As they shared special moments reading old Nelson Mail clippings from those halcyon days in the late 1960s and early 70s, Paul finally told Russell about the pre-game talk in the Nelson changing rooms before every game against Stoke.
It involved "dealing with Stevenson," in the hope he'd spend the rest of the game chasing the culprit for revenge, rather than scoring tries.
The look on Russell's face as he finally heard this secret game-plan from 46 years earlier was priceless and a treasured memory for my husband having to say goodbye to his best mate.
And reading an old-yellowed rugby report from the Mail which said: "P McKay and R Stevenson are top prospects for Nelson representation, but both need to get fit," had them both rocking with laughter.
They had their retirement plans sorted. Together they were going fishing. They were also going to spend time in a shed whittling away at the handmade duck callers Russell had built up a demand for.
Duck shooting was one of the many sports Russell perfected. He and friend Dennis would shoot on our farms at Nireaha and Mt Bruce, with varying degrees of success, but always with plenty of laughs.
Especially the year Russell came up with the idea of plucking the ducks with hot wax. The backyard of our Nireaha farm house was covered in wax and feathers. They were everywhere, even on the clothes line.
Russell got away with it because he was always first to lend a helping hand, especially the year our massive two-storey farm house at Mt Bruce needed painting. Russell thought of others first and our dinning table, hall mirror and assorted coffee tables are all thanks to him. While our money went on cows he made sure we scored great antique furniture, beautifully finished by him. A great sportsman Russell was a national skeet shooting champion, won every school swimming event, except for the one he let his friend take out and as an outdoor bowler he represented Kapiti, playing against Paul who was in the Wairarapa team. But his greatest moment was watching Audrey win the women's national bowls title and go on to take fourth place in the world championships.
He shared his love of fly fishing with our second son and handed over all his gear to him just days before his death.
At Russell's funeral Paul's tribute was short and bittersweet. But our son Gareth said it all on his facebook page, "Uncle Russell, a true Kiwi, loved the outdoors - great at any sport he turned his hand too. Would do anything to help friends and family. Rest now, I will cast the line in your absence. Forever missed."
This week is Shave for a Cure which raises funds for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand so people, young and old, can fulfil their dreams and reach their goals. www.leukaemia.org.nz
Christine McKay is a reporter for Dannevirke News.
Jacoby Poulain is on maternity leave.
