60th speech

Thank you all for coming tonight. Really great to see you here. There are people from many facets of my life and I appreciate everything you've done for me. 60 years. Wow.

Tim & Ro who are effectively my adoptive parents who gave me a home while I was at uni. Their son Andrew and his wife Catherine. 

I am a bit of a moody emotionall person. Get down a bit from time to time. I was reminded recently that way back when I was 27, Andrew organised a surprise birthday party for me because he recognised I was in a bit of a down patch. Edit: apparently Tim Hills was there. 

In more recent times my divorce hit me hard and I got wonderful support.

Cybele koning for explaining the process. This I think was instrumental in helping Megan and I to reach an amicable agreement.

So there was a bit of a group of families centred on Sherwood Church who I guess had a very awkward path but I'd especially like to thank Cybele's husband Paul, fil & Fiona, Frank horky and Gina and Sean and Erin mawhinny, Daryn & Claire Newman and all their kids for maintaining friendship in a non judgemental way. 

ROWING COMMUNITY

Steve cleasby who recruited me in.

(Story about the Normanby.)

 Jeff Clark who was great support actually especially in the year or so in the lead up. Alan craft and Angus Blackwood amongst many. At Centenary Ros Hall and Peter Hayes who were on the receiving end of many sanity check phone calls. 

B2M MONDAY NIGHT GROUP

Tim Hills for inviting me along to a men's group on Monday nights. Rob, Ian, Aaron, mick, Tom, a couple of Steve's. 

Finally I'd like to thank Ben Webb again can't be here for helping kick the organising into gear by ordering most of the food and drink and just helping me talk through the plan. This flows onto Graham Thomas and finally my brothers and kids. James and Henry helped with the final buying and setting up and Chris taking care of BBQ and Jemma with cocktails. 

Now there's a ton more here than those I've named and please understand I've really appreciated everyone. Not quite sure how that works if someone has just randomly walked in but welcome anyway and enjoy.