How are we all doing ?

Hello again. Yes, it's not tooooo bad here. We have the odd scare when there is an unexpected Community case and then a frantic session of testing etc to see where it originated. People seem to be relaxing a bit so wearing masks on public transport etc may become mandatory, I believe is the correct word. It's all a long way from where I live but that's no excuse for complacency!

Otherwise, the All Blacks LOST to Argentina last night, the first time that has ever happened in about 35 years I think. So a miserable Sunday today. Rugby was the winner etc etc. 

Love to all,

Wombles down under. 

Oh that’s a shame on the Rugby front but Scotland made it through on the football front . First time in twenty odd years apparently. I actually did not watch it but the rest of the house seemed happenough !.

Our numbers hard to work out . Our hospitals are getting fuller but our numbers are starting to stabilise! What on Earth that means I have no idea . 
Take care ,

Court 

Dear Court

i’m pleased for your family about Scotland qualifying, I was reading Andy Robertson’s book over the W/e and thought of you & all other Scottish fans.  Sport can be such a lift when times are bad, no surprise that for me & my family the highlight of the year was watching Hendo lift the Prem.  I remember back to Jan’18 I was at Anfield 2 days before surgery to watch a dramatic 4 - 3 victory over City, it was the only time since diagnosis that I forgot my fears & worries and then going back to Anfield exactly a month after surgery to watch us destroy West Ham.  Sport is so important.

Scotland could not have a finer leader than Andy Robertson.  We have watched him develop from an uncertain start to the finest left-back in the world.  He epitomises Klopp’s belief in effort over skill and team player rather than individual.  Off the pitch he is modest and seems to have his priorities sorted.  For his 21st he let it be known he wanted no presents from team-mates instead he asked for donations to a local food bank.  Google hi letter to a young Liverpool fan who had given his pocket money to a food bank.  

In Liverpool the two sets of rival fans joined together to form, Hunger doesn’t wear team colours, a charity which gets most of it’s donations on match days; 2020 has impacted greatly on their work.  Then Sky launched their disastrous  Pay Per View charges, fans acted angrily but constructively, ignoring official sources and accessing illegal streams while donating to food banks.  The Liverpool vs Sheffield was the most successful at this raising 110k for foodbanks.  We watched the match on a so-so quality stream, running about 75 seconds behind the actual match with a commentary in Arabic, and as a family made £25 worth of donations.  Yes it cost us more than the official stream but we were determined not to support such blatant profiteering.

i wish Scotland well in the Actual competition & everyone’s team as long as they don’t beat/finish ahead of Liverpool 

YNWA (Have we 11 fit players for Sunday?)

Mike

Love it ! We are really quite pleased with ourselves. Even if we don’t go any further we pushed through more than we have done for so long . It was a great boost and lovely to hear the positive roars coming out the room . Not sure what the neighbours must have thought ! 

It’s pouring here today . Off to do the shopping for too many households on a wet day ! And my oven gets fix today . Oh the excitement. 
Court 

We won this time. 38-0. Now the All Blacks can come home, do their 14 days isolation and go home. Cricket is taking over. Summer arrived today. 

Oh enjoy summer ! Sounds as though things are continuing in good shape on many fronts !

I have a relative taking shelter from Corona in Australia. She was educating me on the life cycle of Cicadas! 17 years underground ! 
Do you have them in NZ ?

Anyway it kind of looks as though life is semi normal in your areas ! Think we have a wee while to go before that happens but enjoying the family.

Take care ,

Court 

Hi. I'm still here. Yes, there are cicadas here I believe, but from memory they seem to do their thing up North where it's warmer and humid. Very noisy. Just wishing everyone a Happy 2021 if possible. Stay safe and warm.

Wombles. 

Hello wombles

So good to hear from you !

How are things in New Zealand ? 
We are in trouble I think ! The spread is gaining ground ! Don’t think it will be wrong till we are in full lockdown . But I would love to be wrong !

Happy New Year to you too.

Take care ,

Court 

Glad you are well, wombles, belated happy new year! Hopefully you will not get our variant, we will be shutdown soon probably.

Stay safe

Lovely to hear from you wombles. Happy new year! I think you are probably in a better place than us. With your excellent government response to the crisis. We are quite honestly in a mess and dread to think what might happen next! Yet all on the forum are positive and cheerful, and wonderful friends to have ! Good luck everyone.