Keado’s Weblog

Not too much happening this week – Jd with a 39 temp and nose running a marathon but he’s still, well, Jd. So no school for him yesterday and today and with Monday a holiday, he will be more than ready for Tuesday.

K got a class certificate yesterday for “being a positive role model within class and taking a leadership role with JumpJam”. She also played her first netball match yesterday and they on 9-0. It was played in the rain and mum not impressed – Kim came home with that unamused-wet-dog-wet-feet look. The joys… I said we played soccer in the rain often..

Anyway, Friday today and don’t think too many parties planned for the weekend, maybe a nice quiet one. Weather could hold some rain Sat but maybe I’ll be invited for a fish by some good Samaritan.

Sun comes out and everyone wants to play. Friday was Ronin’s 5th birthday party and with a start time of 4pm, you have to wonder just who the party was directed for? JD rushed home from school raring to go but had to wait an agonising hour before we could go.

It was the end of a peaceful week, good Striders run on Wed and a lazy Thur & fri. The boys in the street all decided on a coke or coffee to start – I think we all had a long week and weren’t too much into the drinking frame of mind. That lasted a whole 30min and the beer / bourbon&cola’s were out. The ladies on the other hand were into the wine without hesitation. Aubrey had the full family around with 2 week old Olivia which stole the show. Other then the lades fighting over temp custody, each of the other kids had turns sitting and holding her – she loved every minute. Lots of kids – toys and the enivitable tears when it was getting late. We [as per usual] left around 9:15 and family asleep by 9:30.

The others carried on until 00;00. Funny story though – Ronin was waiting for his mom to do the honours after a #2 and waited on the loo until she complied. When he got off, his legs were all wobbly from sitting so long and said his legs went to sleep. Later, much later in the evening, Wanye [dad] was in the bedroom playing with the cat on the floor and “fell asleep” – Other Wayne went to give a hand and Ronin asked his dad “hey dad, did your legs also fall asleep?”

Sat morning was a mello one as second party, Lee & Carmin place for Holly’s 8th. 12pm start so should be early – then find out that Wayne,Debs & family coming over at 3 for drinks. Here we go..lots of kids, games, more chocs & sweets. They all had a ball – JD spent 90% of the time on their trampoline – he loves going there just to jump. It’s a large rectangle one that he can do tricks on. I lasted until around 2pm without a drink and then gave in to some more bourbon&cola. They are pre-mixed drinks and not strong, so easy to drink unlike beer. Good lunch, great view over the entire Gulf, met a new best friend. I think he got the message loud and clear from everyone after a few hours – see, he has a boat and often goes out fishing, sometime by himself! Can’t have that can we – I set everyone on him just to be sure he fully understood. Always room for a new best friend.

Netball was on at 8:00 and after a few drinks and some pizza, time to head out [yup, early again] and gets kids home. Leana only came on for last 15min I think but NZ beat England by 39 points.

Sun morning up early for Striders run – nice turnout and getting more popular with the sun shining. Had a mello 44min run and didn’t push too hard. Breakfast and off to Orewa to register the kids for Nippers [junior lifesaving]. Met up there with Lee’s family & Paul [their neighbours] but decided best not to continue. Orewa was looking at it’s best – flat sea and lots of people, some team competitions – lots of energy. Kids wanted to play on the beach & swim but no togs so off home – dropped off mom – quick lunch – and off to Army Bay for some fun. Far right of the beach were the boats, jetski, kyaks,row-boats and on the far left people having a fish. Two ladies reminded me of the show “Absolutely Fabulous”…they had their deck chairs, costumes, sunglasses, wine coolers, glass in hand watching their fishing lines waiting for a catch – classic.

We played in the sand, kicked the ball around, kids had a little swim and then we “tanned”. We lined up the towels & blanket on the grass and got some sun. Jd asked me what the time was, so I said “who cares”..they loved that one. “Ye dad, who cares” – “hey K, know what the time is, who cares”.. Stayed for awhile longer and got home before 3 – paradise. As we parked, Q was off the the Alison’s beer in hand, “you coming?”..here we go…

Ladies needed a bonding session and party on – food appears from nowhere, I had 2 beers & 2 bourbons left which disappeared far too quickly. Kids in the streets – normal summer day. Ladies had music going, signing, the works. Boys back on the beer and I had cooking duty which I enjoy anyway – can always be assured that the food won’t be killed. Eventually by 8pm, the kids had finished their dinner and adults were about to start but I too the liberty of calling it a night for us, left Kim to play and brought kids home. They were good as gold, got home, pajamas on, chose some books to read and by 8:30, K was asleep and JD trying to stay awake to watch the GP – he lasted 5 minutes. Heard to troop signing off around 9:30 and Kim back home – not too late. I did get a call around 9pm if I needed a replacement to join in for a quick shooter – had to decline that one..

Anyway, kids had a fantastic weekend and nice and rested for a day at school today – lets hope for a relaxing week – summer hasn’t officially started yet, oh boy..

Had a meeting out in Warkworth yesterday which is about an hour North from here – drop kicked kids at school and took Kim with on a scenic drive. Beautiful green hills and the view over the Gulf is spectacular. Got there early enough for a coffee overlooking the river and left Kim to wonder around the “dorp” while I went to meet some new accountants.

With the kids wanting land and more land, we were thinking of north of Orewa but the drive yesterday really hit the fact that north is really the “wop-wops” and just too far from everything. Seems the best way to move would be west of Orewa / west coast which is closer to Albany and Auckland City. Not in too much of a rush so plenty time to look.

Kittens doing great – mom doesn’t move very far for very long. Disney sneaks off while they asleep but soon back all wrapped together.

Kids enjoying being back at school. K and I are going for a run early, only around 1km Tues & Wed but tom we’ll do the 3km – she handles the 3km easy and then maybe on Sat we can do the 5km. She did the full route a while ago and was really tired but determined to finish – she would get less tired I think if she just stopped talking. As we start, “dad, did you know…..” and doesn’t stop – she reminds me of a chappie wrapper.

Friday K woke in the morning and decided it was a good day for a fish – how could I decline my daughter’s request on the last day of holiday? Can’t remember what we got up to in the morning but I think there was some work involved. High tide was 4:30 and we were at the river around 3:30 – last time we went there were no bait fish to be seen but with the rising water temp they are back. We had some good fun as always and caught a few – K’s friend came with and the thought of me freezing them and using them for bait was too much so the decision was made to throw them back – I’ll go get them again when she’s not around.

Fri around 6pm Disney was all around us and talking up a storm – then we noticed a timy pool of water of the carpet – her water broke. Organised chaos – she almost had this look on her face like “I do’t know what’s happening but don’t leave me”. She decided that our cupboard was the place to be and she nestled into the box I made – we left the doors slightly open and went to the lounge to wait. The Alison’s joined us over a drink to wait….I think around 8:30 I was asked to go look…I noticed a little blood spot on the carpet outside the box – then Disney – then a little black wriggle – No 1! We toasted the first born..about 40mion later I went back and the second was just out being cleaned.

They stayed on the blanket on the carpet and not the box which was surprising - I thought they wanted to remain hidden. Waited for more to come but only the 2 – one black with white under and one grey. Mom and babies doing fine – black one has a voice and not scared to let Disney know when he/she isn’t happy. Now, when they alseep, she comes out for a tickle and her business – not gone long and the little one starts shouting – off she runs back to them.  Disney loving the attention and lies purring & feeding while she gets a tickle from us.

Got a call after 10pm same night – invite to go fishing on the boat early Sat morning – yahoo!! Four of us on a 5m which is quite small for 4 adults but still ok - checked the weather report and it was 25knots expecting to go to 35knots, moderate sea getting rough in the afternoon – who cared – they went almost every weekend and know what they doing. We were on the water at 7am and just went around between Shakespear and Tiri in the channel. With the weather uncertain, they didn’t want to head out to their normal spot. Not long and the fish were biting and were were reeling them in. Our first 6 or 7 were all above legal and the largest a nice 4kg snapper – all snapper until a Mark [new best friend] beauty of a John Dory. Stunning flat fish that has a massive mouth and is as flat as a pancake – look it up on google – it barks when you get it out the water.

With the sea getting a bit rough we headed behind Tiri into calm water but nothing happening – our bait being eaten but nothing on the hooks. Wind kicking up and we decided to call it a day around 11:30am – what a trip back. The swells got upto 1m which isn’t big for a 8m launch or 10m sailing boats cruisng around but big enough to throw you around in a 5m - took us a while coming back against the current and just held onto the side and balanced – fun? Got back and had a few drinks while we cleaned the boat and they cleaned their fish – I fillet mine different so brought 3 nice ones home for dinner.

Filleted them in the kitchen and cooked them on the barbie with butter/garlic/black pepper after letting them “cook” in lemon juice. Couldn’t get much fresher than that and at $33/kg, a nice dinner which we couldn’t finish anyway.

Sun was the club run and more people starting to come. Four of us on the 8km and I ran strong to clock the fastest time for the route excluding Mike – we exclude his times as he’s in a class of his own and nobody comes close – so we ignore his times. I did a 42:40 – previous best 3 weeks ago was a 43:50 which Filona beat last week with 43:20 – now I’m ahead again! Did chores most of the day while the kids played outside and then quick drink in the afternoon at Lee & Carmen but home just after 6 for early night before school.

Kids happy to be back at school and JD straight onto his computer and K running around with friends. All back to normal and looking forward to a productive week – now, shopping time!

Now that the fast is over and the ten days of reflection – there is one major element that has come out of it. There was a line that came passed me the other day that went something like “if you DON’T paddle your own canoe, you ain’t going anywhere”.

For the past 2 years in NZ, I have handed the paddles over to other people expecting them to “paddle my canoe” – all that happened was I got a spanking. ENOUGH

The kids have been on a two week holiday and go back to school on Monday. Didn’t go away at all but had a little fun. We’re still coming out of winter so no chance of a beach party but still nice and sunny most days. We spent the better part of last week at the swimming pools every day – K for training and JD for some “work and play” as he puts it. Everyday was a discussion whether we should play first or work first. On day we played first and after 20min he said “right, time for work and then we can play again”

The global crisis has hit business hard here, as I’m sure everywhere – the banks, second tier financiers and even further down are just not lending and closed their books. Normally when 1st tier banks get tight, the sharks come swimming and eat up everything – well, the sharks have been netted and haven’t come swimming this time. There are a number of people with vast sums of money that are sitting and waiting. There is just no urgency to get into any investments at the moment as things are still going down.

BUT, where there is a good idea, there is always money. I firmly believe that and it will hold true in any market. The only thing that may change is the terms of the investment – angels can be hard cases now and I look forward to the haggle on terms.

I read in Branson’s book to be upfront with kids – let them know what’s happening – which I tend to do often. They always want to help “in the business” and ideas how to make more money. K tell everyone that she works for “Keado” and is proud of it. She’s still waiting for a title but has come up with a tv ad.

So, start of a new year – let’s make it fun.

[don't mean to be a serious blog tonight but bloody excited about kicking some butt]