28th -30th September. Bill and I ride to Sandy Bay via Palm Beach in Waiheke. This is Palm Beach.
Look who we bump into. This is Alan, a friend we went to the Masters with in 2014. He scooters everywhere on the island (and motorbikes in town). Nice to catch up.
Sunday our ride is to Rocky Bay. This is the Okahuiti Creek. It is salt water and then the creek turns to fresh water. (That is where eels live.)
Then through Whakanewha Regional Park. A different view. And then home the usual way past the golf course.
On 30th September we did the Youngies Dinner a different way. (The Youngies are sons and daughters of out of town friends who are now at uni or working in Auckland. We've been having 3 dinners a year at home for them, for 5yrs or more? A few traditions have developed, and Bill and I love it.) One of the original Youngies, Angus, has told Bill about a restaurant that on Monday nights gathers left over food from other restaurants and is run by volunteers, puts on a (basic but nice) 3 course dinner, and diners pay what they can. Many homeless come. There are queues of people. Some pay, some don't. It is called EverybodyEats https://www.everybodyeats.nz/
It is great service, a way for us to have a dinner without a house in town, and a great catch up with the Youngies for us. (I forgot to take a photo, I thought I did, maybe those smiling volunteers thought they took a photo and they didn't and I didn't check.) This was who was there - Mark, Louis and Zoe, Jack, Seb. I really enjoy the Youngies' company.
Then we went to listen to an a capella group, Stellar Singers, at St Mathews Church. Every Monday night one of the original Youngies, Ed, sings with Stellar. They have a trip to England, Norway and Sweden next year and this was a fundraiser. We all went along.
Bill left early to catch a ferry. Thank you Jack and Seb for staying until the end and walking me to my car. Seb tells me he used to do choir. Maybe he will join this group? Lachie joined for a while from when he was 16-18. He loved it. Brian who you see as conductor is legendary. He has kept it going. It was so great to catch up with Belinda and Ian. Belinda was in the choir when Lachie was in it. I wish I had taken a photo of us all. I missed that. I did catch Ed and Mark at half time.
I loved this action song, In Paradisum. The words talk of the welcome by angels to those who arrive in heaven.
And a good old favourite. In Maori:
Pōkarekare ana,
ngā wai o Waiapu
Whiti atu koe hine,
marino ana e.
Refrain
E hine e,
hoki mai ra.
Ka mate ahau
I te aroha e.
Tuhituhi taku reta,
tuku atu taku rīngi,
Kia kite tō iwi
raru raru ana e.
Refrain
Whati whati taku pene
ka pau aku pepa
Ko taku aroha
mau tonu ana e.
Refrain
E kore te aroha
e maroke i te rā
Mākūkū tonu i
aku roimata e.
In English:
They are agitated,
the waters of Waiapu,
But when you cross over girl,
they will be calm.
Oh girl,
return to me,
I could die
of love for you.
I have written my letter,
I have sent my ring,
so that your people can see
that I am troubled.
Refrain
My poor pen is shattered,
I have no more paper,
But my love
is still steadfast.
Refrain
My love will never
be dried by the sun,
it will be forever moistened
by my tears.
Refrain