Brisbane, QLD


Tuesday, February 24, 2015

PLAYING GROWN UPS


After we were married in May 1969, Bill found us a brand new apartment to rent, we actually had to wait until the building was finished. It was in Korobosea, a suburb of Port Moresby in P/NG. It was in a lovely position high up on a hill and close to the school where I worked.
The view from our front door and car park. We were very excited on moving in day and looked forward to playing grown ups in our very own brand new apartment. Luckily, the company Bill worked for paid the rent. We only had to pay for food, petrol and the 'haus boi'.

The 'haus boi' came every morning before we left for work and he would wash the car. After we went to work he would wash the dishes from the night before, wash the clothes and towels, clean the house and iron the clothes. When we came home all was clean and washed. It was a wonderful luxury. 

At work, Bill supervised and taught the local workers how to build a switchboard for an air-conditioning unit for a government building.

The apartment was three stories high.

The living room was on the ground floor. There was no TV or computers then. We used to read, listen to music and play games. Note the state of the art record player and tape recorder.

From the living room there were stairs going up to a mezzanine level to the kitchen. The apartment wasn't air conditioned so as you can see we didn't wear a lot of clothes. Bill wearing his lap lap.

 I wondered what was on the little sticker in the corner. I zoomed in and was a little surprised. It says "This way to the orgy." The picture on the floor is waiting to be hung.

Playing grown ups in the kitchen.

From the kitchen the stairs switch back to above the living room to the bedroom and ensuite. Like the kitchen there were no internal walls. It was open plan and quite modern for the times.

Sometimes we would go to the new public swimming pool to cool off. This day we were child minding for very good friends of ours, Joan and Norm. I taught with Joan and went on a holiday with her around Papua/New Guinea. We are still friends today and having lunch with them tomorrow.


Another day we were invited to watch the parliament sitting in the House of Assembly. In 1964 the first parliament was elected to self govern the Australian Territory of Papua/New Guinea. The Australians were teaching the 'Nationals' how to govern their country democratically. In 1975 the people of P/NG were given independence and started the National Parliament of P/NG. In 1984 they moved into a beautiful new building and this one has been demolished.

My brother worked in the House of Assembly as the Deputy Clerk of the house until 1975. (Circled in red)

My brother, David, 1969

24 comments:

  1. Diane, your first apartment looks nice.. I enjoyed reading more of your story about your new married life. Love the photos.. Have a happy day!

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  2. i love the one of you in the kitchen.. playing grown ups. lol.... and i want a house boy or house girl or house anyone that will wash the cars and clean the house.

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  3. That looks like a beautiful apartment and what a view ! A house boy is great especially when you are both working. I had (and still have) a cleaning woman, not the same of course ! These must have been wonderful years you spent in this country !

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  4. quite the nice apartment, i think, for a newly married couple! loved your striped shirts - almost matching. :)

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  5. Diane I love your post and very interesting piece of history

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  6. Oh the luxury of a haus boi. What a great snapshot of your early married life.

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  7. Oh I remember how I felt when I married Tim and had to be a grown up it was exciting and at times a little scary like when I had Kathy and became a mother. Your apartment looks nice

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  8. So good that you were into photography from the get-go ...

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  9. The first home is always so exciting. You feel truly grown up! Yours was lovely.

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  10. I really like your first home. It looks like a perfect setting for 'playing grownup'.

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  11. Your apartment and lifestyle were rather idyllic in many ways. A very special season in your life.

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  12. Not having to pay for your own accommodation was one of the benefits of PNG. It looks like you landed a nice one, unusual it being 3 levels. We never had a haus boi or girl ... there really was nothing for them to do.

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  13. So funny to see the old pictures! That lap lap of your hubby looks very "sexy" :)

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  14. You must have really been into photography to take all those photos of your new home. What memories they must bring back for you.

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  15. Like the look of your flat and great that the rent was paid for as well. Good memories in these photos but I am intrigued about the orgy! Yes the 'haus boi' is another thing we havei common, had those in Rhodesia as well. The one we had when we first got married was well past retirement age, handed on from my husbands boss, it used to take him all day to do 15 minutes ironing!! Keep well Diane

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  16. I still remember that feeling, that we were playing grown ups! It takes awhile before it seems real. Was nice of your friends to let you practice being parents. ;)))

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  17. This is another wonderful story of when you first got married. Great photos, a lovely treasury of early married life.

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  18. Diane, my blog reading has lagged recently but what fun Inhad this morning reading about you and Bill, the proposal, the new car, your wedding, and now your first apt together. Thanks for sharing more of your life story and the photos were a great accompaniement. I agree with some previous comments that a house person would be nice to have...especially someone who also washes the car! As for your comment that you spent time together because there were no computers...how wonderful that was in retrospect for a newly married couple.

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  19. I love the photos... I love the color of it.. black and white background :)
    Elisa Test Kits

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  20. Reading your story about starting out as a couple brings back my own memories of me and hubby first starting out. Such simpler times and look how far we've all come!
    Do you still play chess? I'm impressed. I do know hubby and I both used to read a whole lot more before computers.

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  21. I'm amazed that you took so many photos back then! A haus boi? WOW!

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  22. You took some wonderful photos of your new life together. We don't have very many! :-( You both look so happy!

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  23. I enjoyed seeing these photos of your early marriage, Diane! I was married at age 21 and I remember feeling I was such an old adult--lol!

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  24. My name is Nancy Simeon. I am an Historian at the National Museum and Art Gallery in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. I am interested and would like to ask permission to use this photo of the members of the House of Assembly for an exhibition that we are working on.

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