Because the All-Blacks play the Ref better.

Because they niggle better, despite Stephen Moore doing a standup job.

Because Richie McCaw is too good (and if you know how much I’m a fan of George Smith, you’ll know that’s a pretty hard statement for me to make).

I’m going to chronicle my week of holidays. So we’re beginning with a Saturday, as many things do.

This morning started early. Took my eldest swimming. He’s really coming along well. School lessons give him the technical, and I just try and cement that a little more.

Last time I was shocked to find, after finishing the time with the eldest, that two laps completely blew my steam.

I’ve been running and walking between 15 and 30 kms every week for a couple of months now. I’m not _fit_ like a Wallaby, but am a lot better than what I was.

This morning I went for six laps (fifty meter pool). And felt a lot better. Laughable I know. Back at school playing waterpolo, I would have looked at myself and wondered how the whale could keep afloat. Well, maybe not a “whale”. Heh.

Am reading a couple of books. Other than going slowly through “A Game Of Thrones“, there’s “Eragon” plus book 2, and then “Digital Fortress” by Dan Brown.

Eragon has rocketed to the place of read-everywhere. Over halfway through, and I’m hooked. Most captivating and simple fantasy I’ve read in a long time.

The last element of my Day #1 to mention is that the beginnings of our first “game” were laid. Plastic army men, big plastic connect blocks, a pair of dice and a super ball. That’s all I’ll say for the moment. It’s at such a rudimentary stage that things will most likely change a lot. But it was fun.

Especially at the end, well, this caused the end, when our littlest one dropped his big new “water” ball on top of everything, scattering half my fort. We all collapsed laughing, even I did, after the initial shock of painful “mass” defeat.

Tomorrow is Church and then friends coming for lunch. I’m hoping to get some more of The Plastic Detectives Episode 3 done in the afternoon. Shooting and recording are underway.

Oh, and yes, we watched the Wallabies lose in Honkers. Must have been a sweltering time for them.

Sometimes I take things a little too seriously. And in keeping with pointing to others, it’s another slant .. What made me laugh or caused a chuckle or even a smile. Bits of Happy.

• RT @stilgherrian Today’s strange weather in Sydney is brought to you by the letters “C” and “O” and the number “2″ (url).
• Author: @aDB
• /listening to Russ is like watching the 1960’s version of Batman. Biff! Pow!<g>
• Author: Mark Riffey
• Having a great camera moment with my youngest last night.
• Reading this post.
• Author: Paisano
• We have such a blessing in our kids. Make the most of them! They bring Bits of Happy in the most unexpected places. And the expected ones too :).

Who is Rach?

Rach is one of the coolest people you will ever meet.

I’m not just saying that because she is my best friend. Nor is it just because we have been married for ten awesome years. Nor still is it just because she’s the most amazing mother of our four kids.

Why should you care?

If you catch her on Twitter, there’s every chance you’ll have one of the funniest and memorable conversations in your day.

Her tweets showcase what is best about Twitter. They are not self serving, nor, like most of mine, are they attempting to get people to talk by linking blog posts or pictures or topics that are in flux.

Rach writes real. It’s not fake. That’s something special in our world of quick follows and social-media plasticity.

I should have done this when I started my latest re-read of A Song Of Ice And Fire. But anyway ..

A Game Of Thrones, Sansa 2 (Chapter 30)

Image via Wikipedia

Gregor Clegane is such a massive character. From the moment he was introduced, I was intrigued. It’s the way GRRM paints him. So .. BIG.

It gets better as the story goes on. There’s a passage where GRRM talks about the tall men in the Seven Kingdoms, I think perhaps Catelyn’s pov. From my recollection, which may be wrong, it’s the Mountain who towers over all.

You know, it might be in ASOS, where Tyrion is watching the Red Viper and The Mountain go at it. Hmmm.

EDIT: It’s the very next chapter after Sansa’s, where Ned is the POV, and he convinces Robert not to enter the Melee.

But in this chapter, the first time we are introduced to Clegane, it’s Sandor that gives us the best insight into his brother. I mean, the chapter’s got so much in it, this isn’t a major point, but it’s a point.

Gregor works a little off-center. Kiltered. He pushed his brother’s face into a brazier because he stole a toy. And throughout the series there isn’t any “redemption” of him. He’s not misunderstood. He’s not even like Jaime or Sandor, who have unapologetically done henious acts, but are on the road to some kind of change.

Ha ha, I guess that’s wrong though. Gregor has been changed. Anyway.