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looked nostalgically at Clifton Spur. The driver said that Summer is a very closed, expensive community. He gave a start when I said I had friends who have lived there for over 40 years. This is definitely vacation time in N. Zealand. Ron & Ferne are away. There was a Regatta at Lyttleton Harbor today -- perhaps Ron was sailing. (Why oh why didn't I accept their invitation to sail with them on my free day)? We rode all along the beach past the Summer clock tower & over the ridge to Lyttleton with the maritime ball the Greenwich Observatory, along the [[?caves]] to Governor's Bay & over the hills to Christchurch. Smog or dust obscured the mts beyond the Canterbury Plains. 
Home ~ 5:45. $45.00 (the rate is $20/hr in the hills) After coming in I tried on 2 suede shirts -- dark brown & decorated w designs made by a poker. They turned out to be deer suede & I decided not to buy.
A drink from my private bar - some TV, & a dinner of roast lamb. As I left the dining room I recognized a Navy man from McM. He asked how I am -- is going on same plane to L.A. tomorrow.
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Yesterday I forgot to mention the nurse who greeted me at the dispensary & drove me to St. George's Hospital. Attractive, talkative, uninhibited. Told me she doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't fool around. "In fact you could say I'm quite a squared away kid at 22." She talked all the time. Loves the Navy, is very proud of the opportunities it has given her, the pay, the care, the travel -- including a season in McMurdo. Loves New Zealand & the odd phrases & customs - the nice people. Asked me how many grandchildren I have. I told her my history of no children by choice, & not missing them. She had never even heard of such an idea before. I think she was astounded but not turned off. She was delightful.
[[underline]]Thursday, December 21[[/underline]]
Leg ached badly in the night. I couldn't get a comfortable position for it. Also, the skin arr it is dry and irritated. This is no fun. I saw TV pictures of a woman rescued from the air crash into the Potomac -- one foot in cast, crutches For the 1st time I know how such a person feels. also a long show about a doctor at [[?]] in Houston. His patients [[?from]] accidents -- over again it was all newly vivid for me.