I was up at 6.00am by dint of my watch having stopped and as daylight was in full swing, I thought I might be late and promptly got up. After whiling away a couple of hours we set off for Beecroft for this morning's basketball game. This is where Nick's part of Arden School is located, and they have built a new indoor basketball court there. However that was in use by one of the more senior teams so we resorted to the outdoor court, and as the weather was superb, this was no hardship.
Arden started off with concerted attack and the opposition never got into their half for the first 15 minutes of the game. By half time the score was twenty something - nil! Nick had a superb game, outspeeding the opposition both in defence and attack, stealing the ball expertly, whizzing down the wings at speed and scored 3 baskets himself as well as laying off good passes to other members of the team who then scored. It was all in all an excellent team effort with most of the members having outstanding games. The human bulldozer, Ryan ploughed through the opposition but all too often ignored opportunities to pass to well placed members of his team, and eventually loosing the ball. However overall this was one of the team's best displays. We had a sturdily built member of the opposition who I fear lost it during the game. All too often he crashed into members of his own team knocking them flying, and whilst intercepting the ball well, kept on stepping back over his own court line thus giving possession back to Arden. After doing this three times on the trot in a very short space of time, he burst into tears and went to leave the court. The excellent ref, who encouraged both teams, told him he was intercepting very well, calmed him down and gave him the throw in (even though technically it was Arden's). Shortly afterwards he was substitued by the coach and appeared to be in some distress. At the end of the game his mother marched him straight off! Obviously not a good day for the poor lad. Arden finished up winners 44-3.
Afterwards Nick took Robert to his classroom and explained what he would have to do next Wednesday when he came in in the morning to partake in a pupil/parent event.
I then went back to Epping with Jane and Nick, where Jingles is no longer recognisable as the kitten I last saw earlier this year.
On what was turning out to be a scorching hot day, Robert decided it was time to give Reilly a wash. Normally he is terrified of the hose, but such was the heat of the day that he seemed to welcome the cooling effect of the water!
A much cleaner and sweeter smelling Reilly is left in the shade on his bed to dry out.
Although we didn't make it to the fish markets for lunch, Jeannette has purchased fish for dinner that Rob barbeques as well as preparing a tasty seafood salad for starters. I watch more of South Africa v Australia and the game is still in the balance.
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