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19th	20th		21st
1970	Vaileka: Details in Peace Corps Journal.
1971	Talked to Berkowitzs (Fiji VIII) - first PCV family in Fiji. Ran into Hoffsis and hung with them as they shopped. Had lunch at M-H snack bar. While Diane and I sat on a bench Dick, Mere Matron, Matereti and Ramon passed by. Ramon says he is going to New Zealand to look for work. We skipped the conference meeting and went to see "Me, Natalie". Had supper at Travel Lodge coffee lounge. Cards at the Oceanic where I stayed the night for free.
1973	Barry Rodewald (friend of the Roscoes) invited us over for a meal. Met Wendy who cooked up a good meal with a gooseberry pie for dessert. Barry likes his cigars. We got home at 11PM. Got up at 2:30AM to watch the All Blacks draw 10 - 10 against Ireland (highlights) with our host, Chas (had to because we were sleeping in the living room with the TV).
1974	Nelson, S.I.: "Fishy" scrambled eggs (probably from the kippers) and couldn't eat them. Moved to another room away from street and with a double bed. Big lunch: "Grill Sample". Gail and I walked to the top of Botanical Hill (483' and center of NZ). An hour in the Cawthorn museum with a cutaway beehive.		Cawthorn
1977	Watched David Cup tennis (NZ v Indonesia). Brian Fairlie just won and Onny Parun won easily. Trish called and had a chat with Te who had answered. Then she showed up and took him and Gail to town.		Onny
1978	Checked out the meeting house at Waitangi (where the treaty with Britain was signed). New boathouse with Maori canoe on display. Drove to Waiomoio and walked to the cave (on a private farm), but decided to not do the tour due to time restraints. Got takeaways for lunch at Hikurangi. Stopped at Orewa Beach for a splash in the ocean. Brought the car back ($155). Had an excellent Corbans claret with supper and then looked at slides from Rotorua visit.
1979	Sa - Barbecue at the Greens'.
1982	W - New record: 17.1"/43cm of snow (WCCO weather). Hit an icy patch on Tower and Arlyn did 180° ending up over the median on the road heading south. We were let out of work early. Couldn't see Jamaica, only a solid white everywhere. Dorothy kept yelling: "Hail Mary" to our many close calls. We all went out to shovel and Jerry Polesh, who had done Rollie's driveway with his snowblower came over to help.
1983	Th - Made an anniversary card for Leroy and Donna Mae (they requested one - his LP).
1988	Hasty retreat - everything into the van, smuggle the dogs out in sleeping bags and then our big escape. Thames for breakfast. $7.50 for eggs and bacon scared off T&K for something from the tray area. But Malleys filled up on hot tucker. Spent an hour scouring Thames shops. Tom took the wheel and brought us just short of Rotorua stopping at Paeroa to get a photo of "the" bottle. Stopped outside of Rotorua for sandwiches and fruit. Stopped at the Info Center and then took photos of the lake, government gardens, croquet and bowls. T&K went to the Fluer Orchid Gardens and Water Organ and we all out checked the Tudor Towers museum. Walked to McDonald's so they could see the Maori carvings. Drove on down to Golden Springs Holiday Park where we had a tourist flat. Big room with two bedrooms and shower. Outside ducks, fowls, deer and heated pool. Went for a swim prior to a curry meal.	upsize? McMaori	Having a... 4-in-a-row
1990	Marineland for the 5 dolphin show (video) [ed. - in 2006 down to one and ended up closing as in PC world not allowed to obtain replacements] with an appearance of Pepe the California Sea Lion (video). Saw penguins (video) and seals being fed. Otters at "wishing pond" grabbed the coins (video). Checked out the underwater view of the dolphins. Walked along the shore through sunken gardens, flea market and finally the brass maiden [ed - she was stolen in 2006]. Checked out Model Railway (video). Lunch at KFC. Drove to Lake Tutira (campground half full) and walked to top of a hill (video). Long drive to Wairoa where we stayed at Vista del Rio. Great restaurant where I had straight schnapps for the first time. Had a sweet Mission '89 Reisling Sylvaner. David and I explored the river and remains of a bridge.
1993	David got an "A" bursary (means he gets a $200 scholarship for uni from government). A's in acctg, computing and Statistics. B+ Physics, Chem and Maths. That puts him in the top 10% for the country.
1994	Decamped and drove to Pauanui for a surf. Raced home to pick up dogs and get David to work by 4PM. Whites came at 6:30PM for a meal and to pick up Tracy. David came home at same time (not busy at work). Doug arrived and put on his Toots and Maytals album and had everyone up and dancing. When Whites departed he and I played Rock Fever.
2001	duFresne's in Pt Chevalier. 16 years been working on the house and just now getting to seeing the results. Sally on last legs, literally, but still loves to swim - they are a stone's throw from Waitemata Harbour. Boys had lunch with us, but didn't share the Saints Semillion nor the Shingle Peak Riesling. Nick spoke to Des who has Coromandel School students building computers. Says that the new Exec Officer's brother is doing the computers at Rosehill College and is a whiz. After supper it was over to Whites' to see our latest slides and Ian's trip slides of Spain.		Gail with Chris & Nick
2002	Check out of Orua Beach Motor Camp. Mom and Bob are moving back into the rebuilt house, so I called them to say "Welcome Home". Mom says that the place is beautiful, misses the stone wall but a huge bathroom downstairs. Has all her Santa bears returned in good condition. Senad dropped Titania off who is staying with us for a few days. They had a good time in Thailand and managed to live a month in Singapore with her mother.		Mama Bear
2003	We drove the Otago Peninsula - absolutely beautiful views the whole drive. First stop the Royal Albatross Centre. Not enough time to do a tour, so we just checked out the information and displays in the building that included many marine birds and seals. We spent some time on the cliff edge watching hundreds of seagulls, mobs of cormorants and about ten playful seals. Down to the shore on Pilot's road where we were entertained close up by one seal as another slept. Took back roads to other side of the peninsula to Allans Beach where we had our picnic lunch. Hospital for Gail's first treatment. She was amazed how simple it was - wham, zap, thank you m'am.
2004	Steph found a photo of her and Flo at the Skytower restuarant in an Auckland tourist pamphlet. email from Monique thanking us for calendar (photos of Steph's paintings).
2005	Gail, Ne and I went to MOTAT to check out Disney toy collection. Spent an hour viewing the items and, yes, Goofy was in the minority. Whites over for bridge - women took men 2 rubbers to 1.
2008	Gail and I over to Paul (Tania engaged) and Irene's (Pip in love in Turkey) to hitch a ride over the bridge to Mirangi Bay and Kathy and Mike's place. Tour the place with its outside dundgeon and even bigger one under the house. Downed a Tununda '05 Shiraz that was very drinkable while we chatted. After a lunch including dipping strawberries into sour cream strolled down to the beach. Very windy. Back to shelter for coffee.
2009	Brought Gail to Super Clinic. About 3 hours later we were on our way to Middlemore to check her back into Ward 11 for an infection on her leg. Since a bed wouldn't be available until 1PM we stopped at a Burger King for Summer Stunners ($5.50). Once we got into the ward we visited with Helen W who broke her femur and is in Gail's old spot.
2010	W - Whites with Gary and Kristin came for a visit. Whites for a meal with a so-so Evans & Tate '07 Cabernet Merlot and a great Montana '08 Pinot Noir to help along the conversation which was all over the place and very interesting getting to know them.
2011	Th - Finished staining the doors. Trish and David arrived at 2PM and stayed the night. Ian came and we played a couple games of Upwords with David.
2014	M - Visited Bruce and Merryn at Colleen's. Came up with a new dip: broccomole.
2024	Sa - 110 minute walk to Concord. Found 20¢ ($14.70). Watched Breakers 106 - Phoenix 75 (Anthony Lamb had 31).
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