Welly

Another crazy clouds day. I didn't get the colours across these picture the same, but I think they came out well... This is such a great location

Admirable Nelson

Visiting folks in different places gives a whole different perspective. Especially when their domestic arrangements are so different from one's own. But it can be so good, especially when the weather helps out.

Admittedly we didn't go salmon fishing at the farm because it started to spit with rain and I didn't want to be the one holding everyone up there. I think another time I'll give it a go: it is a pond at a salmon farm that is stocked with appropriately-sized fish and you are given rod, line and bait. Anything you catch, you buy. Nothing thrown back here. I can see this model being huge with Japanese tourists.

It is at a wee area with a petting zoo and eel feeding area. These are creepy-looking water dragons and no mistake.

The llama was especially keen on having its photo taken (I didn't enquire as to the gender, respecting its privacy)


The next day we went to Rabbit Island. Nice if you like that sort of thing. I do.





I'll have to go back, assuming Nessy and G will permit. Heh.

Calm before, eye of, or lull after?

It's still got that stormy feeling. Not so much the weather, which (apart from being a bit blowy today) has settled into a beautiful late summer siesta. But something else. Maybe it is the impending football season, maybe my procrastination over a host of personal things, maybe it is work. I don't know: but I do feel a storm may be coming...

But anyway, Rimutaka Hill a couple of weeks ago did look very, very good.



But now we have Waikanae looking especially fine...





And, joy of joys, there is finally a translation from Yorkshire: and here it is

The changing of the weather

Here's me still hoping for an Indian Summer, but it doesn't look too likely...




There is something in the air, I think. Photos from this phone aren't great. I need to carry the camera more.

Well

After fine work by the excellent physios at Capital Sports medicine I was cleared to train on Wednesday. Obviously I wilfully misinterpreted this to mean I could play. Hah. I'm glad I did. An astonishing 8-5 victory over what we consider to be about the toughest opponent in the division (division 1 that is).

I even pursued a social life this week, seeing the Shen Wei dance company and the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Neither of these were up to Dynamic Yunnan but each had their features.

Shen Wei: Any show where the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky is the most accessible feature has to be seen as somewhat demanding. The dancing was technically impressive: expressive and evocative. The costumes were also extraordinary. It was also uncomfortable and remote. I honestly still don't know if I enjoyed it
UOGB: Good old-fashioned fun. Great music and jokes that can presumably be used because they've passed outside the age limit of copyright. It was charming and utterly English. I heard a comment that wished they were more edgy, but it really wouldn't have suited, for me. Also, when they were a bit more modern - with a Miss Dynamite song - it didn't really work. Messing up well-known songs was a far better tactic.

Not a calf

Apparently it isn't my calf. I, like everyone else I'm told, have something called a tibialis posterior. And I have injured it. Definitely not as bad as a calf muscle tear, and definitely not as bad as an achilles tear. So I am taped up, and off football and walking. Curses. Well, curses with regard to football anyway.

Putting injuries in perspective, you may not have seen the possibly career-ending injury to Eduardo Da Silva, the Brazilian Croatian striker for Arsenal. You may not want to. Be warned: it ain't pretty. The TV companies in Britain took one look and said nope, they ain't repeating that. They would be right. I play a lot of football, and that kind of injury is extremely rare. But sometimes you see stupid and clumsy challenges and these things are only a heartbeat away. A few years ago, I broke a couple of ribs when I beat a guy to the ball (it does happen occasionally) and released a pass which left me off the ground when the 'tackle' finally arrived. It left me sprawling unable to breathe about 6 foot away. Again, could have been much worse.

I'm just editing this to add a reference to the Big Red Train. I will be thinking of this often. Trust the Train.

Exhaustion

Travelling was almost easy next to this. It is like my objection to some of these horrible shows on telly, where contestants are effectively asked what they would do for $100,000 or somesuch. I wish they'd be asked, "would you work for 20 years and dedicate yourself to your career and investment?" The answer would be, unquestionably, "no". Cynical, I am.

I've done summat 'orrible to my calf muscle. I think I'm tired and the body is becoming vulnerable because of this. That's how my thigh muscle was torn last year, and it would rather fit the circumstance this time. On the bright side, I got to discover this a blog by one of the team. He's having fun, and clearly more blog-literate than me! I must look into how he went about it.