I receive a present

Because I was stuck at home with two small children for four days last week while my wife was living the high life in Invercargill (i.e. attending a dairy industry conference), she brought me back a present to show her gratitude.

It was Friday’s edition of the Southland Times. It’s thoughtfulness like that that keeps a marriage alive. (It is, in fact, a very good newspaper.)

One story in it, by Sarah Lamont, is headed “Town heads to Waipu for shield challenge” and begins:

If you’re visiting Colac Bay this weekend, don’t expect to see anyone there.
The whole town will be in Northland defending the title they won in the Colac Bay v Waipu Challenge in 2009.
Colac Bay team member and former Southland flanker Jeremy Winders said 52 of Colac Bay’s 53 residents were attending the event. One person would be left behind, in case the pig dogs needed to be let out, he said.

It continues:

Colac Bay first hosted the Waipu rugby team in 2009, after Waipu heard about the Colac Bay v Bluff rugby challenge, Mr Winders said. When the Waipu team arrived the sheep were removed from a Colac Bay paddock to make the game possible.

There is more in this vein, and then the story ends:

The town of Waipu, which has a Scottish heritage, would shut down for the game at the weekend, providing Highland games and entertainment for the visitors from down south, Mr Winders said.
The people of Colac Bay had fundraised the trip by selling oysters, muttonbirds and swedes, he said.

Wonderful – great material, expertly handled. Even better, and what you can’t tell from the website, is that this story was on the front page.