Work in progress
I had to dip my toe in the water sooner or later, so here goes. I started with a plan of attack. First, write about Heather’s mother’s family — about whom we know very little because Joyce hardly mentioned her parents. We have nothing in writing and very few photos. ... Read more
Concrete Dreams is what I called my third post about the ferro years 1974-8, the first two being about Brian Donovan and NZFCMA. The third was supposed to be about my personal involvement, and so it was, but inevitably it focused just as much on the people I worked with ... Read more
I’ve written a brief biography of Brian Donovan, one of several remarkable people who showed up during our “concrete boatbuilding” days from 1972 to 1981. When I say brief, it’s 8000 words with plenty of photos, anecdotes and design drawings. At this stage it’s a first draft, so corrections, comments, ... Read more
We started building a ferrocement boat with Ken and Dianne Adams in 1972, with romantic dreams of going cruising. Heather and I even lived in the boatyard at Span Farm for a while, and I got involved in a little monthly published by the NZ Ferro Cement Marine Association called ... Read more
I’ve decided that in future I’ll highlight the latest pages here, but having written a few months ago about my strange adolescence — why the wheels fell off a bright kid, what it took to get me on the road again, and why Heather and I headed off in rather unexpected ... Read more
Here I was minding my own business and Adrienne decided to post about my latest on Facebook. Suddenly I have readers! Thanks Adri, the feedback was encouraging. Must try it again some time. Here it is — Heather, handcrafts and Earthworks in the 1970s and early ‘80s
It’s been fourteen months since my last blog post — I just checked. Mind you, I’ve published 20-odd pages since then, with probably as many again that I’m not yet ready to press Go on. But can I ask a favour? Think of yourself as Reader #2, and help me ... Read more
Last Anzac Day my nephew Peter asked me if there was any way he could access his grandfather’s war stories to read to his kids. I had to disappoint him but said I was working at publishing them online. Well, it took the best part of a year but, finally, ... Read more
I’ve now taken Cliff’s story through to the Battle of Alamein. 1942 started off reasonably well for him in Palestine and Syria, then outside Alexandria with part of 6th Brigade. They were away from the front line until the middle of July. After that, though, they were living in slit ... Read more
I’ve now taken Cliff’s story past his convalescence in Alexandria after he was shot up in late 1941 at Sidi Resegh, outside Tobruk. After recuperating he headed to Palestine for more of the same, and rubbed up against the Poms, the Jews, kibbutzes — plus lots of oranges! — before ... Read more