http://www.baptism.co.nz

Ian's party was on the evening of 30th June at St John's Church Hall in Trentham, Upper Hutt. That's the same night that the All Blacks beat France just down the road by 37 points to 12.

The first guest arrived at the hall before five, while the gas blaster was still warming up the room and while preparations were still under way. Most people seemed to have found the place without too much difficulty. If anyone tried to make it and couldn't find us, I apologise. However, most who weren't sure seemed to have shown initiative and tracked us down.

Many thanks to those who came, but expecially to those who brought along food (in substantial amounts in several cases) meaning that Pizza Hut didn't get any business at all from us. We also seemed to end the night with more beer and wine than we had in the first place.

The guest list included

• Andrew, Christine, Simeon and Joshua Allan-Johns
• John and Joy Ackrill
• Sono Barnes
• Ben Bradshaw
• Bill and Jill Cater
• Andrew Clark
• Jessica Dillon
• Michael Fowler
• Chris Goodale
• Michael Grazier
• Viv, David, Matthew and Christopher Halliday
• Michael, Jemma, Danielle and Scott Hutchinson
• Craig Hynes
• Kos Maas
• Nicki Mann
• Stephanie May
• Anne Miller
• Judith Ralston
• Andrew, Raewyn, Peter and Malcolm Rowney
• Cathie Smith
• Neil Whitehead
• Kevin, Miranda, James and Sarah Woollett
• Richard and Judy Woolley and family

High points of the evening included Sono realising that she had gone to the playgroup at the church year ago and so knew the Caters and the Rowneys but hadn't seen them for over ten years, Richard Woolley and Michael Fowler finding that they had shared school experiences, a beautiful card made by Briar Whitehead, the generosity of friends both in what they brought and the work they did setting up and cleaning up, the realisation that I knew scarcely any of these people just two years ago but now number them among my friends.