| Gwen Baxter - 2004 | ||||
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GamblesOnline
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Hello Friends, This year I thought I'd experiment with a news update on the Internet. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to refer others to read my news if you feel they would be interested. I am amazed to realise that I have been here in Adelaide for over a year! The year has simply flown by. It does seem to me that as I age each year seems to pass more swiftly than the previous one. Christmas was very different, as you would expect … Barbara & Bob booked lunch on the West Lakes Princess, a luxury ferry. Toby also came along too. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch on board. It was a perfect day, warm, sunny, no wind to make the lake choppy. There was plenty of food, even extra baked vegetables if needed. Our year started off with a coach trip to the Clare Valley. The country was parched. As most parts of Australia we have been subject to water restrictions for most of this year. Happily recently we have had enough showers to encourage green growth around the hills, and the reservoirs are filling. I hope that other states are faring as well. At the end of March I went up to Budgewoi for a couple of days, staying with friends, and seeing many of our Probus pals. Then flew out to Honolulu where I met up with Sky & Christian. Next day Neil, Usa, Roger and Rex arrived. Pity that Barbara could not have been with us. We had a week together, a wonderful week … we all did our own thing, but as we stayed in the same apartment building, so also had plenty of time together.
On my way home there was time to visit Armidale with Kim & the family, then I travelled up to Bundaberg for a few days with Greg & Heather. It was wonderful to be able to see all my family and Bob’s as well. After all my travels it was wonderful to come home! We have enough activities at Balmoral to keep us amused …. bingo, DVD screenings, indoor bowls, cards, and a weekly council bus to take us to the local shopping centre. Unfortunately this service is not patronised as much as we expected, although the residents complained when it was not available -- just human nature I guess. Management have put on a Cocktail Party, and a Melbourne Cup Day smorgasbord, and there will be a New Years Eve party. All these events are provided gratis to us. We can invite guests, for a nominal charge. As you can understand that I am sooo glad to be here! One of the most wonderful things has happened. I have met a lovely gentleman. We sit at the same table, both own computers, [and struggle to understand them], but mostly manage to help each other out. Norman was born in Birmingham, and immigrated with his wife and 4 children in 1963. He was widowed at the end of May last year, we both drive Toyota cars, so he is very patiently showing me how to find my way around Adelaide. We really get on well together and enjoy the same sense of humour. Norman celebrated his 80th birthday this year. As I write this letter we have just returned from another coach trip. This one was organised by Norman & me, in conjunction with our management, who picked up the tab for the coach hire. We were only able to get 20 starters, so it was a small bus, which took us to Monato Zoo, an open plains zoo similar to Dubbo Zoo. They are having quite a deal of success breeding endangered species, which they are able to sell to other zoos around the world. We were away from 9am to 4.30pm, so am just a little weary at the moment. Enough about me. The Hawksford Family have had a few hard months, as Ron’s brother, Richard Hawksford was found dead in his hotel room in September. A few weeks after, Jane -- Ron’s stepmother -- died after being hospitalised for about 3 years with Alzheimer. Kim and the family are going to USA for Christmas to stay with her American Sister, Becky. Ron and Alister together with a group from TAS will later go to work at Mother Theresa’s Hospice. Greg is working in his own business mainly making outdoor furniture. He has also built a cabin for Doug, Heather’s Dad. So he's had his hands full, while also doing most of the housework and some of the cooking as Heather has been studying to gain a Graduate Diploma in Education [Learning Support] … and teaching as well. Busy people! Bob’s twin brother passed away suddenly in September. I was unable to attend the funeral. Happily Kim was able to make the trip down from Armidale to Kurri. Fortunately Vic’s family all live nearby and are a particularly close and supportive family. They were wonderfully supportive when Bob was ill, bringing Vic & Anna to visit. A tremendous effort, since they all live in the Kurri Kurri area, more than 50 kms from Budgewoi! Now a little about my own family. Sky and Christian have been living and working in Canada. However Christian is presently down in San Francisco, as they have decided to move to USA next year. Sky is presently studying to become a Celebrant, hoping to set up her own business. It will be interesting to see what happens. Neil & Usa continue to live in Bangkok, where the boys attend an English speaking school. Roger is very bright, but quite restless, while Rex has a degree of difficulty with reading. Neil has been reading Harry Potter books to him during the evenings, but Roger does not participate. Usa has her own business as a realtor, but with limited success. Neil is employed by IBM working from the Bangkok office. Barbara and Bob continue to operate their own business, which now employs Toby, who is very interested in the Youth Group run by his church. This is the same church group Guy Sebastian, [who won The Australian Idol last year] is involved with. They have a big following, and music is a very important part of their lives. Toby plays the guitar at the services, and teaches several of the youngsters there. Best wishes from me to you for 2005!
Gwen
Baxter |
