Take the chip off of my shoulder, smooth out all the lines, take me out among the rustling pines, till it shines (Bob Seger)

Two crazy kids with Graham Purdy, 1984

Wie geht's?

My father-in-law (G Brian) has been working on transferring our VHS home movies into a digital format and delivered the first batch to us last weekend. I am truly thankful for his time and expertise.

Excited? For me, this was like waiting for Peter Jackson's Get Back documentary of the Let It Be sessions. I was itching to see what was on these tapes - some, like my dad's things, had been lying dormant for decades.

I was over the moon with the results. Jacky and I (with Brian, Sallie, Ross and Michelle in attendance) were looking impossibly young and getting married again in April 1984. The Purdettes were young again, family holidays with friends reminded me of fun times again. Jacky scowled at the camera again and again - every time it was pointed at her in fact. Ah - the memories! I had quite a few cushions hurled my way during these videoing occasions - let me tell you!

A few of the tapes starred people that dad knew but he's not around to tell me who they are any more. I did see Nita in a few of them so those are from the late eighties/nineties.

The footage of him from that time at his Taupo house in the garden and his preparations to smoke a trout are priceless.  His knowledge of plants was amazing - he knew all of the botanical names! Predictably, he's dressed as if he's just returned from the office (business shirt, dress pants and a cardie). He never wore work clothes like jeans/ T shirts etc. Ever. 

What I loved the most though was his deliberate and careful preparation for the fire and the process that was used to smoke trout. He was a chemist by trade and fastidious by nature so everything like wood, sawdust, charcoal is in neat, precise piles. The methodical detailing of the process had me spellbound.

At one point, I caught myself shaking my head and then...

With a jolt I realized how much I do the same thing! Like making an omelet or assembling a flat pack. I do the same thing dammit!

I may have picked up that trait from him gosh darn it. 

I'm not sure if I've passed it on to the Purdettes. I may have.

Food for thought. 

Can't wait for the next installment from G Brian.

Much love and peace - Wozza