PICTURE TIMEOK, just catching up on......posting to this site as we have been a bit busy the past few weeks with a trip to Copenhagen, Singapore, an early Thanksgiving, and trying to catch up on paperwork. Since it is pictures that everyone seems to like best, here are some new ones of recent events and activities in no particular order....
John Street (second from left), our good friend in Auckland and husband of the esteemed Lorraine Street, receiving last week, along with two other Kiwi yachting luminaries, a special award for a lifetime of contributions to the sport of sailing in New Zealand (photo courtesy NZ Yachting). Courtesy PJ Montgomery, who emceed the presentation to John and the others, here is the text of what Peter said about John:
JOHN STREET, MNZM (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) is best known as Managing Director of Fosters of Fanshawe Street, famous Ship Chandlers and Spar Makers. But John has done so much for sailing in New Zealand in addition to being a ship chandler since the early sixties after he decided not to follow the profession of accountancy that he graduated in, instead he enjoyed the challenge of Business. He is a Life Member of Yachting New Zealand, a Life Member of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadr, past president of the Boating Industries Association and a past member of the finance committee
of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. So many Olympic Class dinghy sailors would know of John Street as the Harken distributor in NZ who helped them out with the best gear he could provide. And they still haven’t had an account.
John has privately and quietly assisted many sailors if he thought they had potential and he could help them. He’s been called part of the “water front mafia” of Auckland, here’s a classic example…
John heard in the late 1980’s of the possibility that a match racing fleet for the Squadron might be imported. Now for those who don’t know Mr John Street he’s in the front row of the New Zealand patriotic role call, and using his connections… and his network is extensive… the short story ended happily with the Farr MRX racing fleet being built here in Auckland and delivered to the Squadron. That’s become one of the great success stories of New Zealand Sailing in the last 15 years and has become the benchmark to which other yachting centers are moving too now.
John was always willing and happy to make his Avon inflatables available for anything… from OlympicSail to the arrival of a Whitbread fleet.
John has also made a huge impact with the restoration of the classic yacht fleet in New Zealand. He is responsible for the return of the famous Robert Logan built “Waitangi” (1894), yet she is only one of several boats that John has captured
to preserve the special antiquity of New Zealand’s glorious sailing history. His interest here has boosted the classic boat fleet as well as saving some priceless Auckland heritage.
When it comes to the big boat campaigns the New Zealand patriotic hand of John Street has touched the Admirals Cup, the Whitbread, now Volvo, and the Americas Cup. Right through to the Olympic Class boats or a local Optimist regatta, John Street has made a significant impact as an anonymous observer and backer. Leading up to the last Americas Cup there was an auction at the RNZYS where a painting by Tony Blake finally sold for $100,000. John Street was the man who did the rounds and tapped on the shoulders of his friends to front up with the money.
John Street is the current Chairman of the NZIYT and is doing a wonderful job to carry on the role that the Trust set out to do. Now John will hate me for mentioning it and betray a confidence… but there was a misunderstanding or miscommunication about the Trust’s support of a particular project… it wasn’t able to go ahead… so John Street took care of that commitment privately.
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The "Chinese Bridge" in Singapore, snapped last week with my new Nokia 6670 phone that incorporates a 1 megapixel camera. Has a "night mode" to boot. S'pore continues to have about the best prices and selection for electronic gadgets anywhere in the world. Did some serious shopping while there. Not to be missed: the Funan IT Mall and, of course, the new world bazaar known as the Lucky Centre.
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Daytime pic taken with the Nokia in the car (at a stoplight!) a couple days ago with only ambient lighting.
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Back to the "good" Canon A70 digicam for the shot of the big snowflakes during our first (lightish) snow of the year -- albeit a bit of a shock for me after nearly a week in the equatorial heat and humidity of S'pore. Meg wrote this email to family and friends, which led to taking the photo above:
I couldn't get that song out of my head all day (the lyrics from the song in the subject box -- "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chrsitmas"). But then I picture moving to Valencia where there will be no snow and the tune fades from my head. Today it is the 20th of November and 9:16 AM. This is the first day that we have had snow directly at our house at Rheingoldweg 17A (that I have been aware of...I was still asleep the first time there was snow, but there wasn't very much anyway). Our backyard has a few sprinkles of powdered sugar but it is melting away slowly but surely. Tomorrow (Sunday) we are celebraiting Thanksgiving. Dad's birthday is on the 24th and like usual we will probably end up getting him wine and a pair of socks like always. I know that getting the same presents over and over again can be boring but in my defence It is hard to buy things for the male species. All you have to do is get your dad a golf club and he will probably be happy but my dad doesn't play golf. I would have to buy a boat, a hockey stick and/or a puck. But that would be crazy . :)
Love to All...
MEG <3
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Thanksgiving Dinner last Sunday, a few days early due to normal work week in Germany this week and the ISH annual International Fair which is next Saturday. The Kok family joined us; Leslie and Annelene play together regularly, tennis among other things. Another "seven-year" Hamburg family, they are natives of South Africa. Son Gareth is in 3rd Grade, and daughter Chantelle heads down to Cape Town at Christmas to begin uni in Stellenbosch. Don't blame Gary if he looks like he was dozing (he wasn't), but some great South African wine was flowing and Gary had returned only that morning from South Africa (an overnight 12-hour flight).
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Gary looking his usual perky self as he does the carving honors for Gareth's seconds (no I did not delegate the carving, Mom, at least not the first time around!).
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Cat update -- sadly girl kitten number one, a.k.a. Cameo, passed away some weeks ago from a chronic feline disorder she apparently had when acquired along with the male, "Bailey," (above, right). Bailey has thrived, but has been judged "lonely" by Leslie and Meg ever since; so a new female was obtained from friends Monday. This shot is a few minutes after they brought "Amber" home. Diligent Meg hunkered down with the cats on the floor of the laundry room, door closed, and did her homework while the cats got to know each other (i.e., hissed and howled). Bailey looks none too amused at the attention Amber is getting. They now have the run of the house and Amber definitely has the upper hand as Bailey tries to make friends only to be rebuffed, so far, by the young lady.
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