A Blue, Blue Day

Saturday was a BIG rugby day:

• It was the final of the Super 14 - and South Africa has seldom made it to the final.
• It was against a New Zealand side - our arch rivals
• It was our regional team....The Blue Bulls of course... and it was a home game!

We did not have tickets, (too expensive and too cold) but that did not dampen our enthusiasm. As for the Curry Cup final last year our family got together again.

The L's were the first to arrive. Franco had tonsillitis and ear infection....again... despite all the Respitrol, Viral Choice and what have you. Poor little boy! Here his parents administer his medication with great care so that he won't throw up.

The H's made it just in time for kick off. I had bought Franco and Martelize "Blue Bull" uniforms - not the real Mc Coy - cheap jerseys from Pep, but its the blue that counts.

The game had started and would you believe it? The Chiefs scored the first try! Utter dismay!

What is rugby without "droe wors en biltong" (dried sausage and meat)? Frans bought us a heap and chewing helped to relieve the pressure.

Martelize thoroughly enjoyed sucking a piece of biltong. She soon protested when Thelwyn took it away when it became too soggy and a choking danger... she went through quite a few pieces.

Franco being Franco looked at his with disgust at first. Later he would lick his salty fingers, but never put the biltong directly in his mouth.

We had a bit of a problem! Franco had become very aware of the camera and as soon as the camera light came on, he started to pose.... gone was his usual smile and instead we had this new look. 'n Ouma wat uit haar maag uit vir hom lag, het hom natuurlik in sy "kwaad" gesterk.
(It's going to be tricky to get nice pics of him in future!)

The little ones soon tired of the game and preferred playing on the carpet - first with Franco's walker thingamajic...

And then Ouma's toys... but the favourite toys are the handles and the lever of the chess (see video below).

After eating some of Ouma's butternut soup, Franco was ready for bed in the sleeping bag his Ouma Elna made for him. At least Gert thought it was bedtime, but it turned out, Franco had other ideas.

So what happened with the game in the end? The Bulls won 61-17! Can you believe it! What a big record! What a morale booster...! It was almost like winning the world cup. I loved the way the players acknowledged where their strength came from. Bryan Habana, you are a joy to watch - especially after you have scored!
Tonight the Springbok team (our national team) will be announced. May all the deserving (and only the deserving) players of S.A. get a chance. A good rugby season might instill hope in these difficult times... and hopefully the rugby will inspire Bafana-Bafana (our hopeless national soccer side) as well.

"Whose lever is this anyway?" Franco and Martelize showing first signs of rivalry. He is 13 months and Martelize is 10 months old.