Oct 8th - Two sisters enjoy their Mummy. This is Joanna, Jeni and me.
Then on the 9th it was out to Waiheke and a bike ride with Bill to Podieri Crisci. (He's never happy having his photo taken, Ed.)
Podieri Crisci looks out on one of my favourite valleys (Awaararoa Valley) - favourite because Willie (a long fin female eel lived there for at least 20 years - that's how long Rob (a human guardian of hers for that time) lived there. She was maybe 100 years old, and has now disappeared - gone off to breed we hope, and now another old ell called Titowhai has taken ownership of the top pool. Note the planted wetlands.
It is great to be home in Waiheke.
And with fast growing natives in the garden.
We made a trip to Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara), to catch up with Daniel and go to Graeme Liddell's 60th. We also saw a niece, two nephews and Great Aunty Marg. This is her with Jenny - they both live at the Rita Angus Ryman Retirement Village in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
She is 104.
She is also my godmother. I would love to be as fit as her at 104.
We stayed in Mercure Apartments in Victoria St. We taxied to Graeme and Jackie's house. Lots of good catch ups there. Bridget Liddell and Jarrod who come to the Youngies dinners, I love catching up with them. Ally Geary and Alistair Nicholson, Leanne and Stu Nattrass, Sarah Vrede and Gavin Lowe, and others. Here is one shot I took of Leanne, Jackie and I. Gee, Jackie made a good speech. So did Bridget and Graeme. It was a hat party and very fun.
Brunch the next day with Daniel, Mahkaila (Daniel's girlfriend), Mattias, Meg, and Jack.It was so lovely to catch up with them all. Mattias is in his final year of a conjoint degree - Software engineering and Economics. He also works a few jobs - one for a teacher resources company. Meg works for Maritime New Zealand writing policy. Daniel works as a computer scientist for JRNY. Mahkaila is doing a grad programme working for different government organisations as a graphic tech designer. Jack is working for NZ Foreign Affairs. Here are Mattias and Daniel.
Daniel has just released an album . Here is a link to his music - https://open.spotify.com/album/5fFCAsMyJrv8k274UNACVD. Mahkaila (his girlfriend) does the artwork.
Also here's one of his songs being played live at our farewell to 23 Cedar Rd. The video is too dark, but you can listen to the song!
From left to right - Me, Mattias, Daniel, Mahkaila and Bill.
From left to right- Jack, me, Daniel, Mahkaila, Bill and Meg.
Daniel and I.
14th Oct - It was time for me to go to the dr, dentist and optician. I love these glasses. I haven't ordered them yet! Apparently I need progressives and my eye condition has not changed since 2006! I use drops so maybe that keeps them firing.
I also had a fun night with Vanessa and Lynley, two of our Mt Eden walking girls. Anne was in Europe with the family. Vanessa is always the best organiser. Thank you.
I stayed with Mum. Bill went to Nelson working. This is Victor, Richard (Sarah's Dad from Waiheke) and Mum instructing something.
On the 15th I walked from Parnell into town via our apartment-to-be called The International (move-in date looks like March). I was interested on the way in a bit of history of the area I found - Parnell Rise in 1868. Wow, it has changed.
The International building coming along. We are the far left corner and third to top floor I think.
We had our last night in Waiheke for a while. Tomorrow we head off to Japan - RWC and other sights are calling, for the second leg of our big year.
