Back to Months

16th	17th	18th
1965	North Star Lake: We brought Steve's cousin, Dale, back to Marcel and had a meal at his uncle's restaurant (Lakewood Cafe & Laundromat). Stayed late helping Dale babysit before heading back to the tent.
1968	Steve, Kincy and I spend whole day fishing on North Star - I caught a rock bass and 2 blue gills, so I was the champ, again.
1970	QVS puts on a full blown traditional welcome ceremony for the Minister of Education, Jonate Movoa. Read about the ceremonies at my QVS website. Tovata House is in grass skirts, garland leis and leaves around their wrists. Matereti (the head boy) has met the car at the gate and runs in front of it down to the school. Mesake offers the tabua, Isimeli K offers the yaqona and Penaia makes up a tanoa of the stuff and Bola does the delivery of the bilo. Napolioni was great in the meke. I took a movie from the library. In the staffroom over cakes and cookies I am introduced to the Minister and then get into a conversation with the assistant director of Education. Movoa walks around the school as we teach, leaves and the principal cancelled afternoon classes and prep.	Waiting
1982	T - 3 hours of Jan Wiening mumbling on about VS COBOL that we will be upgrading to. Gail bought a Coleman cooler [ed . - still have it in 2013].
1985	Sa - Sandy, Mike and Sofi over. Gave them a tour of the house (they had rented it from '80-'83). Creole, wine and Music Trivia. Corbans '83 Cab-Sav/Merlot, the '80 Hill Smith Estate Cabernet Shiraz from Australia that mellowed.
1989	Leszek and James took me to lunch at cafeteria. I told the cashier that all the meals were together. She said we look like a family group. So I said: "He's my couzie from Poland" and she believed me.
1990	Called mom before we checked out. Gail always turned wrong way when getting out of the elevator. So for our last time she couldn't get it wrong, one way to the car or other way to the front desk where I was paying the bill. She got off at the wrong floor! Stopped at Oceanside (video) to walk the beach, breathe fresh air (smog from LA down to Mexico) and browse the shops (bought postcard and postcard and postcard) and get lunch at a Del Taco. At the San Diego Zoo, I noticed water under the car, so I popped the hood (just air conditioner overflow - something we don't have in NZ). That delayed us long enough so as we walked away and I turned back I noticed smoke in the car. Video camera cable (plugged into cigarette lighter socket) shorted and scorched the carpet. Very lucky to catch it in time and not when we came out of the zoo to find no car and all our belongings gone. Spent 3 hours in the zoo, but only a small portion - monkeys, rain forest aviary and tigers (video). Found a room in Chula Vista Travelodge - bit of a dump - others enjoyed the pool and spa while I suffered with a migraine. We had a pizza delivered. Tried to call Gail's cousin, Carol, but only got an answer machine.	Sumatran
1997	Su - Day 41 of our 3 month journey around the world. See 1997 Trip Photo Journal.
1998	M - My replacement, Chi, started today and I spent 3 hours with him - he knows nothing (e.g. he re-installed Win95 because a floppy drive wasn't working. I told him there was a piece of metal in the drive. He didn't know how to remove the drive!). I was copying stuff onto the file server when Bali came down at 5:30PM to tell me that I had a visitor at home. Turned out to be Lamorna, on her way to Canada and US. She stayed for supper and we caught up, but I couldn't invite her to stay the night because of her perfume. I wanted her out of the house.
2001	Harvey Norman's to pick up laptop - only to be told that they had sold it - so I put on a scene and guess what, they found one. Poor Matthew, I was probably his worst customer ever. Emery's to find Chris on crutches (injured knee playing soccer).
2002	Chris, Celia and Angi came over. Angi had a shirt made up for dad tauting his website www.oldestcabbie.com. Went to Mandarin Buffet at Riverdale and stuffed ourselves. Angi attempted the crab legs while regaling us with dining out stories. Home to visit and gossip until 10PM. Chris used to have to beat up Rodney Brooks when he went over there (the old knee-on-ear trick).
2003	Listened to the Twins 0 - Indians 5 in 14 innings. My Answerman.com question (how many times was Dan Gladden ejected from a game?) was used and got a good reaction (listen). So I get a $50 gift certificate to Kincaid's, a restaurant in Bloomington.
2005	Brought a couple cartons to Clark's so they can ship old computer down to Sophie. Mike and I played For the Record while downing a very good Brown Bros 2002 Shiraz. Told me that when I had invited them over in 1985 I said "we meshed" - first time he had heard that term used that way. Also reminded me that I had brought a Sauvignon Blanc thinking it was same as Cabernet Sauvignon.
2008	Ian and Susi over in afternoon for bridge with Corned Beef Flavored Crackers.
2013	Sa - David and I ditched petanque and tried Golf Croquet. Barrie and Bev gave us some advice but didn't play.
2014	Su - Gail, Ne, Muppet and I went to Colleen's to taste the result of her first go with her new slow cooker: Bulgarian chicken. We had an a very good Draytons Bellvue 2013 Merlot and a light weight Ara 2011 Pinot Noir.
2017	Th - David arrived at the usual time complaining that he had to carry the power supply and hurt his back. He put it into my computer and that fixed things. We had burgers from Pronto then taught him Terraforming Mars. Ice cream and then Castles of Burgundy until 1AM.
2018	F - Was cleaning the Colt in the garage when I discovered that the carpet was wet. Found that the inlet valve was leaking, so Peter (last day) came to check it 4PM and organized a plumber for Monday. Built a bits and pieces catchment to drain out the door.
2021	T - Community COVID case so all of NZ into highest level lockdown - don't leave your house.
2024	Sa - Alhambra and then Ne left. After a chicken supper with a Johanneshof 2022 Gerurztraminer we played the Austrian Grand Prix. After a poor start and being blocked in pits I managed to finish 2nd and third. David and I played Aliens Frontiers. Had a look at his small game player with OLED and discovered that my website was screwed up. An incorrect version dated 6 Jun in place.
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