From Melbourne
20.5.93
Dear Alan,
Your
letter arrived this week. What an experience you are having. I am not sure
whether it is good or bad but it is certainly different from a lot of young
dentists here who might have god equipment & plenty of water but not many
patients. The older more established dentists seem to be doing very well. But
one day they will be too old to keep going.
It
was a coincidence but we g got your letter one day and on the next night on the
news there was an item on South Africa. It showed how bad the drought was and
then went to hospital in a homeland (this one in Transvaal) where there so many
children sick often from malnutrition that most of the cots had three children
in them. The commentary implied that all this sickness and lack of facilities
in the hospital was caused by the drought. It didn’t say – but I wonder if the
white children are filling up their hospital because of the drought.
You
say the conditions are very bad and I know the Government should supply
everything but sometimes they are not interested. I wonder if we could buy some
things you need there and end them over to you Think about it and see if there
is anyway we could help.
I
have seen two other items from South Africa lately. One was a program on
Proteas. It was filmed in hilly country but I don’t know where. The other
program was about a rock or pop group that has black and white performers. They
are going to London but this was a film of them performing in South Africa. It
was a bit wild much more than is usual on Countdown. I didn’t catch their name
and I don’t know whether their sort of act is common in Sth Africa or they were
on the news because they were so uncommon.
We
were a bit late but on Tuesday night we went out to tea for Dad’s birthday. It
was the first chance we could get together. We went to a steak house. It is
supposed to be best in Victoria and supposed to be the best in Aust. All they
have is steaks. One table next to us had 3 Japanese business men and one Aust
and another table near us had a group of American business men. I suppose you
would say it was a man’s restaurant but I noticed that Bev, Lois and Pamela
didn’t leave one small piece of meat on their plates. I think that Dad enjoyed
the tea but the next couple of nights we had vegetarian meals. You can only eat
so much steak.
I
am not sure whether I mentioned it before but Beverley has a boyfriend who
comes from Canberra. This weekend she is going up there. He is quite but seems
good for Beverley. She comes home most weekends.
Lois
and Ken have spent the last two week (the school holidays) cleaning up the old
house they have bought in Moonie Ponds. The house is 97 years old and there was
97 years of junk and sheds etc. in the back yard. Everynight Lois has come home
filthy and tired but most of the cleaning up should be finished before the end
of the holidays.
Pamela
is going on a holiday to Canada in October with her friend Clare. She just rang
this morning to say the latest of Andre Brink’s books has just arrived at the
library and I do I want to read it. Have you had a chance to read any of his
books. I’d like to know what you think of them. They make very good reading.
The
drought has certainly broken in Eastern Australia in the last few weeks there
have been local floods. Last Saturday some friends from the church – Ralph, the
Costas, Rowbottoms @ Whitley came up to Trentham to help us replant trees where
they were burnt out. It rained the whole day. We all wrapped ourselves up and
planted 80 trees. We were muddy and wet but I think everyone enjoyed themselves
with the heaters on inside we soon dried dried out. Max Costa fixed a fence but
it was too heavy (the rain) to fix it all.
Anne
came one night to see Dad for his birthday. She seems to be getting on alright.
Benjamin was there he is a friendly little boy. It is a pity we don’t see more
of him.
I
didn’t do all the things that I wanted to in the holidays but I did get new
curtains made for the lounge and dining room. It took me several days to buy
the trees and guards & sticks etc. necessary for Trentham but it was worth it
to get all those trees planted. I just hope nothing happens to this lot.
Don’t
forget what I said at the beginning of the letter if there is any way we can
help from here let us know and we will do it.
Love
from Mum and the rest of the family
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