The passage of time in Wellington and elsewhere
Early Sunday afternoon and the clouds are low. here is a picture of just outside the house. I missed a more beautiful image of the clouds wrapped around Mount Kaukau.
The ‘witch’s house is just visible through the mist. Eerie man.
This morning Joe and I were up very early to participate in the Scorching triathlon series. However it had been raining since Sunday afternoon and was not looking good when we left the house. By the time we reached Scorching Bay it was decidedly unpleasant. The rain was very heavy, it was cold and the southerly froze the bones.
We decided not to participate as waiting an hour to start our events, then being active, then having to wait about an hour before we could leave meant we would have died of hypothermia. As it happened were were not the only ones to leave.
Then this afternoon Isaac had cricket practice in blazing sunshine, and we have just finished sitting on the deck, lapping up the late rays, before dinner.
Just been listening to AC/DC warming up at the Westpac stadium. Apparently they are playing 2 nights. The sounds were coming up the hills to our deck.
I have not bought a ticket. Obviously I’m not the only one.
Today is a holiday in Wellington. No lying in bed for us, it was up at 5-45 to take part in on of the Scorching Bay Triathlon series. We did the short form, with Joe doing the duathlon form-no swim but extra run.
Our experience and equipment was of a lesser standard than some of he competitors but we all finished and I think, all did very well. I beat EQ of course, despite my appalling swim. I made up for it on the bike but did have a bike much better suited to riding on the road than she had. It was my old racer that I have refurbished. The same bike I used for my only previous Triathlon experience in 1997 at Crystal Palace. Joe did very well, and came home before EQ. We all enjoyed the event, and it inspired Shaz also. So, we are looking forward to further events later in the summer (when it arrives of course). Plan is to step up to the medium distance but will have to do some serious swim practice. It was choppy today, and plenty of sea water went in the mouth. This could all be very expensive. Not just the entry fees, but also I can see demands for new bikes coming.
This is part of the current Quirke detox programme. We are feeling healthy and virtuous currently. Will keep you posted on our continuing levels of healthy behaviour. Maybe the equivalent to a London to Paris cycle will eventuate, though upgrade in equipment may be required. I do not think there is any kryptonite in any of our bikes, or muscles for that matter.
This posting probably would have a narrow appeal, to a single house in Dublin.
All the Qs were pitchside for Poneke(Pon-e-key) versus Marist St. Pats, two of the Wellington club competition teams, and situated across the road from each other.
For Marist read “left footers”, and the club attracts its players from the city boys college(high school), left foot variety. I have watched club rugby for last three years and never taken to Poneke, though their quality tends to be reliable.
We arrived just before end of the first half with MSP leading. We were treated to a great second half, with entertaining rugby as MSP ripped ’em up, with great running from their backs, beautifully executed attacks and good link work with the forwards.
Poneke were “whipped” 30-21.
I am sure this “sectarian” support is bad for you!
So, a funny old weekend.
Joe’s rugby cancelled as it poured down overnight. Super 14 final ruined as a game and spectator event by the all enveloping fog, which of course would not have happened if it had been due to play in Wellington.
A Sunday trip to the club followed by Confirmation session for EQ.
Then parents did their gardening stint to spruce up the place, and felt all the better for it afterwards. This was followed by a walk at Oriental Bay and a “well earned pint”.
Middle class bliss?
Super 14 final today, which features The Hurricanes and The Crusaders, two Kiwi teams. A big event and so continual talk and newspaper articles all week. The enemy are the favourites. Nearly a domestic competition, or at least a mini -international one that NZ teams do well in.
As an event I suppose close to FA Cup, or maybe Champions League final.
Go the “Canes”.
Rugby was not rained off this weekend, so trip to Ian Galloway Park to see the U-11s do their stuff, which in the first half was not upto scratch. This was noted by the coach
at his half-time team talk ” as individuals your are playing well, but as a team you are crap”-no punches pulled then. And yes they were crap; poor tackling, too many “lone rangers” and trying to run around the other team, rather than straight. A better “second 40” (actually 25 minutes), saw two tries to our one, better team work and commitment.
Lots of shouting from sideline involved the usual “tackle”, “run straight” and “keep up with the ball”.
Joe apparently suffered some “stomping”. Someone stood on his achilles in a ruck.
A good Saturday morning.
Monday morning gloom. It has been miserable weather since yesterday with freezing strong winds from the south west with large dollops of rain. Woken in the night by the wind howling around the house and chucking the garden furniture around on the deck. Next up was the shaking for about five seconds.
“A five magnitude quake has rattled the lower North Island this morning.
There are no reports of damage or injuries following the shake, which struck at 5:32am.
Seismologists say it was located 40 kilometres northwest of Porirua, at a depth of 60 kilometres.
The earthquake is the second to be felt in the Wellington region in the last 24 hours. At 7.26 last night, a 3.8 magnitude quake was felt in the capital and Marlborough.”
Then to get up and check out the BBC and find Brentford lost to the Swans…….
A welcome to Brighton due next season.