From Melbourne 7.5.86

From Melbourne

7.5.86

Dear Alan,

                Definitely not rising at 4:00 am to run but I have re-commenced playing hockey after a break of four years. It tells too! So far have played two matches and attended one training. My goodness has the body been jolted. Years of –shall we say – ‘student living’ do not a fit person make.

                I had never run onto a hockey field, so unfit, as I did last Saturday.

                How is ‘fatherdom’ going? Pam was born with hair and nails. Is Stacey then a Carlton or a Neyland or whatever? I wish to goodness I could see her.

                 Life bumbles along in good ol’ Melbourne. Still at Lonsdale, still hating it.  One (major) compensation is that Richard (of the naval type) and I are very happy and all that entails.

                Mum, dad and I a few weeks ago went up to Rockbank, looked at a fuzzy in the sky called Haley’s Comet and drove back home. That’s that. Mum talked incessantly, it was cold and standing on the edge of a main road which had headlights passing every few minutes did not make for an viewing. Memorable though!

                I think that you are not for the Navy but then I could be wrong!

                The parks are good and of course if you like the sea…

                It is a real Autumn day today. Cold frosty morning followed by a sunny, still and biting day.

                Hockey training tonight – I think we will be able to see our breathes. I’m playing for Essendon, the same club as Lois.

                At my ‘work’ desk the Quartermaster sits back, smokes his rollies and goodness literally never stops talking. Gossips , they all (like anyone else I suppose) bitch about others. Yet here I hear both sides!

                It’s taken me three hours to write the above. But then again I should be working in the first place.

                Only ever changed a baby’s nappy once and dry retched all the way through.

                I have short hair now. As short as you have never seen it.  And it’s okay.

                The relief quartermaster says goo’day. He’s a jolly chap – more pleasant than this morning’s. Telling me about seeing his thirteen year old son the other night. The last time he saw him he was only crawling.  It appears sailors are really soft after all.

                Hope you are all well.

                                                Love from Bev

PS Happy one month birthday to Stacey.