Bay of Island Toastmasters

Tessarina came in last night as we were going to bed and burrowed under my merino blanket and little sheet over it. She stayed there all night, getting up at 5:30 when she here movement in the kitchen.

After a little work in the garden, and my digging worms to feed Helen, we washed up and met Jeanetta in town for coffee at the newly opened Black Car Cafe. My cappuccino was delicious as was my little piece of baklava. Betsy was not overly impressed with her cookie pie, a 2” thick pastry made of cookie dough with chunks of chocolate and Nutella mixed in. An odd shape and size.

We walked down to Ellajane where I found a packable backpack and a lotion bar. Perhaps gifts, perhaps for me. Betsy bought a bar of baby soap for her friend’s new granddaughter. All made in New Zealand.

On to Briscos, where Betsy found a blue bath mat for our bathroom. Not made in NZ, and shocking expensive, as are most goods here. Our saving grace is that NZ$1 = US$1.5, so we are finding everything cheap.


I had persuaded her to take me to the Bay of Island Toastmasters in Paihai in the evening. When she called her fiend who lives there, we were offered dinner before hand: a lovely vegan lentil pasta bake. We brought Mom’s Coleslaw that Grant had made. Jan lives at the top of the cliff, overlooking the bay. Nice view! She had been in Toastmasters and decided to come to the meeting too.


BOI Toastmasters is a hybrid group. Two members joined by Zoom including 1 of the speakers, another 7 members in person, and plus us and 1 other guest. Although we started late and ran over the 9:00 finish, a fun time. Like every other event I’ve attend here, we stopped for a tea break in the middle.

Steps Today: 3,400

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