THE FOREST ANIMALS ARE THIRSTY AND HUNGRY

We haven't had rain for months. The forest grass is dying and the creeks are drying up. The wallabies are coming into the suburbs to find water and green grass. Here are a few in the dry forest.

The bird is trying to get water from the tap.

Just a little water left in this creek.

FUN IN THE SUN IN 1978

My Story continued:

Mum , Dad and Aunty Ada came to Brisbane for a holiday and to spend time with us. One day we went to Sea world on the Gold Coast. Another time we went to the Sunshine Coast. We took a tour to The Coloured Sands on Rainbow Beach. We visited the Bottle house made of bottles. We played on Noosa Beach and visited the Big Pineapple amusement park.

Sea world

We took a tour along the beach to the
 coloured sands

 Exploring the coloured sands.

The Cherry Venture was washed up onto the beach
during a storm.

Noosa

Fun at the Big Pineapple

Look how pineapples grow.

Fun at the bottle house

Sonya

BUSH FIRES RAGE IN QUEENSLAND AND NSW

It is not even summer yet and hundreds of bush fires are burning in Queensland and NSW. The forests and grasslands are so dry from lack of rain and there are strong winds pushing the fires into residential areas. Many homes and a forest resort have been burnt down.

It is a bit of a worry living right next door to a forest. Luckily, we are safe at the moment but the north coast and the south coast hinterland are burning. Many homes have been lost at Perigean Beach where we have often spent holidays on the Sunshine Coast just north of Brisbane.

Photos by John McCutcheon from the Sunshine Coast Daily.

Trying to save houses at Perigean Beach.

LAST DAYS OF WINTER

Every August/Sept, my friends, Ann and George, hire a holiday apartment at Rainbow Bay on the Gold Coast for six or seven weeks. During that time they organise a reunion of staff from Kuraby School from the nineties. They prepare a delicious seafood buffet for lunch including oysters, prawns, bugs and crabs together with a salad and a fruit salad and ice cream dessert. I forgot to take a group photo. I was too busy lazing in the sun and feeding my face. 

Beautiful last days of winter.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS 1978

My Story Continued:

By 1978 Bill had recovered his health and was learning to live with Sarcoidosis of the brain membrane. He has to take prednisone for  the rest of his life. He worked around the house most weekends. He built a brick BBQ, a patio and pergola and a timber shed.

He also built the girls a double bunk.

Daddy's girls

Our neighbours, a few houses down the street had two children a similar age, Adam and Joanne. They were good playmates and their mum often looked after our girls, especially when Bill was in hospital.

VILLAGE DINNER INDIAN STYLE

Every month managing director, Chiou See and her staff organise a special dinner for the residents of our retirement village. In August the dinner was an Indian Theme. Chiou See organised a guest speaker, Manju Jehu, who is an Indian migrant, and a Radio personality.

 She told us her life story and showed us how to wear a sari. She dressed Chiou See and Dana, one of the office staff. She also dressed one of the residents, Noni, and donated the dress to her.

Chiou See likes to arrange who we sit with so that we get to know all the people in the village but you can also ask to be sat with friends if you want to. This night my friend, Dot, asked for us to be at her table as she had invited her brother, who was staying with her from north Queensland.

Dot and I have known each other a long time. We were in beds next to each other when we were recovering from giving birth to our eldest daughters. We have kept in touch over the years and it is great that she lives in the same village as us.

 We have the choice between mild and moderately hot meals of chicken or pork. I chose the pork with vegetable dahl, rice and papadums.

Our residents' chairman, Ian, is thanking the visiting chefs and the high school catering students and teachers for making the night a success.

We had a good time.

CAROL-ANN STARTS SCHOOL

My Story Continued:

In Jan 1978 Carol-Ann was five and would be turning six in June so It was time to start school. We lived close to Springwood Central State School in Dennis Rd. So we could walk to school. They wore a uniform of a green dress with a yellow and green check trim. Carol and I were both nervous. I hoped she would be happy and be able to look after herself. Its always hard to say good bye to your babies when they start school. However, she was confident and all went well. Now I could spend some quality time with Sonya.

The next day our neighbour, Adam, started preschool, so Carol took him under her wing.

After school birthday party.

 We  had a pet bird at the time. It was a messy animal and I hated to see birds in cages so we gave it back to the breeder.

Grandma made them terry towelling throw over dresses for their swimming togs.