INDIANA JONES

Sunday evening my mate Simon and I decided to see the new Indiana Jones Movie and I have to say it was rather tiresome, predictable and the story line was relatively weak and unoriginal pushing the far fetched aspect that has been done in adventure, sci-fi and action flicks in the past.

Admit it was rather enjoyable in parts and humourous to see Alan Dale play a small role in one scene. Alan Dale known for his role in Australias soapie Neighbours and has made recent appearance in the States in the Keiffer Sutherland series 24 Season 2 and The O.C. What always makes it humourous for my family is that mom once went to school with him in Onehunga.

Director Steven Speilberg: Watching the movie you can tell its done by an old school director playing on images such as road signs to humourise the event just played out in that scene. But for those Indie fans I may recommend waiting until it comes to DVD or blu-ray.

Maks Update

This is going back a week now where Thursday and Friday Donne kept maks home as she had a rough cough and sniffles. Donne dropped her off to me later that afternoon, as she had dinner plans in the city, and as they drove into the car park I saw Maks little smile as she sucked on her lollipop dressed in her PJs and Dressing gown. It was straight up stairs for us and straight into our usual routine of reading books, doing puzzles, playing snap and so on. I tried to put her down in her room to sleep but she kept waking up with her cough so I put her down in my bed and she was out for the rest of the night while I relaxed in the lounge checking in on her every now and then.

Saturday morning I was dragged out of bed to ready breakfast and was 'ordered' to turn on 'her' program which was fine for me I could get a bit me rest in bed. I pretty much kept her indoors due to her cold but we did go out mid afternnon so visit her Aunty Leighann and her indoor cricket team. We stayed maybe two hours before she got restless and wanted to leave. Once home crashed out in her car seat I carried her to bed where she slept for a little over an hour.

After dinner we got her in the bath and ready for bed after the first half of the Rugby Match semi final between the mighty Crusaders and oh that other team that LOST hahahaha. Put maks to bed after the match, she was asleep for maybe an hour before waking up and tracking me down so I lay her over my shoulder cuddled up safe and sound as she went back to sleep.

Sunday - again I decided to keep her indoors till she gets better but we did pop outside a couple of times to get some fresh air in the morning. About 11am we went to Kelly Talton's as she likes the penguins, we mustve gone round that ride more times than I can count. Always her eyes fixated and enjoying the ride each and everytime and I must say its pretty good but the ride is often to short.
We watched the live feed of the fish and stingrays in the open tank but maks wanted to go back to see the penguins. We were probably there just over 2 hours splitting that between the penguins, the kids area and the tanks. I have to say Kelly Taltons is not all that interesting for Adults but if you have kids its just brillient as there much to see and do there for them and they can spend hours there.

After that we both came home for a nap before I dropped her back at Donne's later in the afternoon/evening.

Huapai Golf Course

Friday May 23rd 2008 Huapai Golf Course West Auckland.

Ordinarily I wouldn't go through in such depth about my round but seeing as though we are almost halfway thru the year and this being my 3rd round for the year I figured it prudent for my own personal posterity. On with the story.

Tee off at 10.18am

First Hole: Par 5 - Pulled my 3wood into the trees left, steriotypical how my ball finds itself drawn to them. However I did aim towards them expecting to fade the ball into the middle of the fairway. 5 wood for the second shot is all I could muster to advance the ball and play safe. 9 iron for my second and went right of the green and following shot I cooked over the green chipping on and making a one putt (albeit a very tricky putt) to make par.

Second Hole: Par 4 - topped the ball just past the ladies tee (phew) then smoked a 3wood right and short of the green chipping on with one putt for par, a nice recovery

Third hole: par 3 - My 9 iron contacted with a closed face resulting in my ball pulling way out left leaving an up & down flop shot over a bunker and no green to run with. fell short into the bunker one shot out and two putt for double bogey.

Fourth Hole: Par 4 - Pulled driver for the first time and smoked it straight down the fairway with a 1/3 52degree wedge to the green - again pulled left but hit the green making my first GIR for the day, 20ft putt falling 1ft short tap in par

Fith Hole: Par 4 - Smoked the driver once again with a lovely draw, 9 iron left of green, chip on with two putt for bogey

Sixth hole: Par 4 - Blocked my drive out right but sitted nicely and shot an 8 iron over a tree falling just short of the green, chip and run up to the hole with one putt for par

Seventh Hole: Par 3 - Had the right club but miscalculated the strength of the wind up up as my 6 iron was pushing the ball into the wind falling short of the green. Chipped on and two putt for bogey. I choked on my first putt and my playing partner forced me to putt first to read my line.

Eigth Hole: Par 4 - Pulled driver and stepped it up a notch to 80% and faded the ball a little to much rolling just off the fairway but behind a small tree so had to play out safe and advance the ball. I decided to play the next shot safe and play to the centre of the green rather than play over the bunker to the hole. As I swung down on the ball I cut the swing and the ball shot out to the right over the bunker straight at the hole where I stood shocked and confused for a time then elated at the result. I would two putt for bogey after that.

Ninth Hole: Par 4 - a big dog leg to the left I decided to play a 3wood and my driver in past has shot straight through the fairway on previous occasions. My shot was perfect and nice draw around the corner setting me up for a nice angle into the green where I would unfortunately catch it fat and have to play my 3rd onto the green. I was standing over my first putt when a ball flew on to the green from a group behind us totally disrupting my trained focus on the putt and ended up falling short on that putt and two putt for bogey.

Front Nine would be 7 over

Tenth Hole: Par 3 - always a tricky long par 3 I decided to play my 5wood with a 70% smooth swing and fell short of the green. I would catch my chip fat and two putt for double bogey so wasn't happy.

Eleventh Hole: Par 4 - this is the hole we were waiting to play as the green had finally been changed from a rediculous 6 level tiered green to something more reasonable. Pulling driver I shot straight over the hill putting myself in a great position to make an up and down to a raised green at the top of the hill. I would smoke it over the top and chip onto the green. The putt i was then faced is probably the most difficult read and challenge i've ever had to date. I was on the top tier playing to the hole on the lower level. I would have to play my line out to the left so it breaks right to my check point to the edge of the ridge where it would then break a hard left picking up pace towards the hole. I didn't sink it but it did shave the hole and I would tap it in for bogey and I was happy with that given the putt.

twelth hole: Par 4 - pulled 3 wood and fell just short of the green where I would again duff my chip and have to settle with a two putt for par.

Thirtenth Hole: Par 4 - Got a bad read on the fairway and aim to far left thinking the green was located where it eventually worked out Not to be but I shot a nine iron out of the rough over trees to a raised green putting it 3ft from the hole. I would unfortunately choke again and missed the birdy op but took the par.

Fourthenth Hole: Par 4 - Driver fade right running just off fairway where i would put my 52degree wedge short leaving a touch chip which ran way past the hole. I would be left with a long up hill putt for par which i was half a foot out from going in so two putt for bogey.

Fiftenth Hole: Par 4 - disappointing with driver as i was perfect but with one branch from a tree sticking out my ball just had to connect and fall short just short of 200mts leaving me sitting under a long line of low hanging branches forcing me to play a punch shot nice and low. Focussing simply on advancing the ball I chipped on and two putted for bogey.

The closing holes

Sixtenth Hole: Par 3 - shot my 9 iron onto the green and had a tricky right to left break about a foot and a half out to the right for about 8ft. I fell short but made the second for a par.

Sevententh Hole: Par 4 - Smoked my drive to the base of the hill only short of the green chipping up and two put for par

Eightenth Hole : Par 5 - Smoked my drive but hindered by tree's but ok being a par 5 i just had to make my second shot count. 3wood fading out over the lake crossing over the fairway and into the rough with about 145mts to the green. I hand a relatively blind shot so just gripped my 7 iron and ripped it placing it on the green in regulation but left me with a mega long putt of about 30-35ft to hole out for birdy. My pace was perfect however the break from right to left was harder than I anticipated and ended up a foot to the left of hole so was an easy tap in for Par.

So I would close the back 9 6 over par making me 13 over for the day which is my handicap so was wrapped that I could go out after not playing much at all this year and still shoot my handicap. Gives me hope for future rounds.

When your not playing often the first thing to go is your chipping, this is a very technical aspect to the game and to shoot low rounds your short game is where its made. But what I was able to walk away with at the end of the day was the fact that I went the entire round without any 3 putts. That's something I've not been able to do.

PROLEPSIS

The band Prolepsis headed by Riley Al-johary played a gig last thrusday at Auckland University bar, Shadows. A small mix of cover songs but largely original music played to an enthusiastic crowd and I highly recommend joining us at the Masonic Tavern Friday 13th June for their next gig.


Prolepsis are based in Auckland and formed in the 1990's and are creating a steady following with their rock stylings. For further information, music samples click here

MOTHERS DAY

I planned a Mothers Day Gift for Donne spending much of my Friday day off to prepare it. I shall post a picture of the final result below at some point in the near future.

What I did was cut out templates that could then be stickered to the a canvas so once painted over would leave that impression. The template read "I LOVE MY MOM" by the end of the project after several base paints and then lettings maks go nuts with ber paints and brushes.

Maks Update

Friday afternoon and a rather bleak day as I drove out to Howick on a typical Auckland rainy day to collect Makayla from Kindy. Walking up to concrete ramp trying not to slip on its wet surface I peared into the window where I found her sitting next to her friend Rosie as they gazed at the cartoons on the tv. She saw me walk by the window so I was gleefully greeted at the entrance gate where a bug cuddle awaited before she showed me the drawings she had done and her arts and craft project she made for me also so I gave her praise and thanked her.

Once home, we were greeted by Danika and PohPoh, With my sibling in Hong Kong we had my niece spend the weekend with us. The first night was terrible, the two just wouldn't go to sleep no matter how many times i put them to bed they always found their way out. Then I decided to split them up for alls sake and no more than 5 mins in different beds in different rooms they were fast asleep.

Come morning we drove out to Browns Bay where we had lunch and the kids had fun on the playground. Sometime after lunch I brought maks home for her nap but she didn't really want to have one as she caught about 30 mins in the car however I was somewaht completely exhausted and tried to take a nap. She finally gave in and crawled up onto the couch next to me and we both caught a quick cat nap.

Later in the afternoon we popped over to see Yoni, Choco & Channel (she loves those cats) and were later joined by Danika and mom. The two loved playing with the two cats, then running up and down the hill in the back yard then dancing teaching Yoni to Jibaroo. After a long exhausting day, the two girls went down without much fuss or prompting and both were fast asleep by 8pm latest maybe earlier, can't quite recall which left me time to recoup myself with what energy levels were remaining.