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9th	10th	11th
1960	Teamsters Union picnic at Eagle Lake (past Medicine Lake). Free pop, ice cream, popcorn and Popsicles. Pony rides, merry-go-round and a whip ride. There were races and Daddy competed in the Tug-of-War which his Blue & White Taxi team won. They also won the softball game.
1966	Herman's Hermits ate lunch at Holiday Inn and I was their personal waiter (the only time I ever waited). They arrived followed by many screaming girls and I had to set up a barrier to keep them out of the dining room. [ed. - Keith Hopwood sent a letter from San Francisco that I still have]. Didn't get a tip from them!
1972	Joined Norm and Win for a tour the Rakiraki sugar mill. Stopped at M-H's for a coke®. Walked to the school in Vaileka. Ran into Peni who showed us the short cut back to hotel through the sugarcane fields. Ping pong with Win, Norm and an Aussie fellow. House girls did a meke in the evening.
1974	Moved desk and book shelf out of the second bedroom and into the lounge, so David can have the room when he gets home. Went to see Gail at 2PM - she can't walk yet. Telegram from Trish. Audrey Dickson called to wish me well and invite me over for supper on Sunday. David Benson called to invite me over for a meal. Went to visit Gail at 7PM. She is in a room with the "Singing Cowboy"'s wife.
1977	Went to Auckland's first McDonalds (converted Queen Street bank) with Aldersons. Seemed so weird as they left the 1884 style unchanged inside and out. Then we checked out the Art Gallery. Back home for cofee and birthday cake with us.
1981	F - Dropped kids at Towns where they gave David bike streamers, odometer and socks. Gail and I went to Red Lobster, then we all went to Dairy Queen for dessert. Cake and coffee on deck until mosquitos drove us in.
1983	Su - High = 92°F. Mini-golf course in CG (behind the raquetball club in a farm field). Nothing fancy, just plain holes but large and long fairways.
1985	W - Won a Hauraki contest (click to read about it).
1988	OZ trip: Sydney. Go to Trip Report
1991	Checked out of Colonial Motor Lodge ($117/night). 5.5 hours on the East Coast road. Very scenic. Stopped to look at White Island which is an active volcano (video). Went across a bridge that caters for the highway or rail traffic. Passed by Mt Edgecumbe. Ended up in Kawerau where we got two motel rooms at the Thermal Motel. Long soak in the heated pool, then takeaways followed by billards in the motel lounge.
1994	Su - Aldies over at 2PM. Visit, snacks, gifts. Caramels for our anniversary. Played charades - 1st time for them. James had no idea how to communicate an idea. Cake and basketball. Doug really not that much better after playing almost everyday.
1997	Th - Day 3 of our 3 month journey around the world. See 1997 Trip Photo Journal.
1999	Sa - Susi and Ian over for bridge. Listened to the Twins game (first time via Internet).
2005	Warriors game. It was an excellent tight game and they could have won it in the last minute. Ann had a pain down her left arm and she went to Emergency at 8:30PM for a barrage of tests until 1:30AM - not heart.
2011	Su - Won two games of Dominion before I brought Gail to airport (off to Alaska).
2019	W - Got my anniversary haircut, spruced up and we went to Mount Bistro. They didn't have our reservation. Luckily, they did have crayfish ($65), which is why I chose the place. Gail tried a "Lady in Red" (vodka, Creme de Fraise and strawberries) and I had a great Craggy Range Te Kau 2015 Merlot Cabernet. Gail had the crayfish Rockerfellered. I had the house speciality, Sword 'n' Sauce-ry: skewered scallop, prawn cutlet, king prawn, salmon & fresh fish flambéed with horopito & lime vodka served with dipping sauces. Only weak point was the "Vienna" coffee which was just coffee with real cream on the side, not topped with whip cream. But I was able to fix that with some from the dessert platter that we shared. The place was selling a bottle of champagne for $450 with lesser wines going for $250.
2022	Su - 34OC to bring recliner to our place. Hospital where Gail and I played cribbage for the first time in 6 years. Listened to the Twins while painting a portrait.
2024	W - Biked to 34OC (been two months). Found Gail's distance glasses in the raised garden out back - missing for about a month and she got replacements. Finished A History of the World In 10½ Chapters. Watched Port 102 - Dogs 48.
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