Congrats Coops, Rosco - and families.
#FeverDreams - Ronald McDonald House
Wow Rosco, congrats buddy!
Coops, you gonna take in any of the U20 games? Congrats Roscoe.
Thanks gents! I didn't want to hijack C-Diddys hijack but I thought it was an appropriate story to share!
Thanks gents! I didn't want to hijack C-Diddys hijack but I thought it was an appropriate story to share!
You Win! ?
Coops, you gonna take in any of the U20 games? Congrats Roscoe.
Haha. Dont tell Sarah but I did think about this being a possibility this morning. Yes my name is C-Diddy and I have an addiction!
Hey C-Diddy, how are you, your wife and kids doing?
Yeah all ok at the moment. Sarah is fine. Baby Etta is all good and Lachlan not too far behind her.
I cannot underestimate the value of having a place like RMH to stay at while babies are getting better. As I mentioned to Brandon the other night if you guys dont bring home the award next week I will be furious! :-)
Reminds me of when my sixth niece was born premature. It took awhile for her to get out of hospital but she got there eventually and this year is her second at university. So hang in there C-Diddy. Best wishes to you all.
Yeah all ok at the moment. Sarah is fine. Baby Etta is all good and Lachlan not too far behind her.
I cannot underestimate the value of having a place like RMH to stay at while babies are getting better. As I mentioned to Brandon the other night if you guys dont bring home the award next week I will be furious! :-)
Glad to hear it, RMH was wonderful when one of my family members used them in time of need too. Very valuable service.
Congrats Yakcall!
Supporter of the year and the winner is @Yakcall #FFDUAwards
Sooo Many Congrats, Great work Yakcall, the effort you put into this is incredible. WELL IN!
A big, BIG thank you too all of you. For donating both to Fever Dreams so I could run it and also for donating to allow me to be in Australia for the awards. Yellowfever is an amazing group of people and I'm proud to be part of it!
Good stuff Yakall. Well deserved!
Congratulations, fitting recognition of outstanding initiative!
Congratulations, fitting recognition of outstanding initiative!
well done really deserved it
What an outstanding trip to Sydney!
A huge day on Friday starting off at 4:30am when Matt picked me up to go to the airport where we had first breakfast. Then to Sydney with Qantas (second breakfast in the air) and landed in Sydney where it was windy (even by Wellington standards) and absolutely chucking it down.
A train into Circular Quay and across the road to The Russell Hotel (HIGHLY recommended btw. - great location and brilliant staff). Then we went looking for 3rd breakfast and found it at the Lowenbrau.
As it was technically the afternoon, well in Wellington at least, we figured it would be rude not to have a beer to wash it down...
After several beers we wandered up the hill to the Lord Nelson for a few 3 Sheets IPAs.
It's a brew pub with an awesome publican. This guy came in and asked him for a Toohey Draught... the conversation went something like this:
Guy: Yeah I'll have a Toohey's Draught please mate.
Publican: No you won't.
Guy: Wha...?
Publican: We're a brew pub, we brew our own beer here.
Guy: Well how about a Hieneken?
Publican: No, I told you, we brew our own beers here. If you want a beer here you'll have to try our beers. If want any of that mainstream shark you need to go somewhere else...
Guy: Fudge that then, I'm off.
Publican: Good, fudge off! Dick head.
Shaun (resident Sydney based Feverite) came and joined us at the Lord Nelson.
After a few more delightful 'brewed on the premisis' beers we then went to the third pub on the FFDU pubs of Yakcall - the Hero Of Waterloo - where Matt Daniels of the RBB joined us as he'd finished work. A few more beers there led to Matt (Yakcall) calling a break and going back to the hotel for a nap and then to change into his suit.
It seems I might have been well advised to do the same, as 8 hours later we finally realised (it turned out the next morning) that I left my bag with my iPad, passport, glasses, tickets tot he U20 World Cup and various other things in it at the Hero of Waterloo.
Matt (RBB) dropped Shaun and I off at the Bavarian Cafe (pub 4 on the FFDU pubs of Yakcall), where we caught up with Twitter friends and personalities 'Joey Crews' and Andy Cussen:
After some food and some more beers, Matt rejoined us post-nap in his suit.
Joey and Andy were starting to come around to this Yellow Fever on tour life:
and one of the cove guys (Liam) joined up with us at the Bavarian cafe as well. All of a sudden it was time to head to the Marriott for the awards dinner.
We met and talked to lots of good people. Tony Pignata had a good chat with us as did dozens of others. Brenton Speed and Bozza were there, but I managed to bite my tongue and behave.
Then we went into the awards themselves. The first 20 awards are decided by people voting on the website. The Wellington based finalists in carious categories were eclipsed by the locals on after another:
- In The Zone for Amateur Podcast of the year,
- Photomac (Cameron McIntosh) for Photographer of the year,
- www.yellowfever.co.nz for supporter's website of the year,
- Paul Ifill for Twitter character of the year,
- Nathan Burns for A-league footballer of the year
- Wellington Phoenix for away supporter experience of the year
But then it came to the big moment - FFDU Football Supporter of the year.
After a speech by Lee from FFDU explaining what Matt (and all of us) had done (including the collection to pay for Matt's flights and accomodation - Lee gave a special plug to ther Yellow Fever for being an amazing group of supporters at this point) - when Matt was announced as the winner he went up and gave a speech explaining what #FeverDreams was all about. When he was finished there was a standing ovation - it was the biggest round of applause of the night.
After the awards had finished (Football Supporter of the Year was the second to last category of the night) people kept coming up and talking to Matt (and I), shaking our hands, wanting to know more about #FeverDreams - it really resonated with people in the room. It was amazing to see the heartfelt congratulations and respect from so many people.
And the exciting thing was people from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide all commented about how they were keen to mulate #FeverDreams at their club next season too.
The best photo of the night though was tweeted by @FFDU the next morning:
"Thought I had a big night last night but these two have some explaining to do #FFDUAwards
...Nutmeg you stud! (That's Tara Rushton with him)
After the Marriot everyone went around the corner to Paragon, pub 6 on the FFDU pubs of Yakcall. More beers, some scotches, lots of banter...
At about midnight Matt asked me where my bag was... I then went and retraced my steps to all of the pubs w'ed been to (except the Hero of Waterloo, which was closed by the time I got there). No sign of it. Crap!
Matt continued on to pub 7. He will have to figure out what the name of that was because I was off ooking for my bag (with my passport in it).
I didn't get much sleep and the next morning I was on the phone to the New Zealand passport office preparing to file a $650 emergency passport application so I'd be able to fly home when Matt Daniels (RBB) called from the Hero of Waterloo (where he'd stopped on the way into town to meet us for Brunch) to report he had my bag with all of it's contents!
PHEW!!!
So he picked us up and we went to the eastern beaches (somwhere near Coogee I think) for brunch.
Our Football Supporter of the Year was struggling:
...as was I. By the tim we got tot he airport at 4pm Sydney time I'd had about 2 hours sleep since I had woken up early Friday morning (38 hours ago). The plane ride home was marginal to say the least.
By the time I flopped down into my bed it was after midnight in Wellington. I slept the sleep of the dead.
Can't wait to do it all again next year!
Looking forward to making another contribution next season! I have a feeling the next one will be a little more generous ?
Top score by Matt but special mention to Matt from the RBB for saving your rectum there Brandon.
Congrats Matt, well deserved and glad you were able to go.
What an outstanding trip to Sydney!
A huge day on Friday starting off at 4:30am when Matt picked me up to go to the airport where we had first breakfast. Then to Sydney with Qantas (second breakfast in the air) and landed in Sydney where it was windy (even by Wellington standards) and absolutely chucking it down.
A train into Circular Quay and across the road to The Russell Hotel (HIGHLY recommended btw. - great location and brilliant staff). Then we went looking for 3rd breakfast and found it at the Lowenbrau.
As it was technically the afternoon, well in Wellington at least, we figured it would be rude not to have a beer to wash it down...
After several beers we wandered up the hill to the Lord Nelson for a few 3 Sheets IPAs.
It's a brew pub with an awesome publican. This guy came in and asked him for a Toohey Draught... the conversation went something like this:
Guy: Yeah I'll have a Toohey's Draught please mate.
Publican: No you won't.
Guy: Wha...?
Publican: We're a brew pub, we brew our own beer here.
Guy: Well how about a Hieneken?
Publican: No, I told you, we brew our own beers here. If you want a beer here you'll have to try our beers. If want any of that mainstream shark you need to go somewhere else...
Guy: Fudge that then, I'm off.
Publican: Good, fudge off! Dick head.
Shaun (resident Sydney based Feverite) came and joined us at the Lord Nelson.
After a few more delightful 'brewed on the premisis' beers we then went to the third pub on the FFDU pubs of Yakcall - the Hero Of Waterloo - where Matt Daniels of the RBB joined us as he'd finished work. A few more beers there led to Matt (Yakcall) calling a break and going back to the hotel for a nap and then to change into his suit.
It seems I might have been well advised to do the same, as 8 hours later we finally realised (it turned out the next morning) that I left my bag with my iPad, passport, glasses, tickets tot he U20 World Cup and various other things in it at the Hero of Waterloo.
Matt (RBB) dropped Shaun and I off at the Bavarian Cafe (pub 4 on the FFDU pubs of Yakcall), where we caught up with Twitter friends and personalities 'Joey Crews' and Andy Cussen:
After some food and some more beers, Matt rejoined us post-nap in his suit.
Joey and Andy were starting to come around to this Yellow Fever on tour life:
and one of the cove guys (Liam) joined up with us at the Bavarian cafe as well. All of a sudden it was time to head to the Marriott for the awards dinner.
We met and talked to lots of good people. Tony Pignata had a good chat with us as did dozens of others. Brenton Speed and Bozza were there, but I managed to bite my tongue and behave.
Then we went into the awards themselves. The first 20 awards are decided by people voting on the website. The Wellington based finalists in carious categories were eclipsed by the locals on after another:
- In The Zone for Amateur Podcast of the year,
- Photomac (Cameron McIntosh) for Photographer of the year,
- www.yellowfever.co.nz for supporter's website of the year,
- Paul Ifill for Twitter character of the year,
- Nathan Burns for A-league footballer of the year
- Wellington Phoenix for away supporter experience of the year
But then it came to the big moment - FFDU Football Supporter of the year.
After a speech by Lee from FFDU explaining what Matt (and all of us) had done (including the collection to pay for Matt's flights and accomodation - Lee gave a special plug to ther Yellow Fever for being an amazing group of supporters at this point) - when Matt was announced as the winner he went up and gave a speech explaining what #FeverDreams was all about. When he was finished there was a standing ovation - it was the biggest round of applause of the night.
After the awards had finished (Football Supporter of the Year was the second to last category of the night) people kept coming up and talking to Matt (and I), shaking our hands, wanting to know more about #FeverDreams - it really resonated with people in the room. It was amazing to see the heartfelt congratulations and respect from so many people.
And the exciting thing was people from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide all commented about how they were keen to mulate #FeverDreams at their club next season too.
The best photo of the night though was tweeted by @FFDU the next morning:
"Thought I had a big night last night but these two have some explaining to do #FFDUAwards
...Nutmeg you stud! (That's Tara Rushton with him)
After the Marriot everyone went around the corner to Paragon, pub 6 on the FFDU pubs of Yakcall. More beers, some scotches, lots of banter...
At about midnight Matt asked me where my bag was... I then went and retraced my steps to all of the pubs w'ed been to (except the Hero of Waterloo, which was closed by the time I got there). No sign of it. Crap!
Matt continued on to pub 7. He will have to figure out what the name of that was because I was off ooking for my bag (with my passport in it).
I didn't get much sleep and the next morning I was on the phone to the New Zealand passport office preparing to file a $650 emergency passport application so I'd be able to fly home when Matt Daniels (RBB) called from the Hero of Waterloo (where he'd stopped on the way into town to meet us for Brunch) to report he had my bag with all of it's contents!
PHEW!!!
So he picked us up and we went to the eastern beaches (somwhere near Coogee I think) for brunch.
Our Football Supporter of the Year was struggling:
...as was I. By the tim we got tot he airport at 4pm Sydney time I'd had about 2 hours sleep since I had woken up early Friday morning (38 hours ago). The plane ride home was marginal to say the least.
By the time I flopped down into my bed it was after midnight in Wellington. I slept the sleep of the dead.
Can't wait to do it all again next year!
The crazy continues!
We are now back in Hawkes Bay as it was decided about 8hrs ago that our twins were stable enough to be transferred back to Hastings Hospital.
I cannot thank the staff and volunteers at Ronald McDonald House enough for comforts they provided us over the past 3 weeks. In a way its kind of sad to have left there but am absolutely stoked to be home!!!
Hey congrats, really pleased to hear they are doing well and you can head home! All the best to your family!
Good news Coops.
Awesome stuff.
Um, well, like yeah we are back at RMH.
Miss Etta has a gut infection and has been transferred back to Wellington Hospital. She is settled at the moment and staff are now waiting to see if she requires any surgery.
Lachie is still up in Hastings but will be transferred back down to be with his sister in the next few days.
Mum and Dad are fine too :-)
Shark thats no good. Best wishes.
Um, well, like yeah we are back at RMH.
Miss Etta has a gut infection and has been transferred back to Wellington Hospital. She is settled at the moment and staff are now waiting to see if she requires any surgery.
Lachie is still up in Hastings but will be transferred back down to be with his sister in the next few days.
Mum and Dad are fine too :-)
Good luck, hopefully everything goes well. Glad they are moving both babies so they are together.
Um, well, like yeah we are back at RMH.
Miss Etta has a gut infection and has been transferred back to Wellington Hospital. She is settled at the moment and staff are now waiting to see if she requires any surgery.
Lachie is still up in Hastings but will be transferred back down to be with his sister in the next few days.
Mum and Dad are fine too :-)
Please let us know if there is anything we can do! Hope she recovers quickly.
Just realised amidst all the crazy I have not updated you guys on all the happenings.
Etta is recovering well from surgery on her gut infection, or as we now know a condition common in premature babies called NEC (I wont give you any of the gory details becase it sounds quite unpleasant).
Was a scary few days early last week as we didn't know whether what was 4 only a few hours earlier was to become 3. Luckily for us we had the best surgeon in the game operating on our little one and after a few tough days we realised that Etta has a very good chance of making a full recovery. However, she will need to undergo more surgery in mid-July to put a few things in her gut back together.
Lachie on the other hand is a feeder and grower at the moment and his mum and I have been stealing cuddles from him at every opportunity!!!
I am now back in Hawkes Bay and will be back to work from tomorrow ( a week later than planned) for a few days and travelling down to Wellington every weekend to be with my whanau.
So I must admit I was worried that the family this week wouldn't attend due to the weather I was hearing about on Twitter (I was down in sunny Nelson). But this time is was just the parents of a premature child, they posted on Facebook the below thank you.
"Thanks to Ronald McDonald House and all the wonderful sponsors and volunteers. Neville and I had a great time at the soccer this evening watching Phoenix beat Adelaide 2-1. We were lucky to have pretty good weather at the Hutt for the game and had got back to the car just as it poured down. A lovely 'date' night while we are away from home with the lovely Maddi (our teeny bubba hanging out in NICU)."
I've also updated my signature to have photos of some of the people that we have had attend our games. We have a 100% record at home with a Ronald McDonald House family in attendance, long may it continue!
Just realised that I have met these guys at Ronald McDonald House and they are due to go home to Palmy as soon as a space becomes available for them up there.
Just realised amidst all the crazy I have not updated you guys on all the happenings.
Etta is recovering well from surgery on her gut infection, or as we now know a condition common in premature babies called NEC (I wont give you any of the gory details becase it sounds quite unpleasant).
Was a scary few days early last week as we didn't know whether what was 4 only a few hours earlier was to become 3. Luckily for us we had the best surgeon in the game operating on our little one and after a few tough days we realised that Etta has a very good chance of making a full recovery. However, she will need to undergo more surgery in mid-July to put a few things in her gut back together.
Lachie on the other hand is a feeder and grower at the moment and his mum and I have been stealing cuddles from him at every opportunity!!!
I am now back in Hawkes Bay and will be back to work from tomorrow ( a week later than planned) for a few days and travelling down to Wellington every weekend to be with my whanau.
Great to hear the little ones are doing ok!
So I just wanted to bump this thread to let you know that I'm still thinking about this and what we can do this season to continue on with Fever Dreams for 2015/16.
Looks like we will be getting another newspaper article this time in Fox Sports sometime closer to the new season to promote it, which I'm hoping means can spread the idea to other supporter groups, but closer to home I'm keen to make sure this gets bigger.
I plan to contact the clubs, bar, stadium again and see if I can get them on board and get everything sorted to go before day 1. Also like to do another day where everyone comes to the pub either for an away day or after match to raise funds like we did last time with Bethel Woods.
I'm open to any other ideas and also of course any help as I'm sure my time will get very precious with my girl due in less than 6 weeks.
Also C-Diddy, hope your girls are doing well also?
Great to see this is happening again. Think we need to be careful that bigger dosnt always mean better, What we did last season was great and i think a repeat is all we need.Maybe any extra just needs to be put away to ensure that just like shirts off this becomes a YF tradition. More than happy to help in any way you may want think you may have my number.
Great to see this is happening again. Think we need to be careful that bigger dosnt always mean better, What we did last season was great and i think a repeat is all we need.Maybe any extra just needs to be put away to ensure that just like shirts off this becomes a YF tradition. More than happy to help in any way you may want think you may have my number.
True, I guess what I was kind of meaning is to make sure this initiative does keep happening with the hope that it will continue each year now. I know there was some talk/ideas about other things we could do as well though that I'm open to being discussed.
I realised it has been a while since our last update.
Little Miss Etta had her 2nd round of surgery on Tuesday 14th July and is comfortable, although still under sedation, in recovery mode. Everyone happy with her progress but now the wait starts, not to put too fine a point on it, to see if she can poo again! There may still have been complications with the surgery but she should be over the worst of it. Fingers Crossed.
Lachlan, on the other hand, has been on leave with us at RMH for the past few days and should be officially discharged on Monday. Goodbye Sleep I will miss you!
Coops were you at the meal last week. Just wondered as my son was one of the chefs.
Coops were you at the meal last week. Just wondered as my son was one of the chefs.
The meal was outstanding! Was so nice that people like your son are so giving of their time and skills for such a worthy cause.
Very much appreciated