the Kings and eye

I do love a good pun. And I love a bad pun even more. So before I forget, and before I head off to bed...Sal and I went to see the Sydney Kings play basketball tonight. And today I have had a bit of hassle with my eye - nothing serious, just light sensitivity in my pupil-the-size-of-a-dinner-plate. Sydney Kings, my right eye...The Kings and Eye...geddit? Well it amused me. More about today to follow tomorrow.

Retractable dog leads. These need to be banned. The idea of a lead is that your dog is close and under control. It is not so you can thread cheesewire-thin rope across the entire width of a path, or so your dog can walk around a corner and piss against the tyres of a bike 30ft away from you, the oblivious owner.

OK, the day in some sort of order. I wanted to get my long run for the week done and so, when I woke up at a late-for-me 08:30 and the girls were both asleep I thought about it, considered doing a shorter run (eye - sigh) and headed out. The run felt good and I did two laps, one clockwise and the other counter, of the park out by the fence - sort of trail/cross country - and then one loop on the road. One hour and 33mins. Legs and general cardio performance pleased me. Although I had sunglasses on the running under trees, then out in the sun, then under trees transition was a little more challenging than I would have liked but it needed more concentration, not a dog and a stick, so that was all good. Next week will be 100mins.

Got home and showered and then prepared to go out for breakfast and to go buy appliances, specifically a fridge and microwave, for the new house. JCJ called as we were about to leave and I freaked him out with health news but he knows one of the worlds top opthamologists so is now in the loop. He has also had a couple of retinal tears. Ouch. Anyway, he was off to The Botanical Gardens to see the worlds largest, stinkiest flower, the Titan Arum and asked I wanted to go along. I declined due to shopping commitments, but more on the fower later.

Breakfast was at a place in Dover Heights that I cannot recall the name of, but was nice and is opposite Copper Park, an oasis of kind of rainforest looking vegetation. It is a sort of gulley with a stream, small waterfalls (amazed there is any water at all) and it is very peaceful and very nice - you have to try hard to hear car noise, and this is only a couple of km from the City. A good hidden spot revealed to us by Mara. Munch and a stroll complete it was fridge o clock and we headed for the Good Guys in Alexandria. All quite dull, but we did manage to spend $500 on a metal door that OK, I admit it, looks nicer thana white door and will look swish in our new kitchen. More swish than $500 would look still in our bank account? Dunno, but Sally is happy, so I am happy and that is all good.

Before the basketball we wanted a bite to eat so headed to a Chinese restaurant in China Town that Sally recognised as one her brother rated but we were disapointed. Ah well. We had a coffee at Starbucks to make up for it and I had a slice of Dutch carrot cake. No idea why it is Dutch but it was tasty. Then it was over to the Entertainment Centre where we saw Dan's team, the Tall Timbers take on and unfortunalty lose to the Red Devils. It was the warm up match and it was two 15 minute halves and I cannot recal the score. The game was good though, and I was impressed. Janice, Dan's squeeze is about 5'3" and is bloody good too.

The main event was mighty impressive too. For much of the match we were chatting to work Nadia, one of Dan's current and Sal and my old colleagues from St. George Bank. But as the game went on it grabbed more and more of my attention and at the end I was gripped. Damn right too, as it finished 82-82 and went into a 5minute extra time that saw the Sydney Kings run out winners. Unlike football, where you are always on edge as one score can win or lose it, basketball (well, the oen match I've now seen) is more of a building to a crescendo and the end is mental when it can go either way. In fairness, last night would have been easier for the kings had Shane Heal, a Kings old boy out of retirement to play for the Dragons, not scored 30 of their points. He was bloddy fantastic. The game ended 92-88 and I was part of the biggest crowd of the season, or so it says here.

Cheerleaders. Now don't get me wrong, I like looking at fit lasses jumping around as much as the next man, but I do not see what they add to a sporting event. I don't know anyone that has any real regard for cheerleaders. Blokes are there for the sport and the kids prefer the mascot with his t-shirt slingshot and the women don't seem to really respct the craft. Dunno, maybe you need to be an American to understand it.

The night ended with us having coffee with Mike and family and Warwick and family, more St George dudes. We caught up and all was good. Not a bad day.