Thames

THAMES

     The transient habitat of two folks and their alter egos.

     A glorious idea hatched out of a gold rush and great expectations in the gritty 1860's.

     When guys were guys, and gals with glitter arrived later.  Upheavals of fortune followed the Pacific fault lines depositing enough gold ore into the peninsula.

     The Firth of Thames supplied a water route.  The huge conifer Kauri trees supplied the construction material.  The area initially bloomed like a Pohutukaua tree in December.  The gold craze lasted into the early years of the 1900's.  The picks and axes went limp.  The gals got bored.  They became nurses, teachers, sheep farmers, mothers and continued to build a country.  The guys drank and reminisced about their near misses until silicosis made them immortal.

      Kauri trees allowed a timber industry to continue for a few more decades.  The trees have all but disappeared.  Once the second or third most populous city in New Zealand, the growth dwindled and finally stabilized at 7000-8000.  The Coromandel remains a vacation spot for Kiwi's and international visitors causing the population in the area to balloon in the summer (Dec-Feb).  A fair number of the full time residents formed their life's philosophies in the 1960's and 70's.  Let the sunshine in.  The attitudes remain refreshing; "Come join us", "Use our bikes anytime", "Pick raspberries with us" typify all ages of the Kiwi's.  Early acceptance of any truthful behavior guide the Kiwi social mantra.

In 1820, the HMS Coromandel sailed into the Firth.  She was not the first to sail forth into the firth as several explorers arrived in New Zealand prior to taking notice of the area.  Some British blokes soaked in gin probably missed the ride home to the Thames River area leaving the present locale a namesake.  Finding themselves running around the peninsula they chose to start a club.  And so, the tradition of joining clubs began.

A local park-bench anthropologist believes clubs offer a reason to do something when nothing is available.  Two guys not knowing what to do form a club.  Kiwi's acknowledge the tradition of clubness.

Cheryl blends well into this milieu. She, as alluded to before this note, has joined the tramping club, local organic garden club, knitting club, Thursday night movie club, bird and forest club.  

      Riveted by her latest clubbing experience, "Storyteller's Club", Cheryl returned home in the late hours and relayed the social discourse promptly.  Being the youngest participant at this particular club she could recollect a good share of the meeting.  Stories, poems, and jokes came from Kiwi's with significant experience.  She managed to find something to share.  

      Tom hopes to be accepted into the lawn bowling club.  His credentials are weak, but most participants collect their pensions to support their habits.  Maybe a spot will 'open up'.  

     Watching New Zealand unfold from Spring to Summer may be the most dramatic reversal of life's events under the equator.  Tom and Cheryl anticipate a snowstorm only to have the days lengthen and the thermometer rise.  Moods seem positive.  Anticipation for tomorrow and the sense of today remain heightened.  They feel the need to join another club.