park view

park view
Originally uploaded by whowesit

We had a great day out at Pasir Ris this weekend. We hired bicycles and enjoyed a good ride. We also had an interesting walk around the board walk in the mangroves. Lots of interesting animal life and only a stones throw from the MRT. We recommend as a great place for an outing while in Singapore.

June Was Not Such a Great Month

Dad on his last day working for NZR.

It is actually halfway through July and I am still catching up on June.
Sadly for us June did not really run to plan and instead of our planned trip to London, Ruth and I found ourselves going home to New Zealand for the funeral of my Father.

Dad, Richard Stanley Howes passed away in Tauranga hospital on 6 June 2008 aged 81 years. He had recently completed a six week course of radio therapy for throat cancer, which he had come through surprisingly well.
This was largely due to the support of a loving network of family and friends. Early in June he was admitted to Tauranga hospital with breathing difficulties, not related to his cancer, and battled through until he lost this battle early on June 6. At the time he was surrounded by family, and his loving partner, Femy. That evening I found myself travelling alone back to New Zealand on an Emirates flight, arriving back to New Zealand’s winter on Saturday afternoon. It was strange doing the trip without Ruth who stayed on to complete the working week at MASC. Ruth arrived in New Zealand on the Monday, in time for the funeral on Tuesday 10 June.


Dad as a younger man, Cleaning his Humber

taken at, Victoria Street, Rotorua.

We had a lot to celebrate about dad’s life, at 81 he had managed to complete a pretty good innings. It is amazing that he continued to work the Martray Road block of land right up until his last days despite the ongoing problems with his lungs. He did what he was so good at doing, he just got on with life. During his later years he continued doing the things he enjoyed and having a pretty good life. An inspiration for us all, you don’t need a lot to live a rich life. Preparing to send dad off we spent some interesting hours remembering his life and marveling at how humble he was about what he had achieved and how he had impacted on the world through his family. He was rock steady and just got on with things. Always willing to do things to help out others, many of us have benefitted from the little extra things he did for people.

Rest in Peace, Dad. We will all miss you.

Whakatane Bar

Whakatane Bar
Originally uploaded by whowesit

While we were back in New Zealand in JUne we managed to get a great day out on Run Away Cash. It was cold and frosty first thing as we went out through a flat bar at Whakatane. This photo looking back inland to Edgecumbe in the background captures the beauty of the New Zealand coast.