Water Ski Breakdown

Hi Family:

Grandpa had a breakdown on Saturday. It was not a physical or mental or nervious breakdown. It all started when we first woke up on Saturday morning. Grandpa looked out the windows and yelled to me, "There's a water skiier out there. I've got to buy a boat!" Sure enough, we saw several water skiiers, power boats, Sea Doos, sail boats in many colors from white to neon green and even an amphibious vehicle that drove up to the water and then just drove in.

Grandpa could hardly wait to get down to the beach. I insisted that I had to clean the apartment first. This was the first Saturday that we haven't had to travel or work all day.

We walked down to the beach. It was a spectacular day - 70 degrees, full sun, etc. The beach was active but never crowded. I thought Grandpa was going to have a real breakdown. He talked to people we met about buying or renting a boat. We were sent to the Takapuna Beach Boat Club, but no one was there. (Probably out on a boat.) We spent 3 or 4 hours exploring the beach to the South and the rocky coast to the North. Families were playing in the surf and eating ice cream cones. Oh yes. there is an ice cream store on the beach. We ate with pleasure. It was a wonderful experience. We had truly found a paradise in our back yard.

Later in the day, we drove over to the main harbor and marina near Auckland. It was also amazing. We got info on the ferry to our Rangitoto island and other places. We plan to make those trips as soon as we have another Saturday - which will be months away. On the way home we found a Pizza Hut! It was a great ending to a perfect day. We almost fogot that we had worked everyday, including weekends usually from 7AM til 8PM since we arrived. This was a pay off.

We hope to show you all this beauty some day.

We love you and appreciate your emails and photos. Keep them coming. We would love to get some art work from our talented grandchildren.

Love,

Elder and Sister Brown (G and G)