Time-Line Last Night

• Settled in for a night in front of the box (still got it, left over from the Ashes).


• Was ready to cheer and whoop to see Aus beat U-R-Gay (a banner at the stadium had this on it and I laughed myself silly ... simple things ..) and qualify for the world cup.


• Dinner was had early. Beer was ready and cold in the fridge.


• Watched the hour of pre-game rubbish (there is only so much you can discuss surely).


• Saw the size of the crowd and the patriotism and parochialism and wished I was there (it's really a fantastic stadium, isn't it ... at least I can say I was there for the 110,000 crowd to watch Aus get beaten by NZ in 'the greatest rugby game ever', although I needed a telescope and tissues to stop the nose bleeds cause of the altitude up the back of those wing tiers, much better now that they have gone and the roof is all the way around).


• Chewed the nails after the kick-off and thought we were rubbish. What was with all those free kicks we were giving away (I am suddenly now an expert football, when did this happen?).


• Leapt out of my chair when we scored (a spilt second before I thought Kewell had botched it). Got looks from the flatmate, he was less animated.


• Ready to get beer at half-time .. and then black-out.


• Hunted around for candles, found the last two, got some light flickering.


• Went next-door and complained with the neighbour, he is not as bothered by sport.


• Had a campari there, chatted and the power came back on.


• The power goes off two minutes later, but only it seems for my neighbour's and my house, everywhere else has lights a blazing.


• Wander down and check the power box in pouring rain, all looks good there.


• Go back and have another campari and wait.


• Ring PNG Power ask them what the story is, they said they will check it out.


• Go home and lie down try to listen to the game on the radio. The radio has run out of batteries. Add batteries, along with candles, to the shopping list.


• Send text message to mate in town to keep me updated on the score.


• Wait, for the power to come back on. Curse PNG Power Ltd (just like I did during the day, after standing in line for 15 minutes to pay my bill, only to be told "the system is down" when I got to the counter).


• Get message that it has gone to extra-time and then into a shoot-out.


• Discover that we have won the game via text message. Can't believe it.


• The power comes on two minutes later! Manage to watch some of the post-match interviews and analysis. Very happy chappie.


• Cursing PNG Power has now been tempered by the result.