Letters to Ann

Dear Ann,

It was Tuesday morning again & every third Tuesday in the month I know will be a good one because it’s Prime Timers. So I went along, full of anticipation of a great morning with my birthday all behind me.

I had forgotten about the birthday announcements, which are done every month by our leader, Joan who does the roll call. Joan calls Cheryl the ‘bridesmaid’ & it’s her job to light the candle on each little cup cake.

My birthday, being on the 2nd of the month was called out first, along with the announcement that Dawn was ninety nine years old! Everyone laughed (as they should)! Joan can afford to be cheeky as Joan & David already have their sixty little puddings in their possession to be given at our Christmas party next month & it’s a pleasure to still be able to do it for them.

Anyway, with that last birthday greeting it meant that I had the longest birthday ever; lasting for nineteen days; an amazing & memorable birthday.

I was looking forward to the gathering this month as the Rainbow Sisters were performing & I love watching them. There is about a dozen of our members in the group who go along each month for practice as they do a lot of gigs at nursing & aged people’s homes.

They look quite smart simply dressed in black slacks, a very neat white tee shirt with a little flower pinned on the neckline to one side & a gold glitzy hat on top of their heads. They also have a triangular skirt around their waists with the gold disks attached adding an accompaniment to their music as they move.

Some of The Rainbow Sisters: Bev Crawford, Bev Holt, Terry Walters, Cheryl Ford

They play the tambourines which are small percussion instruments with small shallow discs in slots around the edge, played or being shaken or hit with the hand in time to the music. The ladies do a good job of doing this & to make it more effective usually little streamers are also attached & I find it fascinating to watch.

It looks very easy but so does line dancing & I guess it is not as easy as it looks. The girls make it look easy as they shake, hit, move them from side to side, up in the air, around their backs & are very deft looking quite skillful as they make their moves.

Judging by the looks on their faces & their exuberance they all thoroughly enjoy what they are doing.

As well as the Rainbow Sisters to entertain us, we were all given a song sheet. We had little bouts of singing some favourite songs in between the Rainbow Sisters entertainment. This is good for us too, as Joan plays the ukulele & husband, David plays the piano accordion & are very good at it.

Then when all had been concluded & the ladies were getting our sandwiches & slices organised for lunch, Joan announced she was going to play on the stereo a song being sung by Neiil Diamond (I think) & for everyone of us to be very quiet & after it was over we could chatter all we liked.

Well, oh my goodness but what should come out in the silence that ensued was the song/hymn:

Long time ago in Bethlehem so the Holy Bible say,
Mary’s boy child Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day.
Hark the Herald Angels sing,
A new King born today
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.

I am a real sentimentalist at heart & whenever I hear this hymn it really tugs at my heart strings & nostalgia sets in. I will tell you why.

When Philip was in his early years, he & his friends recorded this song in our home. Involved in this were Philip’s very good friends,:David Berryman, Bob Cox & Philip’s girl friend at the time, Denise Bull.

David was a sound technician; Bob played the guitar; Philip played the organ; & Denise had a voice like an angel, I always thought Denise would go a long way with her singing, but she married instead.

The four enthusiastic young people rehearsed this song for weeks together. All electrical equipment in the house had to be switched off & anyone inside the house was scarcely allowed to breathe lest they made a sound.

After many weeks it was perfected & a tape was produced.

I know this may not sound such a big deal, but I had so much enjoyment in being there to watch & listen to the music & Denise’s glorious voice that it did become a very important memory as I witnessed the pleasure it gave to these four young people in producing the tape.

I had that tape in my possession for almost forty years until long after Philip went to live in LA. & never a Christmas would go by without I played that tape, plus many times in between.

And I would have tears in my eyes every time. I loved the lyrics, loved the hymn, & loved the memory of the young people taping it all. It was without a doubt one of the loveliest memories I have of these young people & when the tape broke I was more than sad.  (I think I wore it out.)

I took it over to Philip hoping with all his technical expertise he could put it together again, but some of his even more technical friends were able to make a digital recording that can be copied over and over.

So you can imagine the nostalgia I felt when it was played at Prime Timers. Joan had no need to worry about this girl making a sound as I bit on my bottom lip. I tried to stop my eyes from swimming, but they really were happy tears Sometimes I get very nostalgic,

I thoroughly enjoyed our togetherness at Prime Timers & could watch the Rainbow Sisters for hours, it was indeed a lovely morning & I feel sure they will be on our menu again in the New Year. I love being part of this wonderful group of people, it is important in my life.

God Bless & Much Love. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I thought my birthday celebrations were over, but not so as my dear Sydney friends were on the phone to set a date for them to come to Newcastle to take me somewhere special for my annual birthday lunch, which they so generously treat me to.

The friendship with Judy & Peter started way back in a year I can’t remember. It was maybe about forty years when Judy worked at the Westpac Bank & decided to order puddings for the staff & many more over the years that evolved. Judy is a beautiful lady with a heart of gold & hubby, Peter is no exception. He has a talent for making one feel special with his care, concern & comradeship. They are two of a kind & dear to my heart.

Peter certainly likes to take us to the most exclusive restaurants in town & quite often we have lunched at a restaurant called Scratchley’s, which is on the foreshore right in the city which the three of us are enamoured with.

That venue was out of the question this year, as the city of Newcastle was being torn up in certain areas to build a racing car track for the final round of the annual V8 Supercar Rally. I don’t know anything about supercars or car rallies, but I – along with thousands of others – knew it was a pretty important event because of what they were doing to our city.

It was almost a daily news item to tell people how to get into their homes or which streets would be cordoned off to the public. The whole city was a buzz over the final twenty laps for this, apparently famous, event.

Peter certainly knew what was taking place here & on the phone as to where we could go. It has only been through these good friends that I had kept in touch as to where the exotic restaurants were in Newcastle.

Peter enjoys his seafood platter for one.

It was a different story when Max was still here with me, as every Friday evening we would dress up & frequent the best places where the menu was known as well as a password! The staff at these places got to know us very well, as this was our Friday night treat in those days. Sadly, this is one of the things I missed most when Max left planet earth.

So I was not able to help Peter & Judy with an alternative venue in the city & our suburb is only small. However, God bless them. they googled & came up with our most famed restaurant in this quiet neck of the woods known as Brown Sugar. I had been there with friends a few times, but had forgotten all about it until this couple mentioned it. I knew instantly it would be what they were looking for. It is very exotic.

My birthday therefore continued on & two weeks later Judy & Peter were at my door to pick me up with our venue only five minutes away by car, overlooking our beautiful foreshore on Lake Macquarie.

It was a bit noisy. We had opted to sit out on the enclosed balcony, but finally asked if could we sit inside so that we could hear each other better, as this is the only time in the year we get together & we like to spend about three hours over lunch to give us time to catch up on everything.

The venue might have been a bit noisy, but the food was excellent. After a small entree Peter & I opted for the Seafood Platter for one, which we hadn’t come across before as usually it is only available for two people or more. The prawns were fabulous & we certainly were not disappointed with our choice. No wonder it has a renowned name.

If only we could hear what Judy was saying!

I didn’t get into any photos of the food on this occasion, but you can see how good the platter was & also Judy looking as if she was whispering some dirty joke into Peter’s ear. However, she is too much of a lady for that & more likely it was a promise for more good things to come as we certainly enjoyed our day & the time together. This loving couple have given me many hours of loving friendship which I value.

Friends are Forever. Love you. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

Well as I said, you haven’t heard the last of it yet, as there is more to tell you about my birthday believe it or not. I have often had an elongated birthday that went over a week, but I think this one might get me arrested for going over the limit!

But you see, my friends, Pat & Judy whom I have lunch with every Monday were parted as Judy just had to go away for weeks on end & Pat was not permitted to celebrate with me when Judy could not be present.

Judy, Dawn and Pat celebrate over a jelly cake.

Judy had a good reason though as she & husband, Jim, were holidaying in Fiji, which is there favourite haunt seeing as Judy was born there & Jim worked there in his younger days as a Bank Manager. Neither Pat nor I were daunted by this absenteeism & on the day of my birthday Pat gave me her birthday card when I walked into the hair dressing salon because she wanted me to have it that day.

These two caring ladies worked so hard with me when we had Newcastle’s Pudding Lady business. After the business was sold to the current Pudding Lady Judy, Pat & I have spent our birthdays together over a period of thirty two years. Two more loyal & true friends you would never find. You can see why the celebration couldn’t take place until Judy returned home.

Almost two weeks had passed since my actual birthday, but last Monday we were all present & ready to let the fireworks free as we sat down in our favourite corner in our favourite cafe. Pat had already given me her loving birthday card when I met her in the salon on the day itself & it was a lovely card as always which said:

To someone special on your birthday.
This comes with warmest wishes now that your birthday is here
To let you know how special you are all through each day of the year.
Here’s wishing that your special day stands out from all the rest.
Enjoy every second, every minute – hope it’s filled with your favourite things & hope that every year ahead unfolds with the best that life can bring.
With love & special wishes on your birthday,
Enjoy your day, Love, Pat’.

I know that, like others, these friends of long standing years have a hard time of thinking of something I would like. I know it’s not easy selecting a gift for someone of advanced years who doesn’t need anything.

However, there are things in life that you don’t need, but love to have. Over the years they have given me a number of gnomes for my garden which I love as they remind me of the Seven Dwarfs with the expressions they have on their faces as they sit in my garden.

This year I received a delightful surprise. As I pulled him out of the package I held a gorgeous kookaburra in my hands. It was indeed love at first sight & I adored the little fellow. I am planning a special place for him so that he can watch over the gnomes & laugh at their expressions.

Dawn’s 88th with the Kookaburra

Sometimes kookaburras, which are native to Australia, are known as Laughing Jackasses as they make a very loud raucous kind of laughter. They are also very tame & when they get acquainted with you will even knock on your kitchen window to remind you its feed time. Anyway I just love my little fellow.

It was great to have Judy back after her long holiday &, along with Pat gave me a big scratchie to help me win the millions! Neither bore fruit, but I appreciated the thought as I did Judy’s lovely card. It was so very pretty with little gold swallows sitting on gold branches – really sweet & the message read:

To a Special Friend,
Everything you are & everything you do makes you a Special Friend.
Happy Birthday with love from Judy’.

And so on the 13th November my birthday came to a close with these two dear friends treating me to a raspberry jelly cake in the shape of a heart with a candle to blow out & have a special wish.

However, I have missed telling you that a few days later my sweet friends from Sydney who I have shared with you over the years – Judy & Peter – had made arrangements to drive up from Sydney to take me out to an exclusive restaurant for lunch, which they do every year. I appreciate their gesture very much indeed.

A few days later they were at the front door to take me to the most exclusive restaurant Warners Bay has to offer – ‘Brown Sugar’ – & did they do us proud!

For starters we had prawn toast that was more like a toasted prawn sandwich & delicious. We nibbled on this while sipping on champagne, which Peter is very liberal in sharing!

This was followed by entrees of belly pork for my hosts & seared scallops for me: a great favourite of mine. Judy had a super looking pasta while Peter & I both had a seafood platter for one. This comprised of fish scallops, squid, prawns & lobster & slices of fresh fruit. It looked magnificent & was magnificent, especially as we digested it with a beautiful dry white wine.

I certainly was not thinking of dinner that evening! Peter & Judy are wonderful & very generous hosts. My birthday lunches with them are very memorable.

Peter & Judy November 18!

When they delivered me back home I could say I was a very happy little vegemite as I loaded them up with a few Christmas puddings to take home with them. This is all I can do to thank them for their love & care towards me as I know they love my puddings almost as much as they love me & they savour them over a lengthy period making them last for a long time.

So much so that, as they departed for their return to Sydney with four Christmas puddings cradled in their arms they let me into a secret telling me that they do really savour my puddings.

They entertain their friends very frequently with excellent cuisine as both are superb chefs. However, as guests often eat so well they cannot always enjoy the Christmas Pudding as they should & are a wont to leave quite a bit on the plate.

This wonderful couple confided in me that they actually purchase a cheap pudding from the supermarket & serve that rather than see mine wasted when they could enjoy it to the fullest themselves. So how about that!

Since hearing that from them I have been told by others that they do the same. No need to tell you that it’s no wonder it is looked upon as the Best Christmas Pudding in the world!

As a matter of fact our most famous store throughout Australia is David Jones. When in business & trading as Newcastle’s Pudding Lady & supplying all their stores throughout the country, this store did tell me that in their opinion, my pudding WAS the best in the world. So, naturally, I relate this to customers at the markets.

However, in relation to this let me share with you the information that came to me via my dear friends in Canberra, Roger & Kay during my birthday saga. I actually received a marriage proposal!

Needless to say I met this great couple when I attended Canberra’s annual show with the puddings, which was always a great success. Kay would get oodles of orders for me among her friends & we became very firm friends over twenty years ago.

I send them a large cartons of puddings near Christmas to do with as they wish. This is for their birthdays & Christmas & in return they send me a carton of my favourite wine annually (sometime two cartons). It’s a good arrangement when both of us receive what we enjoy.

So Kay rang me quite excited in my birthday week. This was to tell me she & Roger left their farm to spend some time in the city where Kay visited David Jones’ store. As I said, it’s a famous store, very popular & they have the biggest chain of stores throughout Australia. Kay deviated towards the current Newcastle’s Pudding Lady puddings when a man who introduced himself to her as, Dakara, a representative in the store. His opening remark to her was, “These are the best puddings in the world.”

What a grand opening for my friend, Kay, who responded, “Yes I know. I know all about them & I also know the lady who started it all.” She then went on to give him the whole story to which Dakara responded, “Please tell that lady I love her & want to marry her so that I can have this Christmas Pudding all of my life!!”

I do have to say that this birthday has been a very memorable one. Not only did I have lots of friends who wanted to celebrate it with me but others also who sent more beautiful cards.

I received so many very thoughtful gifts along with so many loving phone calls makes me feel very humble & also very definitely loved.

I am indeed very thankful for all my Blessings, for my wonderful family & dear friends & the joy in feeling healthy & that life is good.

God Bless You too my good friend. Love you always. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I was sad to see Narelle drive off, but time marches on & my friends, Ursula & Jean had not caught up with me for my birthday. It had been arranged for them to meet me at Micheles Patisserie at noon on Saturday.

I was pleased Jean was well enough to travel from her home, which is a little up country, to be able to celebrate with me as her health is not the best. Bless her heart she was already sitting in our corner seat where all the cushions are when I arrived. We had time for quite a chit chat before Ursula arrived, which was nice as I don’t see Jean much at all throughout the year because of her condition.

We nestled in together in what could be termed ‘Dawn’s Cosy Corner’ because, if it’s not Ursula, Jean & Dawn sitting there, it’s Cheryl, Sandra & Dawn. If it’s not Cheryl, Sandra & Dawn it’s Pat, Judy & Dawn! Between us we have celebrated more than a few birthdays there! I haven’t heard Micheles Patisserie complaining yet! Far from it, they are always at the ready with the cup cake & lighted candle.

I would have had to be blind not to see more kisses, hugs. birthday bags & loads of love coming my way again. Nevertheless I have broad shoulders & can take it all!

Seriously though, I am truly blessed to have so many friends. My Mum used to say you were blessed if you could count five really true friends on one hand, but you can see I have to use a second hand! I look back & bless the day I came to live at Lakelands, which is part of Warners Bay & where our much loved patisserie is along with Rachelle the owner & all her fabulous staff.

As a matter of fact I have been going there for so long that I know every single thing on the menu. Not only that I think I have tried it all! On the opposite side of the fence, the staff all know what I am about to order!!

One day I asked Lucy if they had my very favourite pink jelly cake. It didn’t surprise me when she said ‘no’ but what did surprise me was the quick follow up with, ‘But I will tell you what we do have & that’s a bacon & egg sandwich,” which she knew was my favourite sandwich. I couldn’t help thinking that was good salesmanship.

I remember many years ago Rachelle having an interview with our local paper that quoted Rachelle as saying she almost always knew what the patrons were going to order.

So, sitting in our cosy corner with Ursula & Jean, it came time for birthday surprises. Jean amazes me as to what she can think up as gifts for a little old lady who has all she needs.

88th birthday – Jean, Dawn &Ursula at Michele’s patisserie

Firstly came out a very beautiful Singapore Orchid, but this one was different to the others. I have seen it wasn’t a single orchid but a double one with such a pretty flower. It was delightful & in my favourite colour. Jean always selects gifts in my favourite colours.

It’s still a wee plant embedded in another cute wee little pot & I have it sitting on my windowsill in my little office at home where it will get the sunlight. I have been astute enough to watch what my friend, Sharon does with all of her orchids & how they love their environment, so I hope this beauty will develop like Sharon’s orchids do.

There was more to come from Jean. I opened up the most unusual kitchen towel with a pattern of scissors & needlework accessories on it. It was very different, with a cream coloured towel & black accessories.

I loved it & said how my Grand daughter, Charley would absolutely love the towel. My dear friend spontaneously answered to give it to her for Christmas & she would get me another one. Jean’s card was simple:

To Dear Dawn, Wishing you a wonderful celebration.
Happy birthday hoping it brings you joy & happiness & wishing you good Health & Happiness throughout the year,
Love & Blessings, Jean’.

Ursula’s birthday bag was then in front of me. This thoughtful lady had selected for me what I had noticed in a catalogue & was also intending to write & order it. The item was a pair of magnifying glasses to be worn over prescription glasses. As the saying goes: “just what the doctor ordered’ with my eyes deteriorating as they suddenly did (more on that at some other time).

This gift was not only what I wanted, but also what I needed & came with an eye pillow that you can place over your eyes to help you relax. The pillow is filled with lavender, which is helpful if sleep is trying to avoid you.

Along with this was some very pretty imitation lavender that looks very real. Of course, again my favourite colour which, no doubt, is why they were chosen. Ursula’s card could only have been written by Ursula, just her own words:

To a very special lady & a very special friend, best wishes for a joyful ‘DAWN’ birthday (your time of birth).
Wishing you dearest Dawn a most wonderful day & a fulfilling year ahead with many joyful experiences.
Your ‘Michele Partner’, Ursula.

Needless to say I had very loving, thoughtful friends with me on that Saturday to celebrate with.

I had to leave them & they had to leave me, but I needed to be home for David’s Saturday afternoon visit. I hadn’t seen him all week, but I scarcely do.

I have often thought of David’s love when I came out of hospital two years ago. I could never forget that first walk down to Micheles Patisserie after some months away.

I had only been out of hospital for a few days & feeling very weak. David held my arm as we walked ever so slowly & carefully towards the Patisserie where Rachelle & Mother, Sue, were watching & smiling to welcome me from behind the counter.

It doesn’t sound much but it was a surreal time. There was no doubt as to David’s loving care & for weeks afterwards he would collect me every Wednesday to go to Micheles where we would have lunch & do the crossword puzzle in the local paper together.

For me it was very special togetherness during a time in my life when I was not the strong person I had always been. So I couldn’t be late for our Saturday afternoon teté a tete, which I so very much looked forward to.

So I was home snatching a quick ‘shut eye’ when David came in all smiling & very pleased with himself. The reason? He had s birthday parcel in his hand & he was so happy that I had given him no cause to stress over what I needed for my birthday.

He was able to walk into the appropriate store, buy his Mum a much needed phone that supplied the necessary message bank. The previous Saturday when I asked him to purchase a new phone for me I hadn’t a thought about my birthday, but he knew what he was getting his Mum for her birthday & it really was a surprise. And I was more than delighted to have a good phone again & installed for me complete with message bank!

His birthday card must have been a special one as my brother, Leon had also sent me the same card to say:

There is no better time than your birthday to wish you all life’s very best not just for today but always.
Hope you have a wonderful day’.

Then in his own words David must have been thinking of my market activities as he said:

Happy 88th birthday,
What achievements ‘Go Girl Go’
Love from David, Lauren, Charley & Riley’.

I have been dying to tell you all about this 2017 birthday of mine, Ann & chapter 6 is on its way!

My love always. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

It was sort of an anti-climax coming home to a quiet house after such an active, interesting & happy day. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself until my favourite TV programme came on.

I thought I would fiddle around on the computer until then, but other people thought differently. The phone started to ring. I answered & it was my son, David who had been ringing all day without a response.

I must tell you at this point that a couple of months ago my telephone packed it in. I have been waiting for a new phone designed for people with a hearing problem. A lady spoke about them at Prime Timers around the time my phone went kaput. The phones are free. You must have internet connection & it prints out what the person you are talking to is saying to you, so that if you don’t hear it you can read it.

Five people from Prime Timers had it installed straight away. I was next on the list, but the lady left their employment, which meant I had to wait for someone from Sydney to install it for me. That hadn’t happened & in the interim David had lent me an old phone with no answering service, which is a necessity for me. So I finally asked David to buy a phone set for me & install it next Saturday when he came for his weekly visit.

I am telling you this because both Charley & David were trying to ring me on my birthday with no response. Finally Charley rang her Dad wondering if something had happened to me.

David had also been worried, so got in his car to drive down here to check. However, he hit a traffic jam – bumper-to-bumper – & went back home. So when the phone rang it was my son & I was able to put his mind at rest.

He wished me a Happy Birthday, asked if I would like to go out for dinner. I think was a little relieved when I said that I had so much lunch I would not be able to do dinner justice. So he said he would see me on Saturday.

This was Thursday, the actual day of my birthday. So as it turned out I didn’t see any of my immediate family on my birthday.

However, no time to dwell on that as the phone kept ringing non stop until late into the night. I was sitting at my computer & felt like a telephonist answering calls every few minutes from friends & family. It was great.

Firstly, from Philip in LA. Then from friend, Jill in Adelaide, to Kay & Roger in Canberra advising me they had organised for a carton of my favourite wine to be collected at the local liquor store.

Then my niece, Michelle; my sister Joice; nephew, Dean; my sister Jill; local friends who hadn’t been in touch for a while. In between calls I read birthday messages from friends in Denmark, Germany & LA on my computer.

My last phone call came from my brother, Peter & wife, Beth in Brisbane, which lasted for a wonderful hour chatting (not unusual), when I had to call it to a halt as I was starting to feel tired after my great day. I was also feeling elated. However I slept well!

Friday morning I was well refreshed, which was just as well as I received a call from Narelle, David’s very first true love & a deeply caring loving friend of mine since she was fifteen years old, which makes this friendship 45 years old.

Do you remember me telling you about the time, a few years ago, when I arrived home from LA how she, her partner Geoff & David had revamped my whole back yard so that it was self sufficient from then on.

That was a true act of love & David has told me how they enjoyed emailing each other in planning it all. It was to be a ‘never forgotten’ wonderful surprise. It explains a little the true depth of the love we all share.

So she rang me because we hadn’t been able to get together for our birthdays so she was intending to leave work on Friday night, to drive for two & half hours from Sydney to my place to come & stay the night. What joy & what love. I was elated.

It was arranged that I would have a simple dinner of chicken & mango salad & she would bring the wine & dessert. I set the table, had everything ready via the local supermarket & could hardly wait for her to arrive.

However, I had one small problem, which was 200 x 1 KG puddings sitting on the spare bed! I know I could have used the sofa bed in the lounge, but decided that was not what I wanted, so I got very busy. Luckily had enough cartons courtesy of Rachelle at Micheles Patisserie that I could store them in. Better to have 25 cartons of Christmas puddings stacked in the lounge & dining rooms & have a nice cosy bedroom for my important visitor!

What elation when she arrived at the front door which was wide open & Dawn standing there. As she walked towards me there were huge smiles, then more than great hugs before we walked in with Dawn accepting the flowers, the chocolates, the wine AND the dessert! AND the LOVE.

We sat down at the table at almost 8 p.m. where we ate, drank & talked. And we talked & we talked & we talked. We hadn’t been alone together like this in years.

We covered ground over many many years. We had shared many ups & downs throughout our years of friendship. I guess she looks on me as another Mum & I probably look on her as the daughter I never had.

I surprised her by saying that I believe she has been allocated the job of sending me off when I leave this planet by doing my eulogy. David had told me this once. So we kept on talking so that she was well prepared for her send off speech whilst we shared the wine!

We had lots of laughs along as the night wore on. And we very much enjoyed the berry cheese cake that she had brought along.

However, in true Narelle style, I had yet another beautiful & sentimental card to read from this lovely young lady, now 60 years old, but looking like a 40 year old. Her card meant so much to me as many of them had over the years. I read:

Happy Birthday to an Amazing Friend.
We’re so young to be such old friends.
We’ve known each other for so long & shared so many of life’s milestones through our friendship I feel so lucky to have a friend like you.
Love Always, Narelle & Geoff”.

However, she went on to say in her own personal words:

What a wonderful friendship we have shared over the many many years. I treasure our times together through our ups & downs. Here’s to many more years enjoying & valuing our truly wonderful friendship.
Lots of love always, Narelle’.

Narelle & I had the most wonderful evening together deciding to call it a day at 1 a.m. I think she had gleaned enough for the eulogy!

I had a fantastic sleep, no doubt due to the utter contentment I was feeling, not to mention three quarters of a bottle of crisp white!

In the morning it was time for Narelle to head back to Sydney & believe it or not the birthday had far from ended. More to come.

Love you my dear friend & I treasure the memories. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I left my doctor feeling like I could fly to the next suburb where I had an appointment to meet my great friends, Cheryl & Sandra, but like a mature 88 year old should do, I drove very sedately to cafe, ‘Boulevard 7’, where we were to meet for my birthday lunch.

I had to fill in time drinking coffee until they appeared with birthday packages, cards & a bucket load of love. They also had an appointment that morning & had thought they would be at our appointed place but, for once, I was there ahead of them.

When they arrived everyone knew. There was no use me pretending I didn’t see or realise they had birthday bags as they came straight up to the table with hugs, kisses, birthday bags, cards &, as I said, a lot of love.

The small restaurant was packed & everyone knew the little old lady was having a birthday! (I don’t really think I look like a little old lady although my son did say on Sunday night “Gee you look old Mum”!!)

Well, anyway let me start again, I don’t feel that old! Anyway those in the restaurant couldn’t have cared less about all the excitement that was happening!

After sitting there on my own for fifteen minutes, all of a sudden I had friends kissing & hugging me, bags put in front of me & happy birthday greetings thrown my way. What a happy ‘to do’! We even took time to order from the menu before the ceremony began!

Dawn enjoys the scarf Sandra gave her.

I attacked Sandra’s parcel first & found the loveliest blue & white silk scarf with frilly edges, so very pretty & certainly my colour, which smartly got wrapped around my skinny neck & suddenly my skinny neck looked gorgeous. And so was the card:

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to the sweetest of people. No one deserves it more.

Then she wrote:

Happy Birthday Dear Dawn,
Hope you have an awesome day Darling & pray you have many more.
Love & Prayers, Sandra’.

More hugs & kisses. I do love my friends.

Then it was Cheryl’s gift to open & I found the sweetest little blue floral top with sparklies on the front. Fell in love with it but it was far too big.

My Cheryl is a ‘don’t let’s sit down & do it later’ type of person. No Sir. She was up & out with the lovely top to get the problem fixed.

She must have run down the street to the boutique as she was back in minutes – long before our lunch was served – with a completely different top for obvious reasons. I knew when I looked at it that it was going to be ‘just right’ like baby bear said about his porridge.

And it was. I put it on as soon as I arrived home. I genuinely liked it better than the first one as it is going to be foremost in use during the hot summer which we are expecting.

You would have realised by now that I love my gifts, but I really treasure the cards & it will be a sorry day when technology takes over & they are outmoded. I hope that doesn’t happen in my time.

The card was meaningful from Cheryl:

Happy Birthday.
Take a minute to think how many lives you’ve touched in ways that only you could.
Take time today to know how truly loved you are.

Then:

To my Darling Dawn on your birthday.
Have a wonderful day.
Best Wishes & Much Love from your friend always, Cheryl’.

After all that excitement we had our lunch & mine was absolutely delicious. I remembered from years ago that Boulevard 7 had some delicious bread toasted with bacon, pineapple & cheese melted on the top. It was as delicious as I had remembered.

Not only that, but Cheryl arranged for a huge piece of Passionfruit Sponge Cake with cream in the middle an inch thick. It is an all time favourite for both David & I & is what I always made for David’s birthday cake. This was as good as mine, home made & ‘to die for,’ complete with candle to be blown out on the top just before the girls rushed off to their next appointment.

About to attack the passionfruit sponge cake!

Well what a day. I had a most memorable time & as I drove back to Warners Bay I felt so humble & so happy. I am so richly blessed.

And I was so happy that when I got back to Warners Bay I really didn’t want to go home. I had two huge pudding parcels to post to Sydney & Canberra so I thought I would do that. I parked the car, put the large parcels on the boot hoping that I could carry them across the road into the post office.

A nice man saw me & the parcels, came over & took it all in hand. As we walked towards the Post Office I asked him if he liked Christmas pudding – did he what! I dashed back to the car to get a little baby one & that man would not hear of me taking the parcels. He carried them inside & down to the counter.

I had the pudding to give to him & saw the look in Dave’s eye, an employee from behind the counter, so I explained it wasn’t for him this time. I give the Post Office staff a baby pud each Christmas to thank them for their service.

Naturally, Dave thought this one was for him & was lamenting that he was only in the PO on borrowed time, so I made sure he would be there the next day.

When I took it into him I received a big smile! My friend who carried the cartons in for me was also quite stoked with his little gift although assuring me it wasn’t necessary. It never hurts & it doesn’t cost much to spread a little goodwill around.

I know it is the theme at Christmas, but I observed my Gran when I was very little who gave the tradesmen with whom she dealt, including the grocer, a little gift at Christmas with her greetings. Thank you Gran, I learnt a lot from observing the kind things you did!

Doing the crossword puzzle at Michele’s.

I still wasn’t ready to go home & thought I could drink another coffee, so sat down in my favourite place, Micheles Patisserie. I was working my way through a crossword puzzle when Ursula appeared at my side. So naturally she drank coffee too, had something to eat & we talked for the next hour!

I don’t think I wanted my birthday to end, but all good things must,  so I finally got home nine hours after I left. It was so quiet when I walked in, not a soul, not a sound, but as I put my handbag down it all started!

The birthday wasn’t over yet & I still have a lot to share with you.

Love you I miss you my friend, my letters are all I can do for you. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I was so glad I got up early on my birthday to unwrap all the gifts & read the beautiful cards. I am very old fashioned & love my cards!

Actually though, my birthday started three days before when I received a fat letter in the post. Real true lovely friendly newsy letters in the post are almost a thing of the past. When I saw who it was from I was more than elated & couldn’t wait to get inside to read it. I will share a little of it with you.

The first thing I read in nice big black print was:

Thursday, 18th Oct ,2017

Hello Miss. Dawn. Surprise…it’s me, Daryll!!

(Daryll always calls me Miss or Missy Dawn). He started off by saying:

“I am sitting at work in the shop on a slow day catching up on boring things like paperwork & making a mental note of things to do when I get home tonight. One of them was to phone U, which has been on my mind for ages to call & have a catch up on all your news. Then, as I was thinking about you, it occurred to me, it’s almost your birthday & that I should remember to send you a ‘Happy Birthday Card’ soon, but wait..why not send you a little letter instead! I thought if I started writing to you today I might just get it completed, posted & delivered into your letterbox by November 2nd. And I will be posting it too because I don’t think I have your email address anymore. So if it is..or close to November 2nd

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DEAR DAWN.

Then Daryll continued:

Sunday, 22nd Oct. As I write to you today, I remember sitting in your little office behind the dining room at Christine Close & typing out letters to you & Max during your European trips & sending them off to some advanced destination on your itinerary & hoping they would eventually find you some place along your travels. How old fashioned does that seem now’?

That was just the opening lines bringing back some nostalgia & there was a lot more to come. I remember writing to you such a long time ago telling you about Daryll & the important role he played in my life as Philip’s partner after Philip came & told us he was gay.

That loving relationship has been there for over a quarter of a century & we do have a very special bond. His loving letter went on for four newsy pages, some parts very nostalgic & in other parts I learnt more about Daryll’s family.

I truly can’t express in words how much his letter meant to me. So you can imagine what a lovely start I had to my 88th birthday!

After my early morning start on the day itself, I went off to my hairdresser for my weekly hairdo, leaving home at 9.30 a.m. When I walked into the salon there was a customer in the chair & Felicity, my hair dresser, was doing her hair.

As I walked in the door I heard a duet wishing me a happy birthday loud & clear. I knew in an instant it was my friend Pat in the chair who would have known I would walk in the door at my appointed time, but it was very nice to be greeted like that. We all laughed & enjoyed the moment.

From there I had an appointment with my GP at the new medical centre, which is the recent amalgamation of three medical centres & a bit like Pitt St., Sydney which we use as a ‘saying.’

My GP, Dr. Syd Bourke, is more than a general practitioner, he treats me like a friend. I think he has a lot of respect for me because I didn’t succumb to cancer & am now out doing markets with my granddaughter, feeling great. There are a few other things too that I know he respects me for & I am fortunate to have him look after me so well.

So, when I went in he asked how I was & I told him that I was really good. Then I told him I would let him into a secret which was that when I woke up at DAWN that morning I realised I had been on this planet for 88 years. He grinned & shook my hand.

We then got over the little bit of a bother for which I was there to see him & then I told him I had recruited my eldest granddaughter, Charley into the marketing business with me.

I explained that she had learnt to make the Christmas Puddings & also the Relish & was taking samples of both to restaurants & stores in affluent areas & returning to collect the orders. I also said she was as ‘keen as mustard’ – another old saying we have.

You would not believe the reaction I had. He left doing what he was doing on his computer & gave me his whole attention. He was stoked to hear this news. I have to say he was ecstatic as it is the only word in the English language that I know to describe his reaction.

He then spent minutes of his busy time to say “Dawn you know what you have done? You have created what is like a little corner shop with your home made products & you & Charley are taking them out to the whole community. Charley has the world at her feet, she can do wonders, she will build up a great clientele as time goes on & will be another generation of the Pudding Lady. ‘Congratulations’, he said, ‘I am just so thrilled about this’.

Well I didn’t think that was too bad a response from my general practitioner. I walked out of that surgery feeling like a million dollars. Could hardly wait to tell David & Charley. You know the more I thought about it the more I think he was right in visualising the future of Christmas Puds & Curried Zucchini Relish!

I started to see it through his eyes & I have to remain well & healthy to assist Charley as much as I can at markets etc. in the next few years so that when I leave planet earth she will know everything to know that I can teach her.  She also has approaches of her own which attracts the attention of customers at our stall.

Just to give you an example of this: I quite often mention to people that the Christmas Pudding they are tasting is the same as the one sent to HM Queen Elizabeth by request on two occasions. Most people are very impressed & Charley pipes up off her own bat & says “And Gran is probably the only person in Australia who gets communication from the Queen as she has already had two letters from Buckingham Palace.” Life is good.

Dear heart I haven’t really got far with the story of my 88th birthday yet, but you are the one I want to share such a happy birthday with so Chapter 3 will be on its way soon.

I love you so much. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

On this day , the 2nd November 2017, I woke up with my eyes wide shut. I knew somehow it was a special day & as I wakened more to the reality of life I realised that of course it was a special day: it was my birthday.

As the first lights of day dawned I realised I had been on this planet for 88 years. I laid in bed just thinking.

Firstly I though how nice that my Mum called me Dawn because I was born at that time & therefore I am the start of every new day! People can never forget me! I love my name & I love my Mum for giving birth to me & in so doing giving me the very special gift of life. Only my very much loved Mother could give me that most important gift of all.

Then as I continued to lie there, I pondered on my life & how I felt about it. It was not all good & it wasn’t all bad. It was full of the highs & the lows; the sadness & the happy things as life has to be.

If it was all one way we would not learn to appreciate the goodness of life. If it was all good we would not learn how to cope with the sad times.

Dawn 18

I was a very shy & timid little girl who felt extremely unconfident, but when I went out into the big world my life changed. It started when I went to work as a private secretary in an Insurance firm.

I was so timid & extremely nervous, but I had a wonderful boss, Mr. Wood, who was very understanding & kind. He directed me in my work. When I took down the letters he dictated to me in shorthand he would say that if I wasn’t sure of a word to just ask him.

I feel sure that with his guidance, kindness & the confidence he placed in me gave me the confidence I needed. I have always felt very grateful to Mr. Wood.

I worked there for a decade & enjoyed my work. Then I went on to marriage & motherhood.

I certainly had no training for that, not like it is today. We were very naive Mothers & could have done with some training. Looking back I guess I am not the only Mum that says “I could have done so much better,” but it’s too late as it was all learnt from experience.

I loved being a Mum & I loved my two boys to the depths of my soul as only a Mother can. For all the mistakes I made I hope I will be forgiven.

Max, Philip, David and Dawn at David’s Christening 3/16/1958

As I continued to lay in bed with my thoughts of course went to Tupperware. What that did for my confidence & morale was unbelievable when I look back.

My confidence grew. I learnt to love myself. I realised by using the gift of determination I had been given I could conquer the world & I did. I can’t thank that company enough for what it did for me & what it did for my family.

When I made the decision to leave Tasmania for a new life in Newcastle, a whole new world opened up for Max & I & also for Philip & David. We had very little money, but I had plenty of confidence & determination.

I worked hard, really hard. I did things I never thought I could ever do. I climbed mountains & overcame what seemed impossible & built a business almost from scratch that the Tupperware World was proud of, and so was I.

I loved Tupperware for giving me the opportunity & I didn’t want to let them down.

Dawn and Max receive yet another award from Tupperware.

Both my sons became Tupperware Dealers as teenagers. It is very gratifying for me to hear Philip, at times, telling our Burbank friends that it was the easiest job he ever had as a young man. And to hear David say very recently how he bought his first car – a brand new Mazda – with his earnings from Tupperware.

So as I laid in bed thinking about my life & what 88 years had done for me I felt happy & proud of myself & my achievements. Of course it wasn’t all plain sailing.

Along the way I had a couple of breakdowns, but with medical help I got over it the same as I did with cancer over two years ago. Life has taught me to be strong & to maintain a positive attitude. In other words, I don’t want the mountains fall on top of me.

While still in Tupperware, the Christmas pudding business entered my life. Wow, what a story that turned out to be! Building another business from scratch; supplying something like 40 – 50 tonnes of puddings around the nation on an annual basis; & putting Newcastle on the map as the Christmas Pudding capital of Australia as advertised by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The  Adamstown Pudding Kitchen has raised over a million dollars for charity since I gave them the business more than three decades ago. And today, at 88 years I am up & about with my granddaughter, Charley at weekends going to markets with our Relish & Christmas Puddings: sharing not only a great relationship together, but also with the public. We are so much enjoying what we are doing. Goodness known where that will end up.

Dawn with one of the larger puddings, and the variety of decorations used by Newcastle’s Pudding Lady.

Of course all this stuff went through my head like a bullet train, so much to ponder on. I thought of what my little sister, Jill, said to me not so many years ago: “You have had a very interesting life Dawn.” I think she put it in a nutshell.

But of course having said all this I had a hair appointment early a.m. My whole idea in waking up early was to open parcels that had been sitting on my table for three days. I love parcels & surprises, but I never open them until the day itself DAWNS!

Firstly, a birthday card from my little brother, Leon. You haven’t heard much about Leon. He is very quiet, very caring & very loving. He is now over 60 & very lovable. When I am around Leon I always feel like hugging him like all get out. His card read:

“There is no better time than your birthday to tell you how special you are & how often you are thought of.
There is no better time than your birthday to wish you life’s very best not just for today but for always.
To Dawn sending you Happy Birthday wishes & lots of love from Leon.”

I then opened up my sister, Cheryl’s card. It was so very pretty, quite different & the words were so nice too:

“For someone very special.
As long as there are people like you who care, the world is still a place of possibility & hope.
As long as there are people like you life will be happier because people like you are caring & giving, who reach out to others in warmth, honesty & understanding & makes people feel so lucky to know you.
To Dear Dawn, wishing you a birthday as wonderful as you are. My thoughts are often with you.
Wishing you every happiness. Love & hugs, Cheryl xoxo.
PS Just a small something to say I love you.”

And as I held that small something (a gorgeous notepad & pen) in my hand I thought ‘And I love you too my dearest Cheryl’.

I probably haven’t told you Ann that Leon & Cheryl are my half brother & sister, but that doesn’t matter as we both had the same Mother. Len, their Father was the nicest & gentlest of gentlemen. He was so very special to every one of my sisters & other brother. We loved him dearly & mourned when he passed from us.

So now it was third littlest sister’s gift to open from Trixie. She had said on the phone that she had sent a lot of little things. I have to say though that those ‘things’ had been chosen carefully & thoughtfully.

There was a portable wine cooler which you can freeze & then carry the wine to another venue. There was a little sign to say ‘Wine is not a beverage, it’s a Lifestyle. There was a magnifying glass on a stand as Trixie is aware how serious my eye condition is. That will certainly get a lot of use from me in the future.

Talk about nostalgia! She had evidently kept a screen printed bag that we had made & used to hold a pudding for special stores when we had the Pudding Lady business. And of course the card told volumes:

“Birthday Wishes to a Wonderful Sister.
A sister is someone who is very special to you, someone who is dearly thought of each day & the whole year through.
A sister is someone who makes you smile day & after day, time after time.
A sister is someone who truly cares & is never too busy to have a listening ear.
Whatever life brings, a sister will always be there to give a helping hand or simply to be near.
With lots of devotion a sister shows compassion to help you along life’s way.
Through ups & downs through highs & lows a sister’s tender care always shows.
A sister is thoughtful & true, a sister is invaluable.
It’s good to have a friend like you. You’re a sister who is simply wonderful.

Dear Dawn, Wishing you a very special day.

Hugs & kisses with love from Trixie & Bob.

Trixie & I have certainly had a beautiful relationship. For a time she did my housework for me when I got so busy in Tupperware. I shall never forget the day I broke the news to her that Max & I were leaving Tasmania to live in Newcastle. She was down on her hands & knees cleaning my back hallway, she looked up in tears saying “I knew this was going to happen.”

I tell you Ann, that was the hardest decision I ever had to make: to leave my wonderful family in Tasmania.

I was so glad I got up early to open all these surprise packages from my loving sisters & now it was Kim’s turn. Inside the parcel was a most beautiful shopping bag that Kim had made herself from material & added some gorgeous flowers to the outside. It’s really too nice to use, but use I I will as it is too lovely not to use.

Along with that was the neatest little neck scarf with a matching brooche made from the same material. Just the thing to use when wearing a low necked top. I was thrilled with both.

But oh golly, I was a bit emotional after all this love from my sisters & when I read Kim’s card I was crying out right as we have become very close in recent years. She said:

I love the way we have grown closer & closer over the years. Being sisters has been wonderful, but I am so grateful for the way our relationship has deepened & grown into a very special friendship – one that means more to me than I could ever tell you.

I love the way we’re always there for each other , the way we can share everything from memories to dreams, from laughter to tears. I love the way even when we are not together we’re with one another in ways that are unique only to sisters, only to us.

Thank you for simply being you – for being a wonderful sister & friend. To my Dear Sister, What more could I say.

Love you heaps & more, Kim XX

And I received Kim’s message of love loud & clear.

What a trip down memory lane to start my special day, but there was more that really tugged at my heart strings. In the very first letter I wrote to you, I told you about Kim & her family & how we lost Lisa, her eldest child, tragically. It was the saddest thing that ever happened to our family.

Years later, Karen, Kim’s third daughter gave birth to a little girl whom she named after her big sister. At the family reunion before this last one, we were having a picnic in the huge park in Burnie as we normally do & little Lisa climbed up on my lap & cuddled into me without saying a word. She was, by nature, a very shy child & very quiet.

She stayed on my lap almost the whole afternoon & of course I felt nostalgic as her Auntie Lisa & I were very close. I treasured this gesture from Lisa’s niece & a photo was taken.

Kim had included this in a birthday card little Lisa had written to me with a drawing she had done of a garden with her & I holding hands in it. She had captions: “ME,” “YOU.” She wrote:

Dear Aunty Dawn, I wish you a Happy Birthday.
I love you soooooo much & I really love the bells that you sent me.
I hope you enjoy your birthday.
I loved seeing you & I hope that I can come & see you once again.
PS I love your garden.
Love you heaps. Lisa’.

She included a whole line of kisses & cuddles.

This beautiful sentimental start that morning was the beginning of a very special birthday which will take a long time for me to write to you about.

I don’t know why it was so special, but it went on for a whole fortnight. All the love showered on me from all my family & friends was overwhelming & was truly a birthday which will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I love you heaps. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

Two months ago it was announced at Prime Timers that there was to be an outing by bus to Chichester Dam, which supplies Newcastle with some of our water. At various intervals outings are arranged, but I have never felt inclined to take part in them.

However, when told of this one for some reason I made a snap decision to take advantage of the offer. One of our members, Terry, a lovely lass, was in charge of the bookings that could be paid in two installments, but I was flush with money in my wallet, so I went up to Terry & paid outright on the spot. Whereupon Terry announced to all & sundry that Dawn was the first one to pay in full & therefore I get the front seat!

So on the 31st October we were all assembled at our venue when Joan marched us down to the corner where the bus was to pick us up. The driver, Paul, pulled up right on time & we were underway by 8.30 a.m.

I must admit that the night before I really didn’t feel like going, but by the time I was on the bus I felt very relaxed & looking forward to what the day might bring.

It was a cloudy morning, not very warm & I actually did have the front seat. Maybe after Terry’s fun announcement that’s why everyone passed it by! Sandra came to sit beside me & away we went.

We travelled through the closer country towns that I had frequented quite often, but we were soon out in the more rural towns, passing by Tocal Agricultural College where David spent a couple of years until he decided it was not for him. Although he did manage to mow down the Headmasters Mulberry Bush before he left, which did not endear him in anyway to the Headmaster!

Dawn at Chichester Dam

We drove on to a lovely little old township called Paterson where Paul pulled into a park where we all alighted. Paul then set about making us tea & coffee from the urn stored in the baggage department under the bus. Within ten minute he had everything ready for us: a hot drink & home made cup cakes. We thoroughly enjoyed our morning tea.

Back onto the bus & I thoroughly enjoyed all the small towns we passed through as I had never been that way before. It really was interesting seeing all the old buildings built many moons ago & still in use. A lot of them heritage listed.

Paul gave us a commentary along the way, until we reached a cute little old fashioned town called Dungog, which is extremely popular as it is a great tourist spot. It was here where Paul let us off the bus  – the whole 47 of us – & gave permission to shop till we dropped!

We had one hour. Our first point of call was an op shop that sells used goods passed on to them when their owners have finished with the goods or had left the planet. I have never been in an op shop before even though they are very popular. I have seen some of the things that Charley has bought there & been quite impressed.

I didn’t let the grass grow under my feet as I soon found two delightful little Santa Claus dresses to fit little Elsie who is my great granddaughter by marriage & now six months old.

Then I saw in the decorated window a delightful Santa skirt in red fluffy tulle with a black buckled belt like Santa wears so I purchased that also for Elsie.

Then I wandered to where the jewellery was on display & was thrilled to get a lovely black filagree necklace which I could see sitting on Charleys beautiful bosom, plus a bulky purple & black one which also will suit Charley.

To top it off I found a lovely very fine wine glass for myself. The six items cost $8! What bargains!

It was a different story just two doors down the street where Cheryl saw hats & was inside in a flash. I thought it looked interesting so followed her in & my eyes set on such a pretty ‘diamond’ necklace & I loved the shape.

It only took two minutes & the proprietor had it on my neck complete with ear rings. I didn’t take it off, the credit card came out of hiding & I wore it all for the rest of the day. I thought I was worth it & word soon got around my pals that I had bought the crown jewels!

Yvonne, Ila, Dawn, Nola at Chichester Dam

Then it was time for the bus again with out next stop Chichester Dam. I remember Max took the boys camping there for a weekend when they were quite young, but I had never seen it. It is a huge dam with a depth of 121 feet, with the wall being 834 feet long including the spillway of 285 feet.

It has an area of 455 acres & holds 5,000 million gallons. It has to be a very hot summer before we are on water restrictions & when the central coast gets short of water it is pumped through 53 miles of huge piping to help them out. It was very impressive.

Paul had let us alight at the top of the dam where we took photos & then walked down to the park below. Paul had everything organised: buttered bread rolls, coleslaw, sausages on the barbie with the aroma of juicy fried onions. He did it all by himself & it was very much enjoyed by all his passengers.

All the while, as we ate our delightful picnic lunch we were carefully watched by a kookaburra who had two favourite spots from where he kept his eyes on us, flitting from one spot to the other waiting to pounce on any little titbits we might happen to drop.

The picnic at Chichester Dam

We arrived back home around 4.30 p.m. All the way home in the bus I couldn’t help thinking of Mother Nature as the serenity of the bush that surrounded us at the dam was absolutely unbelievable, we all felt it.

And I loved the front seat – anymore tours like this. I will be first again to book again & I don’t really mind if I don’t get awarded the front seat!!

God Bless & Much Love. Dawn X O X O