Christmas News 07

From the Garretts of Manoy Street!

This year was dominated by four journeys to the south. We spent an enjoyable Christmas 2006 and saw in 2007 with Betty’s Mum and Margaret and John in Te Anau. It was good to catch up with friends at the Tuatapere Sports on a fine New Years Day. Mum, a diabetic, was having increasing problems with circulation and when she damaged her toes they did not heal. The specialist shocked us all by saying that amputation was the probable outcome. At the end of February we travelled back to Te Anau, staying en route with the Spicers at Owaka and visiting cousin Alyse at Wyndham. We stayed seven weeks giving Margaret and John the chance for a break. Mum endured the pain from her foot bravely and hoped for a more favourable diagnosis. However in May we made a quick trip to Invercargill with Trish helping with the driving and the family were there to see Mum through her big op, leg amputated above the knee. She amazed everyone with her quick recovery, the way she handled her wheelchair and her attempts to manage an artificial leg. She is now in Cargill Home where her Aunt Muriel aged 98 is also a resident. She misses her independent life in her own spacious home with that marvellous view of the Fiordland mountains and Margaret and John popping in every day.
In October Malcolm had a big party for his 70th. Emails went out nationally and internationally. Numbers for catering and accommodation fluctuated. Liz, Ward and two grandsons came from USA. Barbara, Nick and Donna, Greg, Claire, Emma and Megan flew in from Australia. John, Lorraine, Isaac and Ben drove up from Invercargill; also Phil Burt and Rae. Rob came from Outram, Philip from Christchurch also Neil and Helene Campbell. Combined with our relations and friends from the local area we had a total of forty-five. Trish and Dave’s house provided more than the necessary space for party goers and everyone had a great time. Dave looked every inch the Laird of Balnagown in his kilt. Timo played Happy Birthday on his cornet and two local women provided music for easy listening and dancing enthusiasts. Fresh Golden Bay scallops caught and cooked by Alec made a popular entrée, and the main course of a large pig on a spit yielded pork aplenty. Herman went to bed with the head.
Betty gave Malcolm TWO tickets for a helicopter flight to Awaroa Lodge including dinner. We went on a fine day and enjoyed a good look at Motueka from above, and the bush, mountains and bays of Abel Tasman.
Our day to day life in Motueka continues to include gardening, reading, sport on TV, a minimum of housework, and visiting and being visited by family. Malcolm’s brother Dugald from Fiji has just spent a week here.
We are both involved in Probus, and St Vincent de Paul. Malcolm is Chairman of the Parish Council, Convenor of U3A, and in Seniornet, Museum Trust and Night Shelter. Betty is still Club Captain at Tasman Golf club. Playing and catering and committee work keep her busy there.
Some of our grandchildren are adults! Damien and Jac have announced their engagement. Emma graduated MA in Forensic Science and works at a lab in Wellington, and Victoria has just celebrated her 21st. Jacob is a mechanic. Sam after graduating from his agriculture course at Lincoln is back in Tuatapere doing shearing and farm work. Isaac shocked his Verdon College teachers by opting for a season at the meat works instead of University. Ben still has a couple of years there to consider his future. In Golden Bay Marian has been furthering her own education by passing a paper in avian medicine and surgery. Brenton has a passion for electronics but can be persuaded to play hockey. Katie plays netball and does tap dancing and drama. Timo plays soccer and learns the cornet. Areta has had one term at school and like the rest of her family is an avid reader.
We plan to be home for the summer so call in if you are passing through; book in if you would like to stay a while.

Back Home in Motueka

Betty came home on the Monday evening plane via Dunedin and Christchurch - somehow she lost her suitcase on the way, and it turned up here by taxi the next morning! it was full of little "treasures" that she had garnered from the house-cleaning process with her sisters and brother. These are all earmarked to pass on to grandchildren with strict orders as to their care and importance as historical heirlooms!
She is still suffering from a pinched nerve which has caused numbness and then severe pain to her upper leg. No golf for a while anyway. I have had a stupifyingly busy few days with meetings, geology lessons, and shell collection displays, so today I am taking it easy with my book on the big San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by Winchester, partly snoring off on the sofa and then going back to my first love - the computer, which now has:

• A new portable hard drive to backup my data
• 1.5 Gb of RAM
• A new 7 port USB hub - already almost fully loaded
• A new 19" wide screen LCD display

And it is not even my birthday yet - All of course organised as I consoled myself in Betty's absence down south with a few new improvements to my toy!
I am now chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council at St Peter Chanel - a task which is proving very challenging, as we move to a none-priest era, with self-management as a top priority.

I am also chairing the local Night Shelter Trust - the shelter is just across the road but does not have any visual or social impact on the neighbourhood- mostly because we have such an excellent custodian couple. This job is a cinch compared to the one previously listed. I also serve on the Museum Trust board, the SeniorNet C0mmittee, and Chair U3A Motueka as well.
No wonder I am tired by lunchtime!
Cheers all!
Malcolm

All New - All Colour - All Right!

This is the day I ditched our fuddy-duddy old Telecom account and got a new email home address. If you need it, get onto my gmail address, and ask for it.
malcolmgarr@gmail.com

Betty is off to the south in early August to help with her Mum's affairs. Putting her in a nursing home means that her nice house has to be tidied up and home affairs sorted - deciding what she wants to have with her in her new room at Cargill Court in Invercargill. Mum is happy in that she is just along the corridor from her Aunt Muriel - yes! her aunt is 97 or something, and they are more like sisters. Her room is quite small -though not as small as my office which is the size of a decent broom cupboard. This means that she can hang a few favourite pictures on the wall and have a small chest of drawers, and that is about it.
This will be a huge change for her as she has lived in firstly a huge old homesetad for most of her married life, and then in a spacious 3 bedroom house since then, and you can imagne what someone with the propensities of a squirrel can achieve in a short twenty years - especially when she acquired all her mother's things that were not thrown away when SHE died.
The daughters are going to have to be ruthless, but it will be exhausting. Every drawer and cupboard is stuffed with clothes, little unopened gifts, and embroidery projects on the go, and such thngs as crochet.
The intention is to rent out the house, to help pay her fees at the Home, because she doesn't qualify for any government assistance by reason of capital and income levels.
More on the way! Maybe a photo or two as well.

Mid-Winter Mumblings

Mid-Winter in the Motueka region is not the icy crunchy chilly experience that Southerners have had to endure these last few days. Nevertheless we have had a series of very wet cold days and will be glad to see the sun shining again. We did have a series of lawn-whitening frosts earlier in the week, which bit off the last of the dahlias and tomatoes, not to mention the begonias! So we are not quite a sub-tropical paradise here.

Our lives have grown busy as we settled back into our routines of meetings and social engagements. I sat down with a pencil recently to assess how many organisations we were actively involved in. It ran to two figures. SeniorNet [technical, tutor, committee], Museum [Trust member, Management Committee, Newsletter editor], U3A [Shells Study, Geology Study groups, Chairman], Probus Club [Betty on committee as almoner], Parish Council, Liturgy Committee, Church Bulletin editor, Church Roster editor, Tasman Golf Club [Betty is Women’s Club captain], Short Term Accommodation Trust [Chairman], St Vincent de Paul Society [both on telephone roster, hospital visits]. Is that enough to fill in the weeks of possible boredom? There is of course not nearly enough recreational activity in this list – such as reading and computing for pleasure, and watching favourite TV programmes, gardening and gathering fruit in season, visiting the Highland cows with apples, and of course seeing the grandchildren and their interests.

We have heard from the South that Grandma [Mum, Bess] has been in Dunedin being fitted with an artificial leg in the last week. She made the trip by taxi from Southland Hospital and got back early on Friday to avoid any further snow showers. She is one amazing old lady of 91! She had her left leg cut off above the knee to remove the pains of a lack of circulation caused by diabetes. The wound has healed well. We all assumed that she would lie back and accept that she was going to be wheelchair bound and in cotton wool for the rest of her life but she has shown such spirit and determination that she would get back on her feet somehow. She grumbles that the new leg is rather heavy and stiff but has been using the exercise bars at the Orthotics Dept in Dunedin with help provided by Moira and others. She will return to Dunedin to get her final fitting later in July. We still all hope that she will be convinced to enter a safe Rest Home after that, even if she has use of her leg and can look after her basic needs. It was reported in Kew that she had entered a carpet bowls competition and had won it from her wheelchair! All her old skills being used to good effect.

My brother, Robert, in WesleyCare rest home in Christchurch is in a far less hopeful situation, after a stroke last August in which he lost use of his right side, arm and leg. Very little progress has been made in getting his leg back working and as far as we can tell no progress with his arm. He can however speak, which may or may not be a plus?! However, he is in excellent hands there and living in comfortable surroundings. He has use of a motorised wheelchair which he can manipulate with his left hand. This means he can scoot around the corridors and grounds. Maria, his wife, comes in and visits regularly and they can go outside whenever they wish. The government pay all his care costs there, as they have little income and few assets. When ever we are in Christchurch, which is not often as it is a long way from here, we pop in to check on him, and Philip comes in from Leeston occasionally too. George and Cynthia Gordon have been visiting too, from Rangiora.

Homeward Bound

Home again after our sojourn in the South.

We are reluctant to admit this but the weather there was almost certainly just as bad as anywhere else in the country. The Met Office is saying that December weather was the worst on record. So we had the dubious satisfaction of knowing that whatever the conditions it was probably just as bad as anywhere else!

Plenty of time to talk to relations and friends down South, in Te Anau,Southland, most of whom seemed to remember our faces – even if some of them marvelled at my increased girth – which I put down to my mother-in-law’s good cooking of course. I managed to see off the bug that had invaded my lungs over the last 3 months of they ear, with the aid of the usual antibiotics, so I can breathe easy at night, and Betty can get some sleep as well.

We met up with Cambridges [from round the corner- that wasn’t too hard], the Sims from Queenstown [Graham, Lynne – who came bearing an enormous bunch of roses from her garden, and Daniel], and Templetons [ Glenda and Gary – whose interesting email address is “gargle” etc – I leave you to work that out!] These all came on the day before Christmas to avoid the expected rush. We had a great combined meal followed by the usual exchange of gifts – and the discovery in the back of Mum Sim’s cabinet of a bottle of cherry brandy. This was demolished with glee – indeed there was much more glee at the end than at the beginning! She has no idea how long it had been there but we told her it was not something she should worry about any more.

We had a relatively quiet Christmas day – indeed the only relatives were Margaret and John, but on the Wednesday, the junior Garretts showed up for another round of pass the parcel. All four boys we can report are now taller than their grandmother, and streaking up to their father’s height. Jacob is getting oil under his fingernails at a country Engineering Work Shop, Sam has completed his diploma at Lincoln Uni, whilst Isaac and Ben are making waves at High School. Lorraine is holding down a full time Paramedic job, whilst John continues to run his little corner of DOC from their town base. We paid them a visit in Invercargill to inspect the “new” house, which it has emerged, is actually the old Holloway house, 401 Herbert St, built by Joe and Sylvia when they married. We had Noelene [Holloway] Gill come down and give everyone an historic places tour: “That is the original front door – which we never used except when the Queen visited. The coal range stood there….. etc etc”. Both Bert, my father and Phil my uncle, Sylvia’s brothers, had their wedding receptions at the house so we’d seen photos of it as background to those events. It is quite a nice idea to think that the younger Garretts are going to be the ones to renovate and restore the old place – solidly built in brick and plaster. Mum Sim was pleased to see that John had the deer’s head mounted in their lounge complete with little plaque saying that George Sim had shot it and where and when. John wanted us to admire his double garage and sleepout he’d built where the very old dairy and bottling shed had stood in the days when it was part of a dairy farm! Now it’s in the middle of town! Betty took Mum away to see her aunt in the nursing home for an hour, whilst we got on with gossiping about Holloways – Alyse in particular. Noelene had brought down [from 250 Herbert St] a box of videotapes for me as a bequest from Alyse [ahead of time] and a pile of jewellery to pass on to Trish on the same understanding. Alyse is in a Rest Home at Wyndham, and her things are stored with Noelene. I have since found amongst the tapes, one of “The Isle of Man” which is very good, and transferred it to DVD, for the future.

New Year’s Eve was enlivened by a loud bang as a missile went through the front room window – thoroughly alarming everyone. We dashed outside to see who had been so silly, but no one was there. The police we called but nothing could be done. We couldn’t even find the stone or bottle that had caused the damage. John Cambridge in true “Mr Fixit” style had it replaced the next day by the glazier.

We visited Tuatapere for the New Year’s Day Sports. Twice round the Ring to meet everyone else in the district used to be the rule and so it proved on the day. Even some Motueka people – the younger Ashcrofts back home from Alistair’s place here.

On the way in, we were lucky to find the Knowlers at home in their newly renovated and enlarged home at Clifden. It is nearly completed except for flooring. Also there were Carmen and her man, Alistair, so it was good to catch up on them too.

The day before leaving, John took us up the Mavora Lakes for a look, as the weather was improving. It was as beautiful and peaceful as ever, with all the native bush and birds about. We stopped at Bruce and Linda Kempthorne’s place on the way back – they are up that same road.

Our last morning finished with a look at the Wildlife Park with Margaret feeding the birds, letting us into the aviaries for photo shots. We were keen to see the baby brown teal – so rare now and being readied for transport to a safe release somewhere. Also on show were the possibly even rarer Orange-fronted parakeets - smaller than the red-crowned – with a yellow crown and orange patch above the nostrils. Just released onto Chalky Island last year, they have done extremely well away from the nasty stoats and possums, breeding successfully and spreading over much of the island already. Not all conservation news is bad.

We headed for Dunedin after that, to stay in the new house built by Rob and Vicki. We were the first house guests, and shared an evening meal with JB Munro and Val, who had been hosts to Vicki and Rob whilst the building process was on. Our bed was a foldout couch but very comfortable. The facilities are truly top notch – with everything thought out well, even the solar water heating and double glazing. There is much to do with landscaping of course, but they have years to do that!

We elected to go inland from Outram, via Middlemarch, across the Otago peneplain with all its switchback hills, and across the Moonlight Road to MacCraes Flat where the whole hill has been removed to extract gold from the quartz in the schist, and so to Dunback and Palmerston and the Main highway again.

We stopped as usual with Phil at Rushbrook, Leeston, and went off next day with one his geese from the freezer to share with everyone back here. We called on Marion McLean to catch up on their experiences looking after our place here whilst we were away. Then we moved on to see Robert and Maria at the Rest Home in Harewood Road. He looked a little better, having lost some weight [needed] and being able to get some movement into his ankle. The ulcer on his foot is healing at last. There is hope for further improvement.

Back home to piles of mail, and email too. AND some warmer weather!

Newsletter 06

Betty and Malcolm’s
Christmas Newsletter 2006
It is five years since we moved to the top of the south and very happy we are here in Motueka. We have made new friends here but have not forgotten those we left behind. We caught up with many of these when we drove down to Tuatapere’s centenary in February. They know how to organize a great celebration there. The parade was spectacular. We saw Shane Harvey shear a lamb in world record time. We attended the official opening of Helen McKay’s Yesteryears Café. John, Lorraine and family had just moved to Invercargill so we stayed with Glenda and Gary who had recently moved in to 77 Half Mile Rd.
On our way home we stopped in Christchurch so Malcolm could attend St Anne’s Primary School Centenary. A month later we were back in Christchurch for the 50th anniversary of Malcolm’s Teachers’ College “class of 56” Then at the beginning of April we came further south to Mosgiel where the Garrett clan gathered to dedicate a new gravestone to John James Garrett who emigrated from the Isle of Man and worked as a hard rock miner on the Hindon reef. In a short but impressive ceremony at the Allanton cemetery, Dugald recited the Lord’s Prayer which he had translated into Manx.
While there we also celebrated Robert’s 70th birthday with a dinner at the Weaver’s Restaurant. Nick and Barbara were there from Queensland. Liz and Ward had come to NZ a month earlier. They spent a week with us in Motueka and during this time we joined them in a trip out to the lighthouse at Farewell Spit.
By Easter we were ready for a few months at home. Big project of the year was the building of our new sunroom. Down came the ugly patio roof, (Thanks Alec) up came the pavers. The contractors moved in and poured a coloured concrete floor. The builders did their bit. Malcolm painted and we now have a large extra room.. The smallest bedroom has lost one single bed and has my writing desk and laptop with a wireless connection to Malcolm’s computer. We don’t have to talk, we can send emails and share files!
In June John had a DOC course in Richmond and was able to spend a few days here before Lorraine, Ben and Sam arrived. They had come to support Isaac who was playing in the Southland Under 17 Basketball team at the South Island Tournament. We managed to get to see a game. Sam has spent this year at Lincoln University. He has enjoyed being able to retreat to his Uncle Philip’s at Rushbrook Farm for good food, company  and some extra work.
In August we were shocked to hear that Robert had had a stroke. He had seemed his usual self at his 70th a few months earlier. He is now in Studio 2 Wesley Care. His left side is paralysed .but he is able to speak and read. Maria has moved back into their house
More sad news when we heard that our dear friend of more than thirty years, Robin Burt, had lost her battle with cancer. We have many happy memories, Robin.
Malcolm has passed on his chairmanship of Museum Trust and Seniornet but is still much involved. Betty is busy as Golf Captain and Probus secretary. We both enjoy our house, garden, reading, TV and church fellowship. Best of all is being able to join in family activities. We had a family lunch for Marian’s 40th at The Naked Possum in Golden Bay. Katie’s tap dancing concerts are well worth the trip over the hill. The “Ents” are always included in the Ross birthday dinner parties. We have to keep an eye on the ever increasing Highland Fold, poultry, goats, sheep and building progress. Victoria’s Herman spent a year with us but now has his own stockade on the Ross acres and is on duty to challenge all visitors. We looked after Kelly, the Dougan’s beautiful golden retriever for six weeks while Joe and Margaret were in UK. [Joe’s daughter is married to John Key so they bathe in reflected glory!] At present there are no resident pets except goldfish and lovebirds.
Rob and Vicki are also making progress with building. Their new house at Outram is due to be completed soon. We will see it when we go south to spend Christmas and New Year with Betty’s Mum in Te Anau. Friend Marion McLean and some of her family will be staying in our house while we are away. We enjoyed Marion’s hospitality on our trips to Christchurch during the year.

Have a Happy and Healthy Christmas Season.  
Malcolm & Betty

malcolm.garrett@xtra.co.nz
bettygarr@gmail.com
Weblog: /garrettsnewz.blogspot.com
Website:  garrettsofnewz.homestead.com
We live in the Information Age!

Christmas News 06

BETTY AND MALCOLM’S CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER 2006

It is five years since we moved to the top of the south and very happy we are here in Motueka. We have made new friends here but have not forgotten those we left behind. We caught up with many of these when we drove down to Tuatapere’s centenary in February. They know how to organize a great celebration there. The parade was spectacular. We saw Shane Harvey shear a lamb in world record time. We attended the official opening of Helen McKay’s Yesteryears Café. John, Lorraine and family had just moved to Invercargill so we stayed with Glenda and Gary who had recently moved in to 77 Half Mile Rd.

On our way home we stopped in Christchurch so Malcolm could attend St Anne’s Primary School Centenary. A month later we were back in Christchurch for the 50th anniversary of Malcolm’s Teachers’ College “class of 56” Then at the beginning of April we came further south to Mosgiel where the Garrett clan gathered to dedicate a new gravestone to John James Garrett who emigrated from the Isle of Man and worked as a hard rock miner on the Hindon reef. In a short but impressive ceremony at the Allanton cemetery, Dugald recited the Lord’s Prayer which he had translated into Manx.
While there we also celebrated Robert’s 70th birthday with a dinner at the Weaver’s Restaurant. Nick and Barbara were there from Queensland. Liz and Ward had come to NZ a month earlier. They spent a week with us in Motueka and during this time we joined them in a trip out to the lighthouse at Farewell Spit.
By Easter we were ready for a few months at home. Big project of the year was the building of our new sunroom. Down came the ugly patio roof, (Thanks Alec) up came the pavers. The contractors moved in and poured a coloured concrete floor. The builders did their bit. Malcolm painted and we now have a large extra room.. The smallest bedroom has lost one single bed and has my writing desk and laptop with a wireless connection to Malcolm’s computer. We don’t have to talk, we can send emails and share files!
In June John had a DOC course in Richmond and was able to spend a few days here before Lorraine, Ben and Sam arrived. They had come to support Isaac who was playing in the Southland Under 17 Basketball team at the South Island Tournament. We managed to get to see a game. Sam has spent this year at Lincoln University. He has enjoyed being able to retreat to his Uncle Philip’s at Rushbrook Farm for good food, company and some extra work.
In August we were shocked to hear that Robert had had a stroke. He had seemed his usual self at his 70th a few months earlier. He is now in Studio 2 Wesley Care. His left side is paralysed .but he is able to speak and read. Maria has moved back into their house
More sad news when we heard that our dear friend of more than thirty years, Robin Burt, had lost her battle with cancer. We have many happy memories, Robin.
Malcolm has passed on his chairmanship of Museum Trust and Seniornet but is still much involved. Betty is busy as Golf Captain and Probus secretary. We both enjoy our house, garden, reading, TV and church fellowship. Best of all is being able to join in family activities. We had a family lunch for Marian’s 40th at The Naked Possum in Golden Bay. Katie’s tap dancing concerts are well worth the trip over the hill. The “Ents” are always included in the Ross birthday dinner parties. We have to keep an eye on the ever increasing Highland Fold, poultry, goats, sheep and building progress. Victoria’s Herman spent a year with us but now has his own stockade on the Ross acres and is on duty to challenge all visitors. We looked after Kelly, the Dougan’s beautiful golden retriever for six weeks while Joe and Margaret were in UK. [Joe’s daughter is married to John Key so they bathe in reflected glory] At present there are no resident pets except goldfish and lovebirds.
Rob and Vicki are also making progress with building. Their new house at Outram is due to be completed soon. We will see it when we go south to spend Christmas and New Year with Betty’s Mum in Te Anau. Friend Marion McLean and some of her family will be staying in our house while we are away. We enjoyed Marion’s hospitality on our trips to Christchurch during the year.