Category: Uncategorized

The week in review

Anthony and Linda are currently enjoying their second trip to NZ in two years, and this time the weather seems to be a little more amenable.

They stayed in Wellington last week, arriving on the midnight flight from Sydney on Thursday. Their arrival meant two important changes in lifestyle. Firstly, the fast was over, and alcohol appeared again in our lives after six and half weeks of being on the outer. Secondly, it meant that late nights were back in fashion. It was great seeing them, and it was particularly good timing with respect to Isaac’s birthday. Lucky Isaac received an extra present and at the same time his birthday audience was swelled by two. So they had the pleasure of an (British)Indian style curry with two on Isaac’s friends with the rest of the clan.

Anthony alos had the “pleasure” of witnessing the Quirke boys in action on the cricket field. First up was a trip across town to Seatoun to watch Isaac play first thing Saturday morning. Isaac was not at his best, with a lack of concentration and indifferent attitude. Then in the afternoon a trip just up the road to see Joe play. We only saw him bowl the last few balls of the innings. He had taken 2 wickets. The oppo had scored plenty of runs, helped by all the dropped catches. The lad who scored a ton was I think 104/4 personally.
Then his team batted, and did so abysmally-Joe included. As a team they played at everything, missed most of the deliveries, and when they did connect, the ball was always in the air. So catches galore. An embarrassing 42/8, with only 10 players and a further one too ill to bat. Maybe this coming week will be better!

We managed to fit in a Super 14 game as well on Saturday night. Anthony’s first, and my first for 2 years. It featured the Hurricanes and the Lions-a South African team. King Carlos was playing for the oppo, and he still looked good to my eyes, despite his age. A stand out player was the No8, who American. I recognised him because of his size and his pony tail. Joe knew he he was of course. For the record, the Canes won, and it was an enjoyable game. This season’s rugby seems to have improved. There is less of the continual kicking tennis.

Anthony and Linda are now in the South Island, having been to Nelson and Abel Tasman park, and now going down the West Coast. The sun has shone on them.

Brentford take on Mexico in Pasadena

Brentford supplied more talent ot the intrernational scene at the All Whites warm-up game in California. As the Dom Post reports on the respectable defeat to Mexico:

Lacking skipper Ryan Nelsen and the experienced Ivan Vicelich, the All Whites fielded an experimental 5-3-2 formation with two wingbacks. Herbert described his new back three of Ben Sigmund, Andy Boyens and Tommy Smith as “on trial”.
It appeared they passed that test, with Sigmund clearly New Zealand’s best, thwarting a wave of first-half assaults from the Mexicans.
Herbert described the debutant 19-year-old Smith as “outstanding”.

World Cup already looking good.

Badge Collection


EQ is displaying here curent lapel status.
She has a gold badge in recognition of her “excellence”at NCEA 1. I do not think there is an official certificate, though her school did present its own.
The other badge is ecognition of her membership iof the school “special character” committee.

Apparently more badges are in the pipeline for Debating and…..forgotten.

Wonder Mum

Round the Bays 2010



Spot the difference?

Well it is 13 years and 18 minutes quicker.

The Qs were at it again for the summer of physical activity.

The adults did the half marathon, while Joe did the 7K and Isaac and Eleanor were on photo duty, and looking after us at the finish.

Mrs. Q had a fine run hitting her target and blowing away her previous time. Apparently the iPod and Skins made all the difference, as well of course, as the sticking to the training regime.

The official time was 2:13, in hot conditions. No cloud cover and 20C even when we were out on the roads.So well done to Shaz. Here’s to the next one.

Joe did well coming in at 38 minutes. The lad is on a roll.



MG came in feeling as bad as he looks in the 1997 photo. I was doing ok until 9k, with good time and feeling fresh. Then….phut.
So the training was not quite enough. Finished in 1:57, slower than the aim of 1:55 and the desire of 1:50.

So does one see it as:

  • did well to run almost as quickly as 13 years ago or
  • 13 years ago run as badly as a middle aged man?



Special thanks to EQ for holding the camera.

So far today Shaz has been through the paper finding as many people as possible that she knows who did the run-and seeing if she beat them!

Scorching pace

Team Quirke again let rip on the south coast!
The family was out again on Sunday to revisit the arena of its sporting success. It was a repeat of the Wellington anniversary distances for the triathlon and duathlon. We did not feel ready for a step up, being cautious, and biding out time.
Joe put his shoulder to the wheel despite an untimely viral attack. The cycling machinery was the same as last time. My efforts to sort out my chain were in the end too little-technical issues persisted. Eleanor struggled with her less than ideal mountain bike. We refused to let these matters deter us in our zeal for improvement.Posted by Picasa
The team did very well, with everyone improving their time, though Dad made the greatest improvement and so was awarded the Moro bar prize.
If one studies the photos you will notice Joe’s new cycling top-awarded in recognition of his achievements last time out. You will also notice MG is wearing a new top. Now, was that because:
  1. it was a prize for losing the previously exposed middle-aged spread?
  2. or as a means to hide the middle-aged spread?

answers on a postcard to………

We are already planning out next activities. EQ will enter a schools competition next week, and Joe will be doing the “Round the Bays” this coming weekend.

I have been sourcing new bikes on Trade Me (NZ e Bay-only country not to be overtaken by e Bay?). More of that later.

Brentford represented at the World Cup Finals?

New blood introduced to All Whites

By FRED WOODCOCK – The Dominion Post

Last updated 05:00 10/02/2010

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert is taking a fearless selection policy into the World Cup campaign, insisting young players will be picked with an eye to future tilts.

Herbert had talked the talk and yesterday walked the walk, selecting two uncapped players – Tommy Smith and Craig Henderson – in a 17-man national squad to play the first World Cup warmup match against Mexico in Los Angeles on March 4 (NZ time).

As expected, Plymouth Argyle striker Rory Fallon was also included, despite expressing a desire to stay with his club to try and avoid relegation from the English Championship.

Herbert had spoken to Plymouth and was sticking to his guns. New Zealand have all rights to Fallon in a Fifa window and Herbert assumed Plymouth “understood and respected” the decision.

The inclusion of Ipswich Town defender Smith, 19, currently on loan to Brentford, had been signalled since he switched allegiances from England to New Zealand,

Where are all the Brightonian internationals hiding?

Health Costs

This exercise lark is turning out to be more expensive than one would think.

The detox and absence of alcohol would lead one to expect savings in dosh, but the increase in physical activity has its own secondary spending effects.

Pushing one’s body to the edge, and setting targets such as the triathlon, quickly leads to the accumulation of entry fees! Then there is the investment in technology. Shaz, having rejected her cheap compression hosiery from the Warehouse, has taken to her “Skins” like a duck to water. She assures me that a set would quickly deal with my post run aching muscles syndrome.

We have also bought into the sports drink argument. I have accepted the scientific basis for the use of the drinks, but never thought them worth the trouble for my circumstances. However, with the running distances lengthening, and the hot weather at the moment, they have reached the conscious zone. The result: purchase of drinks bottles with straps around them to allow you to run with it in the palm of the hand all the way. The alternative would be to hire a teenager each time to stand in opportune spots to give regular refreshments.

Then there is the new pair of runners for EQ, Joe and his specialist bike jersey, let alone looking for “new” bikes on Trade Me.

May be cheaper to return to the wine?

Summer arrives-sporadically

Summer seems to have arrived. Last week was sunny and calm. Beautiful. So much so that it was hard work running home after a swim on Friday evening. Saturday was more of the same; beautiful morning to watch Isaac play cricket, and then run the streets of Khandallah in 27C.
Oh how it changed on Sunday. Southerly gale, heavy rain and a drop in temperature to 14C. The hard rock runners were out there though, SQ with better protection for the legs-Skins are in.

The boys were away up the coast having more sunshine and fun, while EQ was out at a party on Saturday. So M&D had party time……..A trip to the flicks again to see George Cloney in action. Apparently it was worth it just for George. I enjoyed “Up in the Air” just as a cinematic experience.

Anyway, summer must be coming-the schools go back this week!