Monday Morning

Well, I'm at home as Norose has not arrived for work. Her mom says that she left home as normal but there is no sign of her. So here I am waiting for her - Fiona missed too many days last week. We just hope that she is ok.

Emma has developed quite a bit of phlegm in her throat which clears up after a few hours of being awake. We don't think it is too serious although she kept us awake on Saturday night. Daniel has a blocked nose too.

When we were at the cost, Daniel started to construct quiet sentences of gibberish together. The sounds were different from the usual "squawks" and represented a step forward towards talking. Emma has started doing the same this weekend. So we think Daniel will talk first. Yesterday we heard Dad quite a few times but whether it was a clear word is anybody's guess.

The two semi-finals were fantastic. Nice to see two teams winning as they were the better teams - nothing lucky there. The Bull's start and the first 20 minutes of the Sharks second half were a little worrying. But no team can be on top for the whole of an intense match. The important thing is that they were convincing wins - bodes well for the World Cup although we'll only really get a feeling after the tri-nations. I think a tactic many teams use against us is to let us win the non-consequential matches (this year the only matches of consequence are those in the World Cup) as they know a South African team that is on top is usually over-confident and very beatable when it counts. However, the sustained performances by the Sharks were really something to watch. It was nice to read a New Zealand paper and to see the furour around the sending home of Chris Jack (for too much partying - Jacks the world over are all the same). My point being that it is not just the SA sides that lose focus due to off-the-field politics. Hope New Zealand continues to lose focus when the World Cup comes around.
It was also nice to see Luke Watson picked for the Springbok Training Squad although he has not got a chance as it was not the selectors choice. Of course here we start with the off-the-field politics ...

Lets hope the Sharks win on Saturday.