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A Golfer's Test

Here's a little test: If your standing out in the open air and you notice an object near or far do you test the distance thinking "hmmm that cars about an 8 iron away?" or do you take it one step further "approx 135 meters, 1 metre down angle, wind right to left moderate head wind. Options: Full 8 iron or 7 iron on half backswing an 80% of maximum effort."

I find myself running those thoughts often when even in the open air standing around chilling. So that's Mike, with golf on his mind when he has a moment to spare as an escape from work and the perfect way to test myself. After two months from picking my clubs up last the boys and I headed out early sunday morning to Manukau Golf Course for a round. Never played that course before but after walking off the 18th green after some pretty heavy rain and wind spells i ended up with a score of 87 or 15 over par. Normally I'd be pretty pissed with that kind of score but seeing as though its only my 6th round for the year and we played in some terrible conditions it was a score I could accept falling only 1 short of Dale "daly" Heighway and Simon "Singh" Johnson who've played the course several times already this year so was able to hold my own.
As we walked up to the 18th green the heaven's opened up and dropped a bucket on us then the hail set in turning the green into white, so we were pretty happy we'd just finished our last putts prior to that setting in. On average I'd have to say we had heavy rain approximately every three holes where we were constantly putting on and taking off our wet weather gear and thank god I remembered to pack it.

Some Very Impressive Bikes from Ferrari

Maks Update Oct 28th

Friday: Walking up the ramp to the front door of Makayla's kindy I found her hanging from the play gym rings happily swinging away until she saw me then dropped and ran to meet me at the door. I had about 5 meters to reach the door, she had about 15 yet I entered thru the door she was jumping up and down for me. Scooping her up in my arms with a big hug we said goodbye to Caleb her friend who's birthday party we would attend the following day.
As soon as we got home she demanded that I put 'her' movie Barbie: The Island Princess on to which she happily set about watching it over and over. I asked if she wanted to go for a swim and preferred to watch her movie which was ok as she had abit of a cough going again. After dinner we decided to hmmm watch the barbie movie again before I put her in the bath and readied her for bed. Placing her down to rest her head I read her a short story before she closed her eyes and fell fast asleep so i gave her a kiss on her forehead and went to bed myself.
Saturday: about 1040 we arrived at her friend Calebs birthday party and the Ellerslie YMCA held in the gymnasium with all the kids playing various games. It was great for they had so much room to run around and play, her best friend rosie was there too and they both loved swinging on the gymnastic rings time and time again. They put on a lovely spread with so many lollies I almost felt sick looking at it all but allowed maks to have a good share so long as she knew that she wouldnt be getting anymore for the rest of the weekend. After the party we came home and took a nap as we were both exhausted and must've gone down for a couple of hours after running around at the party. Later that afternoon sort of eludes me, but at some point Danika came round and the two played for a while and watched a new barbie movie I got. That evening I gave maks a bath so it would free me up to watch the Rugby final between Canterbury and Wellington with Red taking the win by one point. After the game we sent Danika home and I put maks to bed after I sung her a short song but ended up coming out as she couldnt sleep so I put her in my bed for a while until she fell asleep and when I came to bed I transferred her to her bed.
Sunday:having an early round of golf scheduled it was a change for me to be up before her, after I was ready I walked in and gave her a bug and kiss then left for my car only forgetting the keys, Do'h, so heading back inside I found maks sitting on the couch after just turning her kids programs on, I had to laugh.
After the game I got home just after midday and went down to my sisters house where mom had taken her to see Danika and the rest of the family. Stef and Carl were there with baby William almost ready to start crawling and is not too far from it all.
I could see maks starting to get a bit scratchy and iritated so it picked her up and we came home to have a rest and I surely needed it after my round of golf earlier in the day with my back in much pain. After our nap she took a while to wake up so on came The Island Princess (no surprises there) but we only played the songs she could sing along to. Crikey mind blank can't recall what we did after that LOL i think that we just took it easy, practising to write her name, drawing and lots of cuddles and tickles hahaha
Monday: The morning was quiet as we waited for mom the pack ready to fly off to Hong Kong so when she was finally ready we jumped in the car and went to pick Kaz up. There was still a bit of time so the kids played around for a while before deciding to watch yet another Barbie movie (one I dont have....yet) but they tired of that quickly which was ok as was time to head off to the airport. Once there we all had lunch together and then raced to the 3rd level to wave goodbye to mom after she'd passed thru immigration. On the way home I decided to take the long slow drive home to allow maks time for a decent nap in the car as we also had to drop Kaz and Danika home. When we finally got home she was refreshed and rip roaring ready to go and we still had 2 hours spare before Donne picked her up on her way to a friends so that time was spent productively writing, chasing her around, playing hide and seek and eating some fruit. Donne picked her up sometime after 4pm where afterwards I caught a good nap after a very long weekend of fun.

maks update 17/10/08

Donne dropped maks off to me on the thursday after I finished work just before 6pm. As they drove into the car park I saw my little girls little hand waving up at me thru the window. I reached in to undo her seatbelt and picked her up in my arms as she was dressed in her PJs with little pink slippers on as Donne had given her a bath before leaving her house. After we waived Donne goodby as she drove out of the car park it was upstairs to start out weekend of fun n games.

That evening was relatively uneventful with her sitting back to watch her Barbie movie over and over and over again and again, we also spent more time teaching her how to write her own name, coloured in some pictures for a colouring in competition they are holding at work for kids. Shortly after 8pm I put her into bed and sang a song to her before she went to sleep waking in the early hours of friday morning. The night before I'd shown her how to load her movie on my computer which I hold in my lounge area. That particular wall backs on to my bedroom wall so at about 7am I heard this happy scream from the lounge after some tapping and thumping on the computer keyboard saying "Daddy !!! I Did it !!!" meaning she'd started up the movie on her own as I snuggled my head into my pillow thinking 'k Mike, time to get up and get her breakfast now, come on you fat bastard."
She happily munched down her breakfast whilst watching her movie while I showered and dressed in ready for the days activities. The first activity was to pop into work quickly to hand in the colouring pictures she'd done the night before and check what accounts I had come in that day. We said a very quick hello and goodbye to a few people then ran across the road to foodtown where Aunty Kaz and Danika were waiting for us.
After we filled up with the weekend groceries we jumped in the car and I brought her home for a nap at around 11.30am and let her go dream for an hour and a half before she pop out of her room wiping the tiredness from her eyes and crawling up next to me on the couch as I finished watching the sport. Later that afternoon I decided to take her for a bike ride at Mission Bay where she rode from the park area right around to the next bay heading towards St. Helliers and then back again. Mom met us there and decided she'd take maks to see Danika and as they walked off to mom's car parked at the far end, I watched as she ran along the beach. As I drove home I passed the park and noticed Maks getting onto the swings so I had a little chuckle as I drove off. Can't recall what happend for the rest of the day but the following day we met up with Danika so Mom and I took them both down for a swim. Danika is really coming along with her swimming and maks too was doing quite well also considering it was only her second swimming lesson I'd given her.
After the swim I brought her home for a good nap before we left to have dinner with at my cousin stef's house with hubby and little boy William. Maks enjoyed playing with William, who's now about 7 months old now and growing fast, showing him how to play with the toys.

Sunday was to be a big day, so I packed up colouring in books, toys & my computer loaded with her movie as we left home shortly after 11am and on to our first stop being the Auckland Fish Markets for some Snapper, then to foodtown for the eye fillets then raced on over to my mate's house to sit back and enjoy.... BATHURST.
Maks, as usual had a great time with Yoni and the cats, didn't even need to bring out the computer either. We all had a great time, even maks sat back and pretended to drive a car around the bathurst track as we'd tell her ok your going thru the cutting now so you have a series of left and right corners, ok here's the dipper, alright now its a hard left around forest elbow, now hit the gas for the straight.
It was a complete laugh.
With time going on and 60 laps to go, I thought I'd get maks back to Donne before it gets to late and make it back in time to watch the race finish.... I still don't have the heart to tell maks we (Holden) lost.

Can't wait to spend time with her again, now that the weather has cleared up we're able to do what we've wanted to do all winter and GET OUTSIDE.

Baby Johnson

The last week or so has been a mind blowing crazy mad time but it was all put to rest when finally I got some great news. My best mate Simon and his wife Yoni contacted me an hour or so ago to announce that she is 4 weeks pregnant.

BIG CONGRAT'S GUYS

When Maks and I were over to watch Bathurst she was noticable tired and her period was well overdue so I went home with fingers crossed. When I saw their name pop up on my phone I just knew what it was about and am just so thrilled for them both.
In speaking with Simon if could see his grin in my mind and knew that when I asked him "you can't stop smiling can you!!."

The two are wrapped and excited so will definately be rushing over to their house to celebrate tonight.

New Zealand Political Debate

Clark and Key are trying to turn the NZ elections into an Americanised copycat election by cutting out other candidates such as the Greens and ACT. Just because they are the largest government bodies and it would be either of the two they figure they can rule out the other 5 parties.

By taking this path I see why they wish to take this avenue however our government body is not created in a two-way street under Republican or Democrat parties. They only thing they share is Labours colour being red as is for the Republicans and Nationals colour which is blue like the Democrates but thats where it ends and sorry Mr. Keys but you cannot consider yourself to be Like Barrack Obama.

Personal Opinion: not in favour of

Running Mate Debate - countdown

Shortly the follow up debate to McCain and Obama shall commence between Palin and Biden.

Biden whos experience far outweights that of Palin can often come across as bit of a rambler, short and direct but now he is up against Palin a relative newcomer but not one to be counted out as she completely ruled during her Governor debates so can definately hold her own against the experienced.

The challenge for Biden I see to be a difficult road due to the fact that to sell and support Obama whilst at the same time crushing Palin, but heres the trick, he has to do it with a subtle nature as not to loose out on the female votes for the Democrates. Here's where Palin may gain some ground and if smart can work that to her advantage if she corners Biden whom is often an agressive debater coming out with guns blazing.

I have watched the debate between the presidential candidates and have to admit that I felt that McCain made some very valid points that got me thinking however was unable to sell me on the whole idea. Obama during the first 20 mins started to say "I agree with Senator McCain..." before adding his jibe to the mix. I felt that both talked on valid issues but at times strayed and avoided specifics so once the debate was concluded I found myself scratching my head and thinking, maybe I should watch this again and see if there's more I can grb from it. But instead found listening to Canadian comedian Russell Peters more entertaining.

To follow the American Presidential Elections coming from a small tiny country (New Zealand) so far away from basically, well alot of things. Its important to understand whats happening in America as what often happens there will eventually filter out to the world. Sometime subtle and sometimes faster than we can blink an eye so the outcome of whom steps into the oval office in January will have a controlling affect on the world.