Here is a letter that summarizes the year just about to pass for me ... 7 December 2014 Dear Family and Friends, Where to begin? Perhaps with the end – of 2013 – and then the beginning of 2014. We did make jolly and joyous during December of the former and January of the latter. More fitting into the new spaces, imagining the right object to hang on a particular wall, shifting furniture to accommodate the space previously left empty … and there was plenty of walking the lanes and roads of Lonny as well as the beaches, rock pools and sand dunes. Visitors and family seemed to come and go with laughter and shouting filling the air, sometimes overwhelming the ships’ claxons warning the tiny fishing vessels to weigh anchor and free the channel for the bigger boats to churn their way out through the Rip. Lyn’s car was looking and behaving somewhat tired so she searched for a new chariot and negotiated a good deal that, due to dealership competition (among themselves), took several weeks to be completed. The Lonsdale Classic golf event was entered and completed with the same enthusiasm as it has been for the past two decades. The food, wine and other good cheer was superior to the quality of golf played by the host, if not the guests. We had many guests over the summer including some from interstate (Northern Territory) and overseas (UK). The deck and Adirondacks had a work out. Lucas continued his studies, having completed just yesterday, his third year post graduate medicine examinations. He has been residing in Casterton, a small western district town, where he has been ‘immersed’ in rural medical practice. Casterton is so small Lucas has traveled to and from other towns in the district to gain experience consulting, learning the knowledge and practicing the skills. He and Emily, who has been working at a girls school boarding house and studying (masters of finance) are off to Thailand in a few days to relax and recover from their arduous year. They will be back in time for a belated Christmas dinner with Kristian, Julianne, Lyn and me. Kristian and Julianne have been hard at work throughout the year with a few breaks to attend weddings and to travel. Kristian moved from his position with the ANZ bank to take up a position with Lululemon, the Canadian yoga/exercise clothing company. He has experienced a big work culture change and loving it, no longer wearing a suit to work but rather exercise gear – there is a gym in the office … There should be more time for life and leisure now that he has finished his MBA. Julianne continues to head the design group for the various Pacific Brands clothing range and has traveled overseas and interstate numerous times. They are both busy with their work, exercise: running, golf, swimming, surfing as well as their other pastimes. Lyn has been back on the tennis court competing in her usual intensive way. Passing shots down the ‘tramline’ are her special way of asserting her dominance over opponents. She exercised her more cultured side by organizing the Kooyong Country Ladies Tennis Day in aid of the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Lyceum Club drawing classes, the latter which she also attends. She has been sewing all sorts of items for a variety of reasons and people as well as continuing to have lunches, cups of tea and other functions with friends and former colleagues. Very busy girl! She has even fitted in consulting with schools to find staff and assist with their other educational needs. We both spent a huge amount of time preparing the Cornell Street home for sale as our major project for 2014. From the time we returned to Melbourne around the beginning of February until April, it was overtime preparation for the sale. We had the place in good order and looking attractive by April when we closed a deal. After a brief pause to toss down a few glasses of sparkling and a few of champagne as well, we began the search for somewhere to live. By late June we were looking as if we might be in the street when settlement was concluded, so we did what we always do when things get tough; we went to the beach. As it was the middle of winter, that meant the tropics, so Queensland, more specifically Noosa Heads. We had avoided Noosa in the past due to it being where the families of the students we taught went for their school vacations and the impromptu parent/teacher discussions that we had in the street or on the beach. Being not during school vacation time this year when we needed a break, we took the plunge and found that Noosa is about as close to paradise as we could go. We eventually found a property to buy – in Melbourne, after seriously searching up until August and we are now are immersed in another design, plan and build cycle – gluttons for punishment, eh? We were sad that the length of the sell/buy process caused us to miss a good friend’s significant (zero) birthday in Mexico. For my part I continued to tutor a few students who needed help and some who didn’t … I also filled in occasionally for absent teachers at Scotch College where I was asked to be a part of a panel of speakers to address some ‘big ideas’ to the Year 11s. I spoke on world population ... Golf has also occupied me somewhat with midweek games, a little caddying and occasionally playing well. My wine buff friends and I continued to enjoy tasting some trusted labels as well as some contenders for listing among the favorites. As my left knee cried out in agony while Lyn and I were in Paris at the end of 2013, I had arthroscopic surgery to remove the offending flotsam, detritus and other bodies. I have recuperated by having been back in the pool cranking off the laps both freestyling and walking IN – no messianic delusions – water. The most spectacularly mad thing that Lyn and I have done this year has been to accept a position as resident boarding house assistants in Arthur Robinson House at Scotch College. We have a one bedroom apartment and three meals per day as compensation for one week day each week and a one weekend day per month of duty. Yesterday was the last day of duty for the year and this week the boys go home for the summer. It has been fun. True! It is not, however, like the brief stint the I had as a student staffer in a dorm at Ball State back in 1970 … Today we drove down to Pt Lonsdale to ‘prep’ the house for the summer. Next week my high school friend, Paul Wood and his entourage arrive and we have planned a whirlwind tour of the south coast as well as Melbourne. I am looking forward to games of golf, the beach, swimming, friends, food and drink – the joys of summer. Lyn and I wish you and yours all the very best for your end of year and the New Year, too. As ever, Ken, Kenny, Buckwheat, Wheatus, Zack PS The dog, Holi, has been lodging with Kristian and Julianne where she has been learning to be far more self-disciplined … She had her first sleepover at the boarding house earlier this month …
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 23:42:48 +0000
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