Heke ana ki Waihi, ki Piripekapeka hoki

Mauri ora ki a koutou katoa
I te wa matou e noho ana ki te taha o ta matou nei koroua, ka heke iho ra matou ko taku teina a Whakararangi, me nga kohine tokotoru ki tera atu pito o Taupo moana, ara ake, ki Tokaanu!

Kei te urupa o Piripekapeka ta matou Kuia a Tereinamu e okioki ana. Ko ta matou i reira, e whatoro ana ki a ia, kia noho noa iho, kia maumahara hoki ki a ia me tona ake wairua. Te ahua nei, ka taea te wairua o tena, o tena, o tena - te piki ake, te pumau tonu i nga moemoea o tera kuia!!

heoi ano - ka taaku - kia mihi ake ki a ia!

While we were up in Taupo, we went down to Piripekapeka where Mum is buried in Tokaanu, then we shot across to Waihi for a look around the old whare!!

The kids in their Sunday best - on their way to church

Tereinamu doing her best impression of THINKING!!

Kotuku - practising his whakapapa

My brothers & i: Tamakopiri & Whakararangi

Koro & his mokopuna: Standing - Kotuku, Tapeka, Candace & Punawai
Seated: Raniera, Tereinamu & Ripeka - baby Lyrix (did i spell that right?)

Koro & some of the mokopuna: Tapaka, Punawai, Kotuku, Tereinamu & Ripeka

He looks a lot better doesnt he!!

Dad doing his usual - reading the paper!!

Tapeka Marae - Waihi

The whare at the entrance to Waihi

The real old whare in Waihi!

Lake Taupo & Maunganamu in the background

The back of the old homestead at Waihi

The side of the old homestead - Waihi

The front of the old homestead - Waihi

The girls at Piripekapeka - Tokaanu

Mum's headstone

- Naaku noa -
- Hauiti -

Taupo-Moana Ka hoki mai!

Tenei hoki ta matou e mihi atu ra ki a koutou o te whanau!!

Nga mihi

The kids & i have finally headed back up to Taupo to spend some time with Dad -nice to be home!

We touched down last Friday in Rotorua, beautiful weather! Dad was at the airport to pick us up on his trusty Toyota which was parked askew in the Budget Rental area!!

He looks well, driving himself around - independent in his own way!

Kotuku & his brother Tapeka were already in Taupo having left Dunedin the Monday before us. (I think the boys have eaten all his kai!)

You should've seen the maunga as we came over the rise heading down into Taupo - absolutely magnificent!!

Saturday, after the usual 'koro' porridge, the kids and i headed into town to check out the new library and all its facilities (internet etc) - its alot bigger than it used to be - and appears to be well stocked.

I ran into about 4 people that i knew (in the library) from my school days and today i ran into Temuera Hall

I must say that the town is quite different! The old barber shop at the north end of Tongariro street is now a book shop!!

Anyway, my nephew Tamati came over for a visit yesterday as my brother and i were lounging around in the sun having a korero. he dropped off some venison which he had just caught!! I am looking forward to eating that up!

The kids were playing with Raniera & his kids in the front yard - in the heat of the afternoon sun yesterday!! Those moko look well!

As for dad: he had his appointment with the Physio today - 20 minutes on the bike!! He is not eating alot and looks quite small - he is now 76kg! Little eh! He has his morning rituals - paper, porridge & a nap. He does his sudoku at night and is attending land meetings! He is keeping himself busy!

The nights up here are quite kool, but the days have a bit of heat in them

Raniera & the boys look well

Whakararangi is good as well

I managed to catch up with Tama on the phone as well as Matauria yesterday - all good

Heoi e te whanau

he nui taku ki a koutou

Te manawanui o rangi ki a koutou

- Naaku noa -

Hauiti