Polar Dare

Did anyone else play Polar Dare when they were little?

That game was so good and yet so frustrating. You had some penguins (I think maybe... three? six?) and you were tasked with getting them across a whole heap of ice floes by skilful rolling of the dice and avoiding the polar bear.

The good part was that if you rolled a... three? six? you got to be the polar bear and eat other people's penguins.

If board game boxes were accurate two of these children would not be looking so happy.

Anyway, I was reminded of this because New Zealand is almost rid of penguin rockstar Happy Feet. He is going home. Hopefully no-one rolls the polar bear.

Next week he will embark on his journey back to the subantarctic where, after many months of heavy financial and emotional investment from the people of New Zealand, he will no doubt last about four minutes before being eaten by a leopard seal.

No! I mean he will pull himself up on an ice floe and see his lovely penguin girlfriend - who has waited faithfully for months despite Happy's penguin buddies telling her he'll never come home - then waddle into her outstretched flippers and promise to never leave her side again.

I am keen to watch Happy Feet's Green Mile, which is probably not what the media are going to call it when he leaves his enclosure for the last time.

Will he walk? Will he run? Will he fly? (No. Penguins can't fly.)

He's flying on the inside.

Promise proper post later in the week, can feel a Wieners of the Week coming on - suggestions welcome! Was going to say 'wieners welcome' but suspect some of you might get the wrong idea.

The good news is that my crazy split shifts are drawing to an end and soon I'll be back. Austrian accent. Get in the chopper.