In a shock start to the season, the playing through champions (that would be us, people!), have lost the first two games of the season. Coach Brown (who would be me) is not concerned however. “It's the end of the season that counts, the play-offs, not these namby-pamby early season games!”, he growled to reporters after the latest loss.
Well, the tramp was great. We took a day longer than intended and didn't do the planned route because of the weather, but it didn't matter at all. The weather in fact was pretty lousy, except for one half a day of gloriously fine weather. We woke up that morning to a couple of inches of snow on the ground and blue skies all over. Being on the tops while tramping (ie above the bushline which is about 3000 ft in New Zealand) in weather like that is utterly compelling. We could see from coast to coast of the North Island, down to Wellington and across to the South Island, and up to Mt Ruapehu in the north. But, again and again, it was the ruggedness of the Tararuas that drew our gaze, looking out over the Neil-Winchcombe ridge, and up ahead to the Tararua Peaks, and Mt Crawford further in the distance. Looking down to a mountain stream, parallel to our course a 1000 ft below.
Of course the weather packed in that afternoon and we only just made it to the hut on nightfall. And the next day we could barely stand up on the exposed ridge due to the wind strength. But even in the worst of the weather, and a cold hut, and dirty and tired, it felt so good to be there. I really need to go twice a year instead of every two years!
We had our car broken into about three weeks ago. The driver's side lock was busted and the boot lock interfered with. Nothing was taken, mainly because there was nothing to take, but it's likely to be $500 to get everything fixed. The car goes to the panel-beaters next week. Of course we have an insurance excess of $300, so have to pay that, and will lose our no-claims bonus. So, I reported the break in to the police, but didn;t expect to hear any more about it. Yesterday I got a letter saying they had caught the person who did it, that he's been to court, and remanded for a Family Group conference and did I want to attend that. A Family Group conference is where the offender and his family attend along with any victims who want to attend. It's only for kids 10 - 16 years of age, and designed to have them take some sort of responsibility for the crime and for putting it right in some way. So in a couple of weeks I'll be going to that.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. Part of me is interested in going just to see what it's like, how it works etc. I don't really care a lot about the offender, although I would be interested in trying to know why it happened and what sort of thinking leads someone to do that. And of course it would be nice to get reimbursed for our expenses. I guess I'm kinda looking forward to seeing how I act at the conference also. It'll be interesting if nothing else.
Joshua is lovely. He smiling and making wonderful sounds now — coos and gurgles and squeals. It's the best feeling to hold a baby in your arms, rocking them gently and them watching and feeling as they fall asleep, their head laying back over your forearm, eyes closing, then struggling open then closing finally in sleep. I'm enjoying being a Dad to a baby all over again.
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Raising Hell
Feral Living
Hippycritical
Udder
My Life in 12 Point Font
Journal of a Writing Man
Some Jingle Jangle Morning
The Last Girl Scout
Potatoe.com
Journallife.com
Window to my Soul
Chickybabe
Sorabji.com
Yesterday's Makeup
Fifteen Milliliters
Fly Away
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Photo of tunnel copyright Bernd Klumpp, available from istockphoto.com