.
Famous 2-0 losses were the theme as Liverpool went down to Chelsea in a surprise result. Newcastle beat the Cov 2-0, in others ManU beat Watford 3-2, Sunderland drew 1 all with Villa, West Ham lost to Middlesborough 1-0 who looked good against MU. Arsenal now level with Liverpool, game in hand, Manchester United 19 points in clear.
Sunday was the tournament, the Orcas were bolstered by Quinn (from the Tigers, but a mate of theirs) and Sam from the Bats and a relative stranger. They won their first game 2-0, which was a relief. Then they won their next game 2-0. Then people started talking about semi-finals. The third game was tougher, a 0-0 draw, then another 0-0 draw in the fourth. They qualified second in their pool, without conceding a goal. Rory and Quinn were the goalies, alternating a half each. In the semi, it was a lot tougher, Rory stayed in goal the whole game. We were down 3-0, wasn't looking good, then they got themselves together and scored twice, 3-2 and people were counting corners, then they just ran out of steam and the final score was 6-2. That team went on to win in the final. The biggest news in the semi was that Jared scored a goal, his first ever for the Orcas. Now he knows he can do it. It was funny, but each game a different player would either have an off game or play out of their skin. You see it happen with proper soccer and you think they have an off day, but these guys were having an off 20 minutes. I was really happy with their effort, many of the teams were rep teams picked out of all the teams in the club. They learnt a lot, and I was especially proud of Rory, that last game was pretty tough and he did stop a few, but the other players were pretty good.
The Crusaders gave the Bulls a thumping in a 100 point game, 75 to 27. Bulls got a couple of late tries. Hurricanes played 20 minutes of the second half with 13 men (that's down two players for those who don't know), and the rest of the second half with 14. They still managed to hang on to be NSW 27-20. Jonah was red carded for two pathetic offences, the captain was off for ten, and one of the loose forwards. One player in the sin bin for ten is worth 11 points I heard, well the Waratahs should have scored about forty points in the second half on that basis. They didn't, clearly. Weird, given that they beat the brumbies. The had a complete shocker. ACT beat the Chiefs, no surprises there. Cats beat the Reds, surprising. The Stormers beat the Highlanders. The Highlanders are pathetic. The Blues won 30-19 over the Sharks, now they play the Cats next.
The Warriors lost over the weekend, can't remember who to, they lost 30-4 or something.
Lomu has a two week ban now, after the Waratahs game. Hurricanes are in trouble. They have also lost Umaga and Slater through parental leave.
Hannah lost her first tooth on Friday, much excitement and dismay, because she really did LOSE it. Diana found it and the tooth fairy obliged. Hannah and Rory start gymnastics today, and she can still spell it backwards. Her reading is going forward rapidly at the moment.
Sod all happening otherwise, weekend utterly dominated by soccer. We have lino down in the bathroom now, so it is practically finished at long last.
31 January 2000
Finals Week with Louis Vuitton - 31/01/00
Eve of Finals, Monday
Some bank has been running a teaser about how only one bank in the world is different. Taranaki Savings Bank run a full page in the Herald that suggests it's them. It wasn't, it was ASB, they must have been pissed off. Clever.
Excitement builds.
Day One, Tuesday
Crap weather, race cancelled, big swell, Devlin relieved as was going to be on boat with doughnutters and he gets seasick.
Peter Doone (Police Chief) resigns, golden parachute in form of another job. Opposition slow to oppose, still new at this.
Some dork gives away marijuana outside court in Wellington.
Indians win their first game in ODI series in Oz against the Pakis.
Day Two, Wednesday
Nice Weather, spent day in meetings for TNAS, Prada wins over America One despite getting a penalty requiring them to do the do-se-do (a turn). Led by around 20-30s at each leg.
Farmers concerned about protecting themselves against trespassers who grow dope on their farms. Pressure building, legalisation seems to be coming inevitably.
Took Hannah, Rory, and Logan to Kingz game, second placed Perth Glory, Wankers. Got two sent off, very jerk-like. We won 4-1. Rory interviewed for Kidz Kingz show on TV. Sound guy likes Metal Gear Special Missions too. Kicked a ball into crowd at half time. Three games in a row he's been on the pitch. Logan stays the night.
A farmer was found under a tractor, trapped, had been there five days. Likely to lose lower left leg.
Day Three, Thursday
Could never quite get the hang of Thursdays. Weather couldn't cope either. Racing finally started, A1 in lead, Prada took over, A1 tore a spinnaker, Prada struggled with spectator boats, A1 won despite being well back earlier. Score one each, best of nine.
Aussie set record of 320 in ODI.
Man woken by cellphone ringing was trapped in car that had rolled for six hours, saved his life. Said he was dead glad to have a long lasting battery. Farmer lost lower leg. Must be a week for getting trapped under things. Kept Diana away from me the rest of the week ;-)
Pensioners get a pay rise, no means testing, could have done both at once. Wankers.
Day Four, Friday
After the equaliser yesterday, hope of a quick result faded.
We have too many Cullens. Two Christian Cullens (horse and rugby player) and now Michael Cullen (an atheist, I hope). When some headline says "Cullen Rates Higher Than Expected" are we talking interest rates, betting odds or what?
No wind, no racing. Dull.
Got a new cellphone, my 2110 was driving me nuts. As was the fact that Diana wouldn't answer hers as the ring wasn't loud enough. So I got her a little vibrating thing she clips to herself, and now that drives her nuts (it does it every time a cellsite handshake happens, as well as when the phone rings). However, whenever she hears a cellphone ring, instead of saying to herself "I wonder what that noise is" she will be able to tell by the vibration in her trousers that it is her phone. I got a 3210 and it plays Darth Vader music when it rings.
Some idiot from Timberlands was recommended via-email that people harass Helen Clark. Perhaps they could grow more garlic. Anyway, he resigned. Hawkesby back in news, court ordered settlement between 2 and 5 million. TV3 seem to enjoy bringing news about that (given what their current newsreaders get, they should be bloody unhappy. Campbell announced on radio sport that his wedding was not for sale (offered $15000 by woman's day). I have decided to boycott anything that Andy Haden is that manager for on principle (Russian sailor with youthful assistant has hired him now), still whinging about millennium baby - like anyone cares.
Day Five, Saturday
First day of swimming pool sitting. took Rory for a walk to Takapuna. Rory was on the telly, Kidz Kingz, first interview. Then Hannah and Logan as well in the background (and me, holding Hannah's blankie, that won't help my reputation). Forgot all about the race. America One popped a spinnaker in dramatic fashion. Score 2-1 to Prada. Spent a lot of time wandering around Shore City. Hannah went to Brittany's party.
Day Six, Sunday
Rory fell asleep on me, on the couch, so I watched the whole race in between brief bits of boxing. What a rip off. The coverage started at 2:00pm, Tyson Fight starts at 3:45 with coverage due to end at 4:00. Not a good sign. waste of time that was. Me and Tony Clare both agree we could have lasted longer than that pathetic pom. If David Tua doesn't get a decent fight this year I will ignore him completely (like he will care).
Anyway, the big race, America One all the way, until near the second mark, lost a spinnaker again. But this time they had luffing rights (anyone who understands this term, you are a sad arse). Somehow, with their spinnaker billowing in the air, they stayed in front. For the rest of the race they did as well, then somehow Prada hauled them in on the last leg, when I had basically given up hope. Then A1 incurred a penalty and although they crossed the line first, they came second because of the penalty. Prada winning 3-1, rest day tomorrow. Also watched Agassi beat Kalashnikov (or AK-47, whatever his name is). Saw some highlight of Davenport winning.
No decent soccer on Sky all weekend, no Kingz even delayed (lost 3-1 to Brisbane, away, on Saturday) Man U beat Scunthorpe (Watford or someone useless) 1-0, so top of table over Leeds on goal difference, game in hand. Drew with the Arse 1-1 earlier in the week.
A 4x4 came off the Cook St viaduct and landed next to a petanque tournament. Driver (Dad) died, the mother died later, teenage daughter still in serious condition (more likely unhappy condition when she finds out she is an orphan). Nasty. Missed the cochonnette so the petanque people kept going.
Day Seven, Monday
Watched some of the SuperBowl. What a load of crap. Ads for Africa and nothing ever happens. Takes about three or four hours and I am that the Wallabies would beat them (won't mention that other team yet).
Michael Campbell wins golf in WA. 3rd win in seven tournaments, not bad.
Weather crap, probably wouldn't have raced anyway, regatta a non-event. Tried to go to Devonport, cars jammed solid, gave up, went to Takapuna beach instead, via Tony&Marian's house. Diana entered with the kids into a block building competition on the beach, I was busy chatting. I found Sue, Tony, Amy, Jared, Kev, and Braden. Told them they were late for lunch. I took over from Diana when I got there well after it had started. They couldn't separate third and fourth so awarded two third prizes, not us. Then second prize, which I thought was pretty good. Not us. Then First. That was us !!!! Me and Rory won first prize! Cool. A 600 piece bucket of blocks. Rory did an ostrich, I told him to call it a kiwi (patriotism never hurts). I did a kind of rocket thing that was quite tall. We won even after we gave everyone else a head start. Rory says it was the kiwi that did it. Anyway, then he shot off with the bucket to go show Braden and Jared back at the house, so we had to follow. Only just managed to keep blocks in the bucket.
Decided that I must have bleached a bit from all the time in the pool. Kids knackered. Both spent less than an hour in there this morning. Two swims daily, plus snuck one in on Friday night. Pool not lonely at all. Ross & Kaths house is huge. Kind of knew that already. Reckon squatters could live there and not be spotted. Wouldn't take Diana a coffee in the morning on the basis that it would be cold by the time I got there. I think they should get a table tennis table, pinball machine, and perhaps put in a squash court. Never saw the cat once. You have to think about what you are going to do, as an extra return trip is best avoided. Kids just yelled, but we spent half our time trying to tell where people were. I think I need to offer to tune the TVs properly, too. Channels are different on just about every telly. Didn't want to do anything without consulting them, though.
As if my wish has been answered, Christian Cullen the horse is knackered so one less to get confused about. Unless the rugby player hurt his fetlock and is going out to stud, but that seems unlikely.
So, sorry no final result to report. A1 in trouble, need four to win, Prada only need two. Racing in earnest tomorrow. Then it will be all on.
Kids back to school tomorrow, finally. I am taking Rory, Diana is taking Hannah. Will be hard going to get them organised in the morning.
Ciao for now, may do an LV special once the winner is known.
Some bank has been running a teaser about how only one bank in the world is different. Taranaki Savings Bank run a full page in the Herald that suggests it's them. It wasn't, it was ASB, they must have been pissed off. Clever.
Excitement builds.
Day One, Tuesday
Crap weather, race cancelled, big swell, Devlin relieved as was going to be on boat with doughnutters and he gets seasick.
Peter Doone (Police Chief) resigns, golden parachute in form of another job. Opposition slow to oppose, still new at this.
Some dork gives away marijuana outside court in Wellington.
Indians win their first game in ODI series in Oz against the Pakis.
Day Two, Wednesday
Nice Weather, spent day in meetings for TNAS, Prada wins over America One despite getting a penalty requiring them to do the do-se-do (a turn). Led by around 20-30s at each leg.
Farmers concerned about protecting themselves against trespassers who grow dope on their farms. Pressure building, legalisation seems to be coming inevitably.
Took Hannah, Rory, and Logan to Kingz game, second placed Perth Glory, Wankers. Got two sent off, very jerk-like. We won 4-1. Rory interviewed for Kidz Kingz show on TV. Sound guy likes Metal Gear Special Missions too. Kicked a ball into crowd at half time. Three games in a row he's been on the pitch. Logan stays the night.
A farmer was found under a tractor, trapped, had been there five days. Likely to lose lower left leg.
Day Three, Thursday
Could never quite get the hang of Thursdays. Weather couldn't cope either. Racing finally started, A1 in lead, Prada took over, A1 tore a spinnaker, Prada struggled with spectator boats, A1 won despite being well back earlier. Score one each, best of nine.
Aussie set record of 320 in ODI.
Man woken by cellphone ringing was trapped in car that had rolled for six hours, saved his life. Said he was dead glad to have a long lasting battery. Farmer lost lower leg. Must be a week for getting trapped under things. Kept Diana away from me the rest of the week ;-)
Pensioners get a pay rise, no means testing, could have done both at once. Wankers.
Day Four, Friday
After the equaliser yesterday, hope of a quick result faded.
We have too many Cullens. Two Christian Cullens (horse and rugby player) and now Michael Cullen (an atheist, I hope). When some headline says "Cullen Rates Higher Than Expected" are we talking interest rates, betting odds or what?
No wind, no racing. Dull.
Got a new cellphone, my 2110 was driving me nuts. As was the fact that Diana wouldn't answer hers as the ring wasn't loud enough. So I got her a little vibrating thing she clips to herself, and now that drives her nuts (it does it every time a cellsite handshake happens, as well as when the phone rings). However, whenever she hears a cellphone ring, instead of saying to herself "I wonder what that noise is" she will be able to tell by the vibration in her trousers that it is her phone. I got a 3210 and it plays Darth Vader music when it rings.
Some idiot from Timberlands was recommended via-email that people harass Helen Clark. Perhaps they could grow more garlic. Anyway, he resigned. Hawkesby back in news, court ordered settlement between 2 and 5 million. TV3 seem to enjoy bringing news about that (given what their current newsreaders get, they should be bloody unhappy. Campbell announced on radio sport that his wedding was not for sale (offered $15000 by woman's day). I have decided to boycott anything that Andy Haden is that manager for on principle (Russian sailor with youthful assistant has hired him now), still whinging about millennium baby - like anyone cares.
Day Five, Saturday
First day of swimming pool sitting. took Rory for a walk to Takapuna. Rory was on the telly, Kidz Kingz, first interview. Then Hannah and Logan as well in the background (and me, holding Hannah's blankie, that won't help my reputation). Forgot all about the race. America One popped a spinnaker in dramatic fashion. Score 2-1 to Prada. Spent a lot of time wandering around Shore City. Hannah went to Brittany's party.
Day Six, Sunday
Rory fell asleep on me, on the couch, so I watched the whole race in between brief bits of boxing. What a rip off. The coverage started at 2:00pm, Tyson Fight starts at 3:45 with coverage due to end at 4:00. Not a good sign. waste of time that was. Me and Tony Clare both agree we could have lasted longer than that pathetic pom. If David Tua doesn't get a decent fight this year I will ignore him completely (like he will care).
Anyway, the big race, America One all the way, until near the second mark, lost a spinnaker again. But this time they had luffing rights (anyone who understands this term, you are a sad arse). Somehow, with their spinnaker billowing in the air, they stayed in front. For the rest of the race they did as well, then somehow Prada hauled them in on the last leg, when I had basically given up hope. Then A1 incurred a penalty and although they crossed the line first, they came second because of the penalty. Prada winning 3-1, rest day tomorrow. Also watched Agassi beat Kalashnikov (or AK-47, whatever his name is). Saw some highlight of Davenport winning.
No decent soccer on Sky all weekend, no Kingz even delayed (lost 3-1 to Brisbane, away, on Saturday) Man U beat Scunthorpe (Watford or someone useless) 1-0, so top of table over Leeds on goal difference, game in hand. Drew with the Arse 1-1 earlier in the week.
A 4x4 came off the Cook St viaduct and landed next to a petanque tournament. Driver (Dad) died, the mother died later, teenage daughter still in serious condition (more likely unhappy condition when she finds out she is an orphan). Nasty. Missed the cochonnette so the petanque people kept going.
Day Seven, Monday
Watched some of the SuperBowl. What a load of crap. Ads for Africa and nothing ever happens. Takes about three or four hours and I am that the Wallabies would beat them (won't mention that other team yet).
Michael Campbell wins golf in WA. 3rd win in seven tournaments, not bad.
Weather crap, probably wouldn't have raced anyway, regatta a non-event. Tried to go to Devonport, cars jammed solid, gave up, went to Takapuna beach instead, via Tony&Marian's house. Diana entered with the kids into a block building competition on the beach, I was busy chatting. I found Sue, Tony, Amy, Jared, Kev, and Braden. Told them they were late for lunch. I took over from Diana when I got there well after it had started. They couldn't separate third and fourth so awarded two third prizes, not us. Then second prize, which I thought was pretty good. Not us. Then First. That was us !!!! Me and Rory won first prize! Cool. A 600 piece bucket of blocks. Rory did an ostrich, I told him to call it a kiwi (patriotism never hurts). I did a kind of rocket thing that was quite tall. We won even after we gave everyone else a head start. Rory says it was the kiwi that did it. Anyway, then he shot off with the bucket to go show Braden and Jared back at the house, so we had to follow. Only just managed to keep blocks in the bucket.
Decided that I must have bleached a bit from all the time in the pool. Kids knackered. Both spent less than an hour in there this morning. Two swims daily, plus snuck one in on Friday night. Pool not lonely at all. Ross & Kaths house is huge. Kind of knew that already. Reckon squatters could live there and not be spotted. Wouldn't take Diana a coffee in the morning on the basis that it would be cold by the time I got there. I think they should get a table tennis table, pinball machine, and perhaps put in a squash court. Never saw the cat once. You have to think about what you are going to do, as an extra return trip is best avoided. Kids just yelled, but we spent half our time trying to tell where people were. I think I need to offer to tune the TVs properly, too. Channels are different on just about every telly. Didn't want to do anything without consulting them, though.
As if my wish has been answered, Christian Cullen the horse is knackered so one less to get confused about. Unless the rugby player hurt his fetlock and is going out to stud, but that seems unlikely.
So, sorry no final result to report. A1 in trouble, need four to win, Prada only need two. Racing in earnest tomorrow. Then it will be all on.
Kids back to school tomorrow, finally. I am taking Rory, Diana is taking Hannah. Will be hard going to get them organised in the morning.
Ciao for now, may do an LV special once the winner is known.
24 January 2000
Trouble, the Wondercat - 24/01/00
Got photos and video of Trouble on Friday, with his head stuck in a bag of whiska's cat biscuits. Will send off to very limp Kiwi video show where the kiwi videos are so limp that a video of a toddler falling over while walking wins a packet of crisps (the prizes are limp too). He obviously feels underfed.
In other groundbreaking events, I managed to be the first person of the millennium (damn, I said the M word) to first have a flat battery then a flat battery charger. Once I started the car, I drove forward, over the charger. Doh! Looks kind of stuffed now, or actually the stuffing has come out, more accurately.
Not sure if I mentioned a landlord who found a plant growing setup in their houses basement. Very "Scarfies" situation. Full of Marijuana plants in various stages. Been in the news a couple of time, could only get down into the basement through a panel in the kitchen cupboard.
The new tunnel for power cables broke through during the week, now they have to get it ready to go. Runs from Penrose into town about 30-100m under the motorway.
Some idiot Japanese immigrant drove out onto Auckland Airport's runway last week, and a landing 767 had to abort and come around. He said he was just trying to find a park. Then on Thursday he was arrested out there again, as a court order had banned him from the airport. He was trying to buy a ticket to an unknown destination. He is now undergoing psychiatric assessment. Authorities are still trying to figure out where he left his car.
Research shows that high school kids school bags are too heavy, with books, gym gear, and musical instruments. A lack of lockers is being blamed. OSH are now preventing students from taking cello and piano lessons due to the weight of their instruments.
Waitangi day preparations seem to consist solely of arguing about whether women will be allowed to talk. Hard to stop someone like Sandra Lee, I guess, but we shall see. Major no-no in Maori tradition. Not a problem for Helen Clark because the rule only applies to the living, not the undead. She is allowed to speak on Bank's Peninsula, now. Just don't tell the Christchurch skinheads as they are into dead people and stuff.
Reserve Bank Governor Don Brasch and new Finance Minister Dr Michael Cullen locked horns over interest rates this week. Brasch raised them slightly because of inflationary fears and then the inflation rate was announced to be about 0.5% (sod all, for those of you who didn't do economics) and so he was wetting his pants over nothing. Will be interesting to see who signs our bank notes by the end of the year. Anyone but Sue Bradford or Nandor.
Still people going on about the billionaire who had his name suppressed. Apparently it was released on the web, but don't know where, couldn't find it. Closest I got was an NBC story about it with no name. Still going on about the Police Commissioner, and the "that won't be necessary" drink-driving test. Picture of his "partner" in the paper, one heck of a lot younger, bit like the Russian sailor situation. Speaking of which, his wife is due any day now. Anyway, this morning front page news: he is thinking about his future (whoop de doo). Cabinet meet tomorrow to discuss.
Big Day Out was a music thing for teenagers on Friday, weather good, sold out (45,000 people). Seemed to go well.
Te Papa, the new museum in Wellington, lost 17m for the year. Auckland Museum will like that.
4yo in a coma since 28th Dec woke up. First thing she said should have been "Mummy, why wasn't I wearing a seatbelt?".
Auckland City Council are clamping down on street numbers. People are no longer able to change their number to a lucky one or whatever. I didn't know you could do this. Apparently you could write in and say "dear council, I want to live at 8769 Dignan St, not 36" and they would allow it. Causes some difficulties for emergency services and visitors. Some people thought it would confuse Jehovah's witnesses, one person changed their number to 666 to scare them off. However this decision only affects new housing subdivisions, so the number 13 will start appearing again. How utterly pathetic. I can't believe we had to wait until now to do something like this. Just imagine if people didn't want unlucky IP addresses. So now we have old streets without 13 and new ones with. How exactly is that going to help anyone?
Really bucketed down with rain on Wednesday, was down in Hamilton so missed most of it. Kind of stopped a cricket game in Auckland where Daniel Vettori scored 50 off 27 balls. Apparently "La Mama" has something to do with it. At least it wasn't La Bamba, which I never liked, probably rains Spanish guitars or something. Whose idea was it to use Spanish names anyway? Sooner or later all weather people will be called El Loco or something equally pathetic.
Feels like sod all sport at the moment.
The under-23 Olympic soccer team lost to Sth Korea 1-2, although they were up 1-0 at half time. The Sth Koreans had not conceded a goal in previous three games, including 3-0 win over Australian u23, Egypt, and someone else who I forget. The All Whites lost 0-1 to Sth Korea proper, a scorching goal from outside the penalty area that was very lucky and wouldn't have happened if Mark Atkinson hadn't been a dork in clearing the ball.
In the second match, they drew 0-0. The Olympic side lost 5-2.
(Rory is on the www.kingzfanz.co.nz website, under kidz kingz, photos for those who I haven't already told).
Warriors beat Canberra 22-8 in a warmup match.
Still constant moaning about new rugby jerseys. Get used to it. Even if the Blues shirt looks like Sheffield Wednesday, so what? Saw a photo of some family where everyone was wearing a different version of the same jersey. Can't see why they are complaining, no law saying they have to buy them.
Local lad Michael Campbell won the NZ golf open. in a playoff with another kiwi. Australians had led the previous rounds and there were eight aussies in the top ten after the third, but somehow the locals got their shit together. Maybe it won't be like last year.
Louis Vuitton finals kickoff tomorrow I think. We got to see under the skirts last week, bulbs and wings and stuff. Prada versus America One. Paul Cayard is pretty good, think it might not be Prada.
Fun with my email address continues. Some of it is really sick. I can log in to a dating agency as a woman now. There are four guys on it with pictures, in Auckland, looking for a one-night stand. Was thinking about having some fun with them. There aren't any non-smoking lesbians looking for long term commitment in Auckland. Sometimes you can't help yourself with this stuff. Some people are real morons.
We've sort of muddled along. A full week of work for me, last week. Kids spent some time with Granny on Wednesday, she went home Saturday for a rest. We spent the afternoon yesterday at Thomas's house, he is quite happy in the pool and really starting to make talking attempts. No troubles getting his point across. Pointing works well. Rosscoes dad is not well, going to have his bladder removed in four to six weeks.
Kids have one more week of holidays. Jess and Michael came for lunch on Friday, and went to live in Wellington on Saturday. It wasn't something I said. Michael was lead strike bowler in the cricket team, and Jess was supposed to play, but didn't. Sad to see them go, but we have someone else to visit in Wellington. Rory went to Jared's party at Waiwera, Friday night, came home knackered, three long droopy tired faces in the back of the car. He's never been before, then goes twice in a fortnight. Did more painting of the ceiling (about time) so now we can start on the walls in the bathroom. Tadpoles continue to evolve, although a few have escaped (two now). Had lots of fun doing a bit of land for them in the terrarium yesterday. Saw Double Jeopardy on Saturday, not bad I guess, not too "Fugitive"-like. Rory seems very keen to learn to play tennis, something that I am happy to encourage. Problem is then Hannah wants to as well and she isn't really up to it. Last time they played together he hit her above the eye and she went to the a&e.
Long weekend this weekend, biggest regatta of them all, supposedly. Ross & Kath & Thomas are going to visit his Dad, so we are going to make sure their pool is okay, so next week's mail could be a day late.
In other groundbreaking events, I managed to be the first person of the millennium (damn, I said the M word) to first have a flat battery then a flat battery charger. Once I started the car, I drove forward, over the charger. Doh! Looks kind of stuffed now, or actually the stuffing has come out, more accurately.
Not sure if I mentioned a landlord who found a plant growing setup in their houses basement. Very "Scarfies" situation. Full of Marijuana plants in various stages. Been in the news a couple of time, could only get down into the basement through a panel in the kitchen cupboard.
The new tunnel for power cables broke through during the week, now they have to get it ready to go. Runs from Penrose into town about 30-100m under the motorway.
Some idiot Japanese immigrant drove out onto Auckland Airport's runway last week, and a landing 767 had to abort and come around. He said he was just trying to find a park. Then on Thursday he was arrested out there again, as a court order had banned him from the airport. He was trying to buy a ticket to an unknown destination. He is now undergoing psychiatric assessment. Authorities are still trying to figure out where he left his car.
Research shows that high school kids school bags are too heavy, with books, gym gear, and musical instruments. A lack of lockers is being blamed. OSH are now preventing students from taking cello and piano lessons due to the weight of their instruments.
Waitangi day preparations seem to consist solely of arguing about whether women will be allowed to talk. Hard to stop someone like Sandra Lee, I guess, but we shall see. Major no-no in Maori tradition. Not a problem for Helen Clark because the rule only applies to the living, not the undead. She is allowed to speak on Bank's Peninsula, now. Just don't tell the Christchurch skinheads as they are into dead people and stuff.
Reserve Bank Governor Don Brasch and new Finance Minister Dr Michael Cullen locked horns over interest rates this week. Brasch raised them slightly because of inflationary fears and then the inflation rate was announced to be about 0.5% (sod all, for those of you who didn't do economics) and so he was wetting his pants over nothing. Will be interesting to see who signs our bank notes by the end of the year. Anyone but Sue Bradford or Nandor.
Still people going on about the billionaire who had his name suppressed. Apparently it was released on the web, but don't know where, couldn't find it. Closest I got was an NBC story about it with no name. Still going on about the Police Commissioner, and the "that won't be necessary" drink-driving test. Picture of his "partner" in the paper, one heck of a lot younger, bit like the Russian sailor situation. Speaking of which, his wife is due any day now. Anyway, this morning front page news: he is thinking about his future (whoop de doo). Cabinet meet tomorrow to discuss.
Big Day Out was a music thing for teenagers on Friday, weather good, sold out (45,000 people). Seemed to go well.
Te Papa, the new museum in Wellington, lost 17m for the year. Auckland Museum will like that.
4yo in a coma since 28th Dec woke up. First thing she said should have been "Mummy, why wasn't I wearing a seatbelt?".
Auckland City Council are clamping down on street numbers. People are no longer able to change their number to a lucky one or whatever. I didn't know you could do this. Apparently you could write in and say "dear council, I want to live at 8769 Dignan St, not 36" and they would allow it. Causes some difficulties for emergency services and visitors. Some people thought it would confuse Jehovah's witnesses, one person changed their number to 666 to scare them off. However this decision only affects new housing subdivisions, so the number 13 will start appearing again. How utterly pathetic. I can't believe we had to wait until now to do something like this. Just imagine if people didn't want unlucky IP addresses. So now we have old streets without 13 and new ones with. How exactly is that going to help anyone?
Really bucketed down with rain on Wednesday, was down in Hamilton so missed most of it. Kind of stopped a cricket game in Auckland where Daniel Vettori scored 50 off 27 balls. Apparently "La Mama" has something to do with it. At least it wasn't La Bamba, which I never liked, probably rains Spanish guitars or something. Whose idea was it to use Spanish names anyway? Sooner or later all weather people will be called El Loco or something equally pathetic.
Feels like sod all sport at the moment.
The under-23 Olympic soccer team lost to Sth Korea 1-2, although they were up 1-0 at half time. The Sth Koreans had not conceded a goal in previous three games, including 3-0 win over Australian u23, Egypt, and someone else who I forget. The All Whites lost 0-1 to Sth Korea proper, a scorching goal from outside the penalty area that was very lucky and wouldn't have happened if Mark Atkinson hadn't been a dork in clearing the ball.
In the second match, they drew 0-0. The Olympic side lost 5-2.
(Rory is on the www.kingzfanz.co.nz website, under kidz kingz, photos for those who I haven't already told).
Warriors beat Canberra 22-8 in a warmup match.
Still constant moaning about new rugby jerseys. Get used to it. Even if the Blues shirt looks like Sheffield Wednesday, so what? Saw a photo of some family where everyone was wearing a different version of the same jersey. Can't see why they are complaining, no law saying they have to buy them.
Local lad Michael Campbell won the NZ golf open. in a playoff with another kiwi. Australians had led the previous rounds and there were eight aussies in the top ten after the third, but somehow the locals got their shit together. Maybe it won't be like last year.
Louis Vuitton finals kickoff tomorrow I think. We got to see under the skirts last week, bulbs and wings and stuff. Prada versus America One. Paul Cayard is pretty good, think it might not be Prada.
Fun with my email address continues. Some of it is really sick. I can log in to a dating agency as a woman now. There are four guys on it with pictures, in Auckland, looking for a one-night stand. Was thinking about having some fun with them. There aren't any non-smoking lesbians looking for long term commitment in Auckland. Sometimes you can't help yourself with this stuff. Some people are real morons.
We've sort of muddled along. A full week of work for me, last week. Kids spent some time with Granny on Wednesday, she went home Saturday for a rest. We spent the afternoon yesterday at Thomas's house, he is quite happy in the pool and really starting to make talking attempts. No troubles getting his point across. Pointing works well. Rosscoes dad is not well, going to have his bladder removed in four to six weeks.
Kids have one more week of holidays. Jess and Michael came for lunch on Friday, and went to live in Wellington on Saturday. It wasn't something I said. Michael was lead strike bowler in the cricket team, and Jess was supposed to play, but didn't. Sad to see them go, but we have someone else to visit in Wellington. Rory went to Jared's party at Waiwera, Friday night, came home knackered, three long droopy tired faces in the back of the car. He's never been before, then goes twice in a fortnight. Did more painting of the ceiling (about time) so now we can start on the walls in the bathroom. Tadpoles continue to evolve, although a few have escaped (two now). Had lots of fun doing a bit of land for them in the terrarium yesterday. Saw Double Jeopardy on Saturday, not bad I guess, not too "Fugitive"-like. Rory seems very keen to learn to play tennis, something that I am happy to encourage. Problem is then Hannah wants to as well and she isn't really up to it. Last time they played together he hit her above the eye and she went to the a&e.
Long weekend this weekend, biggest regatta of them all, supposedly. Ross & Kath & Thomas are going to visit his Dad, so we are going to make sure their pool is okay, so next week's mail could be a day late.
17 January 2000
Back to work today - 17/01/00
Drudgery really starts here. Peter is away so I am on my own.
Firstly, goodbye to Hayden, who has now returned home from Brazil. Losing the South American link seems kind of sad.
Jono - when is steph due? I assume you will let me know when she isn't due any more.
Did some holiday stuff this week, which was good. This week Peter is away so could be up to my funny looking ears in it.
Wednesday, climbed Rangitoto with the kids, Diana, and Sarah. It was the day of her 21st birthday, and she was at a loose end. Agreed to a trip to Waiheke. I changed our minds. Kids both did really well. Made the trip up and back in reasonable time, about 2 1/2 hours. Not too much whinging (but a little). The trip down was a problem, they both fell over twice. Nothing like that on the way up. Not sure why, think they skidded to easily on the gravel. We held their hands all the way down after that. Were stuffed afterward but Hannah made me wrestle that night before she went to bed. I was knackered. Diana was a wreck (she wasn't wearing socks and her first time wearing new shoes). Some pretty big blisters, I have to say. Quite impressive, she limped a bit but held on stoically. Must be that girlie child bearing, pain thing. Cross one thing off my list for the year (yippee).
Thursday was Waiwera. Kids really wanted to go, we were considering staying there a couple of days but didn't (good move as we discovered, pretty small place). Had a ball in the pools, on the slides. Rory did one of the big ones, twice, and Hannah did the small one a zillion times. No hassles there, a little sunburn.
Friday, quiet day, went to the library, then checked into Sky City hotel for the night. Surprise for the kids, they didn't know until we were going there in the car. Got into the room, went for a swim after Pokemon, then went out to dinner in a disappointing little italian place (run by disapointing little Italians). At least we got to see the reverse bungee thing across the street. Then went up the Sky Tower to watch the sun go down. Spectacular sunsets the last few days. Waited for dark, kids ran around the top bit a lot, complained it was hot. In the morning we did breakfast and then swam again. Pool really nice. They didn't charge for the kids for breakfast even though they said they would. Breakfast and two adult tickets for sky tower in the price of the room.
Saturday, got home, kids went to see Toy Story 2 with Granny. Me and Diana just sort of farted around. Picked up an aquarium thing for the tadpoles. One has front legs and is like a frog with a tail now. (Koos, bumped into Russell Liddell, said hello, he has a vet's clinic in Epsom, lives in Titirangi now).
Sunday, didn't do much. Mostly domestic stuff. Cleaned glass aquarium thing for tadpoles. Went to Thomas' house to see Charles, back in Auckland after a whirlwhind tour of Glink's Gully, goes home to Saudi tomorrow. Good to catch up. Kids had their swim, as is required. Thomas is racing around the place, and he had a swim too! First time I have seen him in the big pool. Changes so much at this age (14.5 months). Been slack in not mentioning him last week or two, so Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. Not really a baby any more.
Kids have had some classic moments (sorry to be boring you). The best was Hannah's. She is trying to stop sucking her thumb at night, so we got the stuff for nail biting. She says "it doesn't taste bad" and sticks the thumb into her mouth. After a while, takes it out, looks stricken and says "I'll just go have a glass of water". Then the face crumpled. Hilarious.
Seems to have been sod all sport on, all of a sudden.
Tennis men's final in Auckland with great name from yesteryear Michael Chang losing in the final to Magnus Norman (another great name).
Fiji beat NZ in the latest final of the Seven's, now two wins each. Wellington could be crucial.
Windies lost 5-0 in the end in the ODIs.
Stars & Stripes out of the finals, after looking like they had a good chance. Lost crucial race to America True, girlie team with many that he abused rudely in 1995. Bit of poetic justice there, Lesley Egnott was not unhappy about the win. They didn't qualify but stopped him. He was the one person I couldn't stand winning the cup. Do you guys overseas ever hear about the America's Cup on the news? I somehow doubt it. Finals towards the end of the month then the big races really start.
Big news about murder in Paengaroa, mainly as nobody in NZ knew the place existed.
Barrels of Hydrochloric Acid were found dumped in a public place on the banks of the Waimakiriri River. They went to great pains to explain how dangerous acid was. How the grass had died (leave a barrel of water on the grass a couple of days, water must "burn" grass too).
New Super 12 jerseys made the sports news, that gives you the idea. NZ soccer playing in China, lost 1-0 to China over the weekend. Half the team weren't allowed in for various reasons, from too many stamps in their passport to one who had stated publicly he preferred Indian takeaways to Chinese. About three team members where second choices because of that, including the goalie. Anyway, we play Jamaica tonight.
News that Ronaldo wants to join Man U may be just a rumour, but could be kind of cool if true.
In local news, a 32yo man was taken into custody after a 3yo boy died of injuries, 7yo boy taken into care, CYPFS under fire again.
A man was shot in Te Puke on Friday, farming father and son being questioned. They seem to think it is marijuana related at this point. The whole marijuana issue seems to be getting a lot of coverage, suspect that we will get legalisation in some form soon.
Reports that Police Commissioner Peter Doone said "that won't be necessary" to the rookie cop when his partner was going to be breath tested have caused some comment. He says he may take action, as he maintains he didn't say it. Everywhere else, the phrase is becoming something of a catchcry. People are wondering why they didn't use the phrase themselves when being breathalysed. Radio people finding lots of laughs. The guy, even if innocent, has buggered up the image of the police force at the very least.
The Russian 40-odd year old who sailed here with a young girlie, has been caught out with news reaching his wife (who paid for the trip). Sounds like she is kind of pissed off.
Name suppressed billionaire has a daughter and grandchildren living here. His name was on the internet, but I didn't look.
Bill Gates stepped down this week as CEO. Still waiting for that phonecall, Bill.
Auckland Hospital going to start doing live liver transplants. They decided dead livers weren't too good. But seriously, they take half a liver and connect it up and then both halves grow back. Like worms, I guess. Maybe you get worms in your liver and that is how it works. If there are complications, sometimes the donor ends up being dead anyway (1 in 250 so far).
Housing NZ are going to provide barbecues for tidy tenants. They are planning on supplying messy ones with vacuum cleaners and paint brushes. This is bizarre. How about this: "You want state subsidised housing, then look after the damn house or you get a shoebox on the side of the road next time".
Firstly, goodbye to Hayden, who has now returned home from Brazil. Losing the South American link seems kind of sad.
Jono - when is steph due? I assume you will let me know when she isn't due any more.
Did some holiday stuff this week, which was good. This week Peter is away so could be up to my funny looking ears in it.
Wednesday, climbed Rangitoto with the kids, Diana, and Sarah. It was the day of her 21st birthday, and she was at a loose end. Agreed to a trip to Waiheke. I changed our minds. Kids both did really well. Made the trip up and back in reasonable time, about 2 1/2 hours. Not too much whinging (but a little). The trip down was a problem, they both fell over twice. Nothing like that on the way up. Not sure why, think they skidded to easily on the gravel. We held their hands all the way down after that. Were stuffed afterward but Hannah made me wrestle that night before she went to bed. I was knackered. Diana was a wreck (she wasn't wearing socks and her first time wearing new shoes). Some pretty big blisters, I have to say. Quite impressive, she limped a bit but held on stoically. Must be that girlie child bearing, pain thing. Cross one thing off my list for the year (yippee).
Thursday was Waiwera. Kids really wanted to go, we were considering staying there a couple of days but didn't (good move as we discovered, pretty small place). Had a ball in the pools, on the slides. Rory did one of the big ones, twice, and Hannah did the small one a zillion times. No hassles there, a little sunburn.
Friday, quiet day, went to the library, then checked into Sky City hotel for the night. Surprise for the kids, they didn't know until we were going there in the car. Got into the room, went for a swim after Pokemon, then went out to dinner in a disappointing little italian place (run by disapointing little Italians). At least we got to see the reverse bungee thing across the street. Then went up the Sky Tower to watch the sun go down. Spectacular sunsets the last few days. Waited for dark, kids ran around the top bit a lot, complained it was hot. In the morning we did breakfast and then swam again. Pool really nice. They didn't charge for the kids for breakfast even though they said they would. Breakfast and two adult tickets for sky tower in the price of the room.
Saturday, got home, kids went to see Toy Story 2 with Granny. Me and Diana just sort of farted around. Picked up an aquarium thing for the tadpoles. One has front legs and is like a frog with a tail now. (Koos, bumped into Russell Liddell, said hello, he has a vet's clinic in Epsom, lives in Titirangi now).
Sunday, didn't do much. Mostly domestic stuff. Cleaned glass aquarium thing for tadpoles. Went to Thomas' house to see Charles, back in Auckland after a whirlwhind tour of Glink's Gully, goes home to Saudi tomorrow. Good to catch up. Kids had their swim, as is required. Thomas is racing around the place, and he had a swim too! First time I have seen him in the big pool. Changes so much at this age (14.5 months). Been slack in not mentioning him last week or two, so Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. Not really a baby any more.
Kids have had some classic moments (sorry to be boring you). The best was Hannah's. She is trying to stop sucking her thumb at night, so we got the stuff for nail biting. She says "it doesn't taste bad" and sticks the thumb into her mouth. After a while, takes it out, looks stricken and says "I'll just go have a glass of water". Then the face crumpled. Hilarious.
Seems to have been sod all sport on, all of a sudden.
Tennis men's final in Auckland with great name from yesteryear Michael Chang losing in the final to Magnus Norman (another great name).
Fiji beat NZ in the latest final of the Seven's, now two wins each. Wellington could be crucial.
Windies lost 5-0 in the end in the ODIs.
Stars & Stripes out of the finals, after looking like they had a good chance. Lost crucial race to America True, girlie team with many that he abused rudely in 1995. Bit of poetic justice there, Lesley Egnott was not unhappy about the win. They didn't qualify but stopped him. He was the one person I couldn't stand winning the cup. Do you guys overseas ever hear about the America's Cup on the news? I somehow doubt it. Finals towards the end of the month then the big races really start.
Big news about murder in Paengaroa, mainly as nobody in NZ knew the place existed.
Barrels of Hydrochloric Acid were found dumped in a public place on the banks of the Waimakiriri River. They went to great pains to explain how dangerous acid was. How the grass had died (leave a barrel of water on the grass a couple of days, water must "burn" grass too).
New Super 12 jerseys made the sports news, that gives you the idea. NZ soccer playing in China, lost 1-0 to China over the weekend. Half the team weren't allowed in for various reasons, from too many stamps in their passport to one who had stated publicly he preferred Indian takeaways to Chinese. About three team members where second choices because of that, including the goalie. Anyway, we play Jamaica tonight.
News that Ronaldo wants to join Man U may be just a rumour, but could be kind of cool if true.
In local news, a 32yo man was taken into custody after a 3yo boy died of injuries, 7yo boy taken into care, CYPFS under fire again.
A man was shot in Te Puke on Friday, farming father and son being questioned. They seem to think it is marijuana related at this point. The whole marijuana issue seems to be getting a lot of coverage, suspect that we will get legalisation in some form soon.
Reports that Police Commissioner Peter Doone said "that won't be necessary" to the rookie cop when his partner was going to be breath tested have caused some comment. He says he may take action, as he maintains he didn't say it. Everywhere else, the phrase is becoming something of a catchcry. People are wondering why they didn't use the phrase themselves when being breathalysed. Radio people finding lots of laughs. The guy, even if innocent, has buggered up the image of the police force at the very least.
The Russian 40-odd year old who sailed here with a young girlie, has been caught out with news reaching his wife (who paid for the trip). Sounds like she is kind of pissed off.
Name suppressed billionaire has a daughter and grandchildren living here. His name was on the internet, but I didn't look.
Bill Gates stepped down this week as CEO. Still waiting for that phonecall, Bill.
Auckland Hospital going to start doing live liver transplants. They decided dead livers weren't too good. But seriously, they take half a liver and connect it up and then both halves grow back. Like worms, I guess. Maybe you get worms in your liver and that is how it works. If there are complications, sometimes the donor ends up being dead anyway (1 in 250 so far).
Housing NZ are going to provide barbecues for tidy tenants. They are planning on supplying messy ones with vacuum cleaners and paint brushes. This is bizarre. How about this: "You want state subsidised housing, then look after the damn house or you get a shoebox on the side of the road next time".
10 January 2000
What I did on my holidays - 10/01/00
We all enjoyed the New Year stay at Muriwai. There were eight families. Five of the kids there were survivors from the Pt Chev Kindy Ski Trip, Rory, Jeremy Thompson, Marina, Ariella, and Nicola Mitchell. We got a photo of them together at the water hole. Occurred to me that Hannah and Guy and some of the younger siblings were also present at the ski trip, but too late for the photo. The kids ran around heaps, me and Barry (Marina's Dad) played a fair bit of table tennis (about three games every two hours, roughly). Reckon we must have played 40 games all up, including the trans-millennial game we started before midnight and finished after midnight including the trans-millennial rally. As soon as midnight happened, I raced outside (in the rain) and ran the length of the football field to be the fastest man of the millennium over that distance (officially 100m, unofficially more like 78).
We played a game of soccer on NY Day, Rory scored two goals for our team. Robbed of a hat-trick. Went for a walk in the bush, up to the pine forest, to a Pa which looked like a lump of dirt. Our kids behaved pretty well, not many tears. One kid tried to brain Rory with a Super Soaker 50 (challenged him to a water fight, Rory pulled out two SS100's).
We pulled out the portable and let the kids play Pokemon on it, kept them very quiet. One melt-down from a woos over not getting a turn, he balled for about an hour (needed a bloody good slap if you ask me). Rory was pretty good about sharing it, although needed some encouragement at times. We played cricket, T-ball, got my arse whipped at backgammon.
The big game at the Kingz on Monday. Rory said early in the day he wouldn't be mascot again, changed his tune by the end of the game. Spent an hour with the players, on the field for warm up. Introduced to the captain of the other team, the ref, stood out in the middle for the national anthem. Awesome. Heaps of people there to see him, Allan & Jackie, with Paul and Nicola, Paul's friend Brendan (the offside merchant) and his mum, Nanny, Granny, John, Peter and Jeremy Smith, and us of course. We took photos and video of the occasion, a collectors video will be released shortly, send your orders to me with five pound attached. Even better, the Kingz won 3-1, but Canberra were crap. We had a man sent off with about 25 minutes to go, it was after that when Canberra scored. Rory had his name in the program, and got one signed by the team, which is going to be kept.
We said goodbye to the kids after the game and they went off with Granny and John. The following morning, free of children, we painted the ceiling (we really know how to live, don't we). After that, we did a late breakfast, wandered around Victoria Park, argued about me wanting to buy stuff for the kids, wandered around Takapuna, went for a curry, went home and collapsed.
We both missed the kids heaps for the three nights we were without them. We wanted to do all sorts of things we can't normally do, couldn't think of anything really. Couldn't go into a toy store without someone whinging (I was still there, after all). We got dirty (painted the ceiling in the bathroom). Diana dragged me around some shops (would rather be anywhere than there). It was okay, but glad to have them back. Nice that I miss them, I guess.
In a shocking amount of journalistic honesty, TV3 announced at 6pm on the 4th that there was no news, and a repeat episode of Hogan's Heroes ran in it's place. But seriously, we had a repeat story about Peanuts being retired that we had heard a good week earlier, and other slow news day stuff. No mention of my achievement on the football field, despite emails to all the major news services. Have been to check my picture out on the idg site about four times to see if it is still there.
The Black Caps won the first ODI in Auckland (just, if you ask me) on the second, and the second easily in Taupo on the 4th. The third was pathetic with Windies all out for 159 (should have been less). First two were rain shortened. Cairns smacked a pretty good 70-odd in the first and was 27 not out in the second, dubious loss of wicket in the third. Vettori did some good work with the ball, Fleming finally got over fifty. The WIndies are winded if you ask me. Kind of lost interest a little, now four nil, with yesterday's total reached with loss of two wickets (Astle and Twose scored the runs) by the 36th over. We have batted second in every match so far.
Couple of kids drowned when they were sucked out to sea by a freak wave at a beach near Waitara. Road toll was up to 14, not sure what the final high score was for the holiday period (18). Some youths were taking potshots at motorists and pedestrians in Taupo with an airgun. The bus company is now sending out security guards with the buses in South Auckland. The attack I mentioned a week ago has spawned another four or five.
The first baby of the new millennium had a heart problem, a west-Auckland boy who's parents have signed with Andy Haden as an agent. Bloody hopeful if you ask me. Now, a Tongan baby reckons it was first (Tonga moved to daylight saving time late last year to be one hour ahead of us). Why would anybody care? They seem to think this baby is going to be news for the rest of it's life. Not for me it isn't.
People keep tipping out of wakas, a prison inmate died in Rotorua after 14 were tipped by a 2m wave. Morons for going out in that kind of weather. To my knowledge, Gavin was not involved in any capsized wakas.
A woman doing the samaritan thing got her hand caught when two boats drifted apart and her hand was wrapped in it (duh). Surgeons tried to reattach the hand.
A boatie who ran over a diver was found to be innocent of wrongdoing. The diver came up nowhere near his boat and there was no flag and he was on his own. Too many things can go wrong when diving. Dork.
Another diver was rescued 18km from his boat. What is it with people on holiday? Do they want to die?
One piece of wonderful news, no murder/missing young person from New Year's Eve. We had Ben & Olivia, then Kirsty. At last we can return to normal (this has also made work harder for the news people).
An 18yo died when he ran into a powerpole after a chase with police. Frankly, I can't see why the police should copy any flak over that. If a police car kills some innocent third party whilst chasing a perp then yes, that is not good. But if someone who has been stealing tyres fails to stop, and then kills themselves, saves the justice system from putting them in jail, far as I can tell. I reckon the sentence should double if someone fails to stop within say 60 seconds, and double again for every minute beyond that. Would discourage high speed chases. Should also allow the police to use forward mounted heat-seeking missiles. That would really discourage this behaviour. Another stolen car crashed almost as soon as a police car put on their siren and lights in Wellington on Friday. No fatalities this time.
Some brilliant criminal minds decided to pinch a bottle of bourbon from an East Tamaki Liqour Store. A 5ft woman attacked with a baseball bat as they attacked her husband. They got away but were caught minutes later with the bottle.
News about a chap who had an abscessed tooth and died from that weird disease in Holland, they blamed the hospital (his mother) but it is not nice. Necrophiliac poliomylitis, or polarising mastitis or something.
Stars & Stripes winning in the semi-finals so far, racing cancelled Tuesday. Prada generally crapping out to start with. Broke a mast one day. japs seem to be falling to pieces too. Racing most days, hard to keep up. Not sure when the semi's are finished. Now looks like AmericaOne and Prada may come through. They have raced 6 now, not sure how many are in the semi's (five would have made sense).
The Kingz drew 1-1 after an extra time goal from Carlton. Harry Ngata (who was captain and really nice to Rory the previous game) scored the goal from a corner and a defender's deflection.
Manchester United are out of the world club soccer champs (thought it had already been won in Tokyo) when they lost to Vasco de Gama 3-1 (thought he was an explorer, not a football team).
Aussie lost to Pakistan in a one day match with the banned bowler Shoaib Aktar being allowed to play.
NZ beat Fiji in the seven's final in Uruguay, NZ now leading the points table.
No mention of the mercedes driving actor speedster, but a billionaire drug guy was given name suppression and bail and told to wander around the harbour and have fun. Poor chap.
My friend Tania had a baby girl on Saturday, Alexa, 7lbs 1oz. Steve sounded pretty happy. Was long and painful from what I have heard, although actual labour was about three hours. Visited her at the Cornwall Suite at National Women's yesterday. Very nice. You can pay extra to have a room there. Was where Diana and Rory went the night he was born, they were delivery rooms then.
Big weekend, with a 21st party for my half-sister Sarah. Her parents didn't come. Great amounts of preparation for a couple of days beforehand. Utterly knackered ourselves tidying, weeded the petanque court (hasn't been done for a while), cleaned out the building detritus from the cobbles. Can't say it was a spectacular night, but I think she was happy, not sure her parents are going to do anything for her birthday. We met Scott's parents and one brother. Parents are really nice, they used to live around Pt Chev. Brother was a bit shy, but into computers in a big way. Met some of Scott's friends, nice bunch of guys (not many had women with them).
Rory went off to the speedway that night with Ryan, had a good time, was pretty late by the time he got home. He was home well after everyone had gone (we started at 2pm). Think the party was a success, was certainly not stressful, perhaps not the flashest.
Oh yes, Koos, Sjaan dropped in yesterday with Helen (you didn't tell me her Dad died) with her two kids (they are really cute).
One last thing. I am sooo sick of the M word. Rory keeps saying things like "this is the first time I have had butter on my toast this M, century, decade, year, week, day, hour, minute, second, millisecond, nanosecond, picosecond, etc". All advertising is y2k this, M that. AAAarrrrrggghhh!
Well, that about wraps up the first ten days of the new year. Hope everyone is over their new year activities.
We played a game of soccer on NY Day, Rory scored two goals for our team. Robbed of a hat-trick. Went for a walk in the bush, up to the pine forest, to a Pa which looked like a lump of dirt. Our kids behaved pretty well, not many tears. One kid tried to brain Rory with a Super Soaker 50 (challenged him to a water fight, Rory pulled out two SS100's).
We pulled out the portable and let the kids play Pokemon on it, kept them very quiet. One melt-down from a woos over not getting a turn, he balled for about an hour (needed a bloody good slap if you ask me). Rory was pretty good about sharing it, although needed some encouragement at times. We played cricket, T-ball, got my arse whipped at backgammon.
The big game at the Kingz on Monday. Rory said early in the day he wouldn't be mascot again, changed his tune by the end of the game. Spent an hour with the players, on the field for warm up. Introduced to the captain of the other team, the ref, stood out in the middle for the national anthem. Awesome. Heaps of people there to see him, Allan & Jackie, with Paul and Nicola, Paul's friend Brendan (the offside merchant) and his mum, Nanny, Granny, John, Peter and Jeremy Smith, and us of course. We took photos and video of the occasion, a collectors video will be released shortly, send your orders to me with five pound attached. Even better, the Kingz won 3-1, but Canberra were crap. We had a man sent off with about 25 minutes to go, it was after that when Canberra scored. Rory had his name in the program, and got one signed by the team, which is going to be kept.
We said goodbye to the kids after the game and they went off with Granny and John. The following morning, free of children, we painted the ceiling (we really know how to live, don't we). After that, we did a late breakfast, wandered around Victoria Park, argued about me wanting to buy stuff for the kids, wandered around Takapuna, went for a curry, went home and collapsed.
We both missed the kids heaps for the three nights we were without them. We wanted to do all sorts of things we can't normally do, couldn't think of anything really. Couldn't go into a toy store without someone whinging (I was still there, after all). We got dirty (painted the ceiling in the bathroom). Diana dragged me around some shops (would rather be anywhere than there). It was okay, but glad to have them back. Nice that I miss them, I guess.
In a shocking amount of journalistic honesty, TV3 announced at 6pm on the 4th that there was no news, and a repeat episode of Hogan's Heroes ran in it's place. But seriously, we had a repeat story about Peanuts being retired that we had heard a good week earlier, and other slow news day stuff. No mention of my achievement on the football field, despite emails to all the major news services. Have been to check my picture out on the idg site about four times to see if it is still there.
The Black Caps won the first ODI in Auckland (just, if you ask me) on the second, and the second easily in Taupo on the 4th. The third was pathetic with Windies all out for 159 (should have been less). First two were rain shortened. Cairns smacked a pretty good 70-odd in the first and was 27 not out in the second, dubious loss of wicket in the third. Vettori did some good work with the ball, Fleming finally got over fifty. The WIndies are winded if you ask me. Kind of lost interest a little, now four nil, with yesterday's total reached with loss of two wickets (Astle and Twose scored the runs) by the 36th over. We have batted second in every match so far.
Couple of kids drowned when they were sucked out to sea by a freak wave at a beach near Waitara. Road toll was up to 14, not sure what the final high score was for the holiday period (18). Some youths were taking potshots at motorists and pedestrians in Taupo with an airgun. The bus company is now sending out security guards with the buses in South Auckland. The attack I mentioned a week ago has spawned another four or five.
The first baby of the new millennium had a heart problem, a west-Auckland boy who's parents have signed with Andy Haden as an agent. Bloody hopeful if you ask me. Now, a Tongan baby reckons it was first (Tonga moved to daylight saving time late last year to be one hour ahead of us). Why would anybody care? They seem to think this baby is going to be news for the rest of it's life. Not for me it isn't.
People keep tipping out of wakas, a prison inmate died in Rotorua after 14 were tipped by a 2m wave. Morons for going out in that kind of weather. To my knowledge, Gavin was not involved in any capsized wakas.
A woman doing the samaritan thing got her hand caught when two boats drifted apart and her hand was wrapped in it (duh). Surgeons tried to reattach the hand.
A boatie who ran over a diver was found to be innocent of wrongdoing. The diver came up nowhere near his boat and there was no flag and he was on his own. Too many things can go wrong when diving. Dork.
Another diver was rescued 18km from his boat. What is it with people on holiday? Do they want to die?
One piece of wonderful news, no murder/missing young person from New Year's Eve. We had Ben & Olivia, then Kirsty. At last we can return to normal (this has also made work harder for the news people).
An 18yo died when he ran into a powerpole after a chase with police. Frankly, I can't see why the police should copy any flak over that. If a police car kills some innocent third party whilst chasing a perp then yes, that is not good. But if someone who has been stealing tyres fails to stop, and then kills themselves, saves the justice system from putting them in jail, far as I can tell. I reckon the sentence should double if someone fails to stop within say 60 seconds, and double again for every minute beyond that. Would discourage high speed chases. Should also allow the police to use forward mounted heat-seeking missiles. That would really discourage this behaviour. Another stolen car crashed almost as soon as a police car put on their siren and lights in Wellington on Friday. No fatalities this time.
Some brilliant criminal minds decided to pinch a bottle of bourbon from an East Tamaki Liqour Store. A 5ft woman attacked with a baseball bat as they attacked her husband. They got away but were caught minutes later with the bottle.
News about a chap who had an abscessed tooth and died from that weird disease in Holland, they blamed the hospital (his mother) but it is not nice. Necrophiliac poliomylitis, or polarising mastitis or something.
Stars & Stripes winning in the semi-finals so far, racing cancelled Tuesday. Prada generally crapping out to start with. Broke a mast one day. japs seem to be falling to pieces too. Racing most days, hard to keep up. Not sure when the semi's are finished. Now looks like AmericaOne and Prada may come through. They have raced 6 now, not sure how many are in the semi's (five would have made sense).
The Kingz drew 1-1 after an extra time goal from Carlton. Harry Ngata (who was captain and really nice to Rory the previous game) scored the goal from a corner and a defender's deflection.
Manchester United are out of the world club soccer champs (thought it had already been won in Tokyo) when they lost to Vasco de Gama 3-1 (thought he was an explorer, not a football team).
Aussie lost to Pakistan in a one day match with the banned bowler Shoaib Aktar being allowed to play.
NZ beat Fiji in the seven's final in Uruguay, NZ now leading the points table.
No mention of the mercedes driving actor speedster, but a billionaire drug guy was given name suppression and bail and told to wander around the harbour and have fun. Poor chap.
My friend Tania had a baby girl on Saturday, Alexa, 7lbs 1oz. Steve sounded pretty happy. Was long and painful from what I have heard, although actual labour was about three hours. Visited her at the Cornwall Suite at National Women's yesterday. Very nice. You can pay extra to have a room there. Was where Diana and Rory went the night he was born, they were delivery rooms then.
Big weekend, with a 21st party for my half-sister Sarah. Her parents didn't come. Great amounts of preparation for a couple of days beforehand. Utterly knackered ourselves tidying, weeded the petanque court (hasn't been done for a while), cleaned out the building detritus from the cobbles. Can't say it was a spectacular night, but I think she was happy, not sure her parents are going to do anything for her birthday. We met Scott's parents and one brother. Parents are really nice, they used to live around Pt Chev. Brother was a bit shy, but into computers in a big way. Met some of Scott's friends, nice bunch of guys (not many had women with them).
Rory went off to the speedway that night with Ryan, had a good time, was pretty late by the time he got home. He was home well after everyone had gone (we started at 2pm). Think the party was a success, was certainly not stressful, perhaps not the flashest.
Oh yes, Koos, Sjaan dropped in yesterday with Helen (you didn't tell me her Dad died) with her two kids (they are really cute).
One last thing. I am sooo sick of the M word. Rory keeps saying things like "this is the first time I have had butter on my toast this M, century, decade, year, week, day, hour, minute, second, millisecond, nanosecond, picosecond, etc". All advertising is y2k this, M that. AAAarrrrrggghhh!
Well, that about wraps up the first ten days of the new year. Hope everyone is over their new year activities.
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