HELLO MY DEAR DAUGHTERS

So that you are all up with the play.

Yesterday afternoon it was fine and as forecasted today it is raining as

it has been for the last few weeks, so Peter and I had to grab the

opportunity of driving Sophie to Te Puke to the Autobarn, ready for the

auction next week.

Now, I know that you are all upset at this fact BUT the plain truth is

that the time has come. We have had seven years of fun but the traffic

in Auckland is now so fast and furious, that it has become very, very

hard to drive her in the city. There is also the question of no

seatbelts, adequate headlights, or blinkers. Today’s drivers

(especially those in Auckland) are just not used to indicators or hand

signals. Therefore, I have been increasingly feeling unsafe. On the

open road she is fantastic, but in the city or on the main highway – no

way. Yesterday, I trundled (in a shower of rain) through the Athenree

Gorge at 40-45 mph and by the time I got through the 10 kms, there was a

queue a kilometre long of p…d people behind. That does not make for

pleasant driving.

So, SOPHIE is now in Te Puke and I am sorry that none of you got to do

what you wanted – Tasha, drive her, Carmel that ride you requested and

Roni ? well probably a hug. On your behalf, you may as well know, I

pulled up outside the Autobarn and completely unsolicited the tears

started running down my face. The guys were more than a little amused.

So please try and understand and don’t give me a hard time!!! Having

said all that, she may not even sell, then again she may. If you are

desperate to see her one last time (maybe) the auction is next Saturday

at Te Puke..

AT this stage, if she sells, I intend to look for something to replace

her. In the meantime, I have had a call from Ngunguru and the

Sitooterie is well underway and from all accounts stands out like a

beacon at sea. It has turned out to be bigger than expected so that it

looks like who knows. So we lose Sophie, but now we have a Sitooterie –

who else do you know who has one of those?

So please understand.

Lots of love

Your Mother