Monday, July 10, 2006
Like, what’s happening, man?
Now, where was I before this World Cup interrupted my life. Oh, that’s right – the reunion.
Do you ever find that there just never seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything you want to do? As a kid I recall that time seemed to drag on into the distance. But, once you crack 50 it’s like you’ve joined life’s bobsleigh team, and you’re hurtling downhill and can’t find the bloody handbrake. Anyway, no time for introspection, let’s get to the “goss” update.
Jean Ide emailed to say that she had found that Colin and Carol Francis were on the 2005 electoral roll as living at 8582 Paeroa Kopu Road, Puriri, Coromandel in New Zealand and that she had written to them at that address. In a later email Jean said:
“No luck with Colin and Carol Francis - letter returned from their 2005 Electoral Roll address. Only possibility now is that when the new 2006 E/Roll books come out later in the year they may be in one of them - when people move their redirections are automatically sent to the electoral office for them to update records so hopefully if they have 'retired' in NZ they may be traced later.”
As far as Don Clark and Paul Foster are concerned Jean wrote:
“No word from the Clark connection in Masterton so far. Tried to work out Paul's second name as far easier to trace that way but unfortunately there were several born in the Wairarapa/Palmerston North/Wellington region - is there any possibility of someone having his second name?”
And added in a later email:
“Nowt back from Don Clark contact in Wairarapa, nor Paul Foster so it may appear to be a dead end with them.”
Jean had better luck in finding Rae (Lancaster) Drake as you may have read in the “comments” section to the June 9 post.
Rae and husband Bruce have recently been in Melbourne on business and we managed to arrange a mini-reunion last Sunday - July 2. Rae is terrific. Has not changed a bit. The conversation was along the lines of…..“as I was saying 35 years ago!” It certainly whet the appetite for the big reunion next year. Bruce is an aircraft engineer, who is battling his way through the bureaucratic nightmare of the paperwork involved with registering a new ultralight aircraft in Oz.
While on the subject of “The Date”, I rang the Melbourne Grand Prix office this week and they told me that the Melbourne race is provisionally set for the first or second weekend in March but that will not be confirmed until October. I’m thinking that the weekend after the Grand Prix would be an ideal date. That would make it March 10-11 or March 17-18. Any “petrolheads” amongst you, or anyone who wants to loosen the wax in their ears, can front up a week earlier and watch the procession around Albert Park. If you ask John or Sandy nicely, they might be able to arrange a view of the Grand Prix from a sailing boat on Albert Park Lake while the race is on.
Jennie Lee has been very extremely busy. On June 9 she wrote to say:
“I am trying to find Mike Jackson and have sent out a few emails looking for him.
I have always been in touch with Sarita, and she is coming to stay for a few days soon. She is following up with Alfi so hope to get her involved too.”
And a couple of days later:
“I have just spoken with Mike Jackson. He is living in NSW.”
Jennie included Mike’s email address, and I wrote to him, but have not yet heard back from him.
I had another email from Jennie on June 20:
“I am including Nereda Denington's email address.
Nereda was on the trip in the very begining. She went from London to Germany.
Nereda lives in Brisbane and we have kept in touch all the time.”
On June 29 Ned (Nereda) emailed me to say:
“I was involved very, very early in the trip travelling from London to Venice, from whence I had to fly home. I still stay in touch with Sandy and John, and of course Jennie, and know most of the people involved from the beginning of the trip. I had a little to do with the tour insignia/design on the buses, as Graham was a friend of mine in London. Also I was in Brisbane when they passed thru here and we put them up for a few nights.”
On June 26, Sandy had an email from Heather Dowling (Gillespie) in South Australia which said in part:
“Thanks for your letter about the reunion. I’d love to come, and usually arrange some leave around March each year, so it might fit nicely.
All the best. Hoppy”
I’ve also received emails from Bernard Fisher in Perth and Noel Maclachlan (Huntley) in Sydney. Both are very interested in the reunion. Apologies if I haven’t responded to your particular email.
Margaret is trying to track down Barb Rosa (Cooper) who we misplaced a few years ago in Melbourne.
Note to Lou, presuming you are reading this blog:
Any chance that you and Peter Ide could write an account of your journey from England to South Africa. (ie. before we met up in Jo’burg.) Would like some pictures to go with it, and will publish here. I would appreciate your thoughts, Lou. Drop me an email.
I would like to put together a list of people who have been contacted and their intentions as to the reunion. Could you email me as to how you see your situation, assuming that March 10-11 or 17-18 is the date. We may need to work out if it's necessary to hire a couple of marquees to accommodate everyone. I’m sure you would all look forward spending some more time under canvas!
This post has now dragged on for three days. Time to publish.
Do you ever find that there just never seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything you want to do? As a kid I recall that time seemed to drag on into the distance. But, once you crack 50 it’s like you’ve joined life’s bobsleigh team, and you’re hurtling downhill and can’t find the bloody handbrake. Anyway, no time for introspection, let’s get to the “goss” update.
Jean Ide emailed to say that she had found that Colin and Carol Francis were on the 2005 electoral roll as living at 8582 Paeroa Kopu Road, Puriri, Coromandel in New Zealand and that she had written to them at that address. In a later email Jean said:
“No luck with Colin and Carol Francis - letter returned from their 2005 Electoral Roll address. Only possibility now is that when the new 2006 E/Roll books come out later in the year they may be in one of them - when people move their redirections are automatically sent to the electoral office for them to update records so hopefully if they have 'retired' in NZ they may be traced later.”
As far as Don Clark and Paul Foster are concerned Jean wrote:
“No word from the Clark connection in Masterton so far. Tried to work out Paul's second name as far easier to trace that way but unfortunately there were several born in the Wairarapa/Palmerston North/Wellington region - is there any possibility of someone having his second name?”
And added in a later email:
“Nowt back from Don Clark contact in Wairarapa, nor Paul Foster so it may appear to be a dead end with them.”
Jean had better luck in finding Rae (Lancaster) Drake as you may have read in the “comments” section to the June 9 post.
Rae and husband Bruce have recently been in Melbourne on business and we managed to arrange a mini-reunion last Sunday - July 2. Rae is terrific. Has not changed a bit. The conversation was along the lines of…..“as I was saying 35 years ago!” It certainly whet the appetite for the big reunion next year. Bruce is an aircraft engineer, who is battling his way through the bureaucratic nightmare of the paperwork involved with registering a new ultralight aircraft in Oz.
While on the subject of “The Date”, I rang the Melbourne Grand Prix office this week and they told me that the Melbourne race is provisionally set for the first or second weekend in March but that will not be confirmed until October. I’m thinking that the weekend after the Grand Prix would be an ideal date. That would make it March 10-11 or March 17-18. Any “petrolheads” amongst you, or anyone who wants to loosen the wax in their ears, can front up a week earlier and watch the procession around Albert Park. If you ask John or Sandy nicely, they might be able to arrange a view of the Grand Prix from a sailing boat on Albert Park Lake while the race is on.
Jennie Lee has been very extremely busy. On June 9 she wrote to say:
“I am trying to find Mike Jackson and have sent out a few emails looking for him.
I have always been in touch with Sarita, and she is coming to stay for a few days soon. She is following up with Alfi so hope to get her involved too.”
And a couple of days later:
“I have just spoken with Mike Jackson. He is living in NSW.”
Jennie included Mike’s email address, and I wrote to him, but have not yet heard back from him.
I had another email from Jennie on June 20:
“I am including Nereda Denington's email address.
Nereda was on the trip in the very begining. She went from London to Germany.
Nereda lives in Brisbane and we have kept in touch all the time.”
On June 29 Ned (Nereda) emailed me to say:
“I was involved very, very early in the trip travelling from London to Venice, from whence I had to fly home. I still stay in touch with Sandy and John, and of course Jennie, and know most of the people involved from the beginning of the trip. I had a little to do with the tour insignia/design on the buses, as Graham was a friend of mine in London. Also I was in Brisbane when they passed thru here and we put them up for a few nights.”
On June 26, Sandy had an email from Heather Dowling (Gillespie) in South Australia which said in part:
“Thanks for your letter about the reunion. I’d love to come, and usually arrange some leave around March each year, so it might fit nicely.
All the best. Hoppy”
I’ve also received emails from Bernard Fisher in Perth and Noel Maclachlan (Huntley) in Sydney. Both are very interested in the reunion. Apologies if I haven’t responded to your particular email.
Margaret is trying to track down Barb Rosa (Cooper) who we misplaced a few years ago in Melbourne.
Note to Lou, presuming you are reading this blog:
Any chance that you and Peter Ide could write an account of your journey from England to South Africa. (ie. before we met up in Jo’burg.) Would like some pictures to go with it, and will publish here. I would appreciate your thoughts, Lou. Drop me an email.
I would like to put together a list of people who have been contacted and their intentions as to the reunion. Could you email me as to how you see your situation, assuming that March 10-11 or 17-18 is the date. We may need to work out if it's necessary to hire a couple of marquees to accommodate everyone. I’m sure you would all look forward spending some more time under canvas!
This post has now dragged on for three days. Time to publish.
# posted by Brutus : 1:59 PM
