5 July 2023. 35th Birthday/ Mid winter lunch (More photos below this report)
Seventy members and partners enjoyed and made the most of being ‘35 ’, at the Taieri Bowling Club’s excellent club rooms. It was a Wednesday with a cold wind, so we were all more than happy to be inside mixing and mingling and enjoying each others company.
Clive Crossman had prepared a photographic presentation that played continuously throughout the day which brought to mind lots of memories, and questions such as where’s that?, who’s that? and we must go there again……thanks Clive for the presentation (we will make it available asap) and again thanks to Jenni Wright, Jill Dodd and Eleanore for their planning work, which as they say ‘was right up there’; the missing flowers from gardens around Outram were found in the posies on the tables; also to John Gardiner for being our ‘official photographer’ on the day.
Phil K alluded to the historical information that could be viewed as well as mentioning that in the first handful of years the club had undertaken over 20 camping trips with a consistent number of around 25-30 folk attending, then a high percentage of members. Following Ian Fleming’s grace, especially poignant with the recent passing of Shirley, we enjoyed a lovely finger food meal and took a moment’s silence to remember past members and special memories and noted apologies from those who could not be present.
Jenni Wright gave an update from Judy Knox over in that west island, and then read out Judy’s poem that she had written especially for the day – so many thanks Judy from everyone present. We laughed a lot!
“TRTC 35 years – Congratulations
I wish that I could be with you
To share some memories, one or two.
Thirty-five is quite a lot
Of years for being on the trot.
I recall a lot of fun,
On all the trips that we have done.
Sadly I can’t be with you –
Which leaves me feeling rather blue.
But not for long, I’m pleased to say –
I’ll live to tramp another day.
My hip replacement happens soon
Then I’ll be jumping up and doon.
To have it done I’ve waited long,
And I just hope it won’t go wrong.
Then home I’ll come, to see you all,
And all those trips we will recall.
We all are older, some have passed,
It comes to everyone at last.
So get stuck in and celebrate,
It really is a special date.
From here I’ll raise a glass to you
And have an extra wine or two.
In memory of those special years,
To all of you, three hearty cheers!”
Following this Andrew Simms Chair of the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board gave an insightful talk on key matters affecting the community which Clive summed up in his vote of thanks as ‘get involved’. Andrew’s outline of options to use the Taieri Gorge line for walking and (e) biking was a vision worth exploring and supporting for us ‘recreationists’! Imagine the scores of lycra clad golden oldies at the Wobbly Goat or Wal’s if two major bike trails met on the Taieri, not to mention cycling on to Dunedin through more tunnels!
Phil recited one of his favourite poems, Place, by Brian Turner. After alighting the plane at Momona from his 7 months lockdown in Perth he noticed it in large print upon the wall upstairs near the restaurants. Bit of a twinge there!
Place
Once in a while
you may come across a place
where everything
seems as close to perfection
as you will ever need.
And striving to be faultless
the air on its knees
holds the trees apart,
yet nothing is categorically
thus, or that, and before the dusk
mellows and fails
the light is like honey
on the stems of tussock grass,
and the shadows are mauve birthmarks
on the hills.
– Brian Turner, All That Blue Can Be (Dunedin: John McIndoe, 1989).
Bev Harvey then did us the honour of ‘the cutting of the cake’ which following the group photo was devoured.
It was great to be 35 again and I’m almost looking forward to being 40 again…….but before that we have the AGM on the 24 August 2023 at the Mosgiel Presbyterian Church at 1.30pm. In addition to the usual we will have a presentation from the Operations Manager of the Halo Project, so I look forward to seeing you all there.
Phil K
