elegans: 04/01/2006 - 05/01/2006

This is my 97 year old sister in Law .Walks with a stick. Ate more than I did. Enjoyed her birthday

Historic Manaia Hotel gutted ( Hawera Star) The fate of the Manaia Hotel Hangs in the balance.as fire officers searched the remains to find the cause of the fire,, One firefighter, the owner and one patron were treated at Hawera Hospital for smoke inhalation. The Daily News says This was the hub of Manaia and now they are in mourning for the 125 year old hotel.. A large number of Manaia residentshave offered their help to clean up the mess

The exterior of the ,New Commercial Hotel ,Manaia shows the distruction caused by Tuesday nights blaze..The fire appears to have started behind a false ceiling between the bar and the second floor

Thomas and Keith were great mates..and still are . Great that although we dont see someone for years things can be just as they were back then..

Pauline..Barry,,Jan,,Victor..Having so much fun..All meeting up after so many years

Back Row
Thomas Davis, Diane Kerrisk, Keith
Bloor, Pauline Dettling,

Front Row
Hilary Chatterton ,Mary Dettling ,Rex Bloor, Trudy Dettling,

George Tamarapa and I taken at the jubilee.. Magnificent Clock . but I can not be serious with George whom I went to school with so told him he looked like a turkey,,, However heard some of the Maori girls whos names I wont mention calling him Chicken George behind his back ,,so didnt feel I was so bad

Taken with friends at the Ohangai School Jubilee. So neat to catch up with all these guys

SATURDAY Sorry this is not in order (senior moment here) We arrived back out to the school at 10am ready for another session. A lot of people who had not been there the night before were now here..More kissing and cuddling.. At 1/4 to 11 the decade of photos started being taken..Here you met up with those who you hadnt already met ...The sun was shining No wind and a slight covering of snow on the mountain to welcome back distant visitors ..Most appropriate I thought, and appreciated by all.. Lunch was filled beagles in plastic containers and buns. fruit and cakes Then at 1/4 to 2 everyone was called to assemble at the front of the school for the Powhiri, maori welcome This was lead in by An old class mate George Tamarapa in full clock and feathers followed by Mary Burke (Mayoress of Sth Taranaki and Chester Burrows MP The opening speech was in Maori spoken by a classmates son.. I had Pat Hinga sitting by me , and he kept me up with what was being said Then one by one the dignitaries all said there piece and it was time to say our goodbuys and head home We didnt attend the Dinner sat night which was held at the Hawera racecoarse where over 200 were going ..

Ohangai School 100th Jubilee ,held easter 2006.. This started with a wine and cheese evening at the school ..It was attended by many past and present pupils and district identities.. On arriving we had to pick up our reunion packages containing information on the programme and name tags..These were laid out on a table in decades so by looking through the names you could find out which of your friends were going to be attending..This was a great help ..So you set out to find people you had not seen for 56 years ..Some people you just had to look at to know them but others I am still wondering what happened to the little skinny guy (who is now fat) or the red headed guy (who is now bald) So much hugging and kissing going on (LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE MISSED OUT ON HARVEY AND MICHEAL) Cheese and biscuits and fruit were carried round the room by young girls and a bar was going at one end .. Never seemed to be busy down there as I guess most people were so busy catching up they didnt stop for drinks I know it wasnt until my throat was dry from so much talking that I headed down that way.. We left to go home at 11pm my two brothers and Frank and I On arriving home we had a coffee and looked at the photos I had taken then headed off to bed

The fort and playground at King Edward Park with all the new play things that have been added for the kids to play on...Having bought my grandchildren here lots of times I can say they all enjoy it very much

King Edward Park playground for the under fives .Makes it easier for the mums with little ones to see what they are up to.

The entrance to the Hawera Swimming Pool is quite impressive

The diving pools have been taken from the Hawera Swimming Pool and a inside heated pool has been built in their place

Across the road from the Swimming pool on Waihi Rd these new motels are being built..This was an empty section used by the Hawera show grounds for many years. Have heard there are 18 motels going in here.