5 July 2004

Greece are Euro champions, now the stadium will never get finished - 05/07/04

Sorry it's late, been watching the soccer.

LOCAL NEWS

Police arrested a man for a murder some years ago. The man that had already served like seven years for her manslaughter was feeling a bit grumpy about it.

Three people died when a 4WD vehicle flipped whilst driving on Muriwai beach.

Tokoroa High School lost three classrooms in a fire, police suspect arson (you think?).

Don Brash has come out with Nationals new law and order policy. It's going to cost a billion dollars. Wonder what cutting off a hand of offenders would cost?

A sad local TV satire show started on Friday, quite disappointing but one funny piece. It took the selection of the boxing guy with a domestic abuse history for Athens to a logical extreme. Scott Watson (Ben & Olivia guy) was up for sailing but weren't sure whether he was sailing a sloop or a ketch (which was an issue in the trial). David Bain for small-bore shooting (jailed for topping the rest of his family, but he's really innocent). And Mark Lundy was up for two events, 300km apart (he killed his wife and daughter in Palmerston while pretending to be in Wellington on business) - the theory was he'd drive between events and have time to kill.

WORLD NEWS

George went "surprise" and got out of Iraq two days early.

The trial of Saddam has begun, sort of, but Saddam doesn't believe the court has authority (they never do).

A probe reached Saturn but we haven't had pictures yet, and the French have discovered water was on Mars 3 billion years ago (does anyone care, now?).

Marlon Brando won't be tangoing again, not in this world. I really should watch the Godfather, I've never seen it.

REAL SPORT

No water polo this week (school holidays) and for a couple of weeks yet.

Hannah's game was postponed, so the only game on was Rory's. They were playing Bay Olympic - a team they had drawn with about five weeks ago and should have beaten. They scored three goals in the first half, conceding a goal late in the half. At half time I realised they were about to play with the wind, and wondered if it would make a difference. I don't know if it was the only reason, but the lads scored another six unanswered goals in the second half to win 9-1. There were a couple of pretty awesome goals but most of them were scored when the midfield popped the ball past the defensive line and the two strikers ran onto them and scored. One scored three, the other four goals.

SPORT

Well, Euro 2004 is all over. It's been great. You know it's nearly over when there isn't a game on every morning. We had a Greek boy from Rory's class come to our place with his Mum to watch the game on the big screen this morning. I wouldn't have minded the Portuguese winning, but the Greeks have done the job and good for them. I deliberately didn't buy a Greek shirt to protect them from my curse.

The Black Caps beat England and the Windies and are into the final now, but weather and stuff makes it pretty iffy. Haven't really kept track of it. Think England has to win all its remaining games to make it.

A new Russian babe has done what Kournikova never could, Maria Sharipova has won Wimbledon at the age of 17 (Kournikova barely won a game). She was shipped to an American tennis camp at age seven by her father, so I guess this means it was worth it.

Australia beat the new Pacific Island team (rugby). The Pacific Island team beat the Australian team to a pulp. Gregan is out for about six weeks, and there are other long-term injured. All Blacks play them next weekend and I think they should utilise the third fifteen and say "bollocks" to it.

The Silver Ferns have been playing Australia in a netball series. They won the first two matches, the final one is tonight. It is the first time that New Zealand have beaten Australia in a series for fifteen years. The games have been quite physical (i.e. lots of bodies flying around the court).

MY SAD LIFE

The kids are on holiday now for two weeks. No real plans as yet, although they may do a soccer thing next week.

On Wednesday it is a year since my Dad died. In some ways it feels a lot longer than that, but sometimes you have to remember that it has happened. I know that Rory has grown up a lot in the last year. We all hope these school holidays are less eventful.

It's Heidi's birthday this week.

Mum left for France on Wednesday.

On Saturday, I went to visit the Greek guy at the pizza parlour in Mt Roskill and apologised for doubting him. The night before the opening match between Greece and Portugal I said I didn't think they had a hope and they should be grateful they are in the finals at all. I was wrong, I admit that.

Diana had a ladies lunch for her cronies yesterday as a birthday bash. It was a group of the usual suspects. Rory went to a birthday party, Hannah stayed home (she's had a bad cold) and I went out with Bambi (it just wasn't safe at home, too much oestrogen). Diana enjoyed herself, which is good.

I did the radio thing again, again I had paranoia about whether anyone would call in, and again they did and we had plenty.

Jono, you never answered the question about Cave.

Koos, what's happening man? Thought it was all happening end of June?

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