Soccer and Salmon

After a week of wet weather, the rain stopped long enough to let soccer pitches dry sufficiently to allow all games to be played.

9:10am, Huapai Domain, The Groovy Girls vs the Crocs

Score 2-0, both goals scored by the prolific striker "Lovely" Lauren Palmer (actually not very lovely on the soccer field, more like a tenacious terrier).  Nana & Poppa and Grandma & Grandad were there to witness the goals and would agree that she is indeed tenacious. 

Lauren was particularly thrilled to be awarded the player of the day for her efforts today.  Luckily Poppa had his camera with him to capture the moment.

10:00am Bay City Park, Norwest Mavericks vs East Coast Bays Bees

Score 6-0 Braden didn't score today, largely because he typically plays defense!

None of the boys on Braden's team like to be subbed off, so after about 30 seconds of being on the sideline, the query starts "when can I go back on?"

A well played game with team effort put in to get the goals.

11:00am Huapai Domain, Norwest Eagles vs Oratia Cheetas

Score 0-4 This was a disappointing result for Kyla's team as the previous game showed a lot more skill and team effort.  Today everyone looked a bit sluggish, as one Mum said, "like they had been up late partying last night" ...... actually Kyla had, but she was one of the few actually running hard.  Kyla is most often playing in a mid field position, which ends up meaning she runs from one end of the field to the other, joining in with defending and attacking.  This Wednesday she will be playing in the year 7&8 girls soccer team representing Waimauku School at the North West area Soccer Tournament.  She is looking forward to it, and will practice with the school team on Monday and Tuesday, as well as her club team practice on Tuesday after school.  After the tournament on Wednesday, she has swimming at 6pm for an hour.  Just as well she is fit!

2:30pm Riversdale Reserve, Western United vs. MNL Spirit

Score 6-0 Daryl scored his first goal of the season, a nicely placed header into an open goal.  He came home with the largest blister that I have ever seen, on the back of his heel, and a marginally smaller one on the other heel.  They are now steri-stripped flat, and covered with large plasters.  Apparently his winter boots give him blisters and he forgot to use plasters during the game.  Well, he won't do that again in a hurry, will he?

So, all in all, not a bad day of soccer for the Palmer family.

After all that soccer, we had a very hungry family.  Braden sat down and ate cereal for afternnon tea, and was still hungry at dinner.  Tonight we had one of the family's favourite fish dinners.

Maple, Balsamic and Orange Glazed Salmon on Green Pea Risotto

The first time I served this to the kids, they were very suspicious of the green rice, but it has since become a favourite of theirs, much to the amusement of Grandma who had Lauren suggest that she could cook Salmon and Green Pea Risotto when Lauren stayed over one time.

The glaze is from a recipe book of Paul's and is really nice with Salmon, pork or chicken.  The risotto is a variation on a recipe by Nigella Lawson from her book "How to eat".  The snow peas were freshly picked from our very own vege garden!