Keegan as an IT person, Mandarin with Val, Richard as a Vesparista

From: Margret

Sent: 2/04/2005 10:30 a.m.

2 March 2005  One of the IT people Keegan is visiting gridlock Auckland to investigate the IT industry.  He has found that the heat in Auckland has the added luxury of moisture; ie humidity.  Taranaki, he said, has had 37 degrees lately. Keegan is smiling in anticipation of the fingerflicks by his sibling Fraser.  Ouch! Malcolm, Keegan's Dad is about to complete 9 months of working Mokai - geothermal project, before returning to his New Plymouth home .  Talking Mandarin with Val Val has described the six  months course that she has been learning this complex language with the semantics of sounds to deal with.  She has been enjoying it;  she used to learn Cantonese from her boss called Jason at the Waitara takeaway job.  'You cannot tell where life takes you and the learning of Mandarin is part of the journey'. There has been an appreciation for the postcards on the journey of Trish and Val has been reading them - so thanks Jack. What's In a Name - a rose is sweet Mari has had success with the occurrence of family names  for geegees and has done well. Vespas - WASPS on two wheels Richard, in his alias role of the Old Mod was interviewed for the New Zealand Herald's Sunday supplement the weekend of 12-13 March.   It made mention of my having been a scooter rider - Yeah right!  but not a twowheel fanatic.  Have I told you about my heroic ride across the concrete at home here when I opened the throttle too much on Darryn's TRIAL's bike???  He had only had it ½hour ownership?  Over in his Guildford home in England, Darryn has reported the purchase of a vintage Vespa small-frame scooter purchased after a lovely journey to Wales.  He has decided, some pressure from Richard, to join the New Zealand Magnetos Scooter Club and maybe the UK chapter will be established.  Even the taranaki Chapter is about to come to fruition. Fraser, here is your name ... written by the fellow passenger on the Taieri Gorge Railway trip that you undertook from Dunedin through the terminus at Middlemarch.  This area was where some scenes for the Lord of the Rings was filmed. A happy birthday was celebrated by FRASER, a cool 15 years old ,and ready to drive.  He lives in New Plymouth and is a pupil at the school, New Plymouth Boys High School, where his brother Keegan attended too and also his granddad Hip  quite a few decades ago.  Fraser's Uncle Roger will be celebrated his  own birthday on 8th March.   Roger rang the day after sherrie began her epic journey to China and, watch out Sherrie, he has sights on he and Rangi joining you on the next trip to China - and even to the UK.   Spring Break will soon come for Sherrie as she joins her college friends on the exciting trip to China.  She has remarked that the toings and goings and froings by members of the Fenton clan have inspired her to make this personal trip to Shanghai.  Sherrie's learning has included learning some Chinese.  Upon hearing this, and knowing that Val is also learning Chinese, Mum said that they could write to each other.    These two scholars will be able to buy authentic cooking when next they sup and instead of me saying, 'May I have No. 2, please".  they'll ask for the real thing. Richard's scooter club is increasing in membership and they had a wonderful ride around Auckland and visited five volcanic cones.  Usually the scooter mob just go for long rides, ie to Kaiaua from Auckland just to buy fish and chips.  Staunch people, they are.