Saturday, April 17, 2004
New Zealand Update
This has been the longest I haven't blogged
Its not for lack of wanting to, or even being online, but for time.
There's just so much to tell.
Lets break it down. - sorry no grammar or spell checks - this is just the basic facts
Thursday
2 hours wait at airport to get on plane
4 hours on plane
1/2 hr in traffic to sjoerd and pris place
yummy pumpkin soup
Met John and Sjoerd for first time
Into the gutless wonder Magna with 5 people and gear 2 hours drive to te kuiti to get fish and chips
got stopped by the cops for speeding - was not but anyway...
2 hours drive by me to national park where we stopped for a few hours in a backpackers place
I spent a few hours online catching up with some much needed business stuff and emails
Friday
got 3 hours sleep
4:30 am we are on the road again and arrive in Wellington at 8:20am
go to lara's place and pick her up and drive to ferry. lara takes car to look after it
4 hours on ferry from Wellington to picton.
played a massive trick on Dave my brother who was there to meet us. We ran him and convinced him I had missed the ferry and was stranded in Wellington and next ferry was a couple hours away.
at the terminal the others met up with him while I snuck off and exited the terminal without him seeing me
I walked a couple of kms up the main road out of picton while the others went to the shops. Then they spent ages convincing Dave to drive this road (with cunning excuses like "left wallet in shops" and "I need a pee" etc)
finally they picked me up and Dave was VERY surprised
2 hours drive to nelson - stopping at the picturesque pelorus river for a short break
showered and changed at daves place before heading off to uncle graeme and aunty jan's place where grandma lived in a granny flat
met brads wife greer and baby zahara for first time
had a great meal and time catching up, then viewed grandma. She was very peaceful and smiling.
finally headed back to Richmond, and I went to Ross and Jan's place for the night (I am staying with them, and the others are staying at daves)
Saturday
Went to see Mark and Mandy Ditzel whom I haven't seen since my wedding 9 years ago today 17th April
then borrowed some soccer gear from mark to play soccer and went with Dave and sjoerd to play soccer. Played 1 1/2 halves of the first game as left back and then played the second half of the second game as keeper. Was able to neutralise a couple of guys well, but not fast enough to keep up with the other two strikers. So I took one of them out with a well timed block and he didn't bother me again. Someone else kicked the other dude in the goolies (accidently) and that was the end of him also.
From there went back to Ross and Jan's place for some business work and emails, followed by a 15 minute spa - very relaxing
went to daves for roast dinner, played cards for a while then off to ross and jans with rufus and john, pris and sjoerd for a spa while Dave worked on a power point presentation for the funeral. ate chocolate icecream in the spa and had a great time talking
then off to the local pub for a game of pool. John and I challenged the two girls who were playing to a game, won that easily, then and then pris and rufus won the next game from the challengers, then sjoerd and john won the next game from their challengers, then rufus and I started playing the next challenger who asked john to partner him. Halfway through this a fight broke out s o sjoerd and I jumped in and I applied a full nelson to the main antagonist (who it turned out was actually defending himself) and dragged him out. He was about 100 kilos so was satisfying to lift him up by the pressure to his head and then stuff him out a door. He was banned. sjoerd was busy separating a few hangers on who were wrestling a bit.
went back to the game only to have the fight break out again out in the front courtyard. sjoerd and I jumped back out again this time about 15 guys involved in about 3 separate fights, including the two bouncers who were being taken apart. I pulled one guy off a bouncer and shoved him off to some other people to look after then raced after sjoerd who was in a group and was dodging fists. I dragged him out cos they were mostly sorted and then we pretty much stood around til the cops came and the arguments over who hit who first started. this was all quite amusing to us. of course we were all sober as judges having arrived at the pub at 11pm and the locals were there after a football (rugby union) match and were pretty tanked (hence our easy wins at pool)
went back to the game of pool which john and the other dude won then headed home.
now im writing up this, and preparing my talk for the funeral on Monday.
I am standing in for my dad and also presenting on behalf of our entire family
see ya later
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Blogger Idol Week 12 - Blog Tips
This weeks topic is "Blog Tips"
The best tip I can give you is to go to the Living Room and check out all the tips Darren just posted!
Report on Easter Monday Party
We had a street party on Monday. That is we invited the street. There are 6 houses. 4 came and 1 gave an apology. We also had our other home group member come. We are attempting to reach out to the street. This is the second party we have had. The other was the day after boxing day last year. That was an after Christmas party, this was a Mexican / Italian theme.
Much stimulating conversation was had, much pasta was eaten, much garlic bread and corn chips and salsa consumed. Invites for 40 days were passed out and received well (I hope).
The next step is to go through with the 40 Days of Purpose campaign and see how that goes. 1 neighbour (already coming to home group) is moving in 2 weeks time. She will continue to come to home group, so the new tenants (when they come) will be invited over also.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
So much to write
There are literally millions of words crammed into this head of mine waiting to flow onto the screen. I have such a trouble sorting out what to say and when, how to present it, whether its relevant to my audience and then finding the time to write it.
I have promised a post on integrity. My integrity now will not let me fail to deliver. However I didn't say when! It will be soon though I promise.
First I have to travel to New Zealand for my Grandma's funeral, and so my words are trended that way. Grandma had integrity. She refused to cheat anyone even accidentally. My Uncle Howard and Aunty Margaret are like that too.
I feel a poem coming on.
This is an ode to my Gran
A woman of stature
She raised two fine kids
My Dad and my Aunty Jan
Aunty Jan always writes prose
At family occasions
Gran was always appreciative
She also grew the finest rose
A green thumb had my Gran
A garden full of life
She had a husband to help
Grandad Thomas was her man
Grandad was an engineer
He could fix anything
My car, my bike, the kitchen stove
Where Gran cooked awesome fare
Her meals were fantastic
Each an elaborate work of art
An echo of her heart
They always dd the trick
Gran played mean scrabble
Not mean as in nasty
The sharpest pencil
She rose above the rabble
She loved all, was kind to each
Adored her cat
Friends with everyone
Life lessons to me she'd teach
And now her teaching days are done
Her final exam passed
Yet her legacy lives on
And will do long after she has gone
Copyright (c) Tim Miller 2004
In Memoriam
My Grandma died today.
Aged 93 she has passed her final exam and gone to the land of no more exams.
I know she was a devout Christian, converted from the C of E largely through the witness of my dad and his sister as youngsters.
Her story is a fascinating one.
Born in England in 1911, she entered her teenage years in the 20s. She and her friend were avid dance fans and into the 30s used to go to dance halls and the cinemas regularly. Her friend was actually the pianist at the silent movies and grandma was an usher.
She met grandad and double dated him with her friend and her date to a dance. Only the two girls actually asked two boys each. Grandad was none too happy by all accounts, but obviously he impressed more than the other date because she chose him. They married and in 1940 my Dad was born in Brighton. Grandad was working as a mechanic in Hove, not far from Brighton. One day during the war a lone Stuka divebomber chased my grandmother with its machine guns up the main street of Hove while she was pushing Dad in his pram. Must have been an absolutely terrifying experience.
Whether for that reason or economic ones after the war, they emigrated to New Zealand in 1948 with Dad and his sister.
I lived with Grandad and Grandma for 1 1/2 years at the age of 18 while starting tertiary studies. Grandma used to do all sorts of funny things that I remember particularly well. Like Thursdays was the fishman day and so I would get home and find her deboning the fish that she had bought - for the cat. Wednesdays the butcher came and if I was early enough I would catch her feeding the choicest pieces to the cat. Humphrey was fed better than Grandad and I and to that the rest of the family can testify. He even had his own lounge chair.
Grandma was also an excellent moderator. She always looked to make the peace. Whether it was grandad and I locking horns over economic theory that I had brought home from tech or the grandkids arguing over who sat where. She was renowned for her sayings. "Keep looking up" is a favorite along with "whatever you do, do it well".
Recently written to us on the birth of our latest daughter on a card I will cherish is her name in the familiar scrunched up writing. She had battled with arthritis in her fingers for the last 30 odd years.
The funniest thing I remember about grandma was her "mistakes". These were cooking experiments that in her words were mistakes. We thought they were the yummiest things ever made.
I will miss my Grandma, but I know she has gone to be where she was destined to go long before the day she chose to accept the salvation offered to her.
Monday, April 12, 2004
Beckham
Today it was alleged that David Beckham has had a second affair. This is public news story number one. Victoria (aka Posh Spice) is keeping by her husbands side apparently.
Why should a "celebrity" be accorded with more moral constraint than any other person? And what about this story is so important to make it news over top of events in Iraq, The Congo or even the sports results from the weekend!
I am in no way condoning his alleged affair, but the media has blown this up (as they always do) contrary to their own ideals. General media allows the publishing of articles, movies and documentaries that espouse adultery, affairs and homosexual relationships and then go into outcry mode when a sensationalist paper publishes a story about an alleged affair.
Why do we pander to this behaviour and contrary position?
I have always maintained that the gossip readers killed Lady Diana. Without a market for gossip the paparazzi would not exist.
It has been said that small minded people talk about other people (gossip) average minded people talk about events, and great people explore ideas. Which are you?
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