2004 May - Funeral in Brisbane of Mona's sister and meeting cousin Mari and Jack at funeral

From: Margret

Sent: 22/05/2004 12:49 a.m.

21 May 2004   ITS RAINING IN ALEXANDRA HILLS, BRISBANE and sunshine in Ascot, and Wednesday night back in Auckland and weather that would make any traveller think that the Land of Mordor (or Morbid) is here!    The Thai airline had us as passengers in their small bum seats until Richard twigged that he could utilise 4 seats and stretch out and SLEEP. So, back to work tomorrow, four days leave with pay and one without and I still had to provide work for the fifth day and not get paid.  But, the funeral counted and I am glad that we went. We had been out to visit Stephen and his wife Trish and their children Riki and Kirsty and her boyfriend Matthew; and I can tell you that I was a VERY successful shot at the s h a n g h a i.  Earlier yesterday we met cousin Jo-Ann and husband Mike and duly admired the creme mocha desserts made by Jo-Ann.  Jo-Ann works in the airport environs and in the control tower area.  We saw, in the newspaper, that John Travolta and his Qantas liveried 707 is due to arrive in Brisbane; Jo-Ann would be there like Grease lightning to see the plane, not him!  In fact, this morning, Wednesday, Jo-Ann said that John Travolta was a likely visitor to her part in the control tower and I heard Richard hint that an autograph for me, as well as Jo-Ann, of course, would be appreciated.  Personally, I'd like a ride in the plane please, Jo-Ann.  Margret and Richard had the pleasure of meeting Mari and Jack in preparation for the funeral of Mum's sister, Hoogie, alias Josephine, alias Hana Ann Sutherland at the home of Kim and Neale.  Kim and her brother Tommy were two Freakley children, brought up in Brixton before theymoved to Tokomaru, not far geographically from where Vicki-Lee and Jackie live.  Upon Jack reading this about Tokomaru, he said that his own grandparents had retired to that same little village.  Small world, eh!   Hoogie was brought up in the family home of the Nicholas family, opposite Hungaririki Marae in Kairau.  In the recent newsletter Mum wrote about Hoogie and Gemma watching the courtship of Hip and Mona.  If Jack comes out of retirement, he has got a profession as making of mini pies.  He makes a ''mean pie'.  (His daughter Jo-Ann got the giggles about her Dad's cooking prowess, but did she know that he once aspired to be a RNZNavy chef when he was a youth?)   The home of Mari and Jack is so close to the Ascot railway station that Richard and myself rolled oursuitcases to their home and met Mari shopping enroute.  And, photos of the cousins abound the wall displays. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MARI  The 70th birthday of Mari, in Brisbane, was the 1ST MAY 2004.  Jack has sent the menu to the whanau of the celebratory dinner tonight and the day's programme for today.  Jack has let us know of her recent experiences at topless waitressing but won't commit it to paper in the Keeping In touch newsletter.  She could get a job at Shooters.  Richard and I are in Brisbane and can tell all and sundry  that Mari is her usual chirpy self and her recent boobjob and phalangeal adjustments are in working order.As the grandparents of Nicola, they are looking forward to the forthcoming wedding and have been enjoying pre-wedding hijinks or hen party activities, etc.  MAY IN AUCKLANDThe approach to May is somewhat ambivalent  weather-wise.  Hot and muggy, very cold and windy and heavy rain and traffic jams.  This week, Margret, Richard, Kingi, Aynsley and Darryn, went to join Mum's sister, Gemma and her whanau, at the Buffet House in Albany.  We had a very enjoyable time chatting and eating a few mountains of prawns before our 'sitting' had its time.  Jack, I'm going back there soon, but, now I'm MAY IN BRISBANE, I've eaten Reef Fish and Sea Cod (shared with Richard) at the manly waterfront area.  Along with Nicholas Aunty Marie and Nicholas Uncle Fred (both from Kairau, just off Waitara Road) we had alfresco dining on the footpath opposite the reserve where a few market stalls were in operation. KEEPING THE WHANAU IN TOUCH NEWSLETTER Creating the newsletter is a a generous act of Jack and he does love editing it with the material provided by any one of us.  Commitment towards sharing a few words via email or phone or letter makes every one of us benefit when that valuable newsletter arrives.  Its frequency is a matter of conjecture as submissions from the whanau are valued and appreciated.  How about letting Jack know what you want.  It may be that the Internet regular contributors receive the news and have the ease of letting the contributors know that they enjoyed the anecdotes written.   BIRTHDAYS FOR MAY are set for 1st for Mari, and 6th for Gloria and 11th for Neville.  Gloria played a major part in supporting Vanessa and Paul during the final months of Brenda's life.  Gloria did a fine job and at the family korero in New Plymouth, the eve before Brenda's funeral, her brother Eugene paid homage to her sterling support. Looking back to April - a month whereby new whanau joined.  Politics in New Zealand is interesting, to say the least.  Mum, the famous Aunty Mona, was a very determined Hikoi participant from the Taranaki region.  Sore feet did not cancel her historic involvement/  Aunty Gemma Nicholas's son David became the valued cellphone contact when we were trying to seek Mum within the 18 marae accommodations to let her know of her sister's death.