Gisborne--soccer mad and no sunshine

Last week was crazy busy putting a new septic system in at camp. Plenty of hard work to get it in in a 6 day period between camps! Friday morning I left for Gisborne. After a stop at Brightwater 4 square for a powerade and some danishes, I pulled onto highway 6 only to see a blue and red flashing light behind me. A mufty cop car had been sitting by the school and apparently clocked me over the 50 km limit. Some new campaign means only a 5 km allowance outside schools. Anyway it will mean 110 demerit points now which means I lose my license for 3 months! Oh well maybe I can save some money! I will sell the WRX as soon as possible. Our team flew to Gisborne on a specially chartered flight and got off the plane and onto a bus to take us to our motel. It felt like we were a real professional team. Everything was organised for us and all paid for including our meals. It was nasty rainy weather all weekend. We won our game on Friday 2-1 against Gisborne Thistle but lost Saturday 4-1 against Mount Albert Grammer School and then lost 4-0 on Sunday against Gisborne City. Flew home Sunday night after a good weekend where we got to know each other well and learn a lot. Was good fun!! I shared a motel room with 2 guys, one named Jay (Ozzie) and he is a loose unit. He drinks a mixture each morning of energy stuff and he get extra hypo and cant sit still!! Hilarious to be around tho!! Good times!! Also Tim and Lisa got engaged on Friday night!! Crazy! Cool! Wow! Next planned weekend away will be Easter down the sounds when we will celebrate their engagement.

annas wedding

Last Saturday was Annas wedding. She married Chris a South African who also plays music and has been living in Germany and playing in an orchestra with Anna. The wedding was in Paeroa and was outside. It rained during part of the ceremony but we carried on under umbrellas!! The reception was really cool and it was great to meet some of Anna and Chris friends from Germany and Spain and South Africa. A very talented group of musicians. A pity Rufus wanted to leave early so we missed them making music together. Good food and wine tho and good to see so many cousins and relatives that I haven't seen in so long and others that I hardly know!! Anna is going to be playing for the NZ Symphony Orchestra in April/May as a trial for a position in it!! Wow!! She has been playing 1st violin in one of Germanys top orchestras! I'm hoping they will be coming to Nelson as part of the 6 week long tour that she will be on. I had flown up to Auckland Thursday night and stayed with Jennie Tiers and her boy Matt. Spent Friday downtown shopping-- a new dress shirt and a map of South America!! Went to the boat show at the viaduct and bought a new yacht! (nah just looked and dreamt!!) Then caught the train from the new Brittomart station (very nice) out to Pukekohe where Dad met me. Sunday we had dinner all together at mum and dads (with Pris and Sjoerd and Johanna) and then me and Rufus and Jon went to the Warriors game at Erricson. Warriors lost. Home for a game of settlers which I would have won if I had kept my mouth shut about it. Jon stopped me tho. Monday was a quiet day and then said bye to Rufus and Jon as they were leaving for South America on Tuesday. Flew home Monday night back to another fun week of school camp at Teapot! Now its Friday night and I'm watching Commonwealth games waiting for the sevens to come on. NZ will win another gold medal. I must say I enjoyed a bit of the opening ceremony but a boy and a duck?? Australians. What did it have to do with anything? Awesome fireworks tho with the river all lit up like that. Tomorrow I play my first real soccer game of the year. Our team is full steam ahead now and I have ordered my new boots(cleats). Adidas Tunits--they pretty cool and the club pays $200 towards them! We have a 2 day tournament this weekend here in Richmond and then a 3 day one next weekend in Gisborne which will include some of NZ's top teams. Can't wait!! I'm playing as a right wing striker in a 3-4-3 formation.