Author: migrant

Eleanor and friends had a big night on Saturday. As well as having a ball to celebrate the end of their school experience, it seems the norm in New Zealand is to have a semi-formal ball i the year preceding. So it was EQ’s turn with her friends from St. Mary’s, along with the lads/boys/men in tow.

The photos are from the pre-ball party. There were plenty at the ball itself, and the after-party. All of which are standard requirements.  The ball had a disco (music not good enough), buffet food and too may teachers in attendance. So I was told anyway.

Late to bed-3-30, and a slow Sunday.

Isaac again.
He has been doing an “elective” at school this time-learning to play the ukelele as part of an ukelele orchestra. He has taken well to it, and I went to the assembly to watch the performance.
Here is an example of his prowess.

The “arties’ have been at it again, seeing Samuel Becketts’s “Waiting for Godot”.

This is a famous play that I knew little about before we went to see it. Having read up about it before hand, I did not know I would be any the wiser. As it happens, going along did not enlighten me much further to its “meaning”, but it was a positive experience all the same. The performances by the four actors were great. It received a very positive review in the Dom Post.

Ian McKellen was as good as one would expect. Matthew Kelly, from “Stars in your eyes” fame and other such tv stuff was also very good, and quite a step away from the work I have seen him do. The actor for “Lucky” was quite brilliant, from his quiet moments of stillness and would guess pain to the soliloquy he performs.

As to the meaning-life, death, friendship, dementia, the cruelty of man and how easy it is to join in? Who knows.

Another successful choice.

Isaac has been playing the piano for a while. His most recent piece really sounds like music, and so deserves a wider audience.

These photos never seem to show the true “athlete” that I feel inside when running. Why is that?

Seems they did not capture Joe or Sara.

Continuing on the theme of world cups, Joe is showing off his recent present from Helen and Andrew. It is a signed shirt of all the 2007 All Blacks squad.

Thanks very much. A lucky lad.

So it is all over for England. No more need to be up at 2am to watch games.

It has been interesting to read the responses to the game and the performance. England were poor, and all the limitations that were apparent have been the same ones that have existed for years. Unskilful defenders who cannot take the ball out and pass. The long ball game-typified by the back pass to the goalie who then humps it upfield. Poor ball control and hopefull passes.
Lots of reputation and little substance.

As you get older it sinks in that this situation has existed since you can remember and that there is no longer any reason to think that it is going to change. Future optimism is wasted.

Because I was alive in 1966, the famous game seems more real-but it was 44 years ago! There is nothing to make one think that there will be a time when England will change and so be capable to winning. So this takes me back to a question I asked my Dad many moons ago sitting in the pub with him and my brother Patrick-“Did he think that in his lifetime Brentford would reach the FA Cup final?’ Well they have not and will not.

Now likewise, will England reach the World Cup final in my lifetime?

Will things change? No. Come August suporters will have forgotten the pain. They will be happy to see fast but less skillful Premiership football played by an assortment of international players, ensuring ‘their’ team is doing well. The club corporates will be happy because the money will be still flowing in, and so the players will be happy as they will still be paid handsomely.

Yes that is us, not the soon to be successful England football team.

This morning we completed the Harbour Capital half-marathon and 10K.
10C, strong southerly wind to chill the bones a bit more and rain. What do you expect when you organise a race at the beginning of winter?

Preparation has not been ideal. Bad weather makes for less training, and the athletes curse- a viral illness in the week of the race did not help. However, the adults were all “Skins”-uped, which I am sure helped with muscle fatigue in the conditions.

So the ‘scores-on-the-doors’:
Sara completed in 2-03, a magnificent 10 minutes faster than in February.
Tel finished in 1-52, a much more satisfactory time. All was feeling good until the last 3k when the legs seized.
Joe did a fine 63 minutes.

No photos of us this time as we left Isaac and Eleanor at home. We did not think we could justify hypothermia just to take some pics and shout “common on” three times.

So what next on the athletic horizon? To be decided when the legs function again!