Bollocks. An hour’s cricket commitments work up in smoke thanks to this hopeless cod-Word app I’ve recently downloaded being utterly, utterly hopeless. The portentous cloud cover is telling me something.

Four days bright sunshine replaced by a fire blanket of grey. My now daily Brew With A View trip to Alfrescoes has not been particularly successful today.

Bon Jovi, Simply Red and all manner of ropey Rat Pack covers make for a miserable musical experience. The gorgeous Pom waitress steadfastly keeps deputing her six-pints-and-you-might colleague to look after me. Red balloons and half-wicked candles spoil an otherwise fine view. I hate Valenines Day, hate it. Still, as thoughts turn to Waikato and the start of five weeks or so of cricket, I will definitely miss this.

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The view of Russell from Alfrescoes, Paihia. Car not author’s.