| From: Margret | Sent: 26/10/2003 10:25 p.m. |
| Learning… SAT. The 11th was a bonus. This seems to be the year for myself to start catching up. Firstly though, our hostess Brenda sure knows how to win someone’s heart. I went in their front door at 10 am, weighing my normal 80Kg, and left at 3pm weighing 90 kg, True! The presentation and variation of the spread was irritable and I noticed that I was not alone, eh cuz’s. That was my 2nd lesson of the day. The first was to learn how to “Hongi”! Now you guys might say WHAT, a Fenton that does not know at this age. Well it’s true. However, it’s never to late to learn. Also I found that to Hongi, with the ladies was easier than the men Love to all Nola and Danny Fenton IN a short time we were on a train and on our way to meet “The Fenton’s of Waitara”. I remember arriving at Nana and Pops at Rona Road. A big “Hangi”, and then Judy with measles, Ronnie with whooping cough and myself with chicken pox. We all ended up in the same bedroom, which I am pretty sure was Nana’s room. (Pop probably thought that was great). Not sure the period of time we stayed, before we moved into a home in Nelson Street, Waitara, which was to be our home for a number of years (Good years). We went to the Public School and then changed to Saint Josephs. WE left Waitara approx 1950, moving back to Takapuna, where I continued my Primary Education until moving on to Northcote College. (I was going to be a Horticulturist). I played rugby, swimming, rowing, Army Cadets, Girls, anything but schoolwork, school was a good place to eat lunch eh! Left after getting through 4th form, no good, still got the cane marks on the backside. WANTED to join the Merchant Navy, Dad said no! Started working at the Waitemata Electric Power Board as a meter tester assistant, lasted three months (got giddy watching the meter’s going around). Transferred to the Line Staff and spent the next 32 years in the Electrical Industry, working in New Zealand, Australia and Solomon Islands. Progressing from Trainee Linesman to leading hand to Foreman, Supervisor-safety/ training Officer. While working in Oz met a Beautiful Woman, fell madly in love and 43 WHEN “the chickens had flown the coop,” as the saying goes, we decided, (eh! Nola), that a change in our lifestyle was required. I left the Power Board and went commercial fishing (on the sea at last). Worked as a deck hand for two years, sat the appropriate exams and became a Skipper. We then bought our own fishing vessel. Nola as “deckie” Danny as captain of the lugger, however Nola found that sailing Monday and returning Thursday night, starting at 4.00am finishing around 11.00pm, smelling of fish, (no showers on board), the sharks, the language and the food, Thursday night ashore at the nearest Fisherman’s Pub, was not really her cup of tea. After 6 weeks Two years of working in various departments, sitting various exams, became a Kiln Operator and loved it. Cindy and Peter produced twins, Nola was spending more time in Long Bay, Auckland than at our home in Thames, and so we shifted back to the big smoke. No trouble getting a transfer to “Kumeu Mill”. Nola was pleased to be close to Family again, clucking and wooing (you know Woman stuff, eh). I stayed in the timber Industry until just before the Re-Union “Fenton’s of Waitara”. Took crook, was off work for 10 weeks, now back in the workforce. During my working life, I managed to work on a oil rig off South Australia as a rigger, also on the ill fated Westgate Bridge and while boarding with Uncle Ike and Aunty Allison, worked on the “gut board” and the “hide room” at the Waitara Freezing Works. WITH one year three weeks to go to pension, or thereabouts, plans are to keep out of Nola’s way, she has had the run of the house for 43 years, do not plan to get in her way. The “Volunteer Coast Guard” needs guys with Skipper’s tickets to Man vessels on roster basis, look’s good for a while. While the body and mind keep working why not, eh! Living on the North Shore, you would naturally be involved with the sea, if not, something must be wrong and you could need help A.S.A.P. I will leave the sea for now and cover some of the sporting, leisure, hobbies and other things of interest that occurred when arriving on the “Shore” from Waitara. I played rugby at primary school and made the “Roll of the Mills” Auckland team, and would you believe it, beaten by Taranaki in the final. Played club rugby in different grades through to “Golden Oldies”, finished at 35 years of age. Made the 1st fifteen, the 1st four and the college swimming team while at school. T the great age of 17 years I got my first “Captain Cooker” at “Whatipu”, 40 minutes from home and you know what, they are still there today. I became involved with deerstalking in the North Island, stalking Red Deer, Sika, Samba, Rusa and only 45 minutes away from home, Fallow Deer. Involved with N.Z.D.S.A., taking part in Wallaby culls on both “Kawau and Rangitoto Islands”. I went pig hunting with brother Ronnie and his famous dogs but I will leave Ronnie to tell about those wonderful times, eh! Bro! Chasing pigs and chased by pigs, awesome times. I was involved with the Surf Club at Takapuna Beach, getting both bronze and Surf Medallions at a very young age. So, I have arrived back at, was and is, a great love affair with “The Sea”. Nola did not realize at the time of getting married, that there was something I had completely forgotten to tell her, that in our genes there is something like hundreds of years of living, breathing and being part of a Great Mob Of People surrounded by” The Sea”, that there could be a throw back amongst us and sometimes we must “Go with the flow,” eh! THE first vessel I had, was a “Tin Canoe” made out of an old sheet of corrugated iron with old nail holes filled with pitch (tar) pinched from Council Roads. An amazing simple construction, but in a young boy’s mind I had sailed the “Seven Seas” and crossed many an “Ocean” in my “Waka”.” Kupe” was still a learner, eh! (Dad helped to build it). If the wind was S/West Takapuna was the place, or if the wind was from the S/East across the road to Shoal Bay, although that was “Nga Pui” had to be very careful and cunning. From the “Tinnie” to a Fred built fishing dinghy-Z class yacht-I. A yacht “shared with Ronnie, crewed by Judy). Next a International 14 footer, then started crewing on 18 ft keelers. Hauraki Gulf racing/ cruising, Coastal Racing ie, White Island race-Devonport-Russell Coastal Classic Race’s and when Nola got her sea legs, we started all over again. Trailer sailer up to 32 ft keel. Both racing/cruising, a great sport, hobby, recreational and a family way of life. I became “Commodore” of “The Devonport Yacht Club”. At this point, we sold up everything and went commercial fishing. Love to all, Danny Fenton. |
No comments:
Post a Comment