Am slowly reconnecting to 'old' Waiuku. Went to the Form 2 (yr 8) social held at Waiuku Primary on Tuesday night. Talk about memories abounding as my sister Kay who teaches the yr 8's had taught them dances such as the valetta, dashing white sergeant, maxina, three step polonaise and the waltz, which we learnt back in the day when we were in Form 2 (yr 8). She had also taught them the dance from Saturday Night Fever and several rock and roll numbers from Grease which went down a treat. Even a couple of songs for the old dances sounded familiar - and we had records on a record player in my day and not music through an Ipod, played through an amplifier!!!!!!. The F2 social was a total rite of passage (40 yrs ago, LOL) and learning the dances was the highlight of the (then) third term. I had a new dress made especially and was alowed to pick the material for it myself, lol. I thought I was very smart at the time. Our social was held at the Girl Guide and Scout hall as neither View Rd nor George St schools had a hall. Our first dance started with all the girls having to put one shoe in the middle of the hall and you had to dance with whichever boy grabbed your shoe. Needless to say, the boy who I had the first dance with had made sure he knew which was my shoe...... I reminded Kay about that and laughed because some of the girls this year never wore shoes throughout the whole evening so it would have been wasted on them. All the students seemed to enjoy themselves and it was like watching a more chaotic version of dancing with the stars, lol.
On Thursday night I went to the Otaua Church Christmas Service, which I walked to from my sister's place. The tiny church was packed and it was a very interactive service with local children acting parts of the nativity story and great congregation participation - the story, as it unfolded, being interspersed with Christmas carols. It was great to catch up with some Otaua identities (people that have known our family since my grandmother's time, LOL), one lady indeed (87 yrs old), remembered Kay and I going to Church in Waiuku on a regular basis as young children with our grandmother and I remember HER mother as she gave me a card for my birthday one year!!!
Everyone repaired to the local school across the road for port and nibbles after the service which is also an annual tradition and another chance to catch up with folk. I had taken friend Viv and her son out to the service and after a coffee and debrief at Kay's I took them home. On the way, we detoured several miles to see two Christmas light displays that put Mum and Clive's into the shade for size and spectacle.
I loved that in the middle of farmland, these two houses are lit up for miles and are a sight to behold.
I went to Pukekohe today and was amazed how quick and easy it was, lol. No kangaroos to watch out for and no birds trying to commit suicide! I did see a rat running across the road tonight and a pheasant on the way out to pick up Viv so we do have livestock, just not so life threatening,lol.
Gotta know I am back in NZ when I get to see a tribute to Sir Howard Morrison on the telly. Mum had taped it and we watched it last night and loved it. Two of his original quartet used to sing at the Towers (a nightclub in Rotorua) along with the resident band (who I used to hang out with) back in the day when I was waitressing in Brent's Hotel. Had a chuckle at some of the memories that bought back and it was great to see everyone looking so good as this is going back 32yrs!!!!! Also got to hear the very tail end of Paul Holmes's last breakfast session on Friday, after 22yrs. Tributes were paid to him from far and wide and I wonder how many other radio personalities around the world would have an immediate past and current prime minister in attendence at their farewell.
The first week is already over and it has been a very relaxing one. Have done no Christmas shopping yet so will probably have a meltdown early next week. Have caught up with another primary school friend today who was back in Waiuku for Christmas and have had several phone calls from other friends who I hope to catch up with in the New Year. Have just had some excitement as the police helicopter has been circling overhead for nearly half an hour with lights sweeping the ground. It had been circling for about five mins when the next thing I knew, Kay had skyped me (why phone when you can skype, LOL) to find out what was happening, so Mum has been outside trying to spot which direction the helicopter is flying as I am relaying the news to Kay via my laptop which just happens to be on my knees as I type! I was surprised no one had a scanner on to try and find out what was happening, LOL. Kay has some way of finding out where all the fire calls are in town (we have a volunteer brigade). Some might call this nosey but we prefer to think of it more as community spirit and keeping a finger on the pulse of things heh, heh.
2 comments:
http://incidents.fire.org.nz/DefaultHome.html - Stumbled upon it when I was looking for something else - as you do. A useful site to answer the "Is that fire engine heading in the direction of my home?" question.
Gotta love the tradition of the Year 8 social - epitomised by the Maxina which has truly stood the test of time.
Loved looking at the lights on Thursday night, thanx.
Good luck with your shopping!!!
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