Mother leaves kids in street - the saga's twist

"A Hamilton mother who police say locked two children out of her Melville house to go to the pub says she had to flee as she was "getting the bash" from her ex-partner." This is according to the Waikato Times website this afternoon. Even I may have been a bit hastey in my judgement however, the question remains...if the ex-partner is most of the time in and out of jail as indicated later in the article, why is he allowed there at all, even being the children's biological father. Prevention efforts should be made to ensure that this does not happen...and that he is prevented from seeing his children, for the mothers safety and for the safety of the children.

I have a hard enough time with some solo parents, dropping their kids on family so they can go out and 'have a life' on too regular a basis. While I endorse couples or even solo parents need to have that down time to work on themselves as a couple or a person with their friends, the frequency of this 'life getting' should be met with moderation. It came down to a choice. When the choice was made to have children, your life focus moved to that. Being a parent.

I still somewhat have an issue with the fact the mother was drinking. One can make all sorts of assumptions, that she is a solo mother, on the DPB, or some other benefit, and what is the state of the kids school clothes, shoes, food in the cupboard...what about the kids needs. They are dependant on you as the parent.

If the side of events is perported to be true, that the ex was bashing her as she says, then there are circumstances for forgivness, but I am still concerned that she only took one, and not the five. Two were walking the streets. Was she looking for them? I guess there is still more to come out, and we just have to wait and see what the Police decide to do.

The armchair sports critic speaks

I was just reading the article from the Waikato Times about the New Zealand V England test and the word that is being used to describe the win. "Complete". I don't know if that is the word I would use...lucky might be more appropriate.


I was impressed with the performance, but at the same time, felt it could have been more...definative than it was. The test in its first three days looked to be heading to one of the most lack luster draws in test history. England chipping away at the Black Caps first innings total of 470 odd runs, which for the Black Caps I was quite impressed with. However, neither team's second innnings could be described as impressive.


The Black Caps scored 177 in the second innings taking their lead to 300...then declared with 1 wicket in hand. 3 ducks in that innings and a mid-order collapse similar to a good one day game. If it was not for the same remarkable collapse in the England squad, it would have been a 5 day game draw...nothing to brag about...but one boring end to a 5 day game.

If this is a complete performance, then I am hoping that the next test is a heck of a lot more convincing.