Back to the future
A reader writes: "We discovered this back to the future insight to southern motorway travel in our bush block jungle in Drury ... Very appropriate for travellers entering Auckland from the south, not sure how many thousands of homes being built in the coming years south of the Drury interchange, but darn sure even the upgraded motorway won't cope. The sign on the front of the elderly Land Rover shows a winning time of 1.5 days Drury to Auckland mostly stopped in the year 2020.
Odd names
1. A reader recalls an immigrant couple enrolling their daughter at an
Auckland school. Formalities dealt with, the teacher discreetly suggested that a gentle change in the girl's first name might better suit "New Zealand conditions". The parents didn't agree — pointing out that the girl's name was short, easy to pronounce, and they saw no need to alter it. So Mr and Mrs Kann left, with their daughter Tin.
2. I had a very good friend named Doug Field, we often called him "ploughed paddock".
3. Years ago — maybe 30, I needed my wisdom teeth removed. The two surnames of the oral surgeons in the practice I went to were "Hookham" and "Pullam" couldn't be more appropriate.
4. My younger brother had a friend 70 years ago whose name was Doug Down. He had a brother named Stan Down and his father was Bob Down. Wish I could remember Mrs Down's first name.
5. I work with a Rose Thorne.
