Another Year!    2006

 Dear friends,

We are just another year older, are we wiser?   Well I do hope so.   Even more critically I do hope you are all feeling well, and living active and useful lives.   Life here in Adelaide continues to be delightful.   At Balmoral we are looked after so very well, it would be easy to become self satisfied.   I really do appreciate the fact that our cleaners, who comprise Sandra, and her two daughters, Tracey and Yvonne, are so efficient, and such a happy group, always laughing and chatting, as well as doing a very efficient job.   Yvonne looks after our bathrooms and removes any rubbish, while Sandra & Tracy change the bed, then vacuum and dust the apartment.   Fancy having to repeat that effort 36 times every week???   They also clean the common areas Lounge, Sunroom, Terrace, Dining room, and serve our lunch and dinner 5 days a week.   They really do a mighty job, and always so cheerfully.  On the week ends we have another delightful young woman, Tanya to serve our meals, and she is relieved by our Managers Daughter, who is still at school.

I just thought you would like to know what goes on here.   To be free of laundering the linen, shopping, preparing meals, serving and washing up after meals is a great boon.    While I do miss all my wonderful friends it is certainly true to say that I have found a wonderful place to spend my retirement years.

Now you must be wondering just how we fill in our time.   Speaking personally, I try to take part in any communal activities, Bingo & Cards, but have had to drop out of the carpet bowls, as my balance will not permit me to bend  up and down without getting dizzy.   (This is not new, it was also affecting me before Bob died.)   I also put on an exercise DVD once a week for anyone who is willing to come along.   Norman & I were also showing a film once a week, but we have had to discontinue as the films recently have not been suitable,.   The ladies objected to the bad language, violence, and sex scenes.   Since there are so very few suitable films, our audience had dwindled, we had to discontinue that effort.   We had to rearrange the lounge room, to accommodate the audience, and rearrange it afterwards, as well as try to find suitable films.   So are now relieved of making that effort.   Despite the management supplying wine and nibbles residents were reluctant to come along.   We at least tried, but had to call it a day.  

This year we have not participated in the coach trips, although there have been a couple.   We have visited several places ourselves.   We have been down to Athelstone, Goolwa & Victor Harbour, and enjoyed all of them, although of course the countryside is becoming very dry.  This year Norman and I have joined a local Mixed Probus Club, so have participated in some outings with them.   Being new members, are still feeling our way, and making new friends.   The Club President is very interested in starting up a website.   It will be interesting to see if that idea gets off the ground.   Not everyone is willing to accept the fact that a web site would cost money, so it will be interesting to see if they can be convinced of the benefits.   Even if they only increased their membership by one or two a year it would be beneficial.   The club numbers are decreasing, and because of the general age group there is a natural decrease – as well as some moving away..

During June Norman's daughter, Kay invited us up to stay with her and the family in Darwin.   This was a lovely treat for Norman, and I was thrilled that they also wanted me to tag along.   Kay and her husband, Michael, have built a lovely home about 30kms south of Darwin.   They have a 50 hectare property, so there is plenty of room for them to have a special area of paddocks and a stable for the 2 horses, as their daughter, Michaela is a very talented rider.   Since she has left school and is apprenticed as a hairdresser, she does not have as much time to look after the horses, so that chore is now one of the many that Kay manages to fit into a very busy life.   Michael was born in the Northern Territory, and has his own electrical business, their son, Blake, is in Year 11 this year, and hoping to be able to leave school at the end of the year to start an apprenticeship/cadetship as an electrician.   His hobby is quad bike riding, and has a few like minded pals.    Our stay up there was very interesting, as Michael and Kay have built their house specifically for the climatic conditions there and they have a wonderfully uncluttered, spacious home with louvered windows allowing plenty of air flow, and of course have air conditioning and a recycling system to conserve & reuse water.  I was so impressed, and feel that their home should be a model for new homes being built in Darwin.

Kay took time out to show me parts of Darwin which survived the cyclone, as well as much that has been rebuilt, and all the new growth of housing which is springing up everywhere.   It seems there is a big building boom happening, especially around the wharf area.   Bob would be amazed at all the changes that are in the process of transforming that area.  I just hope that they will attract lots of tourists, as much of the rebuilding is aimed at attracting them.   Darwin is really set to change dramatically over the next few years.  Our trip to visit Kay was a great eye opener and very educational for me.

Some Darwin Photos We had trouble uploading these photos, so they aren't the best quality.  Nonetheless they give you an idea of the what we saw.
Inside Kay's house	Around the wharf area
A lovely Darwin sunset	Not Terri Irwin - but nearly as good

During August I visited the optician who confirmed that I needed the cataracts which had been growing for a few years removed from both my eyes.   So in August I had my right eye operated on, the cataract removed and a new lens inserted.    Then in September the left eye was operated on.   The very happy result is that my sight is very much improved, and I had no trouble with the vision check for my driving license renewal!   That is great, as although I have a 10 year license, in SA the law says that eyes have to be checked every year when over 70 years of age.   The authorities take care that all the drivers are fit to drive, which is only right and proper.

During September Neil was visiting Sydney briefly  and was able to come over here for the week-end.   As it was near my birthday we had a very happy dinner to celebrate this unexpected event.   I have been keen to visit NZ for Neil's 50^th Birthday in October, but had decided to put the visit on hold as we were very weary from visiting Darwin, and had decided to pass on a second trip.   Earlier this year Barbara and Bob Barnes celebrated their 25^th Wedding Anniversary.   It did not seem so long ago that we had been here for their wedding! Quite a year with the Wedding Anniversary and now Neil's 50^th Birthday; soon in December Greg will also celebrate his 50^th Birthday.   Time is certainly marching on!  

 

Dinner at the Hog's Breath Cafe on a special day - (Left-Right) me, Neil & Barbara

Everyone was there - my son-in-law Bob isn't in the photo because he's the one who took it! (Left-Right) Toby, Norman, me, Neil & Barbara

 

Family News

 Greg and Heather have taken up a Jims Mowing franchise.   It is not such heavy work as manufacturing the outdoor furniture.   They are kept busy, but tell me they could service more clients if need be.   The drought is having an effect on everything unfortunately, but we all hope it will end soon.   Heather's Dad, Doug, is living on the property too, and apart from growing a few veggies also feeds the animals when need be.   Christina has had a few health problems earlier this year, but she is back at work, as is Bon.

 Kim has all the children in school, but that will change soon as Alister – 17 – is sitting his HCS and then plans to go to UK for a year before starting Uni.   Tory, 15, is a student at the New England Girls School and also a member of the Qantas Choir, which sang at the Melbourne Olympics earlier this year.   Tristan, 13, is their quiet achiever, and will be the remaining student at the Armidale School next year. 

Neil's boys have been in school in New Zealand this year, quite a change from their English Language School in Bangkok.   This Winter Rex, 9, played rugby, and was awarded a trophy for the Most Improved Player in his team.   This term both he and Roger, 12, are playing softball each weekend.

Barbara's son, Toby, is 22 and apart from working in the business is very involved in his Church Youth Group, and for the past year has been the organiser of their musical activities.

 As you can see, the families are all well, both Bob's and mine, and we try to keep in touch, either by phone or e-mail, Norman and I have been blessed with another year to enjoy our friendship and on that happy note I will close and wish you and yours a very happy, peaceful Festive season. 

 

All my love,

 

Gwen

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