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1967	The "We Five" stay at the Holiday Inn. I picked them up from the airport - needed to make two trips as the drummer's gear filled the station wagon. The Ultimates were playing in the Blue & Gold room. Bob Perzel came in because his car stalled.
1968	Went to ABA Minnesota Muskie basketball game at the Met Center with Dan and Wayne (beat Oakland). Darrell played in the pre-game match for Honeywell against 3M - we lost. Saw Don and Shelby, Don Rochmer and Barb Royce there.
1970	Fiji: Details in Peace Corps Journal.
1972	Visited Gail's grandmother in Lafayette, MN...once we got the car started in the 23°F below temp with a little help from Silliman and a garage fellow. Mrs Krohn gave us meat to bring back to the cities.
1973	Last day at QVS after three years of living in the tropics. Final bridge game at Whites (I started with a slam, then nothing) and then supper at Hargroves until midnight.
1974	Played billiards with Murph until 3PM when we took a cab to the NZRR bus depot. Pleasant trip and I liked the look of Geraldine. Heasley unexpectedly showed up at Winchester and chased the bus down, so we were let off in the middle of nowhere. Spent the night at his parents' place in Temuka where they are cooks for the NZED camp. They pay 50¢ a week for the state house. Gave us Benedictine (first for me). Murray and I went into town and got a Sepplet Moyston '69 claret to swizzle while we watched To Build a Fire. We had electric blankets (but they had them on the top rather than under).
1976	Non-stop visitors: all the Bensons (with a cot for Te), Breezes and Unger (going back to Fiji), Heather and Jamie, Kathy (to get her mop and broom), Trish (while Doug was at squash) and the Dickson girls to play with Te.
1977	Te went with Aldies. Gail, Ne and I went with Sanders. Lia bitched the whole way to Tairua. What a shock when we pulled up to a coastal mudflat right in town. Was a section that a friend of Doug owned. It stunk to high heaven. Set up the tents, had supper and walked to the wharf. Te thought it was good fun sleeping in a tent but he was up at 2AM with a sore tummy. I was ill with my own migraine, so I actually went for a walk at 4AM to get away from the stench.	Not my idea of camping, eh?
1980	M - Stopped at Thames Info Center and let kids play on our way to Kauaeranga Valley. Traditional stop at KV dairy where we discovered Pepsi. Drove through to the end of the road looking at all the camps and then went back to our favorite spot by the creek. Broke Doug's axe handle trying to chop logs for firewood. Sanders arrived at 6PM. Set up Aldies' tent in amongst the trees. Kids got in the creek and stayed there until bed time. Ne and Gail were on cots. David and I were on the ground (tent had no floor). I didn't have a sleeping bag, but it was a warm night. David kept squirming all over.
1981	W - Inch of snow overnight and kids were out sledding until 5:30PM. They ate over at Lundholm's. We set the train up in the back room and I built a bridge out of Lego.
1983	F - Picked up kids at school and brought them to Dr Foley. Ne got a DPT shot in her bottom and was a little indignant about it. XRay of David's head - just a bump.
1984	Sa - Kids went rollerskating. Bought Schwitters kids' ice skates so Gail took kids and Swansons out for their first go at it. Schwitters also gave us their hamster.
1988	Bought the 1986 Toyota Hi Ace van for $24,000. Gail brought T&K to Victoria Park Market while David and I had rear seat installed into the van at Papatoetoe. Met the others for lunch at the Market. Gail and kids went home and I brought T&K to Parnell Rose Gardens where we did some videoing: roses, lambs ears and eucalyptus. Back at 5PM to dash to Waiuku. Whites went with us to Karioitahi where it was cloudy and cool. We were the only ones there aside from one hang glider. Only Tom went in with me and the kids. It was a wicked surf - not big but plenty of action. Stayed in for about an hour - videos: Tom. BAck to Whites for "Purple Death", a wicked blackberry nip and a Lemora that tasted like petrol.	wrong side A rose is a rose is a...
1990	David, Ne and I went to the Pukekohe race course in time for first race (Peter Jackson Series) in which Mike's car came 2nd. Gateman let Ne in as a child saving us $11. Crossed over track to pits for $5 each and met up with Mike. Found Whites, including Tracy and we all went to a spot between hairpin and chicane. After the crowds left we spent an hour collecting cans (videos).
2000	F - Gail went to aquarobics with Trish in Papakura. Senad and Titania moved into the big room downstairs. We all went surfing with Ian and Steve D. I tore my left calf muscle and had to be carried back to the beach. Bert's for TP.
2003	Checked out and were picked up by James of Thrifty Car Rental and got a Mazda Familia 323. Onto Queenstown, at one stage driving on the "Presidential Highway", 44 Km, from Clinton to Gore. Once past Lumsden we could see the snow capped mountains. Stopped to get a photo of the Kingston Flier in action. Final stretch along Lake Whakatipu was spectacular. Checked into Blue Peaks Lodge - room 209, with a view of the lake and Remarkables. Watched the 10:30PM sunset.	our room
2004	Drove to the Mount, stopping at Waikino (bush railway station) for lunch. Easily found Atmores' new place and proceded to drink and visit. Supper at Bombay Brasserie. Excellent meals - between us covered lamb, beef, chicken and prawns. Washed down by a sweetish '02 Omahu Chardonnay and a mild Saints '02 Sav Blanc. Ken sporting a large scar on left hand from a fall into a ditch in Nov. Words of wisdom from Colleen: breathe into a brown paper bag to relieve migraine pains.
2009	Gail worked her way down to the pool with Ne's help and went for her first swim of the summer. She enjoyed being able to "walk" for the first time since the accident.
2010	Th - We went to Ne's new place to meet Melissa and sign the contract over a cup of tea. Checked out Steph's sleepout and have a cup of coffee.	Steph
2014	T - Tauranga Hospital, found a park and eventually figured out where I had to go. Checked in, called before I could sit down, went down to the next waiting room and called again before I sat. Scope wouldn't go in, urethra collapsed, Dr Westenberg forced his way through and then met a second spot, got through it but couldn't get past a third clog, so never made it to the bladder. I am now on a waiting list for an operation to tidy things up.
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