Bill | Motueka, Tasman

“I live a pretty boring life, I guess. Just my wife. Just life in general, bringing up four kids. I suppose it is important for a relationship. It’s pretty easy to duck out these days.

I’ve been married since ’76. Nearly 40 years. Four children. The oldest is pushing 40, and the youngest is about 35. Two boys, two girls. Eight grandchildren.

I’ve been retired for the last three years. In my spare time I’m a keen lawn bowler. So, I spend a lot of time working down there. I’ve been a butcher mostly all my life, but the last seven years we had the back-packers at the Happy Apple. It’s in town there. Before that, I lived in Taranaki for 20-odd years. But I was a West Coaster, born and bred. 

I know the question you’re asking, but I can’t bloody revert to anything, a heart-to-heart with anyone. I suppose when we ran the back-packers, we had to. We were working close together. We were just us two. We worked pretty well together. She’s been a school teacher most of her life.

I’ve always been a very quiet guy. My wife, she’ll hold a conversation a lot longer than me.”