17 October 2005

News from the wrong side of the Pacific - 17/10/05

LOCAL NEWS
I feel like a bit of a cheat talking about local NZ news when I get more news from SF this week. So this week the local news is local to San Francisco.
In a pumpkin growing competition, as a lead up to hallowe'en, a man won with a 1200 pound monster, winning $6,000 which is about $5 a pound. I think he grew it on a pallet.
The De Young Museum opened this weekend. We might go take a look, depending upon how busy it is.
NZ NEWS

Still no government, but some rumours exist of National courting Winston so who knows what will happen. Seriously wondering what is going on.
Not having a good time with road safety in the Hawkes Bay, killing one a week at the moment.
They finally rescued a boat that had been adrift for 22 days or something. Everyone was well and pretty happy to be off the boat.
A Rotorua man was in court because he left a dog poo in a park. I can't believe
A soldier died in a white water rafting accident. How is that military training? They going to raft down the Tigris and storm the palace? He was the 20th soldier to die on home soil since 1990. Less die overseas. It's a bit like the statistics on accidents at home, I suspect.
An out of control jet boat left the river and nearly wiped out a bunch of spectators. Luckily, there were no soldiers in the group.
A catholic GP has publicly announced he can no longer give advice to people on contraception. Instances of doctrine overriding common sense are particularly pathetic when it could ruin the lives of the people they are supposed to be helping. I wonder if he will cut his price for young women? Perhaps he will lose tons of customers.
REST OF THE WORLD NEWS
The EU are sweating about bird flu now. This has been bubbling away and will either be a disaster or a non-event.
REAL SPORT
I missed the water polo but I got reports from home. Waitak 2 (Hannah's team) lost to Henderson, didn't get told the score but Hannah played in all four quarters included two in goal. She seemed happy enough. Ponsonby Red beat Glen Eden 1 9-1, Ponsonby Blue lost 2-7 to Bruce McLaren 1. Red needs to beat them when they play next.
Rory then had training the next morning and a club game later in the day. They lost 3-11 to Marist 1 I think. Rory played three games and trained for an hour in less than 24 hours.
I will get to see their games next week, yay!
SPORT
In NPC rugby, Otago upset Canterbury in the first Semi-final 37-22, at Jade. Auckland beat North Harbour 38-24. I think Auckland has the home final.
Big news was the Kiwis beating the Kangaroos in a League test, 38-28, their first win in Sydney for 46 years (that is a long long time in League years).
The cricket all starts are playing a test against Australia but it sounds like crap.
Newcastle lost to Wigan 0-1, Liverpool beat Blackburn 1-0, Chelsea had a 5-1 romp over Bolton. Man Utd beat Sunderland 3-1.
MY SAD LIFE
Not whinging or anything but carrying crap up and down stairs has featured a lot this week. We do a set of trips down to the landing, down two flights of stairs, then take that lot from there to under the house. It is very physical.
It has been interesting observing the American way of selling houses. They seem to prefer to move out and get the house "staged". There is an open home in an apartment in Paul's building today. We will make ourselves scarce for that.
Diana helped Gavin prepare his house for Jana/Yana/Yarner (delete wrong ones).
It is Paul's birthday today, Sunday here but Monday at home. Please note that service does not extend to everyone to help unpack your house to shift on your birthday.
Paul said the back fence at his parents house blew over, so the weather does not sound good.

Cooking here is now....problematic. We basically packed everything that wasn't in the dishwasher so I had to fry eggs this morning again with my trusty spoon (we still have a pan, the spoon replaces the slicey thing). Vegetable consumption continues to be sporadic and largely unplanned. Fruit consumption is okay, including mostly apples, grapes, and these tiny hairless kiwifruit the size of grapes.
Saw a few kids playing soccer over here, small fields in the afternoon on a Friday and Saturday. Interesting observing the different approach. At least the ball is still round.
The family are surviving well without me. The house is considerably quieter. Rory is continuing to text excessively, 460 yesterday, how they counted I don't know.
Armageddon is this coming weekend, also Labour weekend in nz so I get three days but they will be hectic.
After talking to his friend Anne, Paul googled himself and finds he is less notorious on the web than I am. Googling yourself is a lame thing to do.
Going home Wednesday, really looking forward to seeing the family.

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