A lot can happen in a short space of time, this week was one of those weeks. Last Monday, Sandy Stewart drowned at Bayley's Beach. This is north of Glinks Gulley, where Charles has his family bach and where we went with the Goodins. Sandy Stewart was Diana's cousin, and more importantly, brother of Jack Stewart who gets these emails and contributes occasionally. We got a call from Jack on Tuesday morning, just as Hannah was leaving for her first day at Intermediate. The story of his drowning was on the front page of the Herald but we just didn't notice the name. I had never met Sandy, but know Frida, his sister, quite well. I feel I know Jack, too, although we haven't actually met, and I have met one of Sandy's children.
LOCAL NEWS
The same day that Sandy was in the news, Robert Hewitt was presumed drowned off the Kapiti Coast. He was the brother of Nasty Norm Hewitt, ordinary All Black and winner of some dancing show. Then, on Wednesday, he was found alive on a small island, suffering from sunburn and dehydration but otherwise in considerably better shape than they thought. He dominated local news for days afterward.
The coverage continues, finally yesterday Robert was upset by John Banks saying it could be a hoax. Although I think technically Banks said he didn't drift as far as he thought and could have had a rest on a rock or something. As much as I dislike Banks, I am not sure that Hewitt should be considered a national hero.
The public was stunned to hear that police are trialling tasers as offender disabling devices.
There was a discussion of rights of parents to screen embryos to choose gender. Not sure why this is such a problem if abortion is okay.
Nasty air accident in the Manawatu. Two training aircraft came together with student pilots flying solo (but flying duet for a brief period of time). They both died.
The local laughing stock lottery, Big Wednesday, has been running a good ten weeks or more and finally the major prize was struck, having jackpotted to something like 11 million.
Not a good weekend for teenagers slipping into rivers, a 15 yo boy drowned in Hamilton and a 17 yo girl drowned in Wanaka.
Poor Matata, the small township got flooded again, about a year after the last one, with roads and rail being flooded.
Avondale College made the news because they are about to release a website where parents can log in to check their child's attendance, progress with NCEA, and other stuff.
People earning minimum wage have been making noise about it being insufficient, and they had a large meeting to discuss possible action. The bulk of them are Mcdonalds and similar fast food workers, but there are many others.
A man died when struck by a car on State Highway 2, after having to walk home when the driver of the car he was in was done for excessive breath alcohol. His son says police refused to give them a lift. Police say the man refused a lift when offered. He isn't in a position to provide his view. Walking along a road where cars go 100km/h whilst inebriated may be hazardous to your health.
We haven't heard anything about Harmeet Souden for ages. I think he is still alive.
WORLD NEWS
The new species they found in New Guinea were pretty cool.
SPORT
The Super 14 started this weekend. The Blues squandered a 16-3 half time lead to lose 19-37 to the Hurricanes. There were other games too.
Sri Lanka upset the Aussies, winning the first game in the tri-series final. Aussie won the second after scoring something like 365 runs. Not sure when the decider is.
The Winter Olympics are on, not really watching it, but it is stopping me watching my early morning TV.
Liverpool beat Wigan 1-0, Everton beat Blackburn 1-0 despite losing a player in the 9th minute. The big news is that Middlesbrough beat Chelsea 3-0, don’t think Chelsea have lost a game this season, so that is a huge result. Fulham beat West Brom 6-1, and Man Utd got a 3-1 win over Portsmouth.
REAL SPORT
Rory started training for a couple of water polo games against a Christchurch club in a fortnight. Hannah isn't in the girls team but we thought she was too young anyway. Not sure that the team is up to much, but we shall see.
MY SAD LIFE
Hannah's first week at school went well. She isn't in the geek class, which both surprised and disappointed her and us. She has done well so far this week, being 2nd best girl at the beep test (a fitness thing, Brooke was first, she has played in the Sirens a couple of times) and then she and Brooke finished something first and did best in English so got a prize. It is odd seeing her in her Ponsonby uniform.
Rory's week at school started slowly. First there was an hour long powhare, which is like a pc gibberish speech from hell (all in Maori). Two hours first day at school, then three hours, then a whole day Friday. He is going to try out for senior water polo team. I don't think it will be too hard for him to get in.
I went to the rugby on Friday night with Rory, as guests of HP. It was in a nice spot, leather seats and our own beer fridge at the end of the block. Rory was in heaven, drank many carbonated beverages and partook of the free food. I think he even got distracted by the rugby once or twice.
Diana went North on Thursday and stayed up there Thursday night. The service was done by a minister at the grave-side, and the after-match function was at Frida's. A lot of kidneys had a lot of work to do, by the sound of it. Diana got home from Dargaville Friday afternoon. It seemed to go okay, I suppose, at least she made it back in one piece.
It was "Gay Day Out" yesterday, which happens at Coyle Park not far from out house. We had the usual parking problem, massive noise from the music, and a whole heap of strangely-dressed people wandering around the streets. I reckon you could sell "honestly, I am straight" t-shirts to locals on days like that. You don't even want to check your letterbox.
The Goodins arrived on Saturday and we installed new curtains in Hannah and Rory's rooms. Hannah's room is mostly reinstated after the painting. Rory actually put up one curtain himself. Diana disappeared with Paul looking at houses while the curtains went in.
Rory went to the lantern festival with his friend Matt on Sunday night. Came home with a coolie hat, quite happy with himself.
It is Gavin's birthday tomorrow. He will be a year older than he was today.
It is also Valentine's Day tomorrow. Bollocks to that.
Nicola Chambers was admitted to the bar last week. Allan and Jacqui are very proud, I am sure.
Diana said she got an email from Jack, and he is coming over in May. I should get to meet him then.
Today is the first Monday we have had to work for three weeks. Bit of a shock, actually.
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