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18th	19th	20th
1970	Vaileka: Details in Peace Corps Journal.
1971	Big lunch and then the conference. Down to 7 as Bailey didn't show up. Went over our questionnaires. Hoffsis and I went to the Peking where we ran into Ramon. Saw "Kremlin Letter" with the Hoffsis at the Phoenix in Suva. Met Jeneti there. Before the feature everyone stands while "God Save the Queen" is played and a film of the queen is shown.
1972	Dropped in at Honeywell to say "Hi" to my former workmates at Records. Lois was really happy to see me. Hazel and Ev showed me how they were now converting paper documents into microfiche. Picked up a set of shock absorbers for Simon's Plymouth and brought them to Fiji as carry-on luggage - "cause that's the kind of guy I am".
1973	Paul called and gave me directions on how to get to Radio i station. Mr Jerkovich also called to welcome us to NZ. Our very first trip into Auckland (via bus from Papakura). Walked up and down Queen St and was disappointed as it is mainly small shops, book stores, cafes and takeaways all selling the same stuff. We ate at the Rajah, hoping to get some real Indian grub. Bussed back in the evening and walked home from the depot. Chas said that Radio i (Paul Mitchell) welcomed us on air: "Welcome home to John and Gail and we hope you'll stay for many years".
1974	Up at 6AM and out without waking Murphys or Heasley. Long bus ride along rugged coast from Christchurch to Nelson. Only part that I liked was the setting at Kaikoura. Blenheim was a let down. Picton looked good. Saw the Grassmere Salt Plant. Stayed downtown at the Hotel Nelson. Dinner at Caprice - a lousy beef curry in a box.
1975	Got Ian onto bus to Auckland as he left for Fiji. Atmores arrived around 4PM. Lost a game of snooker to Ken. Went to Breezes. They left at 6:30PM and we stayed on for a vegetarian supper before leaving at 10PM. David is definitely crawling now.
1976	Up at 5:55AM so I went for my first run of 1976 going four blocks along the railway line. Trish drove us to the PSIS store in Otahuhu where we were sadly disappointed with the pithy supply to choose from.
1978	Ahipara to have a look at 90 Mile Beach. Had a swim at Tokerau Beach on the north coast. Got to Kerikeri for lunch at Adam and Eve. Went into the Stone Store and did Rewa's Village. Got to Everglades Motel at 4PM and made reservations at Bella Vista for supper. Too late to go to Waitangi, so we drove out to look at Horuru Falls. Shipwreck Museum was closed when we got back. We had to wait 30 minutes for our "reserved" table. It was set with all the flash proper "silverware", but also had coffee mugs in place. Ne was "antsy" as it was a long wait to get our food. She said "bye-bye" to everyone as they left. Te wore his tie and was very good and patient. Food was great but the service was very poor, so we left early, skipping desserts.	Tokerau Beach Rewa/Eva
1980	Sa - KV: Walked to "pines" camping area and build sandcastles next to the stream with the kids. Had a picnic and lunch on the beach. Decamped at 3:30PM. Stopped in Thames to get photos of the kids on the big boat built in the park (removed in 2016). Tape from Mom. Ne: Sleeping bag is "suitcase" to her because we store them in the same place. Watched Hill Street Blues episode Double Jeopardy.
1982	T - We left work early because Dorothy's son had a dental appointment. She can't believe that we can come and go as we please, while she is hourly and needed to get permission.
1984	Th - High = -17°F. Helped Cliff solve a test problem on the $10 million project. Then I solved the "adjust active entities counter on masterfile" problem. Dealt myself 4 red 3's and really creamed Paul (canasta) at lunch. Began designing a two dimensional table for the premium re-rate problem. Colored with Ne. David 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.
1988	KV: hiked up the gorge where we had lunch on the big rocks in the stream. T&K slept while the kids played until clouds rolled in. Made it back to the van just as it began to drizzle. Put a fly over the big tent and a tarp over the small one. Big gusts blew through breaking a stay on the big tent which then collapsed. Decided to break camp and spend night in a coastal motor camp. The Boomerang Holiday Park in Te Puru wouldn't let us in with the dogs. Ended up at Waiomu Holiday Park in a cabin. We had to smuggle the dogs in and they were very quiet, but we felt like criminals and worried that they would bark and we would be caught.
1990	I drove to Cambridge and Gail took over. Stopped for lunch at Te Iringa track in Kaimanawa State Forest Park. We tramped to Anna Falls (three tiers) and (video). Almost drove off road into hill because I was looking at Gail - she screamed and I swerved and only scraped side of van. She took over and drove us over the mountains to Napier. Unloaded at Ferry Motel in Westshore. Soak in the spa.
1991	Ne and I went to Whites at 5:30PM. BBQ with Anil and Rahini Varma (Billy and Ponki's parents), Pele and wife, Lui and girls. I brought Tima outside by the hand, but she ran back in. Ian and Susi tried to throw me into the swimming pool.
1992	Stopped on way out of K Valley and did the HiHi track that led straight into a stream which we had to cross a couple times before heading up a hill to a "Sound of Moo-sic" vista where we ran into bulls that escorted us out of their paddock and back to the stream where we stopped for lunch (video). Home at 5PM then bridge until 8:30PM.	I don't like cricket, man I love it
1993	Doyles with Gail where we got a tramping stove, BBQ cover and camping supplies. Bought a Goofy towel set. Package from Dad with magazines and newspapers. Converted a set of drawers into a camping bench.
1994	Went the long way up to the Collins Drive, Billy charging on a head. Had lunch at the top, then went through the tunnel which had many glow worms. On the way down I dropped my camera, luckily it stuck at the base of a tree, just short of the cliff face. Then I threw my walking stick into the ravine where Doug had fallen last year and had to go down to get it. Ian wanted to go back along the water race to get photos, so the two of us were left behind. Made it all the way back when I realized that I had left my stick at the ladder and we had to go back to get it. Once back it was into the warm river water where I was squirting everyone with my KFC gun. Jarts with Jackie as my partner against "the teenagers" as Billy calls them. Billy asked Matthew if David was older than his father (probably because Te is taller). Bridge in tent, with break to look at stars and satellites. Susi gnashing teeth sounded like a possum scratching the tent.	Jackie More photos
1996	F - Met Simon and Fran at Julie's and saw young Ben for the first time. The four oldies had supper, with a very good Corbans '94 Sav Blanc and an excellent '94 Collards cabsav-merlot, at Restaurant 360° Floor rotates and we were able to see a great sunset. [ed. - place closed down when the Skytower's rotating restaurant was built].
1997	Su - Walked along the beach as far as the spit, so Susi could collect seashells (to eat). We went surfing at 5PM, even Ian and Susi going in the gentle waves. There was an elderly nude couple [ed. - known for being clothing optional beach]. Played pitanque with Jackie. Chardy hurt her foot. Had a curry supper with a powerful '95 Selak fumé. Cluedo with Jackie. Bridge until midnight.
1998	M - Saw Steve (Dr) who is sporting a pony-tail. Had a look at his new computer system. Tracked down tongue and groove rimu at Placemakers.
1999	T - Van in to Murray Kemp for WOF. Swim with Ian and Jackie. Breeze called - wants to store his car here. Doug called asking about Joan Jett.	Kemps
2000	W - Went to Silkwood in Takanini where I ordered a computer desk from Andy (former pupil) to be made up to fit in her den. Two hours at Wrights.
2001	Brought van in for headlight alignment. Ian over for a swim and later he came with us to TP at Ann H. Stopped to look at 62 Beach - house stripped back to rectangle and moved to where we had the veggie garden; driveway removed.
2002	We and Whites drove up to Orua Bay Motor Camp around 3PM. Gail went for a swim while Ian and I walked the beach. Then David and I beat all comers at petanque even when we used left hand to toss. Ne and Steph went home at 6:30PM and David stayed for hamburgers before he left. Couple rubbers of bridge before Ian and Susi went home. I stayed up to listen to the Black Caps beat S. Africa in the last over on Cairns' 100.
2003	Checked out of Blue Peaks Lodge and drove to gold mining town of Arrowtown via the gorge. Walked the shops on main street. From there we drove through the Gibbston Valley to the gorge to Alexandra, stopping to get apricots and honey at Sarita roadside stand. Got out of car to take photos of Roaring Meg. From there we headed north to Ranfurly stopping at Middlemarch for petrol. Big open fields with rock outcrops, giving way to rolling hills covered in sheep before getting to sea level at Mosgiel and the short trip to Dunedin. Back at Abbey Lodge and Gail skunked me. Went for a swim in the 26°C indoor pool and soaked in the spa.
2004	Ne and Gail began bringing stuff to her classroom. Christmas card from Jim F. Elaine over for lunch and a swim - she and Bob love the cordless optic mouse I sold them. Brundell over at supper time with a bottle of Saints '03 Sauvignon Blanc and ended up watching The Matrix with us. Now selling at flea markets and wants to use my van.
2005	email from Atmore saying that Meli Solabogi (QVS Deputy Head Boy 1973) had stopped in. Ran into Needhams who are experiencing problems with email. Bob on his way to hospital for a heart operation. Over to Brundell's for more of the same - he asked me to leave at one point, but I stayed. Home to find Whites in the pool. Put together the giant storage box for the van.
2006	Letter and photos from Mom.
2007	Russell, Mike and Ann H arrived for TP with the difficult 20th Anniversary version.
2008	Did laps and then lost an outdoor cribbage game. Gail and I went to Elaine's for a meal with a Matua Pinot Noir and a little computer work - set up a new Hotmail account for her and taught her to attach pics. Sent us home with earphones and a couple bulkhead lights.	E's pool
2009	emails from Gawel (with photo of Nadi flooding). Gail's right foot/ankle/lower leg swollen and hurting for the first time since the crash. Susi over for a veal schnitzel supper with a Lindemans '08 Pinot Noir we played Upwords and three games of Rummikub. I won all the games. I have finally figured out how to play it, eh? Susi has cousin who is a slave for the Redy family here in NZ.
2010	T - Smithers over. We chewed the fat and goodies they brought along under the ivy. David and I joined the boys for the usual water fights. Then it was coffee followed by pool. I also had to drag James down the stairs, because I had done it on NYE.	James
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