When I grow up to be a man will I dig the same things that turn me on as a kid (The Beach Boys)

Father and son - December 19, 1984

Wie geht's?

Last week's Jewels For The Thirsty mentioned that Keegan's birthday completes this subset of the Purdys for 2025, appropriately begun by Jacky in April.

[In order: Jacky; Samantha; me; Jade; Adam; Keegan]

Keegan's origin story is here and it's worth re-reading, even though it was written in 2016!

Keegan turned 41 last week and that just seems wrong - I can vividly recall holding him in the palm of my hand (as I wrote in that origin story): 

The whole experience was completely overwhelming and draining. Jacky slept, while I sat beside her in an armchair and held onto this new life in my hands and was drenched in pride and tenderness for both Jacky and Keegan.

It's one of those moments. 

So, to think that happened 41 years ago is a mind blown moment.

Happy birthday Keegan!

Merry Christmas to all the Purdettes, their families and partners!

Love and peace, now and forever - Dad

Poi E whaka-tata mai (Patea Maori Cub)

Wie geht's?

Keegan's birthday is on the 19th of December. A big un too, this year - his 40th! That's him fresh home from Westown Maternity (New Plymouth) in 1984. Back then he weighed 8 pounds.

His origin story is here.

As it states in that post, I compiled media stuff from the week he was born in '84. Here is a random selection:

• The horoscope for those born this week - count your blessings, rather than your grievances.
• Gremlins and Cannonball Run 2 were on at the movies in New Plymouth. 
• It was raining in NP on 19 December 1984.
• Everton were top of Division one this week (hard to believe) and Arsenal were 4th.
• Billy Joel's An Innocent Man was the top album and Poi-E by the Patea Maori Club was the #1 single.

Happy birthday Keegan! Suggest you fire up the popcorn maker and watch Gremlins tonight to celebrate.

Love always - dad

Fly me out the window somewhere far away, news on the radio, happy birthday (Concrete Blonde)

Wie geht's?

Adam Lennon Purdy (in Australia) and Keegan Warren Purdy (in China) had birthdays in the last week or so - ALP on the 11th and KWP on the 19th, so this is my customary birthday post for these two mischief makers, wascally wabbits and brothers-in-arms from the mid-eighties.

Happy birthdays to our special little guy (37) and his big brother (39)!

Love and peace - dad

Trigger (Trigger) and he pulled the fastest milkcart in the west (Benny Hill)

Trigger looks big here, but he only comes up to my waist.

Wie geht's?

Covid-19 lockdowns have had one very positive spin-off for our family: the weekly family zooms that we started a year ago (thanks to Adam's suggestion) during our alert level 3 and 4 lockdowns have continued long after the alert levels returned to 2 and then 1. And they are still going strong.

So, each Sunday evening Jade and Asher (in Palmerston North), Samantha (in LA or SF with Jesse),  Keegan (in Shanghai) and Adam and Ashleigh (in Melbourne) have joined up with Jacky and me (in Takapau) for a weekly catch up.

It's been great, and has certainly brought our far-flung little band of Purdettes a lot closer together, figuratively speaking.

Hot topic this weekend was Trigger - the little pony that Jacky and I have bought for Asher, nearly 2, to ride.

Trigger naturally suffers from little man syndrome

He's certainly got personality!

See - I told you - comes up to my waist, just!

On the search for more apples!

The kids maintain this is another très subtle attempt to interest her children/grand-children in horses, but Jacky disputes this. Natch. 

Wherever the truth may lie, Jacky has plans to find a cart for Trigger to pull around so that he can pay his way while Asher and I pick up pine cones for Trigger to pull back to the barn.

That should be a hoot! I can't wait.

Love and peace - Wozza

I'm a boy, I'm a boy (The Who)

Keegan, minus 36 years

Wie geht's?

The 19th of December, which is coming up, is our oldest's birthday. Happy birthday Keegan! Here's a revisit to his origin story.

But really the day is more about me and Jacky, right?

That origin story misses out a crucial bit that tells you a lot about us, where, getting on dinner time on the 19th, Jacky - dozy with labour pain and then relaxed by epidural but mindful that Purdy's need regular food, said that I should go and have something to eat.

So I did. I hopped in the car, which was parked in the Taranaki Base Hospital carpark by maternity, and drove to McDonalds for a Big Mac combo; drove back to the maternity wing steps and ate my dinner there; walked up the stairs just in time to find Keegan was finally ready to launch himself on our world.

The rest is history.

Love and peace - Abu Keegan

I want to get back to my city by the bay Ooh, Ooh (Journey)

Samantha always knows where the camera is!

Wie geht's?

This post is our final stop in the return to 2007 and our first trip to San Francisco.

In the wash up after the wedding dances we went to the zoo, the Hard Rock Cafe, a diner with everyone to watch the Golden State Warriors, and then it was back to New Zealand, leaving our hearts in San Francisco!

The sisters cutting a rug

Watching the Golden State Warriors

Jade was there! True fact!

Love and peace - Wozza

When the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on the bay I want to be there in my city, Ooh, Ooh (Journey)

The stage is set

Wie geht's?

And so to the wedding of 2007 - Jesse Rowbotham and Samantha Purdy in Marin County at Jesse's mum's stunning place with views of Mount Tamalpais and the bay.

Americans have some different traditions when it comes to weddings, such as a pre Wedding get together called a Rehearsal Dinner. Of course, I thought this meant a rehearsal of the wedding - who stands/sits where, who says what and so on. Nope.

Instead, both sides of the family mix and mingle over drinks and a meal in a semi-formal fashion. An ice-breaker, really.

Then it was the wedding in the beautiful Californian sunshine at Cathy and Dan Kennedy's house. First - pre-wedding drinks by the pool.

And, finally, on to the post wedding photos.

Next post - post wedding knees up and wash up of the SF trip.

Love and peace - Wozza

Let's go to San Francisco (The Flower Pot men)

Wie geht's?

April 2013 was a wondrous time for the Purdy family. 

We found ourselves in San Francisco along with other members of the whanau (Adam and Ashleigh and the in-laws were yet to arrive), celebrating Jacky's 51st birthday. 

Yes - Jacky loves her motor mower

Feels like that's not the only reason we were there, though.

Oh, yes, that's right - we were also in San Francisco in April 2013 for Samantha's wedding to Jesse Rowbotham.

Not only do we love Jesse's family, but while there, we also lost our hearts to San Francisco.

Normal tourist activities were built around the wedding, you'll be pleased to know. 

Starting with a family walk across the Golden Gate Bridge (other activities will follow during the next few posts before we culminate with the wedding of 2013).

Jesse and Samantha

Jade and the birthday girl

Peace and love - Wozza