It has been quite cold. I can't say I am sad about the end of the Olympics, they suck you in and you can't escape.
NEWS
A Napier farmer was found shot dead on his farm on Friday. No news on killer yet. His name was Jack Nicholas. Every time I see or hear a headline I think that Jack Nicholson or Jack Niclaus has died, it is very confusing.
Lots of snow about, including Dunedin being bathed in snow for a couple of days. According to meteorologists (I will never understand why that isn't the study of meteors) it was a very cold July and August. It was 1 degree in parts of Auckland yesterday, which is pretty unusual. Not much rain lately, though.
Controversy continues about the dreaded "destiny" church, who's protest at Parliament about the civil union bill included a bunch of men wearing matching black shirts and doing dodgy-looking salutes. Students at a Wellington school the church uses on Sunday's in Wellington have signed a petition suggesting they should worship elsewhere. The church seems to be quite anti-gay.
Another man was killed in Kawerau, police have apprehended someone for that one.
In another darwinian move, a New Zealander has died when he jumped onto an electrified train track in Boston to get 11c that he was lying there. No wonder Americans think we wear grass skirts over here.
A Hamilton 55 year old woman is expecting a child. A product of in-vitro fertilization, at least the child won't think they were an accident. She was already the holder of the oldest mother record in New Zealand when she had a boy two years ago.
Six people were rescued with mild hypothermia from their swamped waka (canoe) in the Manukau Harbour. They were not wearing life jackets (although I don't think they prevent hypothermia).
News this week that the current government has managed to extract some 40% more money from taxpayers without changing tax rates. This could be quite a damaging thing, as those that pay tax feel they are being continually gouged as new interpretations of existing rules are invented.
WORLD NEWS
An African man shot his fiancée then himself after an argument, but the wedding is going ahead anyway (despite the bride and groom being dead). Apparently the families want to think of them as a happy couple despite what I would call an irreconcilable difference. I guess they had a non-refundable deposit for the venue, and they do save on wedding presents.
REAL SPORT
Water polo was cancelled due to a problem with a goal. Seems poorly organised to me.
Hannah's team played a team that beat them 1-0 with a late goal in the grading round. The girls played really well but an offside was not given and a goal was scored. Then they kept the first half going (we were going up hill) for about ten minutes longer than they should have and scored a goal in the 38th minute. This gave us less than twenty minutes going downhill (it makes a difference, we were all over them in the second half). We scored one goal, but had to stop short to let the next game come on. Final score 1-2 loss. I am not saying the ref from the other team cheated, but he certainly loaded things against us and it seemed to be quite dubious. Hannah had a heck of a game, attacked this time. Two other girls, Savannah and Miranda were so solid in defence, they repelled (nearly) everything and kept us going back on attack.
After the game, we went to Cox's Bay and had a barbecue next to the house of one of the players in the team. They had a good time, and I was presented with a photo montage of the girls which was really nice.
At Rory's practice on Thursday, I retrieved a ball and booted it back into play with a very high kick (I would say a good sixty to eighty feet in the air). My son decided to stand under it and head it on the full, he did put it in the goal, but he couldn't walk straight for about five minutes afterward. The next time he went to head a ball, I yelled out "No, Rory, you are supposed to keep us in our retirement".
Rory's team played their final game against Fencibles. According to the coach, Rory got every ball he went for. No water polo seems to be a factor in his play, if he doesn't play water polo he plays better soccer. They won their game 2-1.
Forgot to mention what happened at Rory's soccer game the week before last. Stephen (a Samoan boy) was late, apparently had felt sick and when his Dad found him playing on his x-box he said "if you can play x-box you can play soccer" and took him to the game (not entirely sure I agree with his logic, but bear with me). At the game, Stephen scored a hat-trick (so sickness can't have been too bad). Meanwhile, his Mum bought a magic envelope (fund raising thing, like an instant raffle, mostly you win $5 off a hair cut or buy two sausages get one free at the butcher's). Anyway, she won a VCR. So then she got the last of Dad's change and got another ticket and she won a trip for two to Vanuatu! So it was quite a good result for the whole family, that Stephen was well enough to play (not to mention the team).
SPORT
Huge result in triathlon for New Zealand with a 1st and 2nd at Olympics. Disappointment in kayaking with only a silver. Not best ever result for New Zealand in Olympics but pretty good with three golds and two silvers.
Waikato completely thumped Auckland in the NPC 59-11, Canterbury beat Otago 42-7, Taranaki beat BOP 58-14, Southland beat Northland 54-26. Wellington beat North Harbour 18-16. Taranaki stay top of the table and looking pretty good.
The Warriors are getting closer and closer to the wooden spoon.
MY SAD LIFE
Well, after a bit of drama with an engine and diverting to LA, Paul made it to Auckland late on Friday night. He wanted to surprise his parents so I wasn't allowed to mention it before now (he made me do it, I accept no responsibility). It was pretty funny, he rang them to make sure they were home (and to wish his Dad a happy birthday). Then we went around to drop him off and nobody was home! We popped over to Gavin's for a short visit then came back and they were back, much to Paul's relief. I was a little worried we would be driving over there every hour for the whole weekend.
No news on Tap exam results for Hannah yet. Should get them tomorrow.
Koos, got your message. Send me an email or something.
Homework continues to dominate weekends, with what is really only a trickle of work that needs to be done. He is improving slowly but could still get it done a lot quicker.
We went out to dinner with the Goodins on Saturday night without any children. It was the first time since we did that with Charles back in January. We went to a pub owned by Ross' co-coach. The food was very reasonable, semi-traditional English food (run by a German).
We went off to One Tree Hill on Sunday and walked up it from the car park. We took a circuitous route, via lots of cute lambs, one stillborn one, and the cone full of rocks that people spell things with. Some of the work is very well done (there was a car, and Olympic logo, and heaps of other stuff), Rory spelled his name in letters about two metres high, I put little serifs on them to change the font (which Rory said was sad). Hannah made a smiley. We then went up to the top where it was very windy. We took a more direct route down. It was a nice thing to do, saw a few things I had never seen there before. There still isn't a tree on top of the hill, though.
Wednesday will be the first day of spring, and it will be six years since my grandmother died.
Father's Day next Sunday in New Zealand, so don't forget to phone home.
Three weeks until we go to California. Not sure whether I will manage to do these during our time away, I probably will.
30 August 2004
16 August 2004
Auckland loses the Ranfurly Shield (again) - 16/08/04
The Ranfurly Shield is a rugby trophy you can only win by beating the holder at their home ground. Many unions have not held the shield for many years (like 30 or 40) and some have never won it.
The Olympics are a vortex of non-achievement. You see a race and you just have to watch, you get sucked in and can't escape. People are being drawn to couches all over the world for 16 days.
LOCAL NEWS
A big week for crime and accidental death in New Zealand.
An accident in Golf Road (near Titirangi, where I grew up) killed three people one night this week.
Two women sexually assaulted another woman. Not often that this happens, so it makes the news.
I was a little confused about an item that said ski field blasting caused avalanche. I thought they blasted on mountains deliberately to cause avalanches. Apparently this caused an avalanche in an unplanned place, and the skiers had to ski-daddle.
Interest rates are slowly rising, and exchange rates are doing okay. Unemployment is pretty damn low, skilled labour is short. In theory New Zealand is doing all right.
An IRD employee resigned and then threw himself off the Auckland Harbour Bridge last week. He survived, but apparently the stress of the job was getting to him. There are many people out there that would hope this was the start of a trend and lots of IRD people would do the same thing.
Controversial Cambridge High School became the first school in New Zealand to be issued with a compliance notice (whatever that means, it isn't good). The head master resigned later in the week. They were doing something dodgy in the "achievement recovery room". I think it was basically where the pupils with little hope of success were sent to wait until they were old enough to leave.
There has been a murder in Northland near Kaikohe and a woman was missing (sounded like a husband got the boyfriend and the wife if laying low or in similar shape to the boyfriend, but proved untrue). Police are considering a charge of abduction against the man. The dead man was the guy's boss.
A car was stolen with a four year old girl in the back seat near Coromandel. The community used cell phones to track him down and the girl's Uncle ran him off the road and they apprehended him until police arrived.
A wounded police officer shot and killed a man in Pakuranga. Shame it wasn't Maurice Williamson (an MP). Instead, it reduced the number of Iranian immigrants by one. He was threatening to kill his wife.
Two New Zealand soldiers died when their truck went off the road on Banks Peninsula near Christchurch (we went there on our little trip). Usually the reason given is falling out of a jeep.
There was a tornado in Taranaki, killing one, injuring three and destroyed a farmhouse which failed to land on a wicked witch.
WORLD NEWS
Some 15yo lad in England discovered he had a broken neck, and it had been broken for up to ten years. He only went to hospital when he went a but numb after being pushed by a friend. The guy's name is Liam Careless (ironic, really).
Further dismay in England when 1 in 20 respondents in a test said that Gandalf the Grey defeated the Spanish Fleet. I wouldn't panic, I suspect it's just people who hadn't a clue trying to cheer themselves up. Other questions about when the Battle of Britain was and the Roman occupation of England was unknown. I think it is stupid to measure young people on the knowledge of the old. Our kids haven't a clue about many things that were widely known in our youth. Times change, people move on (and forget).
REAL SPORT
In water polo, they were playing my old school (Glen Eden Intermediate). They trailed 0-1, caught up, then trailed 1-3. In the third quarter they scored one goal and the opposition went nowhere near their goal. Rory was supposed to be in goal in the 4th, but we changed that as he was doing great work out in the field. In the last quarter they scored twice, nearly three times, but two was enough and the final score was a hard fought 4-3 win. Rory didn't score but defended very well and got the ball forward a lot.
Then Rory played for Team 3, scored two goals, but the team lost 7-3. He also missed a penalty. He asked if Team 1 needed any players (they didn't). No wonder he is tired on Saturdays.
Hannah's team were playing a Metro team just below them on the table. The other team attacked pretty hard, we spent a lot of time in our half of the field, didn't get to their end of the field until about the last ten minutes of the game. They defended very well, and competed hard for the ball. However, despite all that, we were rock solid in defence again, and final score was 0-0. This should be enough to guarantee we don't finish bottom of the table, which may not sound like much of an aspiration but being sure of that already is pretty good.
Rory's team were also playing a Metro team, just above them on the table. They played at the same time as Hannah's team but two fields away at the same ground (so I couldn't see any of it). It was 0-0 at half time, final score 1-1. Diana watched half of each game.
SPORT
Bollocks to the Olympics. The murdering boxer is out after boxing like a bar room brawler (he spear-tackled his opponent once and tried to do it a second time). He should never have gone to the games, I doubt many people cheered for him.
The Bay of Plenty beat Auckland in a historic Ranfurly Shield challenge yesterday. After Auckland beat two challengers and scored 100 points against both, it wasn't looking good for the Steamers. I think Waikato challenge this coming weekend, if they win, Auckland challenge for it again the week after.
Wellington won their opening NPC match against Canterbury. Don't know about the other games.
All Blacks lost 26-40 to South Africa. So far everyone has won their home matches in the tri-nations.
MY SAD LIFE
Heidi and Ad have been eating puffins in Iceland. Everyone in our house agrees that is icky, they are too cute to eat. Heidi says, in her defence, that there are an awful lot of the buggers (like six million), but they are still cute. Lambs are cute, but people eat them. Bunnies are a pest, but hardly anyone eats them. Being cute creates a protective field around potential food.
Koos, where are you, you rude bugger.
Charles, are you alive? (Charles who?)
Rory did his speech for the semi-final, no news on result yet. He didn't practice at all, lazy bugger.
Hannah has interschool soccer this Thursday. Rory has an interschool Mathex competition this Thursday night. Hannah has another tap dancing exam this coming Sunday. It's all go around here.
Went to see "Chronicles of Riddick" on Saturday afternoon with Gavin, Matt, and Kristy. Rory and Elliot came too, they were shocking. Would have happily left them behind, it was then that I realised having them sit somewhere else in the theatre was possibly a good thing.
We went out to dinner on Saturday to celebrate out anniversary (seeing we went to water polo on the day). We had a nice dinner just up the road, haven't been out to dinner since we went to Christchurch. I was going to do a little "memorable moments of marriage" thing, but I don't really have time and you'd all get bored or throw-up (or both). I don't think either of us can remember life before marriage, much, and it is certainly hard to remember life before children. Interestingly, there is no "material" for the 16th anniversary (you know 1st is paper, 2nd is cotton, 14th is aluminium, etc). There is a modern list where it seems every second one is diamonds or gold, promoted by jewellery stores I suspect - and developed in an age where the duration of marriages isn't long enough to have a decent shot at a good gift. I think there should be a blokes one (1st is hammer, 2nd is chisel set, 5th is power drill, etc). Anyway, I figure I don't have to get Diana anything until 20th (which is when the next one is on the list).
The Olympics are a vortex of non-achievement. You see a race and you just have to watch, you get sucked in and can't escape. People are being drawn to couches all over the world for 16 days.
LOCAL NEWS
A big week for crime and accidental death in New Zealand.
An accident in Golf Road (near Titirangi, where I grew up) killed three people one night this week.
Two women sexually assaulted another woman. Not often that this happens, so it makes the news.
I was a little confused about an item that said ski field blasting caused avalanche. I thought they blasted on mountains deliberately to cause avalanches. Apparently this caused an avalanche in an unplanned place, and the skiers had to ski-daddle.
Interest rates are slowly rising, and exchange rates are doing okay. Unemployment is pretty damn low, skilled labour is short. In theory New Zealand is doing all right.
An IRD employee resigned and then threw himself off the Auckland Harbour Bridge last week. He survived, but apparently the stress of the job was getting to him. There are many people out there that would hope this was the start of a trend and lots of IRD people would do the same thing.
Controversial Cambridge High School became the first school in New Zealand to be issued with a compliance notice (whatever that means, it isn't good). The head master resigned later in the week. They were doing something dodgy in the "achievement recovery room". I think it was basically where the pupils with little hope of success were sent to wait until they were old enough to leave.
There has been a murder in Northland near Kaikohe and a woman was missing (sounded like a husband got the boyfriend and the wife if laying low or in similar shape to the boyfriend, but proved untrue). Police are considering a charge of abduction against the man. The dead man was the guy's boss.
A car was stolen with a four year old girl in the back seat near Coromandel. The community used cell phones to track him down and the girl's Uncle ran him off the road and they apprehended him until police arrived.
A wounded police officer shot and killed a man in Pakuranga. Shame it wasn't Maurice Williamson (an MP). Instead, it reduced the number of Iranian immigrants by one. He was threatening to kill his wife.
Two New Zealand soldiers died when their truck went off the road on Banks Peninsula near Christchurch (we went there on our little trip). Usually the reason given is falling out of a jeep.
There was a tornado in Taranaki, killing one, injuring three and destroyed a farmhouse which failed to land on a wicked witch.
WORLD NEWS
Some 15yo lad in England discovered he had a broken neck, and it had been broken for up to ten years. He only went to hospital when he went a but numb after being pushed by a friend. The guy's name is Liam Careless (ironic, really).
Further dismay in England when 1 in 20 respondents in a test said that Gandalf the Grey defeated the Spanish Fleet. I wouldn't panic, I suspect it's just people who hadn't a clue trying to cheer themselves up. Other questions about when the Battle of Britain was and the Roman occupation of England was unknown. I think it is stupid to measure young people on the knowledge of the old. Our kids haven't a clue about many things that were widely known in our youth. Times change, people move on (and forget).
REAL SPORT
In water polo, they were playing my old school (Glen Eden Intermediate). They trailed 0-1, caught up, then trailed 1-3. In the third quarter they scored one goal and the opposition went nowhere near their goal. Rory was supposed to be in goal in the 4th, but we changed that as he was doing great work out in the field. In the last quarter they scored twice, nearly three times, but two was enough and the final score was a hard fought 4-3 win. Rory didn't score but defended very well and got the ball forward a lot.
Then Rory played for Team 3, scored two goals, but the team lost 7-3. He also missed a penalty. He asked if Team 1 needed any players (they didn't). No wonder he is tired on Saturdays.
Hannah's team were playing a Metro team just below them on the table. The other team attacked pretty hard, we spent a lot of time in our half of the field, didn't get to their end of the field until about the last ten minutes of the game. They defended very well, and competed hard for the ball. However, despite all that, we were rock solid in defence again, and final score was 0-0. This should be enough to guarantee we don't finish bottom of the table, which may not sound like much of an aspiration but being sure of that already is pretty good.
Rory's team were also playing a Metro team, just above them on the table. They played at the same time as Hannah's team but two fields away at the same ground (so I couldn't see any of it). It was 0-0 at half time, final score 1-1. Diana watched half of each game.
SPORT
Bollocks to the Olympics. The murdering boxer is out after boxing like a bar room brawler (he spear-tackled his opponent once and tried to do it a second time). He should never have gone to the games, I doubt many people cheered for him.
The Bay of Plenty beat Auckland in a historic Ranfurly Shield challenge yesterday. After Auckland beat two challengers and scored 100 points against both, it wasn't looking good for the Steamers. I think Waikato challenge this coming weekend, if they win, Auckland challenge for it again the week after.
Wellington won their opening NPC match against Canterbury. Don't know about the other games.
All Blacks lost 26-40 to South Africa. So far everyone has won their home matches in the tri-nations.
MY SAD LIFE
Heidi and Ad have been eating puffins in Iceland. Everyone in our house agrees that is icky, they are too cute to eat. Heidi says, in her defence, that there are an awful lot of the buggers (like six million), but they are still cute. Lambs are cute, but people eat them. Bunnies are a pest, but hardly anyone eats them. Being cute creates a protective field around potential food.
Koos, where are you, you rude bugger.
Charles, are you alive? (Charles who?)
Rory did his speech for the semi-final, no news on result yet. He didn't practice at all, lazy bugger.
Hannah has interschool soccer this Thursday. Rory has an interschool Mathex competition this Thursday night. Hannah has another tap dancing exam this coming Sunday. It's all go around here.
Went to see "Chronicles of Riddick" on Saturday afternoon with Gavin, Matt, and Kristy. Rory and Elliot came too, they were shocking. Would have happily left them behind, it was then that I realised having them sit somewhere else in the theatre was possibly a good thing.
We went out to dinner on Saturday to celebrate out anniversary (seeing we went to water polo on the day). We had a nice dinner just up the road, haven't been out to dinner since we went to Christchurch. I was going to do a little "memorable moments of marriage" thing, but I don't really have time and you'd all get bored or throw-up (or both). I don't think either of us can remember life before marriage, much, and it is certainly hard to remember life before children. Interestingly, there is no "material" for the 16th anniversary (you know 1st is paper, 2nd is cotton, 14th is aluminium, etc). There is a modern list where it seems every second one is diamonds or gold, promoted by jewellery stores I suspect - and developed in an age where the duration of marriages isn't long enough to have a decent shot at a good gift. I think there should be a blokes one (1st is hammer, 2nd is chisel set, 5th is power drill, etc). Anyway, I figure I don't have to get Diana anything until 20th (which is when the next one is on the list).
9 August 2004
A wet week and the we await the dreaded opening ceremony of the Olympics - 09/08/04
A funny old week, more rain than anything else.
LOCAL NEWS
The Jewish section in a Wellington cemetery was severely vandalised (something like 90 headstones broken or pushed over). Someone seriously has a problem with the Jewish community and is treated vandalism as a fitness regime (it must have taken a long time for one person).
A trans-tasman rowboat that was abandoned about two years ago has washed up on the coast of Queensland.
The Pacific Forum has been happening in Samoa, excellent because it exports Helen for a while. The wrestler known as "The Rock" showed up (he lived in Samoa until he was 14) and upstaged the forum big time.
News this week that immigrant scam arrests are up 900%. The roundness of the number suggests that there was 1 last year and they have found 9 this year. Then the news comes that the cost of expelling immigrants was $3m (which suggests that the figure of 9 is not far from the truth).
There's been lots of ice in the central north island. A large truck slipped off the road and a chunk of State Highway 1 was closed most of Sunday to get it back onto the road.
REAL SPORT
Grudge match for Rory's water polo team against Ponsonby 3 (he is in Ponsonby 2). One of their key players was out, so pressure was on. Rory went in goal in first quarter, made two awesome saves and they led 2-0 at the end of the quarter. He was off in the second quarter and they were under pressure. Team 3 scored one goal. In the third quarter, Rory's team did a bit better and I think ended the quarter 4-3. In the fourth quarter the other team was all over them, there was one weird decision where Rory was about to take a free throw and had the ball stripped (seems the coach thought the person passing the ball to Rory had already taken the throw). Team 3 scored again, and Georgia did well to deflect another one over the bar. Final score 4-4. Rory had a great game, but missed David (who also does a good job in goal).
It was too wet for training so we took the girls to an indoor cricket venue and played inside the nets. This became known as the "bouncy walls" place and Hannah now wants her birthday party there. We shall see. I think we will be going there again, somehow.
Hannah's team were up against the top of the table team. It was always going to be tough. The other team didn't know the game had been transferred and got to the field about 15 minutes late (technically we could claim a default win, but I didn't think that was sporting so we didn't). We lost the game 5-0, we did pretty well, but a couple of the goals were pretty soft, I think 2-0 would have been a fairer reflection. Regardless, it wasn't our worst result and certainly wasn't their best.
Rory's soccer game was cancelled, so he played for Team 2, who also had two guys from Team 3 play for them. They have struggled for numbers most weeks and only had one win this season, they needed the help. Their numbers were low at kickoff so Hannah played as well. Then two finally arrived (but she came back on a couple of times and did pretty well, was certainly not the weakest player in the team). They are bottom of the table and were playing a team that is third. The other team scored two early goals before they woke up, then they started to come right and were trailing 3-2 at one stage. The continuing pressure kept resulting in goals at the wrong end though, and the final score was a 2-6 loss. Rory looked really good out there (I haven't seen him play for weeks), and the guy from Team 3 who thinks he should be in a better team did okay but found it harder against quicker opposition.
SPORT
The Wallabies beat the All Blacks 23-18 so the tri-nations is not yet decided.
The Olympics start this week and I am not sure as many people care as the sponsors would like to think. We can predict the sort of news we will get:
- The cyclist from Lesotho who trained on a penny farthing in a minefield who comes cold motherless last but the media can't stop talking about him.
- The drugs cheats from just about everywhere.
- The swimming star disqualified for a false start.
- The record set by someone who sets a mark way above their personal best.
- The American 100m sprint relay team will drop the baton.
- The cute Ukranian female runner who is tripped in the 1500m by some Canadian woman that everyone hates.
- The dodgy decisions from the Russian Mafia funded rhythmic gymnastics judges.
MY PICK FOR THE OLYMPIC CEREMONY
Nana Mouskouri will make a spectacle of herself (is she still alive?).
MY SAD LIFE
The girls in Hannah's team are all getting their names on their jackets. They look awesome.
The kids both delivered their speeches this week. Rory has gone through to semi-finals. Homework seems to be a non-issue, that can't be good.
This coming Friday is our 16th wedding anniversary. I don't think I should say anything else at this point, in the interests of staying out of trouble. Except that I suppose we are really old farts.
It was a sad day on Saturday. We pulled down the playground (including the climbing wall) that has been in the back garden for nearly as long as we have been living in this house. It is going to the Bambi's for Sasha to play on. There were sixteen posts concreted into the ground, but because the ground was so damn soft it wasn't too hard to get them out. We got the concrete off the posts and put it back in the holes and covered it with dirt. It looked like the moon, an attack of gophers, or a new set of hedgehog traps for a while. There is lots of empty space out there now. I then attacked the greenery that had gone made behind the main slide thing the next day. It is a rite of passage in a way, the children are too old for it now. I am worried Diana is going to want to put something like a pergola out there now.
Naturally, I was utterly knackered after all that, but wasn't too sore the next day. I took the kids to the flea market at Avondale Sunday morning, Diana kept the bed warm. We got rained on a bit, but it was okay. Hannah was pretty grumpy about Rory coming (she wanted it to be just me and her, as soccer hadn't been just me and her because Rory's game started much later than hers). They actually were quite nice to each other, despite that. The kids were really funny later on Sunday, really annoying and bouncy. On the way home from the video store we made them get out and run home (from the other side of the school, so not that far). That calmed them down a bit.
Mum got back from England/Ireland this week with lots of photos.
It's only about six weeks until we go to California and destroy Paul's peace and quiet. We are starting to get some plans together but still utterly vague and disoriented.
Koos, what's happening?
Heidi, you back from holiday now? Must be.
THE CATS SAD LIFE
The cats have largely been behaving themselves, doing nothing too noteworthy.
Ollie was on the roof of the house this morning, when it started raining hard. The pitiful cries were loud and (you guessed it) pitiful. He made it down and was particularly wet.
I saw Pandora chase a cat off the section but couldn't tell if it was a police action or playing.
LOCAL NEWS
The Jewish section in a Wellington cemetery was severely vandalised (something like 90 headstones broken or pushed over). Someone seriously has a problem with the Jewish community and is treated vandalism as a fitness regime (it must have taken a long time for one person).
A trans-tasman rowboat that was abandoned about two years ago has washed up on the coast of Queensland.
The Pacific Forum has been happening in Samoa, excellent because it exports Helen for a while. The wrestler known as "The Rock" showed up (he lived in Samoa until he was 14) and upstaged the forum big time.
News this week that immigrant scam arrests are up 900%. The roundness of the number suggests that there was 1 last year and they have found 9 this year. Then the news comes that the cost of expelling immigrants was $3m (which suggests that the figure of 9 is not far from the truth).
There's been lots of ice in the central north island. A large truck slipped off the road and a chunk of State Highway 1 was closed most of Sunday to get it back onto the road.
REAL SPORT
Grudge match for Rory's water polo team against Ponsonby 3 (he is in Ponsonby 2). One of their key players was out, so pressure was on. Rory went in goal in first quarter, made two awesome saves and they led 2-0 at the end of the quarter. He was off in the second quarter and they were under pressure. Team 3 scored one goal. In the third quarter, Rory's team did a bit better and I think ended the quarter 4-3. In the fourth quarter the other team was all over them, there was one weird decision where Rory was about to take a free throw and had the ball stripped (seems the coach thought the person passing the ball to Rory had already taken the throw). Team 3 scored again, and Georgia did well to deflect another one over the bar. Final score 4-4. Rory had a great game, but missed David (who also does a good job in goal).
It was too wet for training so we took the girls to an indoor cricket venue and played inside the nets. This became known as the "bouncy walls" place and Hannah now wants her birthday party there. We shall see. I think we will be going there again, somehow.
Hannah's team were up against the top of the table team. It was always going to be tough. The other team didn't know the game had been transferred and got to the field about 15 minutes late (technically we could claim a default win, but I didn't think that was sporting so we didn't). We lost the game 5-0, we did pretty well, but a couple of the goals were pretty soft, I think 2-0 would have been a fairer reflection. Regardless, it wasn't our worst result and certainly wasn't their best.
Rory's soccer game was cancelled, so he played for Team 2, who also had two guys from Team 3 play for them. They have struggled for numbers most weeks and only had one win this season, they needed the help. Their numbers were low at kickoff so Hannah played as well. Then two finally arrived (but she came back on a couple of times and did pretty well, was certainly not the weakest player in the team). They are bottom of the table and were playing a team that is third. The other team scored two early goals before they woke up, then they started to come right and were trailing 3-2 at one stage. The continuing pressure kept resulting in goals at the wrong end though, and the final score was a 2-6 loss. Rory looked really good out there (I haven't seen him play for weeks), and the guy from Team 3 who thinks he should be in a better team did okay but found it harder against quicker opposition.
SPORT
The Wallabies beat the All Blacks 23-18 so the tri-nations is not yet decided.
The Olympics start this week and I am not sure as many people care as the sponsors would like to think. We can predict the sort of news we will get:
- The cyclist from Lesotho who trained on a penny farthing in a minefield who comes cold motherless last but the media can't stop talking about him.
- The drugs cheats from just about everywhere.
- The swimming star disqualified for a false start.
- The record set by someone who sets a mark way above their personal best.
- The American 100m sprint relay team will drop the baton.
- The cute Ukranian female runner who is tripped in the 1500m by some Canadian woman that everyone hates.
- The dodgy decisions from the Russian Mafia funded rhythmic gymnastics judges.
MY PICK FOR THE OLYMPIC CEREMONY
Nana Mouskouri will make a spectacle of herself (is she still alive?).
MY SAD LIFE
The girls in Hannah's team are all getting their names on their jackets. They look awesome.
The kids both delivered their speeches this week. Rory has gone through to semi-finals. Homework seems to be a non-issue, that can't be good.
This coming Friday is our 16th wedding anniversary. I don't think I should say anything else at this point, in the interests of staying out of trouble. Except that I suppose we are really old farts.
It was a sad day on Saturday. We pulled down the playground (including the climbing wall) that has been in the back garden for nearly as long as we have been living in this house. It is going to the Bambi's for Sasha to play on. There were sixteen posts concreted into the ground, but because the ground was so damn soft it wasn't too hard to get them out. We got the concrete off the posts and put it back in the holes and covered it with dirt. It looked like the moon, an attack of gophers, or a new set of hedgehog traps for a while. There is lots of empty space out there now. I then attacked the greenery that had gone made behind the main slide thing the next day. It is a rite of passage in a way, the children are too old for it now. I am worried Diana is going to want to put something like a pergola out there now.
Naturally, I was utterly knackered after all that, but wasn't too sore the next day. I took the kids to the flea market at Avondale Sunday morning, Diana kept the bed warm. We got rained on a bit, but it was okay. Hannah was pretty grumpy about Rory coming (she wanted it to be just me and her, as soccer hadn't been just me and her because Rory's game started much later than hers). They actually were quite nice to each other, despite that. The kids were really funny later on Sunday, really annoying and bouncy. On the way home from the video store we made them get out and run home (from the other side of the school, so not that far). That calmed them down a bit.
Mum got back from England/Ireland this week with lots of photos.
It's only about six weeks until we go to California and destroy Paul's peace and quiet. We are starting to get some plans together but still utterly vague and disoriented.
Koos, what's happening?
Heidi, you back from holiday now? Must be.
THE CATS SAD LIFE
The cats have largely been behaving themselves, doing nothing too noteworthy.
Ollie was on the roof of the house this morning, when it started raining hard. The pitiful cries were loud and (you guessed it) pitiful. He made it down and was particularly wet.
I saw Pandora chase a cat off the section but couldn't tell if it was a police action or playing.
2 August 2004
Poor old Russell and Rory's birthday -02/08/04
LOCAL NEWS
A builder was in a six metre deep trench when it collapsed in Auckland on Thursday. Family were not happy with how long it took to get gear there to rescue him. He died before they got him out, they don't know how quickly yet. It was reported that they could see his head but couldn't communicate with him, which would suggest he died pretty fast.
The farcical pseudo-charity fight for life was this week, and the World Shearing Champion was flattened by some TV presenter in a miserable bout. The highlight was the promoter (who pockets about a third of the revenue for his efforts) got beaten by former All Black Mark Cooksley. I don't normally enjoy boxing but that was fun.
Jonah Lomu received an anonymous kidney and is out of hospital now.
America's Cup traitor Russell Coutts has been sacked by Ernesto Bertorelli, a few days after he changed the rules so Coutts couldn't sail for anyone else. Coutts will be fighting it in court.
A divorced Maori builder has married an insignificant British Royal. I am not sure why this is news.
WORLD NEWS
The coverage of the democrat convention has been over the top. How can they justify the cost of such an event?
There was a big gas explosion in Belgium that killed about 15 people.
REAL SPORT
Rory had water polo this week. His team muscled the opposition, winning 15-1. Rory scored three, maybe four goals, and set up heaps of others. He played really well. His friend Zak played his first game of the season (he broke his arm at the beginning of the season) and struggled hugely. You need to be a strong swimmer, and he just isn't. It will be interesting to see if he keeps going, I think he would be better off in team 3 where he wouldn’t stick out so much.
Hannah's team played a team just below them on the table, but it has beaten a team that beat us. It was a hard fought match, with lots of activity in the middle on the park, on a very uneven pitch. At one point, one of the girls thought the ball was dead and went to pick it up, realised she shouldn't have and let it go. It should have been a penalty but the ref gave it as a direct free kick instead. The girls formed a wall and defended it. The field markings on the field were so bad I don't think anyone else realised it happened in the penalty area. I seven years of soccer I don't think I've seen a penalty given, so it would have been pretty harsh. In the end, it was a nil all draw, our first draw of the season.
Rory's team played a team that they had previously beaten that was bottom of the table. They made a hash of it, and Rory scored an own goal when trying to clear a ball (his first). Luckily, it didn't change the result (although it was close) and they won 3-2.
It's funny. Rory's team have scored more goals than anyone else in their competition, but have also conceded a lot too (about fifth on goals conceded, where first is a bad thing). Hannah's team are quite the opposite. They have scored only three goals, and conceded only six, and are about third lowest on both. Their total isn't even ten goals, yet every other team has one or both in double figures.
SPORT
The Poms beat the Windies in the second test.
The Aussies beat the boks in the tri-nations game. They lost in the last minute like against the ABs.
The Olympics are coming soon, but I am not sure I care.
After all the fuss about Russell Coutts being sacked, it turns out Ernesto Bertarelli has lent money to Team New Zealand for their America's Cup challenge. That just sounds weird, loaning money to a team so they can challenge to take the cup off you.
MY SAD LIFE
Peter Evans, one of your photos was published in the first issue of D-Photo (a new digital photography magazine). It ran an extract from my book, in which the photos look better than in the book. There is also a photo of Symon's in there, and a photo of Thomas Goodin. I will get some copies for interested people.
I have been basically miserable all week. Eyes improving, but cold turned into a cough. Not sleeping, feel very tired. It is awful when you are sick, you want to do all sorts of things and can't. Rory and Hannah have both had it since, although they are under control and didn't get it in both eyes like I did (having drugs on hand helps).
We had teacher interviews for Rory and Hannah this week, on consecutive days. Nothing major to report, they are both doing fine. Two of the teachers seemed a little defensive when we asked questions (when Diana asked questions, to be honest). I bet they hate those interviews.
I received a letter from New Zealand Soccer telling me I have been "deemed competent" as a Junior Club Coach. Given that they barely even knew who turned up to the refresher course, I am underwhelmed with their confidence in my dubious ability.
Did the radio show again, but with a cough. Lasted about 55 minutes without coughing then nearly choked at the end. I was sucking on a special vocalzone thing, drinking water, you name it, but I survived. Sounded very croaky for a while on air, though.
The right honourable mayor of Auckland, John Banks, has bought the company that Diana works for. We didn't even vote for him. It just feels icky.
Children continue to work on their speeches, they should be out of the way this week. Rory got distinction in an Australian science exam, but I reckon the answer for one question was wrong.
RORY IS NOW TWELVE
Well, we had a weekend of festivities. Saturday was reasonably quiet but he opened a few presents (they were small in number but large in pricetag this time). He finished the playstation game (Spiderman 2) the same day (he'd already rented it once and had saved it) but he is still going on it. The Robosapien was billed by him as a "five minute wonder" but is growing on him. He was pretty pleased with the water polo ball from Sarah and Scott. He has scored a fair amount of cash from the kids at the birthday party and is trying to figure out what to buy. He may just get some US$ for the trip. We had lasagne at home on Saturday night, with Gavin and Elsie.
The party on Sunday involved me and Gavin taking ten boys to laser force where you run around shooting each other. All ten plus Gavin went on one team, I went on the other (great, put the sick one on the other team). Their team wasted my team, who were largely useless, although I did come first in my team in the last game (something about soaring like an eagle when you work with turkeys is appropriate). They all had fun, then came home and trashed everything. Food fight, threw lemons at each other, ball tiggy, etc.
A builder was in a six metre deep trench when it collapsed in Auckland on Thursday. Family were not happy with how long it took to get gear there to rescue him. He died before they got him out, they don't know how quickly yet. It was reported that they could see his head but couldn't communicate with him, which would suggest he died pretty fast.
The farcical pseudo-charity fight for life was this week, and the World Shearing Champion was flattened by some TV presenter in a miserable bout. The highlight was the promoter (who pockets about a third of the revenue for his efforts) got beaten by former All Black Mark Cooksley. I don't normally enjoy boxing but that was fun.
Jonah Lomu received an anonymous kidney and is out of hospital now.
America's Cup traitor Russell Coutts has been sacked by Ernesto Bertorelli, a few days after he changed the rules so Coutts couldn't sail for anyone else. Coutts will be fighting it in court.
A divorced Maori builder has married an insignificant British Royal. I am not sure why this is news.
WORLD NEWS
The coverage of the democrat convention has been over the top. How can they justify the cost of such an event?
There was a big gas explosion in Belgium that killed about 15 people.
REAL SPORT
Rory had water polo this week. His team muscled the opposition, winning 15-1. Rory scored three, maybe four goals, and set up heaps of others. He played really well. His friend Zak played his first game of the season (he broke his arm at the beginning of the season) and struggled hugely. You need to be a strong swimmer, and he just isn't. It will be interesting to see if he keeps going, I think he would be better off in team 3 where he wouldn’t stick out so much.
Hannah's team played a team just below them on the table, but it has beaten a team that beat us. It was a hard fought match, with lots of activity in the middle on the park, on a very uneven pitch. At one point, one of the girls thought the ball was dead and went to pick it up, realised she shouldn't have and let it go. It should have been a penalty but the ref gave it as a direct free kick instead. The girls formed a wall and defended it. The field markings on the field were so bad I don't think anyone else realised it happened in the penalty area. I seven years of soccer I don't think I've seen a penalty given, so it would have been pretty harsh. In the end, it was a nil all draw, our first draw of the season.
Rory's team played a team that they had previously beaten that was bottom of the table. They made a hash of it, and Rory scored an own goal when trying to clear a ball (his first). Luckily, it didn't change the result (although it was close) and they won 3-2.
It's funny. Rory's team have scored more goals than anyone else in their competition, but have also conceded a lot too (about fifth on goals conceded, where first is a bad thing). Hannah's team are quite the opposite. They have scored only three goals, and conceded only six, and are about third lowest on both. Their total isn't even ten goals, yet every other team has one or both in double figures.
SPORT
The Poms beat the Windies in the second test.
The Aussies beat the boks in the tri-nations game. They lost in the last minute like against the ABs.
The Olympics are coming soon, but I am not sure I care.
After all the fuss about Russell Coutts being sacked, it turns out Ernesto Bertarelli has lent money to Team New Zealand for their America's Cup challenge. That just sounds weird, loaning money to a team so they can challenge to take the cup off you.
MY SAD LIFE
Peter Evans, one of your photos was published in the first issue of D-Photo (a new digital photography magazine). It ran an extract from my book, in which the photos look better than in the book. There is also a photo of Symon's in there, and a photo of Thomas Goodin. I will get some copies for interested people.
I have been basically miserable all week. Eyes improving, but cold turned into a cough. Not sleeping, feel very tired. It is awful when you are sick, you want to do all sorts of things and can't. Rory and Hannah have both had it since, although they are under control and didn't get it in both eyes like I did (having drugs on hand helps).
We had teacher interviews for Rory and Hannah this week, on consecutive days. Nothing major to report, they are both doing fine. Two of the teachers seemed a little defensive when we asked questions (when Diana asked questions, to be honest). I bet they hate those interviews.
I received a letter from New Zealand Soccer telling me I have been "deemed competent" as a Junior Club Coach. Given that they barely even knew who turned up to the refresher course, I am underwhelmed with their confidence in my dubious ability.
Did the radio show again, but with a cough. Lasted about 55 minutes without coughing then nearly choked at the end. I was sucking on a special vocalzone thing, drinking water, you name it, but I survived. Sounded very croaky for a while on air, though.
The right honourable mayor of Auckland, John Banks, has bought the company that Diana works for. We didn't even vote for him. It just feels icky.
Children continue to work on their speeches, they should be out of the way this week. Rory got distinction in an Australian science exam, but I reckon the answer for one question was wrong.
RORY IS NOW TWELVE
Well, we had a weekend of festivities. Saturday was reasonably quiet but he opened a few presents (they were small in number but large in pricetag this time). He finished the playstation game (Spiderman 2) the same day (he'd already rented it once and had saved it) but he is still going on it. The Robosapien was billed by him as a "five minute wonder" but is growing on him. He was pretty pleased with the water polo ball from Sarah and Scott. He has scored a fair amount of cash from the kids at the birthday party and is trying to figure out what to buy. He may just get some US$ for the trip. We had lasagne at home on Saturday night, with Gavin and Elsie.
The party on Sunday involved me and Gavin taking ten boys to laser force where you run around shooting each other. All ten plus Gavin went on one team, I went on the other (great, put the sick one on the other team). Their team wasted my team, who were largely useless, although I did come first in my team in the last game (something about soaring like an eagle when you work with turkeys is appropriate). They all had fun, then came home and trashed everything. Food fight, threw lemons at each other, ball tiggy, etc.
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