Good Evening everyone 

I hope you are all keeping warm in this changeable autumnal weather. I’ve pulled out most of my bitter melon and hairy melon plants as they have withered.  I haven’t had a good season this year: there were not many melons this year.  I have also been disappointed with my feijoas - I think the guava moth has attacked both trees and eating them has been fraught with worms! 

Yesterday I received my first COVID vaccination jab.  Acting upon reliable information (yep, words from the song “Bonnie and Clyde”), although I didn’t have an appointment, I just walked in at the Mt Wellington vaccination centre.  I don’t think there was anyone being turned away but if you were 65 yo or over, you were definitely going to get shot.  I waited 45 minutes in the queue (chairs provided), 3 minutes with the vaccinator, 20 minutes in the observation room; then it was over. My arm is a wee bit sore today but otherwise all good.  Oh, you have to have at least 15 days lapsed since your flu shot.  I have to return in three weeks for the follow up jab.

We talked about how busy our community was last month.  One of the events was the community trip to the Hokianga to officially unveil the memorial to the SS Ventnor drownings and the loss of the 499 bodies that were in the process of being repatriated to Canton in 1902. 

We are fortunate that ACCC Committee Member Cecil Croucher has agreed to talk to us about his experience and impressions of the Hokianga trip.  Those of us who have had interaction with Cecil will know that he is an enthusiastic and positive person so it will be interesting to hear his talk.

On kitchen duty this month are the Kakas (Gillian Young, Nancy Leong, Kitty Chang, Tina Cole and Spring Lee).  If for whatever reason you can’t be on duty please arrange or swap with someone and let me or Helen know. 

I hope as many of our group can come and enjoy Cecil’s talk. 

Cheers

COLLEENT