Still

Under the weather that is: Still. The cough is the problem - the constantly runny nose is a curse but being unable to stop coughing is a real nuisance. Probably been a month now but slowly getting better.

The Government have come up with another 'bright' idea. If a person is away ill, even one day, they propose that the employer can get a sickness certificate from a doctor. Proves how out of touch they are.

As I was sick and not getting better I decided I would cave in and go to the doctor. Phoned about 10 AM on a Wednesday. Two questions - life and death - Phone 111. If really really urgent we can see you, otherwise sorry but Thursday next week. I cancelled.

They are just so overworked it is not funny.

Birthday: Yes today 24 July. Approaching the big 70 now. Going out for a meal with the team tonight then will return to watch the Wallabies Boks game. Had an early morning phone call from Kipp singing Happy Birthday. He is quite confident about singing into the phone now.

Graffiti: A little bit on our fence. Oh well as Turiana Turia says it is only an expression of art. If I had my way I would give them an impression of art - with a baseball bat. They are just pricks and even when caught nothing happens.

Story Time: Easily the best put down I have ever witnessed.

Back in the 1976 when the Africans were protesting about the All Blacks going to South Africa Abraham Ordia, President of the Supreme Council on Sport in Africa visited N.Z. to put their case.

The PM (Muldoon) did not help the situation, in fact he made it worse by his treatment of Ordia. But he was pissed off in that a guy from a dictatorship was telling us about democracy and freedom.

However, in a (then NZBC)interview on TV Ordia, who was a very highly educated Nigerian, was interviewed by Ian Fraser (later Head of TVNZ). Ordia was married to a Swiss and spoke perfect German.

During the interview Ordia made some remark along the lines of ' Well we all know what the great German Philosopher XX said about that' and then went on for 30/40 seconds in German believing Fraser would have to ask for a translation, intending I think, to show us up as a backwoods country.

However, Fraser also spoke German and responded in such for about a minute.
You could see the look of astonishment on Ordias face.
A guy from a hovel at the bottom of the planet spoke German.

He burst out without thinking 'You speak German'

"Doesn't everyone" responded Fraser.

Brilliant!!!