Melbourne
14.12.81
Dear Alan,
It was
good to hear you speaking on the telephone on Saturday. Pamela found your books
yesterday. The postal strike looks like it will be over tomorrow but we have
been asked not to post anything more for a few days so they can get rid of the
backlog. We will see what we can do about a passport.
I am
writing this letter at Anna’s place. She and Gary have gone out to a Christmas
party and I am minding their three children. They all went to bed fairly easily
just in time for me to watch a queer film on the TV. You might have read about
it. It is called Rhinoceros written by Eugene. I suppose it has some meaning
with all the people turning into rhinoceroses I couldn’t understand it but I
had to keep watching.
You
certainly are making the most of your time there. It would be wonderful to see
th Victoria Falls. You never know one day I may be able to travel and see some
of the world but I will have to wait until dad stops working.
Last
Saturday night we went to a social at the church and I was talking to Mrs E a
Dutch lady who has gone to the church eversince
the church has been in St Albans. She was sad because her daughter just the
week before had left with her husband and three children to live in Durban. Her
daughter’s husband was an immigrant from South Africa and never became
naturalized. He was a train driver and was in an accident and cannot work
again. He suffered physically and mentally. All he wanted to do was to go back
to the country he knew. She has heard that they have arrived in Durban. He was
an Afrikaaner from the country outside Durban. Mrs E is worried about how her
daughter and grandchildren who have lived all their life in St Albans are going
to fit in. I think they find it difficult and she has enough trouble with her
husband as it is.
Beverley
took the day off work today and enrolled in a course at Monash. I am not sure
what subjects she is doing but two are Politics and Economics. Lois is helping
dad this week delivering parcels but she has to use Ray’s car. I think I told
you on the phone that Lois was in an accident in the Mini. It was squashed
between two cars so that the front and back are both damaged badly. Lois just
got bruised she was very lucky. If there hadn’t have been a postal strike she
wouldn’t have been there. She had been to Rusden to get a copy of her results
to put in an application to the education department. After she had been to
hospital to make sure she didn’t have any damage she did get her results to the
Education Office. She said she was the first to get an application in for a
home economics teacher. Whether that will help her to get a job I don’t know.
Ray is
coming to our place for Christmas dinner and then going to Shareen’s for tea.
Pamela Lois and Beverley will all be home for Christmas day but then they will
all going away for a few days.
Dad and
I will go to Trentham for a few days. Not to work but to walk in the bush. It
want be quite the same as the bush you walk in and the largest animal is only a
kangaroo but I do enjoy the smell of walking in an eucalyptus forest. I have
heard that there are lots of wattles and eucalypts planted in South Africa Have
you seen many?
But I would like to spend some days of the holidays fixing
up the front bedroom so that we can sleep in there. Pamela has almost shifted
all her stuff into her flat. I thought I would put wall paper on the wall for a
change. When we shift out of the back bedroom we will make it into a spare for
who-ever is home at the time. You never know Lois might have to go the country
next year and then we will have two spare rooms. Actually Lois is home so
little it will make not much difference if she lives away altogether.
Last
week we finally got a colored TV. But there is nothing to watch. Almost all the
programs except the American plays being shown on a Monday night are repeats.
Sorry I forgot there was a test match on this weekend which I think the
Pakistanis are going to win easily. At the jewelers where Beverley works there
is a cup with an inscription on it to be given to Lillee if he took 3 wickets
because that breaks a record. But he hasn’t taken one so they will have to wait
until the next test.
You are
being spoilt having most of your house work and meals cooked for you. I know
you have to pay for it but it does give you much more leisure time so that you can
enjoy yourself. I thought you were working hard during the day and then having
to look after yourself. The reality is much better. I thought by the time I had
written four pages Anna and Gary would be home. It’s after 1 o’clock. I hope
they are here soon because I have got our kindergarten Christmas parties
tomorrow and it will be hectic. We will
be thinking of you on Christmas day I hope you have a good day.
Love
from
Mum
Anna’s
just coming in now.
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