A Retrospective (retroactive?) Post - the first of many

It has turned to fall here and as I'm organizing my things and my thoughts (a fall cleaning rather than a spring one) I'm mentally prepared to get caught up on all my blog posts that I've been slacking on!  I believe I left you all hanging in regards to my winter adventures last year, so what better place to start my catch-up than July of last year...when all of my adventures REALLY started.  'Adventures' is not an overstatement and it's about time I fill you in on all the havoc I've wreaked.  

Winter started, for me, back in July at the All Blacks vs. Fiji match in Dunedin.  I actually pulled out my puffy winter coat!  Granted, it was a night rugby game and the stadium is outside so I wasn't being wimpy.  Thermals were worn by all, but the proximity of thousands of your closest friends you didn't know you had helped keep us warm.  I'd pulled together a big group of people to join me for the rugby game: Nicky, Doogs, Matt Tucker, J from work, Rinie and Kaya from Queenstown, and Nicky's friend Camille joined too.  It was great to be with some good friends and to see the dueling Hakas!! 

Rinie and Kaya had to pick up their tickets at the game and I needed (yes, needed) an All Blacks scarf... so we literally ran around the stadium to get inside in time to watch the dueling Hakas.  I was quite winded (I hadn't turned into a runner at that point in time) so I was catching my breath while the boys had the presence of mind to pull out their cameras and record the epicness:

Post-Hakas (coolest thing ever!), we found the rest of our group and the game commenced.  Fortunately this was not my first rugby game (my second), so I had a bit of an idea what was going on.  However I was still happy to have Matt there to explain things to me again.  I will say I spent most of my time talking to everyone, helping Matt drink his beers, and taking pictures.  I tried to get clear pictures of the players, but that was a big 'fail' so thank goodness for Rinie and Kaya who had better cameras!

Clearer pictures of the game then I was able to get

Matt, Rinie, Kaya & I - Doogs! - Me & Matt Tucker - Rinie & I w/ Cami & Nicky - Doogs & J - The Stewart Island Crew

Kiwis are big fans of the wave at sporting events.  They keep it going for ages and it's rather impressive.  However, there is one distinct difference in their execution of the wave: they throw up their beer bottles along with their arms.  A) I think this is a waste of perfectly good beer if you're not done when the wave comes around, B) It can make for a very wet second half of the game, and C) I caught it on film!!!

After the game (All Blacks won!!) we all had a long night out in town dancing it up.  The next morning we hit the Farmer's Market for bacon butties.  I had to share the fabulousness with the Queenstown boys because they had never had one.  Obviously they loved the fatty goodness when they tried mine so the boys each got one and then we wandered the market and relaxed in the winter sun.

Farmer's Market Bacon Gorging

Once we checked the Farmer's Market off our 'to-do' list, we hit the Otago Museum for a hot second and then continued on to Baldwin Street to try and walk off some of the bacon.  I only walk up this street when people visit.  It's too steep to walk up on a regular basis...plus it's not near where I live and I tend to be lazy.  But it's a must-see/must-walk for all newbies to Dudstown so I took the boys there and Nicky and I just chalked it up to much needed exercise.
Sadly, I had to work that afternoon so I left the Queenstown crew to shop in the city before they headed back home.  It was a great weekend and I got to see the All Blacks in person!  A great personal victory for my low standard of personal accomplishment.  The lower the standard the more I feel I achieve!