Saturday, February 23, 2008

lost wellies

Well they aren't on the front steps, by the back door, on the deck nor, as far as I can tell, are they in the shed - however that could take serious exploration into dubious territory to be completely eliminated from inquiries. It's got the modern equivalent of those areas on maps marked 'here be dragons' - you know someone must have been there once upon a time to know that, but they certainly didn't hang around to plot out the details. Just dropped whatever it was and ran...

Whilst Cammi will scoff any food left unguarded for more than 3 seconds she isn't partial to footwear so I can't even blame her...yet. I'll think of a way to do so eventually I'm sure.

So, wrapped up in waterproofs and boots several sizes too big for me I unsteadily headed off to feed the chooks this morning all the while reminded of a photo somewhere of me aged about 2yrs old standing in Dad's hiking boots by our front door. Being someone who has always had an uncanny ability to fall over my own feet in the right-sized shoes (or none) I am completely in awe of the ability of small children to run around in dress-up boots and shoes waaay too big for them without wodges of cottonwool stuffed into the toes. Maybe it's because they have yet to assume that they can't that they still can?

I wonder how many things in life we pass by because we aren't willing to try out something that looks too big for us, and how many we make harder for ourselves because we don't spend that extra time looking for something that fits better?!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Tebbit test

Well it became apparent on Friday that I had passed the Kiwi equivalent of the Tebbit Test when I found myself startling the dog by crying out 'yes!' as yet another England wicket fell. Whereas Chris, who has lived here longer and is half Kiwi to boot sat glumly at the Cake Tin bemoaning the dire state of play and resorting to texting me in search of commiseration...

To be honest I suspect much of the difference between us lies with the fact that he is an England cricket fan and I'm really a TMS one! 'Tis a sad state of affairs for me that I have to rely on Aggers popping into the Radio Sport NZ commentary box from time to time for anything like a taste of it but it's definitely better than nothing - I'm holding out hope for the return tour later in the year for a real dose.

England's cause - in terms of me being on their side that is, not their cricketing - is not helped by them fielding a side I hardly recognise (due to said sad lack of TMS over the last 2 years...) whereas the Blackcaps I can mostly recognise by sight let alone name having joined Chris at the Cake Tin several times when still living in Welly.

But probably the main reason why I'm not really that upset by England losing (other than being suitably horrified at the general lack-lustre performance) is that I've never really minded that much, which given the state of English cricket over the years I've been keeping track of it is probably just as well. It proved good training for moving to Scotland too... they take glorious in defeat to new levels in most sport!

In my book life is too short to have my happiness relying on the ability of 11 men running (or not, as the case may be...) up and down a pitch - but being able to listen to ball by ball commentary has brightened many a long day stuck inside .

Two more hours to go until the second ODI at Hamilton... who knows what revelations today will bring!