8 March 2005

Swim sports, the Pope recovers, Michael Schumaker didn't - 07/03/03

LOCAL NEWS

Destiny Church marched up Queen St but was halted by protestors, it got a little uncomfortable there for a while. Bishop Tamaki hasn't been promoted again, so far, but just wait.

Been lots of whinging about additional charges on petrol to pay for roads.

They found a person from the Unimog accident, no Unimog yet and one person still unaccounted for.

Labour and Immigration Minister Paul Swain is hoping Nzers will return from overseas to fill holes due to skill shortages.

Prince Charles got pissed off with everyone ignoring him in Aussie because the princess of Denmark was there at the same time and drew way bigger crowds. So he came to NZ and visited an albatros (as one does).

Peter Jackson is suing New Line Cinema over profit sharing of the first Lord of the Rings movie.

WORLD NEWS

Michael Jackson's trial began. Stevie Wonder is testifying on behalf of Jackson. Apparently he says he didn't see anything untoward.

US Soldiers have started killing Italians in Iraq. "Their country starts with the letter i like Iraq and Iran" said GW, "so we figured, why not?"

It's very dodgy that the Queen isn’t attending Charles' wedding to Camilla (I know it is only part of it but she is his mother).

A German tourist was swept away in a swollen creek (a creek? What's the difference between a creek and a stream, and how does it get to be a river?).

The Pope is improving.

SPORT

NZ player Ryan Nelson captained Blackburn to an FA Cup win. He is first NZ player to play premiership for quite a while.

Blues won over Reds 18-15, that's two from two so far. Good start for a change. No bonus points but wins are wins. Crusaders thumped Chiefs 50-18, Hurricanes won away in South Africa so they are two from two. Highlanders drew 16-16 with the Stormers.

Michael Schumaker didn't win in Australian F1.

MY SAD LIFE

There was a dead cat on the road next door to us on Monday, I thought it was Ollie but it wasn't. Poor Hannah saw it when she came home from school (I was going to go get her then got sidetracked). She was pretty upset when she got home but improved instantly when I showed her Ollie asleep on Rory's bed.

Rory had swim sports on Wednesday. He won every heat he entered. In the finals he came third in breaststroke, third in backstroke. Then in freestyle there was nobody else in it, he won by three body lengths. In the relay final his team was last on the fourth length, with leaders nearly half the pool away. Rory steamed up the pool and caught them, people were watching him so much they failed to notice who actually won. A parent said to Ms Hooper (water polo teacher) "Rory is a very good swimmer". Ms H replied "He is no swimmer, he is a water polo player." We think this is really funny, it might not seem so funny in writing, but Ms H is very competitive and possessive of her water polo kids. Given that Rory did not even win a heat at the swim sports last year, I think we can credit water polo for the massive improvement.

On Thursday, Rory had softball interschool champs. He did well, but team came about 8th (not sure of how many, but they won two games and had a draw that they would have won but weird rules of half finished innings apply). I took him straight from there to water polo practice. He made a couple of base hits and a home run.

On Friday, he came back down to earth with a thump when he was told by a teacher he was not allowed to wear his dodgy t-shirt, especially not in front of the school at assembly.

Hannah has swim sports today. Diana is working and I am tied up with an audio so Nanny is going to attend, although I am going to try to sneak in. It may well be postponed, the weather isn't so good.

Allan is in Canada, on to San Francisco on the way home. I went to the pub with him on Thursday night to help him evade a Tupperware party at home (it's what a true friend would do). We were having a beer at the London Bar when a man came in selling flowers. He didn't even stop at our table and ask. Wasn't sure whether I should be offended or relieved.

Penny went home with a sore shoulder, which seems to have severely impacted her ability to work.

Diana and I went to the top of Mt Wellington and ate dinner on Saturday night. She had never been there at all, and I hadn't been to the top. It was a clear night, the view is very different to that on places like Mt Eden and One Tree Hill.

Rory's homework is building, although we seem to be coping so far.

At the swimming pool on Friday night, we saw some free divers. We went and talked to them for a while. They can do two lengths underwater easily, and five lengths if they are prepared to endure physical pain. They can hold their breath for up to seven minutes. The little thing around their neck is a mini-weight belt to help them stay under. I timed myself and do a length underwater in 26 seconds, which is faster than I can do a length backstroke.

I sent 35 emails about soccer on Friday, and am very busy getting things organised for around 80 kids. We have trials for Hannah and Rory tonight.

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