Monday, February 5, 2007

The Days of Broken Crockery

I am nto sure when it started, but the first I remember was the plate I had painted myself with the map of the oceans with Antarctica in the middle. It was broken - but that was kinda expected as it was in one of the boxes delivered from the movers…

Yesterday I thougth I was doing good when i washed the dishes in the flat. One of the coke glasses fell ontot he floor and broke into a gazillion pieces. I swore (mildly) and cleaned it up, feelign stink I broke someone elses special glass. I wrapped it in newspaper and popped it in the bin and got back to the dishes and low nad behold the OTHER coke glass leaps off the rack onto the floor and smashes in exactly the same way only MORE.

That time I swore, loudly and not at all mildly and with that tone of “I can’t believe that happened AGAIN!”

So this afternoon I went out to Pinehaven to pick up the remains of my gear after a full on day at work - in rush hour traffic (I did this for reasons I would rather not get into at this juncture) withthe bowl I had taken potato salad to work in (for shared lunch).

I mention this bowl because it is one of two. That I like. Special bowls. Which of course leapt out of the car and smashed into a thousand pieces which I then cut myself on crawling under the car to pick them up at the bottom of a steep driveway because I suddenly heard the sound of brakes failing on gravel on the steep driveway above me and attempted to hurriedly remove myself from under the car where I really did not want to be with what I was sure was an out of control car about to land on top of me.

What will be next?!

Aussie Sprint Session

and a recap of quals…

Really HOT there - air temps in the 30s and track temps like 50 or so! There has been a tad of resurfacing on turn five which could cause some grip issues on that turn.
Jonny did great times (a tenth of a second off the France fastest A1 time of last season) and then Nico (in the third qual session) pulled off an even better one and then went under the 1:18 lap in the fourth session to take pole for sprint with NZ almost taking it back with an time two tenths behind Germany but ending with second.
Interesting to note that Black Beauty is on a new engine but old tyres when mostly everyone else was on new tyres.
Unusually China got a few great times and are starting in 6th for sprint.
Aussie starting in 17th which is a tad disappointing for local fans!
Pakistan broke suspension (I think) and missed their third qual lap.
Czech repub had a disappointing qualifying also.

There was some talk about the very bad start at Taupo – when they came back around to the start line from the rolling start the red light was still ON but the front cars started the race anyway and the rest just followed on like lemmings. V bad!! They got a telling off at the driver briefing for that.

Nico starts the sprint with a tiny bit of “pick up” on his right front tyre which could effect his take off… (we hope!)
They start on a straight and Germany slow then very fast and makes a gap pulling everyone around the first few corners with no incidents.
GBR challenges NZ straight away on the first few corners giving Germany a chance to get away and me having flashbacks of Taupo as NZ slips back to third…(and GBR contacted!)

Germany gets out to a second and a half ahead and NZ is on GBRs tail every chance he gets.
India goes off track (first time driver) on second lap.

USA and Czech fighting it out for 9th and 10th.

Lebanon driver is out of the car, looks like they have damage to the front of their car (nose cone not flash!) and the right rear perhaps…and the yellow flags come out and the safety car is on track. They are picking up the leader which will make him mad coz he had up to four seconds of gap on the others. Of course no one has ever had a crash like the other Lebanon driver in the first race of the first season.

8 laps to go and safety is still out. Looks to be coming in on lap seven.
!! Way they go with 6 to go and NZ gets on it straight away, gets in perfect position to be inside on the first corner and takes back second place! WOOT WOOT!
France is right up on GBR now and Swiss rightbehind them – GBR might be having some grip problems in the back end, he is all over the place and France nearly rear ends him! (slow puncture?)
NZ has no boost left with five to go but GBR won’t give up in a hurry so will hold everyone off of attacking NZ for a while!
Four to go and France takes GBR’s place but it’s ok coz France have no boost left either!

Confirmed that GBR has a slow puncture on the right front.
Aussie manages to pass Italy for 15th with just over 2 mins to go and while that is happening GBR at the front end slams on the brakes rather unexpectedly and the commentators get very excited *giggles*

Pakistan spins off with forty seconds to go – hanging off the edge of the track – we may end under a safety…as GBR creeps into the pit.
Ok – no safety coz on final lap now. Germany takes fifth win of the season and NZ takes the second. France gets 3rd, switzerland 4th, Netherlands 5th, China 6th, Mal 7th , USA 8th, Cze 9th and Ireland gets 10th! (only top 6 get points in sprint though)

Leigh: “Nico, was that as easy as it looked?”
Nico: “No, that was not as easy as it looked!”