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1970 Hawaii: Details in Peace Corps Journal.
1971 Jone left today permanently. Suva with White. Picked up Margaret Barrie and children in Nausori. Loaded up on books at Desai's where I found out that Jone is Lusi's cousin. Bought drum sticks and a snare at Dean's. Finished They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie in a park waiting for Ian. Looked over the cathedral. Queen Elizabeth Barracks to see Isimeli, the Fijian broadcaster.
1973 Brought the crates into to Williams & Gosling in Suva on school truck. $67 to ship three crates and a few tea chests to NZ. Immigration is letting us in on a temporary visa and one way tickets. On the way back we stopped at Korovou where we bought beer. I moved to the truck's tray for a bumpy ride back to QVS with four drunken Fijians Anisi, Kalevu, Seru and Jope while Gail was up front with Lenati. Anisi kept thanking me on behalf of the Lawaki village.

Anisi
1974 Sanders brought us to the airport. Hour's flight with views of Nelson and Canterbury plains. Cold and windy when we arrived to be met by Murphy in his mother-in-law's car. Took us through downtown area and we walked through the new town hall. Murph's livingroom is beautifully decorated and there many new paintings of his. As soon as he explained that it rarely rains in CHCH it began. Didn't stop him giving us a tour of Brighton Beach and over the hill to Lyttleton and Governor's Bay. Rain and clouds didn't allow the view of CHCH from the summit. Car's wipers were slowly dying. Megan remembered us and Ghetto. Slept in Megan's room and they gave us electric blankets.
Gov Bay


Lyttleton

1976 Gail shopped at Super Valu - $68, we put the receipt onto the wall when the groceries were delivered [ed. - in 2012 we spend $150]. Murray Jefferies, a detective, was looking for Lampitt (one of our renters), so I put him onto WERE. Began scything the lawn and cutting back branches. David has trouble getting through the tall grass. Walked to the dairy (4 minutes) to get milk. Mike brought a mirror, foam, sleeping bags and blankets so we could sleep in our house for the very first time.
1979 Tennis at Papakura Tennis Club for the first time (Gail is a member through Squash). I won 6 - 3. Spent afternoon sawing up firewood at Mike's shop which we put into the garage.
1982 F - Sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwich. Little difference to peanut butter. After work we played walleyball at Woodbury Raquet Club. PSD lost to WorkComp, elders beat youngsters and beards beat shavers. Schauer is good. Played for 90 minutes. Home with a sore back and a much needed soak in the tub. Read letter for more.
1984 Su - Kids baked Joyce a cake and we brought it to celebrate her birthday. Gave Dick a log holder. Met 2 month old Lucky, a nipping poodle.
1985 T - Paul beat me at cards but I bought him a cone for his birthday anyway. I was given a parking spot in American Linen lot ($10/mo). Tom Kelley called - I had sent him a birthday card. He is in Mensa and on a team for WCCO sports trivia contest last year.
1987 Simon and Fran, in a red Mazda, came to get sleeping bags. Stopped at the "castle" for first time. Ordinary shop inside of it. Everyone else had ice cream but no one offered any to me. Had to park a couple blocks away from the Thames Info Center as it was Market day and crowded. I stewed (because I could see rain clouds) in the car for an hour while Gail and kids checked it out. Drove thru K Valley to end where Mike met us and brought us to Wainora Camp (someone had taken the US flag I gave them to put out as a signal). Began to rain as we arrived. Set up below Sanders' tents.
1989 Called mom and we spoke to her for 30 minutes ($110). Murphy called to check on his fishing reels. They liked our van so much that they are looking for one now.
1995 Gail and I went surfing - gentle clean waves. Back to White's to watch home videos. Supper from their new barbecue. Couple games of Upwords. Met Steve's girl from Nauru, Sally.
1997 W - Made up the ConRUTulations card. Van failed WOF because of rust. Bought a "Rash" shirt for surfing (because it prevents rash) and "The Best Punk Album in the World...ever" CD ($39.99). Physio for work on my radius. Plumber put a new thermostat onto the water heater, but still the same problem.
1998 Th - Mike C joined Doug and I for the first time. Since he was wearing Jaguar I made him wash and gave him a shirt to wear. He brought along a couple "P" albums to play while we played Music Mania until midnight when we declared Mike the winner.
1999 White's for Doug's farewell. Nathan (Rainbow's End) was there with Tracy. Tima was also on hand. Gave Doug a New World calendar. Gail and I went to Mike's for TP. Met Ann Houghton who is a neighbor of Mike's and works at London Bookshop in Manuakau.
2002 David drove to Kopu and I took us over the small mountains. Stopped on the way to have the lunch Gail had made for us. Ne and Steph had arrived at Opoutere much earlier than us. Nick and Christine had done a huge amount of work last week making the main caravan liveable again (it had major roof and hot water tank leaks). Chris was straight to the creek to fish (video). Set up our tent way back in amongst the trees and out of sight of the buildings (video). Built a fire (video) and roasted hot dogs for supper then roasted a couple marshmallows. I was first one to bed (in the tent with Chris). Ne and Chris were eeling once it got dark (Ne got one).

2005 We had kabobs from a new shop in Waiuku. Whites over for bridge and the men trounced the women, winning second rubber in two hands.
2007 Smithers' 6 bedroom lovely place in Howick. Had lunch and spent afternoon catching up. I brought up the lino in his garage in his first place and he mentioned that it was Benygloe - same street that Bev currently lives on. Stopped at Clark's to feed the pigs and visit Ne.
2009 Daily chore: go through veggie garden and bring in whatever is ready, but today I also had to get down a few avocados. Laps at 10:30PM and the water was so warm.
2011 Sa - Called Atmores and spoke to Colleen - their very old computer has died. Mini-Whites over for a swim and Madison's first time in the pool. Laps in beautifully warm pool.
2012 Su - Over to Colleen's with Ne for a drink (Five Flax '10 Merlot Cabernet). After supper it was Dominion.
2020 W - email and photo of Jane from Ann. And coincidentally, the calendar and card arrived from Jane. Carcassonne with a break for calamari tacos.
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