well now that its been a few weeks its a little hard to try and sum up
the Spain trip in just a few words.
on the second day I got news from oldman that grandma had died that
day. for me it was weird being away from home for something like that.
It was strange to be on holidays in Spain knowing my parents were busy
making funeral arrangements. (I'll attach dad's eulogy for those who
would like to read it.)
So, apart from being thrown a bit off kilter by that, Spain was
amazing. The beer was cheap, the other inhabitants of the hostel were
a great and it was an amazing festival.
More to come soon.
2 comments:
Hey Will! It's Chris here, from Valencia. I lost your email address but was lucky enough to remember your website's name. Anyway, let me know what your email is and I will get those photos from the Fallas to you ASAP. However, you need to send me some photos of the four of you. I didnt get any pics of you guys, and I am trying to get photos of everyone I hung out with on my trip.
Cheers!
SLOWLY
Thanks Mum
Mum was born Margaret Mabel Climas in Bendigo in 1916, nearly 100 years ago when Bendigo was the centre of a gold mining boom.
Mum talked about being able to recognise each mine’s starting whistle and the stomping of the batteries was a constant reminder of the wealth being sweated from under the ground.
Mums father died when she was 18 months old, leaving her mother with two sons Hedley, Henry and Mum.
These were hard times and Mums upbringing meant there were few luxuries and every penny was valued.
Mum went to the local Sunday school and primary schools where she won book prizes, many of which became our introduction to to the world of reading through authors such as Ethel Turner; books that were in the family library stored in the “glory box”.
Mum signed “The Pledge”; the Rachabites vow not to drink alcohol, a reaction to the drunkenness and family trauma excessive drinking brought about in the minefields. Mum kept this pledge all her life.
Mum went to business school in Bendigo and worked in solicitors’ offices and the Country Roads Board, a stronghold of the Masons and Catholics. Many of her life long friends were made in these offices in Bendigo, including her best friend Wep who was responsible for introducing Mum and Dad at “The Bungalow’ guest house at Mt Macedon. We will be spreading Mum and Dad’s ashes together at Macedon.
Mum was a keen tennis player in her young days and she was keen that Nola and I learnt when we were young, a game that gave me skills and self esteem at school and still gives me pleasure every Monday night with the “Over the Hill Tennis Club”. Meagie has carried on the tennis bug in Nola’s family, thanks Mum.
With every penny spoken for in her young life Mum instilled in us a strong sense of “look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”. These were times when there were no credit cards and the bank manager was only one rung below god. If you wanted to buy something, you had to save for it and pay cash.
Mum was the saver and investor in the family and her experience of fortunes made and lost in Bendigo gave her a strong appreciation of solid, conservative saving, a lesson that I have benefited from. It was Mums astuteness and investments that ensured that their life in retirement was comfortable and prepared for.
Mum was before her time in many ways; her generation were great recyclers; plastic and paper bags, string, newspapers for the Scouts to turn into fish and chip wrapping, repairing clothes, darning etc. Mum did little to add to Melbourne’s air pollution, walking or catching public transport to do shopping or for the big expedition to the City, where a meal at Naytura or Myers cafeteria was a highlight of school holidays. She sold her shares in Foys to buy her first car in the sixties when she was in her mid forties.
It was Mum who introduced the family dog to us. Her love of her fox terrier Ginger as a companion for her and her mother meant that we had Cinders, the patient fox terrier that was shown, dressed up, chased down the street and walked on beaches. Both Nola and I have seen dogs as part of our own families because of our family dog experience with Mum and Dad.
We who have been so privileged in our upbringing cant really appreciate what is was to have so little extra spare money for special occasions, particularly food. So when they could eventually afford some luxuries, times like Christmas or visits from the Preston Girls were special events. The Preston Girls were a group of women who were interconnected through families and their work. Their rotational visits were time for ‘
“high teas”. Mum seemed to be baking for a week beforehand and we always had some of the spoils; cream puffs, éclairs and “match sicks” I remember.
Mums cooking reflected the changes in Australian cuisine as ingredients became available, meat and three veg gradually changed as new ingredients and cooking styles became more available, starting with spag bol and curried sausages. Some of my memories of Mums specials were Chicken Maryland, Cornish pasties (part of her Cornish heritage), home made ice-cream, chips made with the chip cutter, donuts, pavs, trifles, not to mention all the jams marmalades and preserves for which she was famous. Thanks Mum for feeding us so well.
Mum and Dad were typical of their generation in trying to provide for their family the opportunities they didn’t have for themselves; education, music lessons, holidays and travel, home facilities and with lots of love, despite the odd chase to the woodshed roof with the wooden spoon. Thanks Mum
Norman Street was always Home no matter how late I crept in at night or how long I’d been away. We always felt that we could bring anyone home and friends were always welcome. We arrived back from England with a baby and a four year old and invaded their retirement peace. She also supported Dad so much, working the long hours he did, there was always a meal on the saucepan ready for him.
Thanks Mum for making a home for us.
Mum always put other people before herself; sometimes I’m sure to her own detriment. She worked hard for the Kingston Aged Care Auxiliary as treasurer, raising funds for people in a condition that I’m sure she hoped she’d never be in herself, being cared for by others.
At this point we would like thank all the people who looked after Mum both at home and at Waverley Valley. Your loving care and attention was greatly appreciated by both Mum and our families.
Along with her jams and preserves, another of Mum’s home making skills was knitting, everyone at some stage had a jumper knitted by Mabel.
Above all, Mum provided us with an unselfish and loving home from a lovely lady who put others first, was so stoical and never wanted a fuss, but today we do need to make a fuss to celebrate her long life and thank her for all she did for us all.
We asked Mum what music she would like at her funeral and stoical and practical as ever she said “Hip Hip Hooray”. I don’t know that one but we thought that 3 cheers might be pretty close so I’d ask you to give 3 cheers for a lovely lady, our mother, grandmother and auntie Mabel. Hip Hip hooray
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