Just another week in paradise for me.  I wasn’t caught in an earthquake like some poor souls in Nepal, or even closer to home stuck on a flooded motorway in Wellington, or having my roof blown off in Mt Maunganui.

No up here in the Chev were the usual activities of

• exercising and moaning about the exercising
• drinking and eating, and vowing to be a bit more restrained with both – next week
• annoying Brett – always a comforting constant in my life
• being the noisy one in the office.  I have very quiet workmates and I know it brings a lot of joy to their lives hearing me talk to customers and my views on life the universe and everything

However this week I was very lucky to come across two very talented, wise and funny women.  Well not exactly come across as Michele A’Court and Anika Moa have been around for the longest time.  Michele I remember watching you on What Now.  And Anika as she herself pointed out she did start performing as a baby, so to me she has always just been there, making great music and being fabulous.

While I have always been in awe of Anika’s talent, I had no idea just how funny she is.  For some reason a mad genius at the New Zealand Herald has decided to let her interview fellow musicians and she is bloody funny.  Watch and see what I mean.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11444260

And I would totally buy a version of Anika and Stan singing I’ll Be There – just saying

Michele has just published a book called Stuff I Forgot to Tell My Daughter, and I read a piece in Next magazine at the hairdressers – well I chortled and snuffled and read it out loud to my hairdresser, and knew this was a book I had to have.  I just went out today and bought it and I am in the process of devouring it.  We are of a similar age, with similar age daughters and there was so much I can relate to

• Tattoos couldn’t agree more
• That awful moment when you first realise that because you are a girl you are not entitled for some reason to have the some opportunities as boys
• Blindfolding Muslim Men so they don’t have to be tempted – best idea ever
• When you are very ready for your child to leave home

Anyway I could go on and on, but it really is a great book, I am glad I bought it and it gives me some more things to annoy Brett with – read this, did you know Michele was from Levin? etc etc

I actually sent this photo to Michele on Twitter to prove I bought her book and she replied – wasn’t that nice.  I do hope the 5c she got from the sale of the book will help keep her in shoes.

While I am on the subject of Twitter I did realise halfway through this week that I forgot to send my weekly inspirational tweet to the 3 St George Dragons who are brave enough to let me follow them on Twitter.  Heath L’Estrange, Euan Aitkin and Joel Thompson.

At the start of the season the team were getting such a terrible time about how useless they were.  I thought what would make all the difference would be me sending them a tweet before each game saying things like.

• You are winners to me
• I know you work really hard
• You can do this

You know the sort of messages I should have written and put in Lauren’s lunchbox, if it hadn’t been mission impossible enough to find a bag of chippies in the back of the cupboard to throw in her school bag.

But this Wednesday I realised that I did not send them a tweet before their game on Monday night and that was the game the lost against the South Sydney Rabbitos.  I can assure you I have sent them a tweet today before they meet the Raiders.  So if they win, you know who to thank – apart from the team and the coaching staff.  And if they lose, I will be sad but it will take a bit of pressure off me. Watch this space.

Were you watching?  A win to the Dragons!!!  32-18

So now not only do I need to keep inspiring the Dragons to awesomeness,  I might just start slipping some inspirational messages into Brett’s man bag.  I know he would really appreciate them, and it just enhances my annoying potential.

Finally Chris Rattue (who I don’t always agree with) wrote this piece in the Herald and it was perfectly illustrated to me last night.  Some of the McFred whanau were at The Cav on College Hill Ponsonby last night for dinner, and the place was pumping at 6pm.  We couldn’t work out why. But people were there to watch the Warriors beat the Eels, and once the game was over about a 3rd of the clientele left.  Even though the Hurricanes were playing the Chiefs straight after – two of the top teams in the Super 14.  By the way the food at The Cav was yummy, the service quick and nice and friendly but the Pokie machines were not our friends..  Sort that out please 🙂

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11446421

To paraphrase the Starks League is coming.  And for one love it