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1980
16/2/80 "Walking to school with me - he prefers to walk behind and doesn't want to be next to me. So if I slow down, he slows down".
17/2/80 "Something in his eye.  Told us it was a clear plastic disc (from paper punch). He had seen Sanders put their contact lenses in when we were camping. Off to the doctor".
28/2/80We tried playing hearts with David but he gets so upset when he doesn't win.
29/2/80David says that he is in charge of handing out books for his group.
12/3/80Te gets a blackeye at school from Kyle. He also says that Corey's gang is threatening to beat him up. So school isn't all fun for him.  He is still pretty much a loner and observer. Comes to tears so easily when things don't go his way"
18/3/80Flying to States. "David over the ocean: 'Dad, I can see the whole world'. David was totally absorbed with the flight. We didn't have to bring anything to occupy him. He had the headphones on most of the flight and settled on the jazz channel. He clapped and bopped back and forth in his seat to the beat. Both kids decided that they had to go to the toilet just after the meals had been served. You can imagine what a hassle it was trying to get out of the seats. Amazingly, all three of us fitted into the small room. Got off for an hour in Pago Pago. David was in heaven searching through all the broken coral pieces used to floor a hut. He had about twenty pieces that he wanted to take back onto the plane. We limited it to one. Found out that he also had a nut and bolt which he picked up in Sanders yard before we left. Back on the plane and shy little David was full of confidence (being such an experienced flyer by now). Didn't want me to take him to the toilet because he had figured out that when the word started with 'O' someone was in there and when 'V' he could go in. I finally slept for an hour just before hitting LA. Woke up to find David missing; there he was at the back of the plane in line with five adults. Totally enthralled with that magic little room".
//in USA. First day we went to bank.  "Kids ran into their first gumball machine. And I had to explain to the teller why David was putting his hand on the countertop (for a rubber stamp). But not in US, she gave out suckers instead. People say that the kids have big British accents. Second day in Minnesota and 4" of snow. David spent two hours out in Town's backyard dragging a shovel around making 'roads' in and out around the three nearby yards, too".
27/4/80David, Dick and I went to the Twins game (David got a jacket and helmet) - it was 20 - 11 win over the A's. take me out...
28/6/80Grandma Eva gives David a Rattlin' Gattlin' game which shoots bb's at a target inside a plastic case.
29/6/80Basketball with kids at park, David tries so hard to get the ball up to the hoop.
9/7/80Go to Farrells where David is presented with a birthday cake while staff and customers sing.
20/7/80Collecting cans: Everytime he finds one he says 'I'm going to be rich'. Made $12.19 first time.
1980"For the first few months of going to school he was crazy about the bus rides more than anything else".
21/8/80David came home in deep sobs. A bully dumps sand on David's head and took his Tonka trucks. While we were trying to calm David down two ladies came to see if he was alright. One had seen the whole thing and chased the bully away.
12/9/80David seeing Gail wearing her nametag from work: "Why, are you shy?".
21/9/80David brings home worksheets that he takes out of the rubbish bin. Then he is the teacher and he helps Ne to do them.
9/10/80“David loves school. Has a teacher that he likes. He is doing very well. In fact, we went in to see the teacher and let her know that David had been in school for 6 months in NZ and that he can read and handle numbers. A waste of time, the class has been doing letter recognition for the past month and it looks like they won't get to reading for quite some time. They are only up to the number 5. So he is finding it very easy and since he is so shy we decided to leave him there instead of moving up to second grade”.
//80 "David is coming along beautifully with his school. He is now at the stage where he sits down and writes. For example, while I was typing this he drew a greatly detailed picture of a car. Then he wrote on it: 'David haz too make the car. Pless remined David too make it win he is 8'
1981
3/1/81"Gail left a bag with new blouses for her mom by the front door. I put rubbish bag there and when David put rubbish out... I ended up inside the King Bin - found the bag and it was okay".
4/1/81"Kids stayed overnight at Towns. David and Renee slept with Joyce. David came back complaining because the two 'girls' kept talking in bed and wouldn't go to sleep".
8/2/81David and I always color a page in the Batman coloring book when we visit Towns.
22/2/81"Lost first tooth. I forgot to put money under the pillow and he was crescent-fallen. Tooth fairy showed up the next night".
// "Top group in math and reading. He says he is the second smartest one in class".
5/3/81David reads the most books in his class.
/3/81 "Recently won a lot of popcorn for having read the most books for the past few months. I think he was double that of the closest competitor. The teacher even stopped giving him stars".
1/4/81 "Determination: taught himself to ride a bike in three days. He took the falls without tears and in fact, only cried when we had to force him to stop for the day".
9/5/81David is making three dimensional space ships out of construction paper.
13/5/81David read me Green Eggs and Ham.
18/5/81Gail goes with David's class to Como Zoo and Planetarium.
20/5/81Go to park for David's first crack at softball – he has a great swing.
// "What can you expect from the same boy who puts jelly onto his hamburgers?".
28/6/81 David loses second tooth.
9/7/81Birthday. "David was first one up and I found him all dressed complete with his sports jacket and tie, ready to open his gifts".
11/12/81Kids try checkers for the first time.
1982
28/10/82 David's first pack meeting: balloon blowing contest, skit about 3 boys crawling through desert find water and use it to comb their hair, awards, interactive Halloween story, movie about Wolves.
11/1/82David goes to 'Sunday School' for the first time.
15/2/82“Ever since David moved to the new school we have been tyring to tell them that he was in too low a reading group. He was actually reading the same book that he had read at the other school last year. But they wouldn't listen. Iowa Tests results showed that he was reading 7 months ahead of his peers (and above average in everything else, too). So they conceded and let him sit a test for next level without having read the book. He passed easily and was put into the top group and even there they are holding him back”.
19/2/82David plays backgammon for the first time (with Gail).
28/2/82David didn't play “Spin the Bottle” at Craig's party because he doesn't want to kiss. I asked him why he sings “Let's get physical”. He said because he doesn't know what 'physical' means.
// "Let's look at what happened to us in April. We found David. You see, the second day after I had David's bike down for the summer he went out riding after supper and got lost (our city has very complicated blocks). When he didn't show up for his favorite, Dukes of Hazzard, at 7PM I started looking for him. I drove around the blocks, checking back at home. It was dark and a snow storm was coming which would eventually dump 3 inches that night. And David was somewhere in Cottage Grove, freezing. Finally at 7:40PM Gail got a call from the people who had picked him up. They found him 12 blocks from where we live trying to flag down cars at a busy intersection. When I got to him he seemed pretty normal. No tears, no worries. I wonder if he knew what he put us through. I know that he will never do it again but I worry about Renee so I had to punish him hard to make a point on her. No bike for the next month. He took it well and never complained once".
//14/5/82Mrs. Hasslen called and is very concerned about David's lack of interest at school. Says that he is very lazy and still cries easily.
//20/5/82David's first pitchball game.
//24/5/82David gets a single and strikes out twice. Team loses 27-7.
// Catches his first fish. Round Lake. Small crappie.
//29/6/82David doesn't throw his bat in his team's 29-11 loss to the Stingers.
//
//8
// Little League. "David has been playing about twice a week. He is the right fielder and does no worse than the other little boys in the field. But his batting is a different story. The coach pitches underhand to the boys and they get five pitches. But they have this rule about not throwing the bat. If it goes more than 5 feet from home plate the batter is out. David always throws his bat. We practice all the time at home and he does fine, but come the game he throws it in the excitement of hitting the ball".
//"He would get two pieces of bubblegum before the game. Have a "chaw" just like the pros. Then after the game they each would get a can of pop".
// David casts his fishing rod into Little Mantrap Lake.
//9/10/82 Go to Herberger's to buy David a Scout shirt, book and badges.
//21/10/82David reads bedtime stories to Ne - cute.
//25/10/82David went to Woodridge Park with Scouts where they cleaned up the grounds and had a hotdog roast.
//7/12/82David tore his hand up walking Sugar.
//11/2/82David sang Christmas songs that he learnt at school. He can sing!!!
//Cub Scouts. Father/Son cake. We made a German chocolate with coconut frosting. Ours was the first one to be auctioned and went for $2.75. David bid on a cake and got it for $2.75; then he wanted to bid on the next one. But I had to stop his fun.
1983
//24/2/83Cub Scouts. David carried the American Flag in. Dog show, two German shepards (Chance and Robyn). David loved it
//3/3/83“takes part in a P.E. Jamboree at Armstrong School. Has trouble keeping up with the activities.
//5/3/83Go to Mpls. Institute of Arts and David draws a PACMan on a computer.
//17/3/83David brought home a gigantic papier mache giraffe.
//19/3/83David went to NW Airlines with Cubs for a tour of a plane and hangars.
//18/5/83David wet his pants in class because the teacher wouldn't let him go to the bathroom. He is very upset and he doesn't want to go to school tomorrow.
//20/5/83David gets a single and RBI in the team's 6-0 win.
24/5/83David gets a solid double and the team wins 12-7.
//9/7/83 Birthday. Go to see “return of the Jedi”. He got a Monopoly game which he wanted so badly that he didn't want to go to bed that night. He was playing by himself until midnight. He also got $39 in cash. We get a 10 gallon aquarium from David Wandersee for our David.
// Win championship Little League game 11-1. David struck out twice and got hit in the head, but seemed to have enjoyed the game. Got a lovely trophy.
//Day on farm at Verndale. Tractors, haystacks, corncribs, animals, first-hand inspection of cow milking. David decided he wanted to be a farmer.
//25/9/83 David tested and hit age 15 for logical thinking.
//9/10/83 Joyce over and so disappointed with our fish tank that she gave David $6 and told him to buy some more.
//We got some neons, tiger and angel fish.
//David went to So. Washington County Park with his den for a hike and roast.
//2/11/83 Cub Scouts. Best nail pounder.
//5/12/83David and I are now playing chess on an ongoing process - make a move and leave.
//6/12/83David got into a fight with Kurt on the way home from school.  He was scratched under the eye and had a lot of hair pulled out.  Then at Scouts Craig took his book and had him in tears.
7/12/83David made a spectacular Christmas card.
11/12/83David helped Ne do her homework which was to go around the house and find things that have wheels.
//24/12/83 Christmas. Gave David a diary: 'But, I'm only 9!'
1984
//11/1/84David is writing his own “Which Way Adventure” story.
//14/1/84Rollerskate in morning and ice skate in the afternoon. Sleeps over at Scott's.
19/1/84David was given a stamp collecting book by a Postal speaker at school so I gave him my trades and he stayed up until 10PM pricing them.
25/2/84Kids melted crayons. Ne made a clown picture, while David just mucked around until he started a fire on the table.
10/3/84“David afraid of a dream – so I put him into bed with Gail and I slept in his room.
26/3/84David had Todd over for chess and was quite thrilled about it.
4/4/84David and I pruned the cottonwood, then played catch.
//
10
9/7/84Mom and Chris couldn't make it to David's party because a service station guy told her that she shouldn't drive her car.  Gave him his gifts: Flintlock rifle, chemistry set, Connect 4 game, Star Wars Jedi figurine, Risk (from Joyce).  Went to David's Little League game.  I talked to Steve Peterson.  David was reserve and just as he came to bat for the first time, the game was called because a storm blew in.  So it was home for some of his fish-shaped cake and a game of Risk. Happy B...
// "David seemed to blossom out of his shyness at long last. He was always the nice sweet boy who was around and caused no problems. Now he is becoming a little more independent and has developed a sense of humor".
//"David and Sugar have a game where she sits in the front yard while David hides in the back, then he calls her and she tries to find him. She rousts him out and he tries to get away. When she runs him down she gets a treat".
//“David is learning to play the xylophone as a requirement to being a drummer in the school band. Somehow he saved up a nice little packet, so when we went to a model train exhibition we let him buy an engine for $33 (even though his trainset is packed away).
20/10/84David went to Menne's bar for supper, a movie and then slept over.
//"I think David has figured out that Santa doesn't always give what is asked, so why bother".
//"David dabbles (on the Apple IIc) by copying programs out of books".
1/12/84Height = 55½"
15/12/84Over to Viking Trading where the kids had a photo taken with Santa.  We had a late lunch at Tom Moy, David ate all of his, but Ne still doesn't like chinese.
18/12/84David and I made pink Christmas cookies for Scouts.  They spelt out "Merry Christmas".
20/12/84David and I went to Scouts meeting for the cake raffle.  David bought the first cake (a bunny) for $2 and later some red and green rice crispies for $4.  Our cookies went for $2.  David was awarded his athletics and citizenship pins.
//"David has a very strict teacher...Had a rough go at the beginning of the year because he liked to play outside, watch TV and put off homework. So ended up struggling alot. But he has figured out how to handle his time better and, of course, is no dummy in the first place. She has taken a boy who only got 100% on spelling once in the past two years and made a speller out of him. They are doing mastery learning in math and I guess he gets straight 100% in that. Recent standardized testing shows that he is above his age in most things and way out ahead in reading and maths. But what really makes us so happy is that she tells us that he is not a shy boy and raises his hand and contributes to discussions etc... That is something which we have noticed on the home front, too. He is talking to us more. Gone are the days of mono-syllabic replies. In fact, he even initiates some conversations".
1985
/4/85First body surfing at Kona Beach, Hawaii: “David got into the water and didn't want to quit”.
3/6/85David drove a car for the first time at Rainbow's End.  Wait an hour o get a 5 minute ride in a race car.  His first go and he said it was worth the wait and the cost.  He was very intent and serious behind the wheel, holding on for dear life".
26/6/85David wrote a lengthy story about 2 boys who found a pear tree in a forest.
9/6/85"Our 80 year old neighbor, Mrs Thorsing, said we could have any fruit from her trees. Kids picked a bag of lemons one day and then went house to house selling and made $1.45. Told them it would be nice to give Mrs T something since they were hers, so the went to the shop and bought here a cream bun and candy, brought it over to her and spent sometime visiting”.
28/6/85"He played basketball after school on Fridays at the YMCA and even organized a few friends to make up a school team. He was given a certificate at school for being a hard worker".
29/6/85David began drum lessons at Intermediate school on Saturday mornings.
//
11
9/7/85"Suggested that he make note of all the things he got for his birthday and he went into great detail with catergories and sub-catergories, including 'Letters and cards from Overseas'.  I think we have the makings of a computer scientist in the makings".  Gifts for David (a mouse house, a mouse book and mouse food).  Stopped at Georgie Pie to bring home to go with birthday cake.  We played Bingo.  Chris Breeze made a funny card and David also got one from Marge Johnson.
19/7/85Gerrad Sharvi slept over.  Kids played The Game of Life.
26/7/85David went to Sharvi's from basketball at Y and ended up playing squash with Gerrard until 11:30PM
27/7/85David's first mice: Weasel & Pepper. "The boy (Chris Breeze) who gave David the mice had them sexed as both females.  He was only half-right.  Soon we had 28.  A mother mouse, Susie, has grown very attached to David and wanders all over him when given a chance to roam.  She has gotten out a couple times but comes to David with no trouble. weasel
1/8/85David went to Steven Karl's birthday party at Georgie Pie.
4/8/85David spent the day with Nicholas Watt and ate supper over there.
13/9/85David was given "Good Pupil" award.  Steven spent the evening eith us.
27/9/85Weasel had eight more babies and now we have 15 mice!
30/9/85David sold two mice to Gerrard for $1.
//"David's first public appearance.  Music school put on a concert and he and four other percusionists did an item. His part was to hit a cymbal every once in awhile. The song was 'Six Little Indians', David was wearing a red t-shirt with 'Indians' on it. He hadn't done it on purpose, but probably wishes he hadn't because the announcer pointed him out to everyone when she said: '...and it looks like we have a red Indian playing".
1/10/854' 10".
3/10/85David sold a mouse to pet shop for 20¢.
19/10/85David went to see "Grease" with Sharvis and then slept over.
23/11/85Kids and Annalise went to Skatetime.  David walked home in the rain quite disgusted with it.  Said it was like Auckland Farmer's with nothing in it and the music was too loud.  Ne loved it - course the fellow running it let her ride a "trike" for free.
7/12/85Music school concert.  The drum group were setting up to do "6 Little Indians" and the compere made a comment that they only had 5 but one was a real red Indian.  David was unintentionally wearing a red teeshirt with "Indians" (Cleveland baseball team) written on it.  So he was center of atttention for awhile.
13/12/85David to Garod Sharvi's birthday party.
//Large bag of M&M's from Eva. “Ne practically ate all of hers on the first day. David put his in the freezer.. I tried to convince him that don't melt in your hands…just like the commercial says. So after a couple days later, after being so conservative and careful, what does he do but drop the bag fresh out of the freezer and most of them broke, being frozen.  He was shattered himself and was very upset to the point that he couldn't be consoled and he skipped supper that night”.
//Christmas: NZ Monopoly from Clarks.
//"David built a mouse gymnasium out of two beer crates and wire mesh".
1/1/864ft 11” and 72 pounds.  Pashed Sophie for a long time.
26/5/86David began Home Ec at school and has to wear an apron in cooking class.
6/6/86David's story on the forest was chosen as St. Mary's best and was entered into a national competition.
11/6/86David and Renee are baptized.
19/6/86David's voice is cracking.
//12
6/12/86Music School Concert.  Youth Orchestra was pretty bad.  David played bass drum on the percussion number.
// "David made a jewellry box with a lovely carved top in woodwork. He is busy making his own cribbage board. This term he goes to cooking class".
//"David who a year ago struggled to put a sentence onto paper (you'll never get a letter from him) put together a fictional story based on conservation of forests, which was selected to represent the school in a national competition".
18/12/86“He went to his first dance, or school social.  While he danced for three hours, I don't think any of it envolved a girl.  He enjoyed himself greatly”.
12/1/87David and I do Table Mountain in Kaeraenga Valley, overnight in a hut before crossing the boggy top on an eight hour trek. enlarge
26/1/87Go with Breezes on their 30' trimaran to Auckland Regatta. enlarge
16/2/87Gets glasses. enlarge
20/3/87Bought himself a Brazilian smokey quartz geode cavern for $26 of reasonable size at Ngtae. enlarge
28/3/87Buys a drum set for $440.
15/4/87"David unfortunately, has no interest in basketball.  A great pity for he is the tallest boy in Form II and has set school records for the long and high jumps (had his photo in the paper).  I think he could be a star, but he lacks the toughness required in contact sports".
9/6/87David spent the night on a maraei with his classmates.
13
9/7/87David's big gift would have been the hunting knife.  Had lunch at Fisherman's Table by MCC.  David had his first adult meal, having graduated from kiddies'.  Bowling at Papatoetoe where David got 87, Ne had her new high of 57.  Maximart where David bought Scotland Yard game (we played when we got home).  Rented "Short Circuit".  David = 5'5½"
18/8/87“David first day delivering Papakura Courier.  Its the local free paper and inserts.  He gets about 3¢ a copy and has about 100 in the route.  Papers are dropped off at the house night before and he delivers them before school on Tues, Wed and Th.
21/8/87Dressed up as Sherlock Holmes for Book Week character parade at school. enlarge
25/9/87“I used to think David just forgetful.  But now people consider him to be 'cool', laid-back, easy going. You decide. He was invited to his first party, an un-cool party.  He completely forgot about it until his friend showed up to go with him.  Dwayne was dressed in real bad taste mismatch, which was the thing to do.  David dressed to what looked normal to me, so I forced him to put on my stars and stripes hippy pants and my Budweiser shirt.  At least he clashed. He couldn't care one way or another”.
//87“Lia and another boy had a combined party.  Kathy was there and said that he mingled on the outskirts, hung out with is buddies”.
17/12/87Form II, last year at St. Mary's. “He was first in Science and Maths for the year. We were quite proud when David had been called foward four times to receive certificates. Totally floored when out of the blue he was given a trophy for being the Prox (second overall -just a little behind first place) of the school. He could be called a nerd, except that he is big. Was the tallest boy (so he lead the class into the church, with the tallest girl at his side) and strong and also set school records for high jump and long jump. A true all-rounder. So mature for his age. He has yet to show a sharp wit, though I am certain it bubbles underneath the surface.  He hates to join in group activities...wants to be a loner”.
//“David doesn't get on with the older (White) boys but young Matthew at 8 years younger idolizes David (as do most of the children of our friends). So he comes over to be with David, but David tries to avoid going there. David and he enjoy playing board games and computer games. Its just that Matthew literally follows David every moment and won't give him a break. 'What do we do now David?'”.
14/4/88David assisted at the dart game at St. Mary's School Gala.
4/4/88Surfing over Easter weekend and David got a deep gash into the base of his big toe. The emergency doctor was 30 miles away in Papakura and was tied up for hours, so we cleaned the black sand out ourselves and bandaged it with out much blood at all.  Decided to see if it would heal without stitches, which it did".
19/4/88"He is on the chess team and has lost all his games; but as he puts it, he manages to be the best loser on the team...he has taken up Dungeons and Dragons and is absorbed with that all the time".
14
26/7/88David was on the Rosehill College Mathex team that competed at Auckland Museum.  No prize but he enjoyed looking at the displays. games , etc...
25/8/88David spent night at Bombay with his Dungeons & Dragons friends.
1/9/88David as tall as me. 5'8".
18/9/88David plays drums for Papakura Auxillary Band at a competition in Auckland. enlarge
27/10/88David top Mathematics group in New Zealand.
12/88"David played the big bass drum for the Auckland Santa Parade crowds and at a local craft fair". enlarge
/12/88“David drew up a very good and funny 'MAD DAD' birthday card, combining me and Mad magazine's Alfred E. Newman character”.
21/5/89"David was given a book to read, Rhys and Phil in Bed with Janet and review as a special project. Turned out that his review was published in a national newspaper... we shifted him into the master bedroom since he has the trainset and we haven't had it up since we left the States. And in order to fit the 8'x4' table he built himself a bed...5 feet up, so his desk could go under it. He himself is 5'9" now. He spent a week at a school camp and despite the damp and cold he enjoyed the sailing, canoeing and hiking. But he said that he was never warm for the entire week. And he again represented the school on the Math team for the Auckland championships".
27/5/89“David has gotten into an outdoor sport at long last. He and his friends kill each other. They play “The Ultimate Game”. War games, with squirt guns and water bombs. They play on a farm which has plenty of room to wander about and hide. He has outfitted himself with the lastest high-tech weaponry - guns with high blast power and extra water clips. His only complaint is that there aren't enough boys to make it interesting”.
15
9/7/89David as taller than me. 5'9".
20/7/89David on Rosehill team at Mathex.
16
17
14/11/91“He had an excellent year. In fact, he got "Excellent” for every class in the various attitudes area. He received a “distinction” award, given for all-around excellence. He was tops in Computer Sciences, for which he was given a $10 book certificate.
22/1/92David passed his driving test so he now has a learner's license.
20/2/92David drove the car for the first time on his own - sent to Georgie Pie to get our supper.
// “Waffles is his favorite meal. He makes them for himself often. When he has his friends over he'll make them waffles for lunch. We always thought it was oatmeal, as he has that at all times of the day. When Renee was cooking while Gail was in the States, it was not unusual for David to make a bowl of oatmeal after finishing supper”.
//18
// “David's graduation dinner. David had arranged so that he would sit with his friends and we knew all of the boys and their parents. David had to walk to the front twice. Once for his special awards and then at the end when each table went up as a group to get their graduation certificates. Guess which table didn't know when it was their turn . To top it off the vice-principal announced David “Malenak”. At the end of that week david went to a “break-up” party, but found it very boring. All they do is stand around talking and drinking beer”.
// “Had David make up a menu system for Doug's new computer. And Doug voluntarily gave David $25. So he is now a professional programmer. I had him write up a system for school and paid him. He has just completed his first game which he will give to James Alderson”.
// “David is off to his role-playing today. Seeing all the yaboos at the school, makes me appreciate David even more. David with his heavy workload at uni and two hours on the bus each day still has time to do the dishes, make his own lunch, watch a couple comedies with me each night and get get good results”.
// “David made it through his first term (at uni). Had exams in evenings after full day of lectures. All of his classes bar one are in the same building. He thinks bus drivers are reckless so might take train instead. I would guess that he drives the car about once a month. He has no desire to do so. I tell he can use it to fo to role-playing, but he'd rather walk or bike even if it is raining. Very concious about polluting environment. No point in using car if one can walk”.
// “David made a computer Quest game for James Alderson, in which James starred. A big thrillfor everyone to see what David had created. It is very basic, but it is his first attempt”.
//
//19
//“David had a 15 interview at Georgie Pie. When no call came for three weeks we figured he didn't get the job. But three weeks later he was told to come in that same day. Gail and I were out at the time and he was unhappy and actually asked Ne if he should go. Now it is an accepted routine that David will work Friday night and on weekends. $6.85/hr. I think his first takehome was $120. And since then he has been quite happy to work”.
// “Georgie Pie didn't seem to affect his studies, as he got three A's (A+ in computers), a B and 2 C's”.
//“David and 20 other 7th formers spent a week tramping on Great Barrier . It is a remote island in the Hauraki Gulf - a few hours ferry ride from Auckland. …couple 8 hour hikes up and down small mountains. Only problem David ran into was wasps, which liked to sting him around his lower legs”.
// Grandma Eva writes: “Guess what? He doesn't remember when many years ago he gave me that tiny rubber mouse and asked me very seriously to always take good care of it. Well, I must admit it has sat on my kithcen windows sill ever since and everytime I look at it I think of that darling little boy who gave it to me”.
// “We went to Sizzler's for Gail's birthday and David always does it … the first thing he gets is chocolate mousse and he continues with it all through the meal”.
// “When he works until closing he comes home with the pies that didn't sell… sometimes as many as 20 pies. Sp we are beginnning to get a wee bit sick of pies. And his shoes trap the spilt oil which hardens into rancid grease. So his work shoes ar banned from the house and he has clean the car mats often. By the way, he just finished his first year there and got the highest possible rating at his review and was given a raise to the maximum that is paid for that position. He is always the one that gets called in to help out at rush times, or to cover when someone doesn't show up. Very reliable. He went to s GP staff party once, but came home early because all they were doing was standing around drinking and talking. He's not naïve, just sweet and lovely, which was proven again when Clarks were over last weekend with their three girls. He played croquette with them and then gave them rides in our gocart up and down the driveway. All children love him”.
// “David was in a rush to get to work and forgot his hat, so he came home to get it. Then because he was rushed even more he left the car lights on. We get a call from david saying “Help”. Ian and I took his son's girlfriend's car, only to find that our car didn't have jumpers. None at Georgie Pie. Luckily find Irene shopping there and used her's - once we figured out how to get Claire's bonnet up”.