From Melbourne (Mum) : 21st February 1982

From Melbourne

21.2.82

Dear Alan,

                                We have just had Lois come home for the weekend. The place is certainly different. She is living on the Stuart Highway about 35 from Mildura. The town where she is is almost nonexistent. Just a school, store, police that’s all. The school is air conditioned but the house she is staying with two others is not. About half the staff are new. They were sent as she was. It’s the only way to get staff. The only staff they keep are the ones who marry some—one in the district. The rest leave as soon as possible. She reckons she knows how you must feel but I think the conversation where you are now is a bit more than who is going to win the darts competition or who makes the best cakes in the district. The only thing they are really interested in is the price of wheat. They have got some good grass tennis courts where her house is but she hasn’t had time for a game yet.

                 Beverley is very pleased with herself. She got her driver’s license this week. Only lost ten points so she was very pleased. Everything went right this time.  So what does Pamela do? Pamela came home for lunch today and got Beverley to take her home.

                Beverley says she isn’t going to be Pamela’s chauffeur and Pamela should get her license. While everybody else drives her around she doesn’t see any need.

                I forgot whether I told you or not in my last letter but that lady from the church who went to South Africa came home last week. She didn’t like it and they couldn’t find a house.  That fits in with what I was reading this week. Although many people are leaving South Africa many more are coming in from al different countries. The article was really about the Polish people going to SA. It said the Polish people didn’t  like having to learnt Afrikaans. They didn’t mind learning English but they couldn’t see any use in learning to speak a language that is spoken by such a small number of people. Do people who want to be citizens of South Africa have to learn Afrikaans. They said a lot of Polish people had gone to SA but the writer wasn’t sure they would stay.

                Lois, who is he only one in the family who has ever done any tapestry, thought the tapestry you sent was very well done. Even Pamela liked it. I don’t take all that notice of all her grumblings. She couldn’t get leave to go to Kenya because of the library conference.

                Most teachers who graduated at the end of last year have not got jobs. Lois is one of the lucky or unlucky ones depending on how you look. Anne hasn’t heard anything and might not for several months

                Love from mum