juststuff: california dreaming...

A lovely email in my inbox from Matthew this morning to brighten up a slightly foggy Cape Town day. It made me smile and feel so happy because he sounds so happy. I asked him if I could use it for my blog today and he said "cool". So here it is:-

"SUBJECT: WHAT IS TRIVIA?

So the season is over.

That happened!

Hahaha I hate it when people talk that.

So we went to Dallas for the last 16 and QF national championship weekend. Despite winning the title last year and winning the SoCal division we were seeded 5th. Which kicked up a big fuss here. *imagine someone in the Nevada desert kicking at dust*. Yip that's how much of a fuss was kicked.

So we played the team we beat in last year's final, in the last 16 game on Saturday. I was on the bench as they know I'm leaving and the other flyhalf is their future wada wada wada...

The fixtures were played on a polo estate with 4 fields set up. A similar vibe to Kurland but not so fancy.

A quick run down of events:

a strong UCT like wind
we played into it first half. Down 27-5 at half time and struggling
I come on with 30mins left
lots to do so little time
score some cool tries, get good momentum, let one soft try in, down 34-27 with one minute left. Their kickoff, very strong downwind
they concede a penalty inside our 22m
I see a lonely wing back, if I can just kick it over his head it'll run out and we can have a shot at extra time
I hoof it - timed perfectly
I'm like Tiger following his blind approach to the green
It looks to have enough
The wing is stumbling backwards over his feet
It has enough
It's headed for the 5m line and 80m kick
It's perfect
Everyone holds their breath
I skip for it to get over his head
It lands over his head
I did it
It's perfect
THE BALL BACKSPINS
What just happened???
The wing who was stumbling over his feet gathers the ball which now bounced back over his head
Newton's best explanation is that the ball landed in a horse's spoor
Catches it
Runs it up field, time is now up, they kick it out
Game is over

That just happened!

I hate it when people talk like that. I hate even more when that just happens.

Sunday I started and got MVP. Oh well.

The upside is I'm now on holiday. I fly up to NY on Sunday and have a month of travel before heading home. The National concert on June 5th, together with NYC, Long Island, Saratoga Springs, Boston, SF, train back to LA for a week before flying out, the gist of it.

Great!

So we were playing Bezzerwizzer. A board game. At Brice's house. A few of us are there.
'Should we play Bezzerwizzer?' I suggest.
'What is Bezzerwizzer?' asks 21 year old English speaking SA boy Jeremy.
'It's a trivia game,' responds intelligent Brice.
*READ SUBJECT LINE*
*Shake your head in disbelief*

He wasn't invited to play.

Things have been really cool here and I've really felt part of the team lately. Every day shines a little brighter, I get a little comfortable, feel more at home and enjoy it a little more. The time is right for some travel and I will leave with a big smile on my face.

Some simple things which make me smile:

The deli up the road is a classic ploughman's type farm stall with a rickety mini windmill outside. I often take a book there and read with a Boddington's Ale and sit exuding my British colonial superiority on America. Just jokes. I often drink American beer with my flat cap!
A simple bike ride at sunset.
A bubble bath with candles.
Working out on the beach in the sun on the parallel and pull up bars while the rest of the world is working.
Big Brice being such a generous champion of a person and meeting me at the deli for a beer after work, or coming over to see if there's a meal for him at my place.
Turning down very forward and beautiful Californian girls. Makes me so happppppppy. That is happening.
Living a really simple life and getting to know myself really well. Too well maybe. If you know what I mean ;)
I think that is enough for now.

I'm off for a kayak now in the Naples canals. Very beautiful. (For Jeremy - it's not really Naples like the city in Italy, but a beautiful canal system modeled on Naples. It is a suburb called Naples but I reiterate that it is not 'The Naples'. That is trivia.)

Sent from my iPhone."

I have even managed to get some pictures out of him:-