LETTERS FROM NORMAN SIMMS

               LETTERS FROM NORMAN SIMMS

    

       Dr Norman Simms, Associate Professor (emeritus)  in the Department of English at the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand, is a Jewish academic who was born and educated in the United States and lived most of his life in New Zealand. Unlike most of us, he has resisted the easy option of choosing conventional standards and positions. He has several academic publications to his credit that “shatter literary and scholarly conventions.” These include Silence & Invisibility: A Study of the Literatures of the Pacific, Australia, & New Zealand (1986),  The Humming Tree (1992), Crypto-Judaism, Madness, and the Female Quixote: Charlotte Lennox as Marrana in Mid-Eighteenth-Century England (2004), Festivals of Laughter, Blood & Justice in Biblical and Classical Literature (2007), Alfred Dreyfus: Man, Milieu, Mentality & Midrash (2012) etc. He also edited an interdisciplinary journal Mentalities. We stayed in touch for quite some time.

1.

The University of Waikato

Department of English

Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand         

9 December  1993

Dear Professor Singh:

Thank you very much for your kind and flattering letter of 24 November, as well as for the several copies and photocopies of your book of poetry.

I look forward to reading through your poems this summer, now that our term is just about over—and what a difficult year it has been!  But I am not quite sure how you wish me to help you, except perhaps in passing on the books to the person in our small department who teaches Indian Literature.

You certainly have my sympathy when you speak of being outside of  various literary coteries and poetic establishments, but then, though I face the same problems, we ought to be able to say that it is not from such mutual admiration societies that real literature arises.  Prestige and commercial success, yes, alas do tend to be where the individuals cluster to control access to the main journals and write the reviews of each other’s works; so we are doomed—or choose—to be on the outside, or in the margins, to always longingly look from a distance at the others.  Quite frankly, I don’t think it is a matter of projecting oneself vigorously or of imposing oneself onto apparently successful in-groups.  It is also a matter of personality and familiarity.  I can say for myself that I don’t fit in with any local groups and am, by temperament, a perpetual outsider, always more at home with a small number of correspondents all over the world than with the drinking clubs and back-slapping bands.

I sometimes think that, yes, perhaps if I had not gone into exile, it would have been different, if I had stayed in America, or New York, or moved to a big city in Europe when I was in my twenties, if…if…if…. No, I think no matter where I was I would be a loner, an eccentric, a man who stands on the boundaries or beyond them, and, yes, probably this is what I most enjoy and want.  Pardon me, but your letter does seem to  call for a bit of personal and intimate response.

So let me ask, if it is not too impertinent, because it is a question which I have to ask myself all the time. Do you, really and truly, in your heart of hearts, want to be a part of the inner group?  For me, I have to answer in a complex way: yes, I do, but not on their terms, not in New Zealand, where I never feel at home, and probably now it is too late to  inject myself into the sophisticated circles of Europe or America—so what  does one do?

Probably this does not help you at all.  The situation in India must be very different from that which I experience around myself and dream of in the circles of London or  Paris or New York.  To me,  when you present yourself as a published poet, a professor and head of a large department in a major Indian university, I wonder what it is that you are seeking? Do you have a family, a loving wife, children, other relatives, friends around you?  What is it in life that one seeks?  I am restless, isolated, alienated, my children grown up and flown far away, my wife ill and dissatisfied with her life, a job which gives little in the way of material rewards, lack of recognition of my talents and interests, etc. etc. – yet I receive letters like yours and I wonder if perhaps we are kindred spirits, and that we should be thankful that now, at the end of the 20^th century, it is possible for a few people like ourselves can communicate and make our own surrogate community…

Well, this is perhaps not the letter you expected. Sorry about that.

Yours  sincerely,

Norman Simms

2.

25 March 1997

Dear RK

I have finally received your letter of 8 January which you posted to Israel, and as you can now see I have returned—without any enthusiasm—to New Zealand.  Why and how is a longish story.  That I did not write   to you during the year and a half I was there is part of that rather confused and difficult narrative of events.

Thank you for asking me to help you with the special issue of a journal devoted to New Zealand literature.  Ten or fifteen years ago not only would I have jumped at the chance, but would have known quite a bit… although even back then I was never part of the mainstream and quite isolated.  Nevertheless, there were many writers—poets as novelists—whom I could have called on; now they are either moved away, given away the writing career, or dead.  Given the changes in this society and my alienation, I thought you would have realized that I neither know nor care about what goes on here, to tell the truth.

But I have passed your letter to a colleague who is the specialist in New Zealand literature  here at Waikato. Sarah Schieff seems interested, but cautiously so: she will soon be writing to you and seeking further clarification of just what it is exactly you are planning, what backing you already have, and where her work would be particularly placed.

For myself, though stuck here, my sights are overseas, and even my writing, whether scholarly or creative, like my publishing activities is directed at other kinds of audiences.  It seems odd and rather archaic that you should have to say you have no prejudice “for academic critics or university dons”, when  you are certainly one yourself.  In a similar way, to say that you would be interested in women writers just rings hollow,  when virtually all important writers in this country have been and still are women.

Good luck on your project.

All best wishes

Norman Simms

3.

                                                                                                16 April 1997

My Dear Friend, 

Thanks for your letter of the 7^th and the various enclosures which I have begun to distribute on your behalf.

I think Sarah passed your request for help on to Alan Riach or Ralph Crane – and Ralph is really our “Indian specialist” in the department.  Alan basically teaches Scottish literature. Perhaps someone will take the bait and get involved in your project.

As I said before, even before I left for Israel, I have very little  interest in New Zealand or New Zealand literature, and that my experience here and all my efforts to make something of a literary impact have soured me greatly.  My efforts now, aside from the scholarly side of my career, will be directed towards Israel, and I am editing more little journals and booklets of Israeli writers in English.  Still I could hardly call myself as a participant in “the scene”.  That is not how I work…or live.  The “fact” that I have to live here for God knows how much longer does not mean that I have to like it or try to be involved, does it?

You misunderstand me if you think my departure from Israel was because of the “volatile socio-political tension” there, not even because of the daily dangers of terrorism. No, it is simply because my wife became ill and returned here and refuses to go away from the children and her friends again.  Especially because I disagree so much with the current government and its policies in Israel the desire to be back there is strong: there is a need for the secular, liberal voice to be there  and to vote.  Besides, in a way you may not be able to understand, the reality is, I believe, that Israel  is my home, my homeland, and that given the recent history of the world there is no one we Jews can ever trust again—no one!  So even if I don’t live in Israel, I can still live for Israel and do my work with my sights there.

Which is not to detract or diminish from my interests in other things, of course.  It is just that New Zealand does not fit in.  This society has become sicker and sicker over the years, and my sense of alienation stronger and stronger.  The social democratic and the humanist ideals no longer exist, or are so completely distorted that it would take decades to restore.

I am not a specialist in Indian literature, and only dabbled more or less in a few other Third World/Commonwealth/Post-colonialist literatures, and will do from time to time still as the opportunities arise.  For the past few years I have been acting as external examiner for several small Indian universities reading theses, and that seems to be at the moment my strongest tie, little as it is, with India.

It is hard to be isolated and alienated, but you have always written to me that you also feel cut off from the heart of things by your position in the ISM.  But you seem to have accomplished much and to have the respect of your colleagues, which is no small matter. 

All the best regards,

Norman Simms

LETTERS FROM PATRICIA PRIME

                 LETTERS FROM PATRICIA PRIME

                     

        Patricia Prime (b. 1973),  a perceptive New Zealand poet, editor and reviewer, is a familiar name to readers of small poetry magazines and journals in India. A NZ editor of Slugfest, she is one of the leading haikuists with extensive  international presence. We, as poets, have been in touch with each other for over two decades, sharing and promoting each other’s work. Every  Stone  Drop  Pebble (1999)  is our joint collection of haiku. She also helped me establish connection with some NZ poets and writers whose work have been mentioned in my New Zealand Literature: Some Recent Trends ( ed., 1998). She has been actively associated with Kokato, Haibun Today, Takahe, Atlas Poetica, Simply Haiku, Stylus, Muse India, Metverse Muse and other journals and zines the world over.

1.

42 Flanshaw Road,

Te Atatu South,

Auckland 8

New Zealand

6. 4. 97

Dear Ram, 

Good to get your letter of 17 March, poems and newsletter, for which thank you.  I’m reading gradually through Language Forum and making some notes which I hope to type out for a review when I’m on holiday in a week or so.

Thanks also for passing on my poems to Indian mags, I’ll pass on your poem to Spin.

I’ve sent a letter to several NZ journals: The Poetry Society Newsletter, NZ Books, Q/U and The Pen Newsletter, asking if they would place an ad for writers to work on essays for Language Forum and will be interested to see the response. Will also ask a couple of friends, but don’t think I will be successful as most are too busy with their own writing. I’m going to write on NZ as seen from offshore from the viewpoint of three NZ women poets: Anne French, Cilla McQueen and Lauris Edmond – three very fine poets, the last didn’t begin writing until she was well into her fifties.

You might be interested in a market listing mag I’ve been put in touch with: John List, Light’s List,  29 Longfiled Rd., Tring, Herts., HP23 4DG, England.  ($US5 air).

Loring tells me he is going to New Mexico on holiday. I hope he gets to see both Uncle River and Summer who now seem part of our “extended family” of poets!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Kind regards,

Pat

2.

7/9/97

Dear Ram,

Please find enclosed ms of my essay. (Could you please italicize words that are underlined).

I have been very unwell for the past two weeks with a nasty (and very painful) attack of shingles.  Good news, however, is that I have had two weeks off work and have two weeks school holidays in which to recover.  I’m off to my friend  Catherine’s place for a few days and hope to have plenty of time for rest and contemplation.

I’ve received lovely letters from Dr Balarama Gupta and Mr Bahri.  Bahri says he will publish two of my pieces in forthcoming  issues of C F and also the review of Rizvi’s poetry.  Dr Balarama Gupta can only publish the review and wanted me to extend it by several pages (which I’ve done).  I’ve also sent him a parcel of journals/books for his research institute. 

Catherine and her friend, Sandra Simpson, are getting ready  to host another poetry festival in Tauranga next March.  They have already received acceptances from some wonderful poets. Janice Bostok, editor of Paper Wasp (Aus)  is coming and there are several NZ poets:  Bill Manhire (who runs a creative writing course at Victoria University) and is our Poet Laureate, Reimke Ensing who comes originally from Germany and Cilla McQueen who is married to a well-known NZ painter, Ralph Hotere.   It promises to be very exciting.  Catherine, Janice and Patricia are going to do some poetry reading in schools in the prior to the festival.  It will be a busy time for them.  It seems that Catherine may hand over the editing of WinterSpin  next year to a fine poet, Bernard Gadd – he printed my first poem several years ago.

If you have any concerns over my essay please do not hesitate to make alterations or corrections.

All the best

Pat

3.

11. 3. 98

Dear Ram,

Enclosed for you is part of Cyril Child’s letter responding to my enquiry regarding writing a piece on haiku poets.  Perhaps you could answer his questions in detail.

As Ernest Berry has already agreed to write a piece you may have to put off Childs or take two items on the same topic.  As they come from totally different backgrounds, experience and knowledge, I don’t think it would hurt to have two contributions.

I received a letter from Dr Rizvi enclosing a copy of Canopy and a book of reviews of his poems. He was upset that I hadn’t answered a letter of his from last year but I am sure I have and it must have gone astray.

Tirra Lirra (an excellent Australian magazine) is going to publish my review of your book.  When I receive a copy I will send it to you.  They also said that they have not received a batch of poems I sent in October so the post is not to b trusted!

All the best

Pat

4.

1.8.98

Dear Ram,

Thank you for your letter of 8 July.  You will no doubt have received my letter and Introduction (which was aided by Catherine) and perhaps you would like to add it “seamlessly” to your own Prefatory and add all our names to it.  I return your notes with a few technicalities altered.  Call it a Preface if that is correct!

I’m unable to contact Catherine about this as she is in Australia for a month, but feel sure she will be in agreement.

I enclose some more of my haiku as requested and will ask Catherine for more when she returns.  You did not, by the way, include your additional haiku, but may like to do so when you next write.

I will write to Mr Bahri along the lines you suggest, ie. hard cover, high quality paper.  Perhaps you could let me know whether or not the last title I sent is agreeable to you.

I’m looking forward to receiving a copy of C F and I should be happy to receive books from Maha Nand Sharma if you could arrange this.

The Tirra Lirra review was in Vol.8, Nos. 2 & 3, Summer/Autumn 1998, 30.      

  

It was very interesting to read your article in the Mawaheb International. I’ve sent Ned Bejjany a photo, bio and more poems, as he requested.  He has several contacts in NZ and one of his friends has been in touch with me.

Sympathies with you re work/weather/illness.  It has been a hard month for me.  We have had terrible floods here—the worst I’ve experienced in Auckland.  My workplace was flooded and we’ve had to have the carpet replaced which has meant a couple of days closure, and added disruptions.  I’ve had some toothache and have had to undergo expensive dental treatment, likewise my granddaughter who has three teeth erupting in one place and has to have two removed and a plate inserted to push her teeth forward ($600).  Also my poetry hasn’t been doing well and I’ve had a couple of rejections which was disheartening.

On the good side,I had one poem published in Australia and received $A100 for it, and several haiku have been accepted for USA mags, and the second NZ Haiku Anthology is to be launched in September and contains some of my work.

Hope all is well with you and your family and look forward to hearing again from you.

Love

Pat

5.

8.8.98

Dear Ram,

Thanks for your letter of 28 July and for enclosing photocopies of my poems.

I received a copy of Mawaheb and the editor has asked me for a bio, photo and more poems. I also received a copy of International Poetry and Dr Chambial sent me a copy of Poetcrit with my recent reviews in it.

As I mentioned in my last letter, Catherine is overseas, but when she returns I will obtain the extra haiku from her and send them direct to Mr Bahri and will send a copy to you.  Those of mine I sent with my last letter you may like to forward together with the Preface to Mr Bahri. You might prefer the latest title I sent which appeals to both Catherine and myself:  “Every Stone, Drop, Pebble”.  If it is too late to change, or should you prefer “beneath a sunshade” ,so be it.

I’m happy to hear the parcels of Slugfest reached you at last and hope you are fortunate in having some Indian work published therein.  As you say, it takes time to be in tune with what the editors are looking for.  I haven’t had much success with other writers’ work I’ve sent them, and it’s almost impossible to persuade writers to part with their stories when they can be paid for them elsewhere.

The Second NZ Haiku Anthology is to be published in September in Wellington and I’ve been invited to the launch.  However, as I’m taking time off work to go with a friend to his book launch in October, I will not be able to go.  I’ll send you a copy when it eventuates.

All the best,

Love,

Pat

6.

22.8.98

Dear Ram, 

Many thanks for your letter and I presume you have by now received the extra haiku, Preface and my suggestion for a cover illustration.

Catherine’s son is willing to do three illustrations, one for the cover and two to go between the sections of haiku.  The cover illustration may well be based on an Indian goddess (or something similar) and hopefully will not be culturally offensive.  I’ve spoken to one or two Indian friends and they don’t seem to think it will be a problem. (Perhaps you  could let me know about this as soon as possible).

During the week I received a letter from Prof Syed Ameeruddin suggesting he would like to publish a book of my poems, together with bio, photo and critical essays under the International Poets series.

One of Catherine’s poems was used recently in an essay on a NZ painter, Mary McIntyre, in the current issue of Art New Zealand. Unfortunately, the person who had written the essay didn’t acknowledge the use of Catherine’s introduction to the poem which she had used as a heading for her article, so Catherine wasn’t very happy.

Hope to hear soon that you have received everything safely.  Look forward to hearing from you soon.

With love,

Pat

P.S. Just received Mirrors containing your haiku, Catherine’s and mine. Congratulations!

7.

10.10.98

Dear Ram,

I’m enclosing a copy of the NZ Haiku Anthology for you and hope you enjoy it.

At present I’m busy trying to  arrange a venue in Auckland for a friend to launch his new poetry book from.  There are several places in Auckland: The Dead Poets’ Society – a bookshop on the North Shore, St Kevin’s Arcade in the heart of Auckland and Unity Books which specializes in poetry and the arts.  Kevin is to have two launches before Christmas: one in Wellington and one in the South Island, to which I hope to accompany him in December.

My week at Catherine’s wasn’t too good as Catherine had the ‘flu and had to spend a couple of days in bed while I did the cooking, washing, etc.  After she’d recovered a little we got down to some writing: five linked verses and about 30 haiku each.

During the week we went to a concert given by a married couple.  He was a bass-baritone and sung arias and ballads while his wife accompanied him on a clavi… something—an electric piano which plays all the parts of the orchestra. I didn’t enjoy the sound of the electric piano but the singing was great.

Later we went to the local quarry to have a look at the rocks and select some for the haiku trail which Catherine’s council is making a feature of their town for the year 2000.  Then we took a small sample of the rock to a wonderful old Maori carver so that he could test its viability.  It is granite  and will have to be worked with tungsten-tipped tools.  Tutukawera and hi son Tutukawera Junior (who had amazing deadlocks down to his buttocks) showed us around their workshop—ornately carved coffins, panels etc. and huge stones carved with angels, dolphins, fish etc.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Pat               

8.

19 August 2000

Dear Ram,

Many thanks for your recent letter.  It is nice to hear your children are doing so well and you must be very proud of them.

I am enclosing for you  a copy of a little book Catherine and I have published of our linked verse.  It was done purely as a family memento, but we have received a number of orders for it, which is pleasing.  I think we’ve written over 50 linked poems in three years and  have  had them published in 10 countries, which is quite an achievement.

I’ve been in touch with Mike several times as he is now on email.  Sam is back in the country until the autumn and then will be going overseas again.  His address at present is: 13 Electric Avenue, Lunenburg, MA 01462, USA.  Uncle River seems to be doing well and was expecting visitors to his place last time I heard from him.  He has finished work on his novel and is looking for a publisher for it.

Yes, it’s great to see the work of myself and Giovanni in the Indian publications, although I am sorry not to have received copies of The Brain Wave  in which  my work was published. Professor Jagannathan has written to ask me  to subscribe to his magazine, but it is an expensive business, as you know.

I’ve heard at last from Mr. Bahri, after some delay due to the malfunctioning of his computer.  He says the anthology is at the binders and he should be able to send copies in a week or so.

At present I am busy with a number of books to review, my last academic assignment to write, and collating a collection of haibun for publication.  When all that is finished I hope to begin collating my own poems for publication later this year.  I have asked Mr. Bahri to publish my poetry and he seems keen on the idea—we just have to work out the cost. 

I’m glad to hear you are having success with publishing your book overseas and hope to see a copy in the future.

Here, it is nearly summer and we are looking forward to some warmer weather.  I am going down to the South Island in September for a brief holiday and for the Haiku Sounds Festival where I hope to meet up with some old friends.  Catherine is having several of the poets back to her place afterwards for a couple of days, so it should be a busy week.

All the best,

Pat

9.

7 October 2000

Dear Ram,

Many thanks for your letter which I received on my return from Picton in the South Island where I was attending the Haiku Sounds Festival. Our haijin for the event was Jim Kacian from the USA.  We had a very enjoyable and stimulating weekend and I went on to stay with Catherine and Janice Bostok (from Australia) for a few days in Katikati.

The weather was terrible and the flights to and fro were quite something but we arrived safely (although an hour late).  Our friend (and excellent) haiukist Ernie was there to meet us in his BMW and he and his wife Triska were most hospitable and met our every need. Jim Kacian was delightful—a most interesting person.  He was a tennis pro and now coaches tennis, speaks several languags, is a composer, and is a keen sportsman.  He regaled us most evenings with his stories about Allen Ginsberg, the Beat poets and the New York School of poets—most of whom he met when he was an undergraduate.  The workshop was well attended and it was lovely to meet all those people whom I’ve written to but not met.  Barry Morrell (a talented NZ poet) entertained us, too, with his stories, songs and dances.  Jim is talking about setting one of Barry’s poems to music.  It will be an opera about Hinemoa, the beautiful Maori maiden who swam out to an island in the middle of Lake Rotorua to meet her lover whom she had been forbidden to see.

While I was at Catherine’s we met Lynley Dodd, children’s author and illustrator, (of “Hairy MacLairy” fame) and took her around the haiku pathway.  She was duly impressed and had a lovely afternoon despite the windy conditions.  Janice regaled us with the news of the Aussie poets and we spent hours walking, talking, and generally catching up with events of the past year. 

I sent some poems to SideWaLK (Aus) and the editor, Richard Hillman, suggested that I send them onto a Chinese-Australian magazine called Otherland, edited by Ouyang Yu.  Also received several mags with my work in them and much praise for a couple of articles I’d sent overseas.

I had a card recently from Sam.  He is in America at present but is about to return to his flat in Prague.  You could write to him via SlugFest and I’m sure Mike will forward letters to him.  Mike writes often now that he is connected via email. Slugfest came my way a couple of days ago, so you should be receiving your copy shortly. It’s been nice to read your work in various overseas mags.

I haven’t heard anything from Mr Bahri regarding the anthology. Last time he contacted me (about a month ago) he said the book was at the binders, so I can only hope it will soon be here.  Some of the poets are getting a little agitated and I’ve been receiving calls and letters from some of them wondering what is going on.

Now it’s back to the grindstone. I spent all of Friday at work preparing for the final term of the year.  Our rolls are up and we have full sessions, which is a blessing.  10 new little people to welcome to the world of kindy on Wednesday.

Love,

Pat

10.

4 November 2000

Dear Ram,

I hope you are well and have had a good summer.  We had one or two days of lovely sunshine but today it is cold and wet.  A good day to be pounding the keys.

We were very fortunate in having the American haijin, Jim Kacian, here recently for the Haiku Sounds Festival in Picton, in the South Island.  I am enclosing the NZ Poetry Society newsletter for you as it carries a report of the meeting.

Jim is hoping to establish a World Haiku Association, or a worldwide web site.  By setting up a web site there is no president (everyone wants to be the president!), no secretary (no one wants to be the secretary!), and no membership fees.  It will be a huge undertaking to begin from scratch to collect haiku for a web site, so no doubt NZ would work from the two NZ anthologies edited by Cyril Childs. An interesting subject.

I’ve had one or two emails from Mr. Bahri regarding the anthology but still no sight of it.  He assures me it will be arriving in early November. Meanwhile I am collaborating on a book of haiku with Dr Kanwar Dinesh Singh, and will follow that with a collection of my own poetry.

I’ve had a very creative couple of weeks writing about 20 poems all in the same style: 1/2/3 lines in a 3 stanza format.  I think some of them have worked well.  Three have been put on a friend’s web site, and I have sent some to Australia and others to Britain. Will have to wait now and see what eventuates.

It’s been nice to see your reviews, articles, poems and haiku springing up from time to time between the covers of mags.

I’ve recently finished my last assignment and hope to receive my BA early next year.  It’s been hard work to fit it in between everything else: family, work and writing, but hopefully will be worth the effort.

Love,

Pat

11.

30 December 2000

Dear Ram,

It was great to receive Christmas letter, greetings and good wishes and to hear all the latest news.  You must be very proud of your son and it’s so nice to see them growing up happy in what they are doing.

I’m sorry to hear about you not being able to find a publisher for your ms.  If I come across anything I’ll let you know.  I will also keep an eye open for your work and photocopy it to send you.

My writing is going well.  I’m still waiting for the hardback versions of the anthology I edited to arrive.  Mr Bahri told me he had sent you a copy of the mag version and I was hoping to hear what you thought of it.  I’ve sent off my ms of “Deuce” but haven’t yet heard from Kanwar Dinesh Singh to say that he has received it.  At the moment I am preparing the ms of a selection of my poems to be called “Accepting Summer”.  I’ve just taken over as co-editor of the magazine WinterSpin from Catherine and am keeping busy reading poets’ submissions etc.  if you have some haiku you’d like to submit please send me a dozen or so. I’ve also done some reviews for NZ mags.

Catherine is far from well with Parkinson’s Disease and is hoping to have brain surgery in a month or so to relieve some of her symptoms.  The operation is going to cost about $10,000, so Catherine has had to limit her spending and has curtailed her writing.  I’m going down to see her next week and am taking my granddaughter, Rhiannon, with me.

Rhiannon’s father has been shouted a trip for the two of them to Disneyland by his firm (in lieu of overtime).  He is a stone mason and has been working long hours  on granite and marble fixtures for some mansion in Auckland.

We had a great Christmas.  It seemed to go on for a long time as it  fell after the weekend.  We had a party on Christmas Eve at my son Bob’s in-laws, then did some touring around on Christmas Day to fit in everyone’s families and dinner at my daughter Kathryin’s, and on Boxing Day all the family gathered at my place for dinner.  The weather has been awful for the past couple of weeks so there were no picnics or barbecues.

It sounds as though all my friends back home are in retirement mode, planning their OEs, changing houses, finding new hobbies etc.  I had a letter from a friend in Canada to say that he and his wife were planning a trip to NZ in 2002.  As I haven’t seen them for 28 years it will be a joyful reunion.  I believe that Mike Nowak and his wife are also planning a trip to NZ about that time, too. We have to work until 65 in New Zealand, so I still have a few years hard labour.

Things at work have picked up after a very hard year when we saw the rolls dropping drastically and had to cut our hours to make ends meet. We should be starting the year with the rolls full and hopefully they will stay that way. My colleague is going to be starting  her degree this year which will take her  out of the centre for one day a week.  I’ve finished mine and am awaiting my piece of paper.  My daughter, Kathryn, is going to do a Post Grad diploma in Media Studies, as well as running a very successful after-school care programme.

My sons, Andrew and Bob, are fine, working hard, playing sport and generally enjoying life, although Bob has a lot on his plate with his young son, Isaac, who is nearly 3 and his stepdaughter, Renee, 9.  Isaac is a handful but has the face of an angel so gets away with murder!

Well, that’s about all for me.

Have a happy New Year.

Love,

Pat