Busking at Waihi Beach, December 29

Between Christmas and New Year Waihi Beach is a very popular holiday place. To take advantage of the crowds and their holiday mood, we decided to busk in the motor camp and cafés, to raise funds for the Athenree Homestead restoration. Four glamorous women from a local singing group, The Mellowtones, joined Jim and I from Ukes-A-Plenty. Our mini flash mob visit to the beach was incredibly successful and such a lot of fun. After donning our glad rags at the homestead, our band of wandering minstrels descended on the motor camp at Waihi Beach. The happy campers were astonished. Although we had a small but appreciative audience, mostly children and their parents, we didn’t pass the pot around. Most of them were in their swim suits. However at the Flat White Café and The Porch we collected over $100 at each, a grand total of $245, for about 25 minutes entertainment and 6 or 7 easy, fun songs. Our captive audiences loved it. (So much for hard times.)Children and their families joined in with enthusiasm. It was all very intimate and such a lot of fun interacting with the diners, who were in generous, holiday spirits. We were given the name The Athenree Homesteaders. Terelle was thrilled with our efforts. And it was good publicity for the homestead, which is open every Sunday, 10 to 4, during January. Jim and I retreated to the local takeaway shop where Terelle treated us to fish and chips. We ate them in style, back in Adele Stewart’s grand dining room at the homestead. See www.athenreehomestead.org.nz