1 November 2010

Kia ora

It’s been a month since Bert passed on. And a long time since our last korero! I’d like to just take this opportunity to say while the occasion was sad; it was great to see so many family at Granddad’s funeral. Around 200 people showed up to say their last respects to the last of the first Sarah Mankelow’s children. I’d like to make a special mention of Rikki Wikeepa, Cath and Delwyn who all singled me out to say hi and thanks for the newsletters. I really appreciated it – even if I seemed a little vague at the time!

I’ve posted a few of the photos from this occasion on my facebook page – even those of you not signed up to facebook can go and have a look by following this link:

I’d like to lay down a challenge to you all; I hope to do a full korero at Christmas – with meeting updates and a “this is your life” from the Mankelow resident in Amsterdam – so you have four weeks to each send me a memory of Bert. It could be a fu

nny story like the bee-hive story told by Laurie at the funeral. It could be just a ser

ies of thoughts, memories or triggers. I will compile them all and share them with you at Christmas time.

To get you started here are a few of mine: home-made pickles, riding in the back of the ute up to Ngatuhoa, his happy whistle, the spoils from a successful hunt hanging up in the garage, Christmas in the backyard of nineteenth avenue with all my cousins and getting my first ten speed, picnics at the beach with the back of the ute as our table.

So the gauntlet is laid – send me back your thoughts and stories by the beginning of December. Also, if you know someone has changed their email address lately, let us know as I am getting a few bounce-backs. Ray has put the mailing list on google docs so can you all access it and check if we have the latest emails for you and your whanau.

Ka kite ano

Bert

Outside the shed

he sits.

A seat in the sun,

warmed by habit

white painted, wooden chair

reserved, waiting.

The shed

Stores the labours and tools

of a well-lived life, and

well stacked wood:

comforting, reliable, constant.

He sits in contentment,

relishing a moment of quiet reverie.

The happy whistle signals

all is right in the world.

Always the same tune.

A gentle spring breeze

carries the last notes skyward

leaving us with the memories

and a seat in the sun.

Sarah and Robyn (Grand-daughters)