Author: migrant

At long last Isaac loses a tooth. Much awaited, and pleased all around. Isaac last one in class to do the honours. Parents can stop worrying about rare case of absent secondary dentition, and having to pay for tooth implants.

Not too long until we jump in the taxi, and then fly lots of miles in our attempt to hasten global climate change. A topic for heated discussion?
Sport on today as usual. The Quirkes managed to make a record-2 competitors and 3 loses!
Eleanor played an extra game for another team an lost in that one as well.
Nice clear but cold day for sport.
Looking forward to some sunshine-I do hope.
Anyway, got to go. Have to watch Shaz pack the suitcases.

A family trying to sort out packing suitcases, new ones by the way, still has many things to keep abreast of.
So today we have to hand in Joe’s project for the school science fair, Isaac has to go to school as an Egyptian, and Eleanor has a ballet exam. Toooooooo much.

Photo courtesy of Joe.

Isaac is now on the “concert” trail.
Last night he had his first performance in the school library. He has been learning keyboard piano since February, and so he and the other learners gave a demonstration to keen parents and co-musicians.
The first of many events?

The weather is cooling. Maybe it is fortunate wew are off to seek winter sun.
It was cold last night, especially when the covers have been taken off your back!
The upside was the beautiful clear sky, with orange colours of the sunrise, and the light clouds hanging over the harbour.
I used my Balaclava on the bike today-remember those. Last one I had was green and knitted by my Mum.

Le jeu etait tres mauvais. L’argent a la toilette.

Yes there was a partial family trip to the sporting non-event of the year yesterday. Shaz, Joe and myself dutifully went to the game a the Cake Tin last night.

The stadium was full, and our “cheap” seats were low level, at midway and close to the action.Our view was a little obscured by the Sky tv camera and the players lined up on the benches. The atmosphere was reasonable for NZ and so were hopeful for a good game.
It quickly became apparent that the game was not going to be up to scratch. It became tedious to watch, being one sided so much. I doubt it was much use to either side to assess the state of their teams, and certainly a downer for the paying public. The NZRU , press and everyone and his dog has been banging on here about countries sending below strength teams, and with justification. This “tour” has been a waste, and just sucks money out of the public, mugs like me. It cannot augur well for the health of international rugby.
Last night I felt like leaving at half-time, and spent the second half thinking about getting up early on Sunday morning, to go to work, to try to cover the cost of the “fun night out”-about $270 all in.
I think I would have enjoyed the lie in more.

Not quite a RAF airfield, but a visit on NZ scale.
Monday was the Queens Birthday holiday here-no I do not know why! We went to Wright’s Hill to the site of a defensive gun emplacement built during WW2 to offer protection from the expected Japanese invasion. It has been renovated by a trust and opens to the public on four days of the year. We walked around where the guns were, and through the tunnels and then had a mock battle display. The Kiwis were fighting off aset of bad guys in German uniforms-I think too difficult to get the right gear nd make up to look the part. Anyway lots of bangs and grown men acting like big kids.
On a historical note, work started in WW2, and by the time came to guns being installed the threat was over. Two of three originally planned guns were installed but never fired in anger. One has three test shots in 1946, the other in 1947. They were later dismantled and the guns sent to Japan as scrap!

A ship is currently visiting Wellington, the Esmeralda a Chilean naval training ship with a tarnished past. A beautiful ship to look at, and the public were allowed to look around yesterday afternoon.

Father and daughter had an afternoon date at the ballet, to see Swan Lake
I have never seen this ballet before( I have not seen that many at all!), and it has its”hits” which are good. The swan scenes are great but the other aspects are less good to my eye, and the music less memorable on its own that others I feel. Still, a great afternoon.
A synopsis for those interested.

A controversial trip to under 12 rugby this week. Joe’s team played Newlands, who are only a junior club, and come from the suburb that I work in.
A new sight of rucking the body of a player on the floor in the first half, and with the changing of refs in the second half-incompetence or just cheating? he awarded a penalty for a forward pass from which the oppo then scored a try. I admit, I saw the next fracas from a distance; a punching was alleged, and their best player, a strapping wide as a house lad, was “substituted”. Then to round it off there was a 26 man melee, grappling for the ball and went over our try line. The ref gave the try. Now it may well have been a try, I was too far away to see, but I knew as the play went on that if they got over te try line a try would be awarded. No TMOs at this level!
Not surprisingly, this resulted in one very unhappy coach.