Gallipoli in 2005 for Trish; Brenda's first anniversary and Jack's op

From: Margret

Sent: 30/04/2005 7:51 p.m.

Anzac Weekend 2005 Aynsley took the trip to Waitara with myself and Richard to see Mum and Dad.  We just saw Dad for a short time today; he was sitting in the seat and listening to the Anzac Ceremony featured on tv.  At 27 Blake Street last night we had excitement.  The corridor raining down as the headertank decided that it wanted to overflow.  Bodies up the roof space, towels on the floor, bowls and pots anywhere, Val finding the hidden watermain switch in the cold dark night out on the lawn; wet ceiling batts uplifted last night.  And to think that the tearjerker movie Notebook was entertaining the romantics in the sitting room. Val and Malcolm with their children Keegan, Courtney and Fraser attended Waitara's dawn parade.  Good wishes to Trish doing the same thing in Gallipoli. USA-time and its the date of Rangi's 14th birthday in California This young birthday boy may well be flying the skies if the opportunity to have a glider ride takes place.  I hope that you enjoy the experience Rangi as much as your Mum and Dad enjoyed their's. Out of Hospital and Getting to Grips Jack has sent a photo of his operation and he is looking good.  You can  see the zips on Jack's legs and chest as he has voluntarily uploaded the photos. Been to China and Back I look forward to Sherrie sharing her experiences of her visit to the city of Shanghai.   The birthdays for April Rock On for our cousins  and today, 3 April is for Lynn Taylor, Michelle Fenton on the 14th; Lorraine Taylor's on the 21st and Johanna Patuwairua on the 24th.  Courtney Lodge will be still in her teenage years on 30 April and Rangi Fenton's is mid-month.  April the 1st has been and gone and Stewart Island is under threat with an airbase purported to be developed in a southern part of its national park, according to a report/spoof on TV3's 'Campbell Live'.  Down in this deep part of New Zealand's Rakiura lives an ex-Waitarian, one of the Sampson's who lived in Queen Street; he's a jack-of-all-trades and raconteur. The first anniversary for Brenda is this month.  Yesterday we stopped at the Waitara Cemetery and climbed over the fence and we said 'hello' to Brenda.  The previous day Richard and myself went to the urupa on the knoll of Matarikoriko Road and noted the names of Mum's bones.  Looking across to the road to Tokitahi, the Rona family's and others' urupa, it was too cold to go and visit that one. From Brisbane, Mari sharedthe ultimate news to whanau that Jack has had a successful quadruple by-pass.  That is indeed, very good news, and the Clanfather back-on-line is something that we can look forward to - his emails!   Danny and Nola have sent their love to Jack and were looking forward to another postbox of jokes from him.  Mari said that Jack was the highlight of the ward on the eve before his Easter operation.  He had his fellow patients in stiches - literally! Overseas, in Tasmania, during Easter, I went with friends to a reunion.  I met the ex-wife of Danny Watson of Waitara and a Raumati from Motunui/Urenui called Joe Flay who knew Mum (Aunty Mona).  Joe showed me a 1950 photo of the Atiawa Maori Action Party on a visit to Otaki and Rosina Pirikahu was seated in the first row.  Rosina is Nana's niece. A week ago Mum and Aunty Ruby attended the funeral of one of the Stockman girls; she was Beverley Kurta, nee Scanlan.  During the Anzac Weekend the phone rang: for Mum.  She and Aunty Ruby for yakking away for almost two hours.  Talk about teenagers on the phone