Anthony Malloy

Woo hoo – the building permits were issued last week so Henley now have until the 20th of next month to start building our house!

Oh, and we got our first mortgage statement the other day. It’s only for the land so the amount isn’t that large but we’re already $16 worse off than when we started. Not bad going.

As we were today, the day before Rae goes back to work.

Today was a great day. A late breakfast, a coffee at the Coat in the morning and an afternoon spent with my wife. Lovely weather, final confirmation that all our home loan paperwork is done and dusted, kids that napped for two and a half hours. Ah yes, a good day indeed.

But they weren’t the only reasons today was magnificent.

You may have noticed I was home today. On a work day. I’ll also be home tomorrow. And the day after. And for a good many after that. I’m on long service leave! Yes, for the next five months I’m home with the kids and I’m incredibly happy. The six months I spent at home with Bert were some of the best times I have ever had and even though I know it’s going to be a heck of a lot harder this time around with three kids to manage instead just the one, I can’t wait.

We’ve been going through the daily routine over the past couple of days (Rae goes back to work on Thursday) and I have a rough idea of what should be happening and when. The only things I’m not looking forward to are getting them all in and out of the car and choosing their clothes each day. Rae leaves quite big shoes to fill when it comes to the presentation side of our kids and I’m somewhat challenged when it comes to style. I’ll give it my best shot though.

So, now I’m home with nothing to do (* cough cough *) any one want to meet for a coffee?

I can’t believe the Tiger captain was arrested in the early hours of this morning for urinating in a public place. Not just any old place in public though, he had to choose police head quarters to relieve himself against. Everything I’ve read about the man points him to being a solid, upstanding, sensible, mature adult. I admired him for looking after his invalid father and being a quiet yet solid leader on the field. Now you’ve gone and done such a stupid thing, barely a week after Brendan Fevola has been pilloried in the press for doing the same against a restaurant window.

Why Kane, why? We had such a good start to the season and now this.

This afternoon at the Bulldogs game with Rae I got to see what a true captain can do – with his team down and only minutes to go Brad Johnson, in his 300th game,  stepped up, was a leader and won the game off his own boot. He showed spirit, courage and skill and what’s more, I bet he won’t be out drinking until the wee small hours during the week.

I don’t care how Terry spins it. Kane, you have to step down as captain now, for the good of the club, and you have to be suspended. You’re the captain, what on earth were you thinking?

Rae says the headline in The Sun tomorrow will be ‘Judd Is A Dud’, I say it will be ‘Pressure Off Wallace’.

What a glorious feeling this winning thing is, after feeling it only three times last year I’m soaking up every glorious minute. I think the best thing though is that tomorrow I can look Bert and Kennedy in the eye and not have to apologise for making them Richmond supporters.

Go the mighty Tigers!

(PS Tigers, I’m sorry I tipped against you.)

UPDATE

They went with “From Rags To Richo’.

Right. Now that car race has been and gone it means its time for proper sport once again. The footy starts this week and this means only one thing, it’s footy tipping time again!

Yes, the world’s ugliest trophy is up for grabs again. Last year’s winner, Miss Trish (pictured below with the worlds ugliest trophy) will be fighting to become the first ever person to keep the mug two years running and it’s up to all of us to stop her.

It’s free, it’s easy, it’s fun and it ends in a bbq – who could ask for more? Simply click to join my footy tipping competition and your life will never be the same again. Even if you’ve never seen a game in your life you can, and probably will, do better than all of us born with the game.

There’s an old vending machine sitting keeping watch in the basement car park at work. It just sits there, empty, not selling anything, in vending purgatory.

It freaks me out a little each time I walk past it.