News from Zealand
Been some time since the last update and a fair amount has transpired.
On the weather front, well yes, it has been a front! A continuous wet, cold, front. We had a great spell fro about 2 weeks but the last week has been what we always see of NZ on the tube. Wet and cold! Today however, the skies have cleared, the wind is playing hide and seek and as a result Kapiti Island is once again framed in the window of the train. A pretty sight accented by the rising sun and surrounded by a lake-like Tasman. I have braved the trip into Wellington this morning without a padded jacket, though I suspect I am courting disaster or at least a few shivers for the homeward trip. The wind is bound to tire of waiting for us to find it and will punish us for not playing along, ensuring it circles the Southern Alps before visiting it’s biting qualities on the stupidly brave.
The work front is a little more relaxed at the moment and I am taking advantage of the lull to recharge my emotions and batteries. I have a few leave days planned which should see me raring to go again when the next wave of chaos hits.
On the sporting front, the big news of the moment is netball. Sherrie’s team achieved their first win of the season. Des and I arrived just in time for the “three cheers” at the end of the game. The girls were over the moon and are looking forward to this weekends challenge. I will not be going to Travis’s rugby this Saturday and will have an opportunity to watch most of Sherrie’s game. (Note to self: I really need to learn some of those netball rules)
First division rugby has been a bridge too far for Travis’s team. They just cannot compete up front and defend for most of the game. Unfortunate because they have some quality players and Travis hardly sees attacking ball. Notwithstanding this, Travis has excelled, especially at full back, though he has been doing duty on the wing for the past two games. A forced change through injuries. Their last game this weekend, so I hope it goes well for them. I also, quietly, hope that Travis will focus on soccer next year.
On the soccer front, Travis was asked to help-out the Kapiti College second team about 6 weeks ago, as they were a number of players short. The next week he was drafted into the first side and is a regular, scoring in every game to date. Notably, the first side is not age restricted, so he is testing his skills against much older boys, though watching him play senior soccer with the team I play for, I can see why he is doing so well. He is in no way intimidated by the bigger, older, stronger players. He simply lets his goals do the talking.
He is off to the annual, week long, regional tournament in Palmerston North next week. I will be driving him up after his representative cricket training session on Sunday evening. I will overnight and watch the first round of games on Monday before returning home. Des, I and the girls will be driving up early on Friday morning to watch the final rounds on Friday. Kapiti have finished 4th and 3rd the past two years, respectively and believe the squad they have this year they could improve on that.
As for the motorcycle mentioned in the last update, I won the auction and the garage floor now boasts a bare frame with the surrounding shelves sporting boxes of various bits and pieces, grouped and labelled, ready for cleaning and painting. The engine rests, quietly imposing, on the workbench. A con-rod, two pistons, rings and a gasket set will need to be ordered. Other than that all looks really good and neat and no major expense looms during the rebuild; and at this rate it may well be on the road in six weeks. I dreamed last night I was riding my XJR again.
Des’s soccer side improves by the week and they are now competing. The won two weeks ago and only two late goals saw them go down to one of the better sides in their league. Unlucky for the ladies that their games seem to be played in the worst weather, week on week. I can think of only 2 games that I have played in a bit of drizzle and 1 where it bucketed for the full 90 minutes. The ladies on the other hand are lucky if they have had 3 games in the dry.
Des and I have also taken the decision to purchase a second car. I take delivery of 1996 Nissan Primera 1800 on Saturday morning. The car is all round neat and mechanically in good nick. Mileage is a little on the high side at 180 000km, but it is a simple twin cam, 16 valve motor so with cam chain as opposed to cam belt. Nothing to fear in terms of working on it and these motors are like the Toyotas, they last longer than the rest of the car. It is an automatic (unfortunately) but with all the bits and bobs and a comfortable, if not un-sporty, motor car, with surprisingly sprightly performance and agility. Oh, the price? $3000.00 or R13 00.
So that is my news for this time around.