Newsletter 2016

Have a jolly-good Christmas, and another resolution-filled new year.
We hope to see you all again soon.
 

Watson ACT 2602
December 2016

Hello again “from us”,

Greetings at the end of another year of mixed fortunes …


Yes – another birth – little Rohan was born to Alycia and Adrian on 11th February, doing well, and now already aged ten months! 
 
And, sadly, we’ve had the death of our Auntie Sheila, sister to our mother Pauline and their other sister Elsa, and the last of that generation in this part of the family tree. 


We were pleased to be part of my sister Kathy’s birthday party at Glenbrook last month, a most joyful occasion, with a great range of ages represented.  Kathy and Bob’s garden was ideal for the occasion, with plenty of exciting jungle paths for exploration by little people.  It was also something of a reunion of the family who gathered last year celebrating the 100th birthday of our father.  Mum would have been 96 this year.  I marvel at people having parents of this age still alive, while we lost our mum 41 years ago!

Karen and Wade and Jack (4.5) and Zoe (2) (Kennedy) had another big year at Forresters Beach, with the two children growing impressively, and Mum and Dad quite busy with it all.  Zoe is a bouncing two-year-old, very mobile, and vigorous.  Although always interested in what Big bro Jack is up to, she’s developing a will of her own, and has a well-defined personality.  Sadly, she has been afflicted by ear infections, which we hope and trust will be much improved by her “grommet therapy”.  The childcare centre has worked well for Zoe and Jack, providing contact with friends, learning opportunities and ability for Karen to return to work four days per week.

Jack has delighted in his new sister, proudly showing her off at every opportunity, and leading her in various activities.  He suffered a fractured arm in falling, but did well with his plaster and sling for several weeks, and has recovered well.  He’s back into gym and swimming lessons, and looking forward to starting pre-school twice a week next year!

Wade is working at an aged-care centre at Normanhurst, 50 minutes or so drive from home.  His early schedule of hours avoids most of the traffic, and provides quite good opportunity for child care at times when Karen is working.  He enjoys the company of his bro Glenn and mates, and a regular spot of golf. 

Karen still works with the Deaf Society in Gosford, and quite enjoys visiting clients and employers etc in Newcastle and district.  Her hours are somewhat flexible, allowing for some work from home and intrusion by “domestic events”.  She has completed a six-weekend course in Auslan (signing for the deaf), and is labouring through TAFE courses in Management and Human Resource Management.  Karen enjoys her exertions at the Gym, successful participation with friends in fun runs, and activities with their children and friends.  She has good friends in Canberra, an attraction for her visits here!

Adrian and Alycia and Lily(5) started the year with gusto, giving birth to their lovely new baby son Rohan.  Lily was a little disappointed that the newborn babe was not delivered as a ready-to-go playmate, but has since come to terms with the timescale required and some of the compromises entailed as a no-longer-only child.  She proudly refers to “my baby”, and plays with him at a suitable level.  On our last visit to Phillip Isl, we were looking around for the little baby that we had known before, but were confronted by a vigorous little boy! 

Congratulations to the proud parents, and thank you to Alycia’s mum and dad, who have been a big help in babysitting over the last few years.  Jeanne and I regret that we are too remote to play much of a part in this.

Lily is approaching a milestone, starting Kinder next year, and looks splendid in her new uniform!  She’s conducted preliminary inspections of the school, to meet the people and develop and idea of what’s in store.  She is an advanced speaker and reader, and seems eager to get started!  Her two teacher-parents should be able to supply quality support as she engages with the new environment.  Lily gets on well with her cousins Eloura and Jazzie from Brighton and Jack and Zoe at Forresters Beach, but it’s a pity that she cannot see more of them.

Alycia has been away from full-time teaching for the year, planning to resume next year.  Adrian divides his time among the Community Garden and Orchard, driving and teaching disabled people, Council sustainability projects, and – ah yes, household and family priorities.  It’s always exciting for us when we visit Phillip Island, to see what has changed on their property and in the various projects, not to mention the marvellous growing-up of Lily and (former baby) Rohan!

 

Chris & Claire, Eloura(5) and Jasmin(3) enjoy their life at Brighton in Melbourne, close to Chris’s work at the Montessori School.  He has taken the high school onto Year-8; a huge responsibility in a small school, with changing staff, new curriculum, complex engagement with management, staff, students, parents School Board and Government authorities.  Some of his students have special needs requiring individual attention, and he does a great deal of after hours work for the school.   
Claire works in teaching singing and performance arts in schools etc, and in administration for their extraordinary partnership enterprise “The Dreaming Space” (See it on-line!).  Her “Terrific Toohills” family celebrated another wedding last month: youngest sis Karen has tied the knot!  As usual, Claire and Chris took a dynamic role in the revelries.

Eloura is starting school next year, now eagerly assembling her starting-school kit and caboodle. She’s enjoyed a range of child-care / early learning arrangements, and is well socialised.  She loves her little sis, who clearly has a will of her own.  

 

Mum ‘n Dad maintain a semblance of mainstream-style life at Watson in Canberra (now 16    years).  We maintain our elderly property with its elderly goldfish and elderly old dog and rampant garden – after a fashion.  We don’t seem to have a lot of discretionary time, within the framework of our professional lives, family, social and community activities.   Apart from individual interests, we share engagement in our church life, the Jung Society, General Semantics and shared friendships.

Our scattered progeny have not decided to return to the nest, so we spend time on the Hume Highway to Central Coast, Phillip Island and Brighton.  We are grateful that they make a big effort to visit us occasionally, separately or together, so it is our great joy to see the little cousins together when they come to visit in various combinations.  While they’re willing to do that, we’re not inclined to downsize to a “Ma and Pa Kettle retirement home” 

Jeanne’s brother Frank has restricted mobility, so we see him in Sydney, as well as our GS friends at Bonnet Bay, Phil and Lyn in Paddington, and my sister Kathy et al in Glenbrook. 

We’re hoping to undertake more travels next year, particularly now that my mobility is much improved (see below).  We would like to follow-up family and friends in the UK, and I think that there may be one or two sights in Europe that we haven’t seen …  

Jeanne works most school days on a relief basis, booked in advance or called on
the day to teach preschool to year-6 classes, including a range of special-needs and English-as-second-language students.  This is mostly agreeable work, as it does not require additional efforts such as writing reports, but it does have its special stresses and challenges.

She continues participating in teaching-oriented professional development courses, along with activities in music, art and yoga.  These engagements all have a social component, maintaining strong connections with people sharing common interests. 

Jeanne’s cataract surgery (one eye) has gone well, providing a new view of reality.  The other eye is to be “done” in due course.

 

Our three children and six g’chn. keep us occupied with visits up and down the Hume Highway, birthday celebrations, emails, phone calls, and Skyping.  Jeanne’s burgeoning skills in texting have opened new social media frontiers for her, requiring ever-increasing bandwidth.   We appreciate the efforts of our families in travelling so far to visit us, including little Rohan, just a few months old, all the way from Phillip Island! It’s a great delight to be a part of their lives. 

 

 

Robert bumbles on with family, friends community and professional life.  My TKR (total knee replacement) has gone well, and it’s “all titanium and Teflon” in there now.  I was most grateful for the great support of the Notional Taxpayer, medical staff, family and friends.  The procedure is not something I’d recommend lightly, but it’s been a good outcome, and I was then able to out-walk Bibs in her decrepitude.   No-one knows how long these things will last, so if it fails in another 20 years, I’ll consider the matter then.

I still take the Queen’s shilling for my work at DFAT.  For my six-weeks off for TKR (as above), I asked Foreign Minister Bishop to mind DFAT and the world during my absence, but was dismayed by daily reports of Brexit, Trump, Aleppo and such obscenities.  I’m not sure how long it will take me to get the house in order, but I always look for something positive to focus on.

I remain active in the Canberra Interfaith Forum, Grevillea Park Landcare, Prisoners Aid Soc. and various social justice activities.  Each day provides reasons to be grateful for where we are, what we have and the value of our family and friends. 

 

Bibs, sadly, is no more.  Following her long life with us as a wonderful family pet, she declined rapidly with arthritis, cancer and pneumonia, and the Vet advised us that it was time for her to go to Heaven.

Now she’s buried in the back garden alongside her predecessor Sootie.  We miss her friendly welcome for each homecoming, her companionship around the house and on walks to the shop, and her coming into our bedroom for a pat in the mornings.


I used to resolve questions of great moment in discussions with Bibs on my nightly perambulations, but now I just mumble to myself, and it’s not the same at all.  So Bibs has wished you all for the last time, a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year.

 

We hope to see you all again soon.
Namaste, from
Jeanne and Robert James and our expanding family!

And a special “Merry Christmas” from the two proud “Starting School” cousins Eloura and Lily, and Jack, who’s not quite ready for school yet).

 

 

 

 

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