Letters to Ann

Dear Ann,

It was the day before Mother’s Day & the second Warners Bay Market. Even though I had asthma I was hell bent on soldiering on, as it is quite an up market & the people in charge look after me really well.

When I arrived at the venue at 7 a.m. Rhonda, from the Chamber of Commerce, who knows me from the Christmas Pudding era had two people ready o set up my gazebo, tables & unload the car for me. This is a tremendous help so all I have to do is arrange the produce on the tables.

I have always been good at sales & thought I was fairly good at marketing too, but I have learnt quite a lot since attending markets. On that particular day I set up my relish differently & wondered why I hadn’t been doing it that way all along, as it certainly made a difference.

I also learnt something from Charley who saw my market relish set up on my kitchen bench ready to load in the car. When she saw what I was charging for the very large bottles she advised me to put the price up as she said The Farmer’s Markets (huge affairs & very businesslike) sell jars that size for double the price, so I am learning!

I was well ready before starting time at 8 a.m, which was just as well as some of the stall holders who have others to help them come looking around the other stalls. That is something I can’t do being on my own.

I had already sold some largish jars to these people before the public came wandering in. It was only 8.15 a.m. when a lass arrived saying “Thank goodness you are here & I have found you. I have been out of relish for the past three weeks because I had all my neighbours in for them to try the relish on some biscuits & they all loved it.”

She then smartly said she would have two of the largest jars & two of the next size down. She wasn’t sure it would be enough to last a month, so bought another jar just in case.

I had a wonderful start to the day! It’s a good sign when customers come looking for you & love the product so much. So far I have not had an inkling of any complaint, only how much they love the relish. Good, good, good!

Dawn’s table at the Warner’s Bay market.

A lot of people ask for my ‘hobby’ card (I don’t have a business card) so I am very glad Philip arranged these for me when he was home in December. I am very liberal in handing them out. It is good to let them know I will be there with Christmas Puddings in September.

It looks like I will be handling relish as well, as it seems to be so popular. Another lady who bought some said she had a small takeaway business & could I make relish for her business? I assured her it was no problem!

Then Mrs. Killjoy came along mid morning. I am sure you have met this lady as she is pretty well in most parts of the world. As she went past the stall she informed me it was illegal to use used jars. Said it just like that!

I replied that I thought I was helping the environment with the recycling & that the jars are all sterilised. She again said it was against the law then mentioned the lids. I said they are sterilised too & asked would she like a taste? She declined with disdain & a very firm “No thanks” & walked off.

Life is interesting! Since that episode I have had some educational lessons from my logical-brained son on how to deal with this so I keep on learning, it’s no hardship!

And life is good to me too as I am having a ball. I enjoy not only attending the markets, but also making the produce.

After a market selling the relish I come home & five days later I have ten batches made, bottled & labelled ready for the next market. I give out a biscuit (cracker) with a teaspoon of relish on it & it goes down well.

The activity has given me a new lease on life, with a reason to get up in the mornings. However, I don’t get up early, unless it’s market day & still have time to sleep in & rise when I am ready.

I still have plenty of time for leisure as it only takes me one week to do what I need to do. There are still two weeks completely spare, but I think that that will be a little different with the advent of Christmas Puddings this year.

This might have to change, as making ten batches of relish makes no more than 65 – 70 jars of all sizes. With my new marketing strategy when I sold it all at this last market I came home with record sales.

David was absolutely floored when he came for our weekly Sat. afternoon chat & asked casually how it went. He was impressed so much that he went home & told the family before Mother’s Day the next day with Lauren saying when I arrived “I believe you had a good market day.”

Philip & Greg were also thrilled for me. I must admit I was pretty pleased with myself too. I have to also say that I like being successful! It’s much more fun!!

My friend, Sandra, absolutely loves this relish & won’t let me give her a jar because she gets the largest jar & prefers to pay for it. She uses it in about two weeks & sends the jar back for a refill. I give her a $5 discount each time, as anyone who uses it like that deserves a bonus. Sandra is my best customer up to date.

I had to get used to the markets as it usually starts off slow & I think to myself that I won’t sell all that I have brought along, but slowly & steadily it gradually disappears, mostly one jar at a time.

Then all of a sudden there is nothing left. It’s a great feeling. I enjoy just sitting there for six hours especially if it’s a nice fine day, I just sit & think & do nothing, but serving customers as they appear. Much better than sitting in a cafe drinking coffee!

Sending big hugs & lots of love, Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

Over the last decade I have spent Mothers Day with Philip & Greg in LA, except for one occasion when they were not going to be home, but the last two years have been a little different. The first of these two years I had been hospitalised for over five weeks & not well enough to go to LA.

That was when Philip came for a visit & surprised me by being here & what a surprise it was. I shall never forget it. He had come ‘home’ to not only see me, but to present me with a car after the accident I had. He not only gave me the car (another wonderful surprise), but David had also had taken care of registration, insurance & anything else a car needs.

Then this year after Philip’s visit for a month at Christmas it wasn’t practical to come over for Mothers Day, but the celebration started for me two weeks before the event when a large parcel arrived at my door from Philip.

When I opened it up I found a huge supply of all my health supplements that he had sent to tide me over for the next few months. That’s something I appreciate greatly as I have continued to take these on the advice of Dr. de Mello gave me over two years ago.

Also inside the package was a very large envelope & a smaller envelope. On the front of each it read ‘To be opened on Mother’s Day.’ I am proud to say I did what I was told & placed them on my buffet until the day itself!

On Mothers Day I was out of bed to see what the envelopes contained. I knew the smaller nvelope would hold a card. In true Philip fashion he had sent the most beautiful card, which he is noted for. The whole front was covered in gold glitter which sprinkled everywhere when I brought it to light. In the centre of the glitter was printed ‘Thank you Mom.’

The words were equally as beautiful as the card & said:

‘You’ve been the best mother role model I could have asked for and your influence didn’t stop with me. Over the years, I’ve seen you reach out and extend your ‘mother love’ to anyone who could use a little extra time, a few kind words, or a helping hand.
You’ve given so much, not only to your own family but to everyone who knows you. You’re just that kind of Mum ..that kind of wonderful person.
Happy Mother’s Day with our love, Philip & Greg’.

How beautiful is that.

The large envelope contained an exceptionally nice photo of Philip & Greg that I was delighted with. I have been looking for a nice frame to place it in. Then it will hang in a prominent position in my home so that I am looking at it every day.

Philip’s card to the left, David’s to the right, with the portrait in the middle.

Mother’s Day itself dawned sunny & warm. I had, for the previous two weeks, been under the weather with asthma & not feeling as bright & sunny as the day itself. I had thought it only to be a cold, but felt bad enough to get medical advice.

My good Dr. Bourke sent me for xrays, gave me antibiotics, a puffer & other medication, but I just didn’t feel myself. It’s about thirty years since I had the complaint, but Dr. says it never goes away fully.

However, I was not going to miss out on David & Lauren’s luncheon for the big day when all the family were assembling at their place. There was  Lauren’s Mum, Pat; her son & daughter in law, Ian & Vivian; Georgia & Mic; plus Charley & Riley. Next Mother’s Day Georgia will be a Mum herself.

Despite my condition I still enjoyed the day & the tasty luncheon of sausages, bacon & accompanying salads that I would have enjoyed much more if my taste buds had been operating as they should.

Lovely as the food was it is not everything. I did enjoy being with all the family. I had met Ian & Vivian on Christmas Day so they were not real strangers & are a delightful couple.

After lunch, Georgia beckoned Pat & I out onto the back balcony where she had two very lovely pot plants for each of us, which was a lovely thought & very much appreciated. She gave us both one last year & mine was thriving until the possums ate it to the roots, but it is thriving again now.

This year I have a gorgeous purple cyclamen & I sure do love that colour. I will nurture it as it grows to its full strength.

David’ and Dawn with the bouquet of flowers.

David also had a beautiful arrangement of flowers for me with the appropriate card. I had to smile at the card as it did remind me of David as the outgoing, full of life little boy he was when little as it said “Mum you deserve the BEST – That’s why you’ve got me. Happy Mother’s Day & have a wonderful day, love, David.”

And so not only wih David, but also with Philip I really do have the BEST.

And so after my sixty second Mother’s Day celebration I can only say it was another great day to remember & I am so very thankful that i have two wonderful sons who are at the centre of my heart. I know you will understand that.

God Bless & Fondest Love. Dawn X O X O

cDear Ann.

I had the most marvellous day last Sunday, quite different to the norm. At line dancing the prior Friday, our teacher Jean, asked me if I would like to attend a multicultural service at St. Lukes Uniting Church at Belmont. She explained that they were having a service at 9.30 a.m. & the sermon was being delivered by Francine Bell, a famous singer, actor & preacher, which was to be followed by morning tea & a multicultural luncheon.

That evening I was sitting contemplating the idea of going on my own & decided in the affirmative as it sounded like something a little different. Later I called my friend, Ursula on the phone who is a devout Baptist Christian. During the conversation I told her where I was going next day. She asked if she could come along with me & I was as pleased as punch to have company.

I arranged to collect Ursula from our shopping complex at 9 a.m.as I have never been to her home & this was an easy meeting place for both of us. Then we tootled off to Belmont where I go line dancing.

The church was only a small distance away from there & easy to find, although I should know it as I went there last year for Jean’s husband’s funeral. We still had a few minutes up our sleeve when we arrived, but already the church was packed & we had to sit in the back row which was okay, we could hear it all.

What immediately attracted our attention when we sat down was what looked like a huge painting of The Last Supper, although it looked a little different to a painting. It was very large & looked quite beautiful looking down on us from behind the lectern.

Later we ascertained that a man had woven the whole thing with wool & to give you an idea of what it was like I will show you the photo I took. It was beautifully done & Ursula & I were very impressed with it.

The Last Supper Tapestry.

The church service started with a bang in the modern way as it is done today. No drawling out the hymns as in earlier days, but they had the drums, guitars & the organ. There was an excellent vocalist up the front with the microphone leading the singing, with us following the words on the screen before us.

Two very nice young men came in taking a seat next next to us & we joined hands with them when the time come to participate in getting to know each other. It was all really nicely done. I must admit it’s been a long time since I have been to Church & even though the service was longer than usual I don’t think anyone cared as it was very enjoyable, jolly & full of warmth.

When Francine stood up to talk to us she had our attention immediately. You could have heard a pin drop when she started to sing with no accompaniment. Francine is an American negro & just oozed personality.

Her voice is spectacular & in a very slow & deliberate manner she sang the first verse of ‘Jesus Loves Me’ then went on to sing ‘Were You There When They Crucified My Lord’ closing it off with the first verse of ‘Jesus Loves Me’ again. It was very distinct & beautifully sung. I doubt any of us will ever forget it as it was sung from the heart & very meaningful.

There must have been close to two hundred people at the service & after it we went out in the vestry area where we shared morning tea. This was followed by us all moving to the very large Church hall where several tables held centre position in the middle of the hall covered with white cloths plus the names displayed of fourty countries.

The myriad of casseroles,& all sorts of different things which were brought out were then placed to show where the recipes originated from. When it came time to eat the lass with the microphone (which she needed with so many people) advised us to take small portions so that we could try as many different ones as we liked, knowing that there was plenty more to come for the second time around!

The ladies of the Church had prepared all this food with the help of five people from different countries. It was magnificent; a feast to feed an army. We did great justice to it all as it was so delicious.

Before we dined, we had the lady on the microphone explaining that we were to have a mystery parcel which she held in her hands. On each layer there was an instruction. I can’t remember all the instructions but they had concocted up about a dozen or more things applicable to a multicultural gathering such as:

“Stand up all those who were born in another country & came to live in Australia.”

“Who was born in Australia & attended a wedding in another country?”

“How long have you lived in Australia since moving here?”

And so it went on. The winner each time got to open the next layer.

Ursula was pipped at the post as one other person had been here longer than her 63 years, but I got to open a layer for being the one to attend a wedding in another country, Switzerland, which was further than anyone else had been who had attended a wedding outside Australia.

When it got down to the last message she announced that anyone born in another country to come out front to sing the National Anthem in their native language. As you might imagine, no one stood up!

A young lass of about 8 years of age walked smartly out with great confidence, took the microphone & belted out very confidently & loudly our Australian National Anthem! It was quite funny as the audience realised what had happened, but followed it through with a great round of applause when the little girl finished & took charge of the prize.

That wasn’t all the entertainment either as after we had lunch, the tables were disassembled & we had a bus load of young people along with their teachers from the Central Coast about an hour’s travel away. They were all residents of Australia, but originated from New Zealand. They were there to entertain us with a large rendition & display of their NZ culture.

They were all in their maori costumes & sang & danced beautifully. Mostly they were very young children & did their parents proud with their renditions as they danced, swinging their pois & doing a variation of their national dances & songs.

The cheeky little 3 year old performing with the boys doing the Harka.

The little girls did the Harka on their own, but not allowed to poke out their tongues which the boys did! The youngest little girl of about 3 – 4 years old did the Harka with the boys & was just so cute.

There was one little lass of about 9 years that I couldn’t take my eyes off as she was just so good. Her steps & rhythm was absolutely perfect in every rendition.

After the show was over I jut had to find her to say how brilliantly she performed, she was a joy to watch & I took a close up photo of her, but when talking to her I forgot to ask her name.

After all this entertaining was completed the organisers took photos which they hope will be considered for the front page of our telephone directory next year. The people involved in the photograph were all those who immigrated to Australia plus the group of youngsters with a New Zealand background who entertained us so beautifully.

I do hope they succeed as the whole of the multicultural gathering was so extremely good in the promotion of how we should all accept each other in the true sense of love.

But yet again, the proceedings were not at an end. While these photographs were taking place the church members were putting tables in place to hold the deserts they had prepared.

My goodness, after the feast we had enjoyed how could we hold more? Apart from whatever else was placed on the tables, Ursula & I heard the Aussie word ‘PAVLOVAS. Which resulted in another inch on our hips, but we cant refuse a PAV! It was very appropriate because the pavlova was invented in New Zealand then became an Australian favourite.

A colleague & friend of mine from line dancing, Ann, was next to me at that time. She hails from South Africa, but she knew that word PAV! We looked at each other took off on the same leg, got to the table & picked up 3 plates with PAV including all the trimmings, fresh fruit, whipped cream & ice cream. Oh, we did add a tad helping of bavarian cream whatever it was & headed back to our seats with three plates full to the brim: one for each of us including Ursula who by now was in deep discussion with Penny, who was the lady leading the singing in the church on the microphone.

On the way out from the Church, Penny had stopped to acquaint herself with ourselves & it seemed an immediate friendship with Ursula. So, armed with the PAV, Ann & I returned.

Perhaps the cover of next year’s phone book?

Well, let me say by this time Penny had pulled up a seat next to Ursula, which was fatal. For the next twenty minutes those two did not draw breath, nor did Ursula nibble at the PAV nor the Bavarian ‘whatever’ that she was brought up on & I know she loves.

They were so engrossed in chatting, it went on for an eternity, I couldn’t even get a word in to say “Eat your Pav Ursula”!

Finally, & I will swear on the Bible that this is the truth, Penny & Ursula were sitting on the last two seats in that huge hall. The men had taken the other two hundred back to storage!

Imagine me suggesting & nudging Ursular with eyes directed straight on Prnny who took no notice. Ursula still with PAV not eaten & the two of them sitting on the last two seats in that huge hall!

The men worked around that pair until there was nothing left but two ladies still eating PAV & sitting on the last two chairs! I wished I had taken a photo of the last survivors on the block!

Suddenly ( or not so suddenly) the two of them decided they should relinquish their chairs & Ursula managed to eat her PAV! I I think she enjoyed it, but feel sure she enjoyed the conversation with Penny more.

By this time, being the only visitors left in the place, I went off to get the car to save any walking for Ursula as she had a knee replacement not too long ago & was still using a walker. You are not going to believe this, but when I got back with the car those two were still there talking & saying lengthy farewells.

They say that if you look hard enough you will always find a ray of sunshine in the dark clouds. I could not find a dark cloud, but there was plenty of sunshine as I thought of this new friendship between Ursula & Penny, so spontaneously.

I would not be the least surprised to find that a dedicated Baptist could turn out to be a staunch member of the Uniting Church (or vice versa)!

Enough to say that the function was to end at 2.30 p.m & we arrived home closer to 4.30 p.m. having loved every minute of the whole event; marvelling at the planning, timing, cooking & entertainment that was carried out by the men & women from St. Lukes.

It was a credit to them all & both Ursula & I had a truly magnificent day.

My Fondest Love, Dawn. O X O

Dear Ann,

It was many moons ago, when I was looking in particular for an item of clothing that I really wanted & bemoaning the fact to my friend who was with me at the time, that I couldn’t find it anywhere. I can’t recall just who that friend was, but she suggested we go & have a look at Millers Boutique, explaining that they had a wide variety of clothing which they sold at very reasonable prices.

I had never heard of them before, even though it is a very well known trade name in most of the States in Australia. The suggestion sounded like a good plan to me, so we drove off to Toronto, a suburb quite close to home, to visit Millers.

When we arrived I was pleasantly surprised at the large variety they had on show. It was here that I met my very dear friend, Cheryl along with her behind-the-counter working partner & friend, Yvonne, whom I thought were two delightful assistants. They didn’t hesitate to show me all they had to offer.

The shop was a little quiet when we were there, so these two girls waited on us hand & foot. My friend also suddenly became interested in ‘casing the joint’ as we used to say. It wasn’t hard to get interested in the garments as almost everything we looked at was ‘on special’. Cheryl explained that if you bought this on special & then bought another garment you also got a discount.

This went on for some time & I felt we were being treated so well that I made a stupid remark. It was close to the festive Christmas season & naturally I had Christmas puddings on my mind & told the girls if they went on like that giving us all these discounts I would give them one of my special home made Christmas puddings when it came time.

It took a while before I realised that Millers was a retail store & were never without specials!  It was well stocked with more than I needed after taking advantage of all the ‘specials’ & left the store very happy with my purchases.

Since that first time I have been a regular shopper at Millers. When it came round to Christmas, I took a baby pudding to both girls as promised. The day I gave them to the girls I was some way down the street when I heard a voice behind me calling my name. It was Cheryl who had read the label on the pudding, came running after me to say how much like me the lovely label & the words it conveyed.

I admitted that my son had worded the labels for me, as he knows what I would like to say. It was obvious that Cheryl was quite rapt with both the label & the pudding. Then she told me about the group she attended, Prime Timers, & how friendly it was. I promised to go along to the next meeting as it sounded interesting & I had time on my hands.

Before we parted that day I had also mentioned to her about my hobby: writing letters to my friend Ann. She was so interested that she asked if I would bring one of my volumes along as she would like to read it. Hence, a strong bond was formed between us from the start.

Since then – for well over a decade – Cheryl & I have met on an average of once a fortnight for lunch. For the past couple of years our friend, Sandra has joined us. Cheryl collects us both from our homes & decides where we will go.

This year she took us to Poppy’s Nursery in a nearby suburb that not only serves delicious food, but has a real serenity about it. We went there just recently when Cheryl returned home from a ten day holiday when she had heaps of photos to show us from the trip.

Dawn, Cheryl and Sandra at Michele’s Patisserie after their Girls Day Out.

She & husband, Gary had driven a few hundred kilometres to Victoria & then travelled along the Great Ocean Road, which is rather spectacular with huge rocks, twelve of them, rising up from the ocean. These are known as The Twelve Apostles.

It brought back memories for me as Max & I with Philip & David as little boys (6 & 4 years old) did that route over fifty years ago.

Then they travelled on to various places in Victoria stopping wherever it took their fancy.

Sandra & I really enjoyed all the photographs & it certainly brought back lots of memories for me. One of their favourite stopping places was at a rural town called Ballarat that is steeped in history. From the photos it seemed the place hadn’t changed much.

Most of the noted places are heritage listed. One in particular, which belonged to someone of note way back in the eighteen hundreds, still remains as it was back in those olden days. Those responsible for taking visitors through dress up just as they did then. It was really interesting seeing it all again on paper.

I remember one old place where you could stay overnight & they still had an old fashioned potty under the bed because the toilet was not close. Imagine those good old days!!

One of the main reasons that Ballarat is so historical is that in 1854 there was a rebellion by the gold miners known as the Eureka Stockade where the miners revolted against the colonial authority of the United Kingdom.

Many were killed in the battle that followed, but the moral support was such that it ultimately resulted in new Electoral Acts in Parliament. The rebellion is identified as being the birth of democracy in Australia.

As we digested our pulled pork enchiladas we also digested Cheryl’a stack of photos. We also decided that when Philip & Greg come back for a visit next time we are going to take them to Poppys as Cheryl & I think they would enjoy the food & the atmosphere for an hour or so.

We missed Cheryl while she was away & certainly welcomed her back. We had a lovely day out ending up at Michele’s patisserie for coffee after lunch, so that both Sandra & Cheryl could do some needed shopping at the super market opposite, as Sandra had also been away for a few days.

For me, I have always been thankful that my friend had introduced me to Millers & ultimately Cheryl as she has been, from the start of our friendship, a true & loyal friend & my greatest fan. She loves reading my letters to you. She has purchased all the fourteen volumes as she loves them so much.

The old saying goes that you are very rich if you can count five friends on one hand that are true friends & I can honestly say that Cheryl is one of those.

How glad I am that we also became close friends, you changed my life & I love you. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

It was the 8th April & the first monthly market sponsored by the Warners Bay Chamber of Commerce. I was more than a little bit excited about it & very much looking forward to it.

However, I had a little bit of a loss attached to it as, before the market was due to start, a kind stall holder came up to me asking if I would like to go to the toilet before the market commenced. As I am on my own, this is a kind offer from a thoughtful person & I took advantage of the offer as I had six hours of trading ahead of me.

However, when I got there I felt my ring finger & so help me could not believe I had lost another diamond & sapphire ring which was quite unique. It was a ring I had purchased in Singapore over forty years ago specifically for my Mother as it was so different & I thought it would suit her finger.

I doubt that she ever wore it & it was given back to me after she passed away. At that time I gave it to my friend, Pat who held it for a time but never wore it. She ultimately gave it back to me because of the value.

When I lost my jewellery which was stolen in my wallet I wore it & if Mum didn’t get attached to it I did. I thought how nice it looked on my finger. When I discovered it missing my heart lurched & I told myself it must be in the car or amongst the goods I had unloaded at the market so I didn’t give up hope. I had a job to do that morning so put it behind me.

I never did find it (well, not yet), but I have got the message that rings & I are not meant to be together & I did not let it affect me & the challenge before me. I forgot about it (sort of)!

When I came home & unloaded the car I was rather tired & elated at the same time. I think the tiredness took over more than the elation at that point, as I had put in two hours of solid line dancing the day before the market.

All in all I was dragging my feet when I noticed my answering machine was blinking. I answered it & received another shock. It was my long time very dear friend, Stephen Ebbeck leaving a message saying his Mum had passed away that morning.

I could hear the tears in his voice, which matched the tears that came to my eyes at that point. I could scarcely believe it. The loss of a lovely ring is not to be compared with the loss of a lovely friend & I was really sad.

Janet has been in a nursing home nearby for the past few years after she had a very major operation on a cancer in her stomach that was successful & gave her a few more years with her family. Apparently, Stephen, who lives in Sydney, was twenty minutes away from picking his Mum up to take her to lunch.

Stephen often came up from Sydney for that reason & very often kindly included me in the outing, which was lovely. With just that short time away from seeing his Mum he received a call from his sister, Michelle who informed him that their Mum had gone.

Poor Stephen, I can only imagine what went through his mind at that moment & so he asked quite puzzled “Where has she gone?” No wonder he had tears in his voice when he rang me. His Mum had collapsed while she was dressing to go out for lunch.

So now it was my turn as I thought about my very dear friend, Janet. I knew Stephen for years before I really knew Janet. She lived in a suburb very close to me.

Janet, Stephen and Gerald Ebbeck

Where I live it’s a very small close knit community, so when I was shopping at the super market I would often see Janet & we would greet each other & say the perfunctory things. This happened so often & I felt as if we should know each other more, particularly as Stephen & I had known each other for many years.

I rang Stephen one day asking if he thought his Mum would like to have lunch with me. He very quickly took me up on that & when I rang her she also very quickly said she would love to.

From that time on, Janet & I enjoyed lunch together every Wednesday & I realised she was looking for company as we so often do as we age.

Janet lived for her beautiful family. I don’t use that lightly either as I found her family of the four remaining children was extra loving & caring. Janet & her husband, Gerald, lost a twin daughter, Louise, with cancer, Mother of two, at the age of 34. I don’t think that the whole family ever really got over that loss, particularly the parents which is understandable.

I recall the funeral many years ago & the grief the family suffered. All Stephens friends were there from Sydney, most of them staying with Max & I at our place the night before the funeral. Stephen is probably the biggest, softest hearted man I know & his grief was such that on the day of his sister’s funeral he was so distraught that he kicked at the hearse. We could all understand the grief they were suffering.

The whole family were close to their Mum, but Stephen seemed to be even more so & over the years treated his Mum, sometimes accompanied by husband Gerald, to holidays in Europe & other places. He loved his Mum very dearly.

Gerald was apt to wander off on his own on these holidays & on one in particular, he wandered off, got on the bus outside while Stephen & his Mum were watching. Janet was known to remark to Stephen “Do you think we should tell him to get off the bus or will we let him travel on to China?”

Another time when Stephen took his Mum to Thailand with him on a holiday he booked her in for a Thai massage, went off & left her. When he returned to collect her she hadn’t had the massage because he hadn’t told her that she had to take her clothes off! Our Janet had a sense of dry humour & her shy smile would almost give her away.

Indeed it was that shy smile that was also her individual definitive Janet smile that we all knew so much, which brought tears to my eyes when I walked into where the funeral was to be held.

On either side of the wall, as we walked into the chapel, were two very large photos of Janet with her beautiful & unique smile looking at us. It was just so lifelike & so Janet that I don’t think anyone would not have felt she was there with us.

I did not think I would cry at the funeral as I don’t do too much of that these days, but I was proved wrong. I went to the funeral with a mutual friend of ours Myrtle, & we were first to arrive.

As we walked into the chapel, I saw part of the family, Lisa, Michelle, Mark, Stephen & before I knew it Lisa was holding me in the biggest hug ever. Lisa is Mark’s partner & we have not met many times, but somehow I feel a special bond with Lisa & when she did this I could feel the tears coming.

It got worse as she let me go & I saw Mark crying beside her. Then I saw my sweet & dear friend Stephen crying too. That really finished me. For the second time in my association with Stephen I have seen him cry like that & it broke my heart.

I recovered a little then walked inside the chapel & saw the lifelike photos of Janet with the lovely smile we all knew. It’s a time when you take many deep breaths & the service that came next was equally as emotional.

As I waited for the service to start I read this:  ‘Miss me but let me go’ & the poem.

‘When I come to the end of the road & the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom filled room, why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little – but not too long & not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we once shared – miss me a little but let me go.
For this is a journey that we all must take & each must go alone
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan, a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely & sick at heart, go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds, Miss me, but let me go’.

And so, it was a sad farewell to my dear friend, & I am the richer for not only knowing her but also in knowing the family that she loved so much.

I think this would please her. I think all the family have Janet’s beautiful loving nature. For instance, just after my wallet was stolen last year with my valuable jewellery in it, we had a picnic lunch with Stephen, Mark & partner Lisa, in a lovely park near to us all.

It was Mark who got me to sketch the rings I had lost as he said sometimes things come up on Gum Tree (on the internet).

A few months later, sure enough, an ad came on Gum Tree saying the writer had found three rings & wanted to find the owner. Stephen gave me a call that morning to say Mark had called to say they could possibly be mine as not often it is three rings found together.

All that day, after Stephen rang, I was sure in my heart they were my rings as it made sense & after locating the ad I went to the Charlestown Police Station to show them as, at the time, they showed a lot of care for me when I lost them as the detective involved rang me the next day to see if I was okay.

However, it seemed they were not mine but this iterates my close connection with the family & how caring they are.

Janet is leaving a loving legacy, a truly beautiful family endowed with the same love that Janet had for them all, a precious gift which will continue on,

Those we love, we never forget.

That is exactly why I am writing my letters to you, my dear friend. As Stephen always says to me as we are parted after a phone call or when we are together those wonderful words which I say to you, “I love you & wherever you are you know that.”

You know what was in my heart on that last day I saw you & went back to give you a last hug like Lisa gave me. I knew that day that I would not see you again in person so it was a hug & ‘I love you’ before I let you go. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I really didn’t do anything over Easter apart from having the girls to lunch & going to Fennels Bay market. My favourite eating place was closed so I simply stayed home on Easter Monday & did a bit of tidying up that was overdue: you know how it is!

I spend a bit of each day sitting in my little wooden rocking chair, which is just outside my lounge room window under the sun. So because Micheles Patisserie was closed for two days I occupied myself at home, deciding that I would write three letters that I have needed to write for some weeks, but had been had been putting them off until I had time to think of what I needed to write, as they were not the ordinary type of letter.

On a visit a few weeks ago to my GP, Dr. Bourke to find out the results of some blood tests he had requested, he was so pleased with the results that he said I should write to my previous doctors & tell them how I was & what I am doing.

He suggested Dr. Relic who nursed me through four & half years of agonising itch before I was sent to hospital & the cancer scare, which went away when they cured my thrush.

He also suggested a letter to Dr. Walsh my cancer specialist & Dr. O’Brien my oncologist. I think Dr. Bourke is a bit pleased with the fact that I don’t sit at home feeling sorry for myself & is also pleased with my activities, which he is well aware of.

So I thought about it & guessed that Dr. Bourke wanted me to give these doctors some positive results that I imagine would give doctors a bit of a lift. So after putting it off for too long I sat down on Easter Monday to write the letters, which took me most of the afternoon.

I will share with you the letter I sent to Dr. Relic. I modified the other two to suit the need. This is what I wrote:

Dear Dr. Relic,

At a recent consultation with my GP, Dr. Syd Bourke, this good man suggested I write to let you know how I am & what I am doing. Dr. Bourke is aware of all my activities & I think he is pleased with the fact that I am not sitting at home bored to tears with nothing to do. The family brought Hammond Care in to do my housework & my garden when I was diagnosed with Mycosis Fungoids, hence I have seven days a week in which to do nothing,

In case you don’t remember me, which I doubt as I was on your doorstep often enough, he also suggested I send a recent photo with this letter. His suggestion for me to write was after he had just received results of a blood test he had requested & in his words he said “blood was excellent, liver & kidneys also excellent”.

In connection with how I feel I can only say that for at least the past eighteen months I have felt extremely well. I think it would be fair to use the expression ‘tip top’ for an aging 87 year old. In addition to that my friends & acquaintances have repeatedly mentioned how well I look, particularly my skin. I just feel so good within myself.

I must add this though that I had a great incentive which I should mention. After I came out of hospital in 2015 my son, David, really thought that I would not live so one evening in the presence of my 22 year old grand daughter, Charley, he made an offer. He said if I felt well enough he would pay for Charley to accompany me, as my carer, to Los Angeles for a six week holiday from November to end of December – that was in 2015.

This was to visit my other son, Philip, who lives there. I seemed to get well at a fast rate! It was a wonderful offer from David & it certainly paid dividends.

I continued on my road to good health & in August, 2016 made approximately 400 Christmas puddings, some for gifts, some for sale to friends & others. Due to a spate of events which happened during 2016 I went to four monthly markets with my puddings just prior to Christmas & had a tremendous response.

Also the kindness of fellow stall holders & the Lions Club was outstanding (not sure whether my age sponsored this or not) but I went up to my son’s place after my first market for dinner & he was quite bemused with my elated sprits. He said he had never seen me quite so elated & was amazed at what it was doing for me, as he had been sure that in 2015 that I would not survive.

The Lions Club wanted me to keep coming this year so I have been making ten batches of my popular Curried Zucchini Relish each month as it’s difficult to sell even th best Christmas Pudding in January. So I bought myself a gazebo, two good folding tables & drive to my venues at Fennels Bay & Warners Bay markets & sell approximately 60 jars of relish each time. It’s not about money, it’s the challenge & activity I am enjoying so much.

I have always enjoyed both & this has given me a new lease of life. Plus it is not difficult to sit out in the nice weather & be with nice people. I have everyone I know keeping their jars for me instead of recycling them as I use over 120 per month.

In addition to this I am back line dancing for two hours every Friday, which is really being active as most of it requires a bit more energy than a waltz. At one stage I thought I would never get back to this activity & missed it all through 2015, but its good to be back now.

I also continue to write my Letters to Ann which I have been writing for ten years. This covers just about the story of my life as it goes on. I started this project after my dear friend, Ann, passed away.

I had been writing to her in Los Angeles frequently. She kept all my letters leaving them to her son. Ultimately my son received them, suggested I keep writing as I was enjoying it & he started a blog for me.

This resulted, to my amazement, in receiving two volumes of my letters in book form from under the Christmas tree the following Christmas. I now have fourteen volumes & hopefully expect two more from under the tree this next Christmas. Whatever I write for the year Philip has them put into book form for me.

Dr. Bourke is not aware of the latter or he may not have made the suggestion of writing to you! However, when he suggested I write to my previous doctors I thought it may bring a nice story into your life with a happy ending. You must see & hear enough of sadness.

I can never thank you enough Dr Relic for the way you sat beside me all the way through those four & half years. You bent over backwards for me & I can never thank you enough. You are not only a wonderful doctor, you are also a very compassionate person which I like to call an angel from God.

Many, many thanks for all you did for me. I write this with fond affection & great respect.

God Bless, My Very Kindest Regards, Dawn.

I also sent to Dr. Relic a kilo pudding for him because I know how much he loves them. I will give one to the other two doctors when I have a check up during the year.

So that’s how I spent Easter Monday & I felt good about it. So at 5.30 p.m. I did what I usually do & got myself ready for bed, sat in front of the tele with a cool glass of good white wine to watch a favourite programme.

Would you believe that just after 6 p.m., after I had eaten my left over salmon patties, the phone rang. It was David to ask what I was doing here & then it hit me. I had had such a busy week before Easter & my mind on other things that I had forgotten the fortnightly family dinner!

Needless to say I missed out on the fabulous Bruschetta which David serves pre dinner & also the melt in the mouth fillet steak he serves for dinner! I survived & they missed me for sure!!

Love you dear heart. Dawn. X O X O

Dear Ann,

What a great Easter it was with the sun shining down on us for the whole of the time. It’s the first Easter in many years when we have seen this happen. It is usually thunder, lightning & rain.

I get the feeling that this is rightly so & a reminder how angry God was at what they did to His Son. It was a sad time but then we get the sunshine to remind us all is well, He lives again & is always with us. I always feel a bit subdued at Easter because of the occasion, but I did really enjoy the sun this year. I think everybody enjoyed – it was lovely.

Michele’s Patisserie was closed for Friday, Sunday & Monday & only open on Sat morning. This has never happened before to that extent, but I can’t blame Rachelle for taking full advantage of the holidays now that little Spencer James has been added to the family. I don’t think I have told you about that.

He was born on 18th March & his Mum kept working at the patisserie until the day before his birth. She was back on the job three days later looking trim, taut & terrific, with no excess fat – it was all baby. What a great girl she is.

So I got a look at little Spencer when he was only four days old lying in his pram looking around his new world & waving his tiny arms about. He is a perfect little baby. I think all of Rachelle’s patrons are welcoming this newcomer into the cafe family at the Patisserie as most of the patrons brought this event into their own lives throughout the preceding months.

Judy, Pat & I had gone shopping the week before to purchase a nice gift for when the new baby arrived as we have been patrons there for many years & feeling part of the event. We sat Rachelle down with us one day & presented her with a very lovely embroidered baby towel set & a little thingamejig for baby to hold & play with or put in his mouth & suck his thumb while he holds the cloth attached to it! I must say that little Spencer is absolutely the most gorgeous baby, we had forgotten how beautiful a new baby is.

Gift for Rachele’s coming baby from the three of us.

I really missed my favourite cafe not being open, but on Easter Sunday I had my Fennels Bay market to attend to, so I trotted off to see where I would be put on this gorgeous sunny warm day. Mr. Lions Man gave me a site to go to, but I missed it, ended up at another site.

I have had five different sites the five times I have been taking part. I queried another Lions Club member as to whether I was at the right site. He mentioned the name of another lass who usually has that particular one but as it looked unlikely she was going to turn up at that late hour (7 a.m.) & I could stay there if I wished.

This suited me fine, on the spot & onto job in hand so he & another member put up my gazebo for me. I was unpacked & ready when the first customer came past at 7.30 & I sold the first jar of relish for the day. With the sun & all, the day looked promising with a $4 sale to start with.

I wasn’t wrong about the day, as I had tucked away 89 times that amount by the time the market ended at 12.30 p.m. Each time I am there the sales escalate, which is a nice feeling after all my hard work, but what I love most is the challenge & the activity, it gives me a reason to get up in the morning.

During the morning a nice looking youngish man came along with a purpose. He didn’t want a sample to taste, but asked could he take a photograph. I didn’t mind, but asked why as I didn’t want my picture on the page of the daily paper selling relish at a market!

He belonged to a camera club who had been given the challenge of presenting some unusual photographs so he turned my large jar of relish around so the label wasn’t in view & took a close up snap. My relish does really look good in their little glass homes. I wish now I had asked him to send me a copy, but I was slow on the uptake. However, it was an interesting little interlude.

Then when the market slowed down & it was time to pack up, another nice thing happened to me. I had been wedged between two elderly chaps selling old tools, fishing lines, that kind of thing, & they seemed very pleased to have a young lady next to them!

They kept talking to me on & off & indeed the one on my right hand side seemed eager to talk to anyone as he would wander away from his site for a chat, sometimes missing out on a prospective sale. He was quite chatty & told me he was 89 years of age. I wasn’t going to let him have it all his way, so I told him I was in my 88th year!

Anyway when I started packing up he said when I was ready he & the chap on the other side would take down my gazebo for me. This they did, God bless them & even folded up the canopy like a housemaid would fold up a linen sheet.

When this was all done, one of them (not the chatty one) said that he was very definitely going to ring the Lions Club & ask that I have that spot permanently, so that they can help me each month. I could see that he really meant it.

Wasn’t that so nice of them? See what I mean about stall holders, they are always there to give a hand to the next one if needed. These two had already bought a jar of relish from me, but I thought it was worth another jar each for them for their trouble! Then I asked to whom was I talking: the right hand 89 year old said he was Bill & my other little helper was Ron.

Well I drove off home with all my left over jars of relish, plus my loot feeling a very happy little vegemite, having found two new friends who want to help a stray lass!

So if I do get site 118 from now on, half my market day worries will be over with Ron & Bill to help me. If their wish comes to fruition & has the okay of the Lions Club I will inform these two nice guys just who I am: ‘the original Pudding Lady’ who makes the best Christmas Pudding in the world. Not just my opinion but that of one of our largest food halls in Australia, David Jones, to whom we supplied for years.

And next Christmas I will promise them both the most delicious pudding they will ever taste! I will also take them some slices next month to prove my point!

So it looks like I won’t have to wait until some stall holder dies to get on the permanent list as I was told. However, we will see what takes place in this regard on the third Sunday of next month but life in the market place sure looks interesting.

Fondest Love, Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

After three weeks or more of steady rain the sun came through & we were blessed with beautiful sunshine. It was the loveliest Easter – weather wise – that we have had in years & we took every advantage to enjoy it.

I like to be rather quiet at this holiest time of year. My only plan was that I had asked Riley & Charley if they would like to come & have lunch with me on a day that suited them. Then when David came down for his visit the Saturday before Easter he suggested that maybe the girls would like to come for lunch on Easter Saturday as there was to be quite an event in Warners Bay which is where I live (Lakelands is part of the bay).

I mentioned to you about David’s Kombi van & all the time, money & effort he had put into it in the past twelve months or so & he is just so proud of it. He wanted to have it in pristine condition for Easter as Kombis were congregating from allover Australia & meeting at Bus Stop at Swansea, which is a suburb a few kilometers from Warners Bay. Bus Stop is the name of the meeting as the next Bus Stop will be held next Easter at Stanthorpe, Queensland.

David belongs to the Kombi Club online & corresponds with other Kombi owners where they share all sorts of things in connection with their beloved vans. David shared with me – the week before the meeting was to take place – that he was quite excited about it. I was pleased for him as he has put a lot of time, effort & money into restoring his 1976 van into looking as beautiful as it ever did.

David’s Kombi on show.

All the Kombi members met & stayed at a caravan park at Swansea for the whole of Easter. David’s news was that on Easter Saturday morning there was going to be a convoy driving to Warners Bay where a whole car park was reserved for them to park when they arrived.

For sure I didn’t want to miss seeing this event & neither did the girls as it would be something one wouldn’t see too often. We also wanted to be there for David too. Riley arranged to pick me up from home & we met Charley at the venue.

It was quite exciting & something different. I must say that the array of Kombis was quite spectacular & they all looked wonderful, the whole 102 of them.

Charley particularly liked the one painted in black & cream like a jersey cow. Indeed, she called it the cow Kombi! I just enjoyed browsing & looking at them all taking a few photos, but I rather liked the pig Kombi!

They all looked wonderful in their lovely colours. We could see inside to view how they were fitted out so that when on holiday they had their own kitchen facilities & bed inside. I guess if the Kombis could talk they could tell some good stories like my dining room table!

Riley and Charley with the Cow Kombi.

David’s love for his van goes back many years to when he was courting Jenni. The van was used for the wedding – with other Kombis – when David & Jenni were married. They spent most of their young life when Charley & Riley came along, going away camping. It holds a myriad of memories both for David & the girls.

So that was how we all spent Easter Saturday morning.

After our little tour David took Lauren & us three to the Warners Bay hotel, just opposite the car park, where we enjoyed a nice cool drink as the day was quite hot. I certainly enjoyed my Lemon, Lime & Bitters, which I always find a very refreshing drink. The hotel is a very nice venue in which to enjoy it.

When the special Chicken Wings arrived for David & Lauren’s lunch we left them to it & returned to my little villa where I had lunch prepared for me & the girls. I had gone to quite a bit of trouble to make some salmon patties.

As it had been years since I had made them I sought the help of my friend, Pat, who gave me the recipe years ago. I have lost the art of cooking these days as I don’t do much anymore. I look back on when I could & would entertain a dozen or more people for dinners at home & wonder how I did it!

However, they weren’t too bad at all (with Pat’s input) served with a tasty salad.

When Charley & Riley get together there is no shortage of conversation. They are like two chirping birds & I love listening to their bright chatter.

I had decided early in the year that I would not give them chocolates for Easter. Charley would like, but doesn’t want to eat them while Riley can have no dairy in her diet, so I did something different.

I had saved all my coins since Christmas & I put them all into two small coffee jars with the glass lids. I filled them up to the brim with the coins. I tied them up in cellophane using silver ribbon for Riley’s & gold ribbon for Charley’s.

I also put a small jewellery gift with each one & was particularly pleased with what I had found for them. Charley’s gift was a very pretty pointed bead with colours inside on a black necklace which I knew Charley would like. I had to search for Riley’s gift as I am not sure what she likes, but I found a very dainty silver bracelet with a little thing hanging from it on which sprouted the tree of life.

Then before I gave them the packages I asked had they seen the magnificent new Gold Ingot chocolate which Cadbury had put on sale. They hadn’t, which I knew as it wasn’t true, but I handed them the really heavy jars of money instead. Riley said “Good one Gran!”

Riley and Charley with their “Small Change”

I told them they could busy themselves counting the money as I had put it in willy nilly & didn’t know how much was there. I didn’t know who had what & I wanted to occupy them while I got the lunch ready.

Riley let out a delighted squeal when she found her bracelet. She just loved it & I was so pleased. Charley liked her necklace too & they both donned there new finery on the spot.

How they kept counting AND talking I don’t know but they have a non stop patter. Charley finished first with a total of $106.05 cents. Riley got the jackpot,:$120 & five cents!

Poor Charley came off second best & little sister offered to share her excess with her big sister who gently refused, as it was all fun. I am sure on the roundabout Charley is not treated too badly by Gran!

So we had a lovely lunch, I enjoyed every minute of their company &, as always, make the most of the time I spend with my very special & very delightful & very lovable grandchildren!!

God Bless you Ann & I send my love. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I am really into the swing of things now at Fennels Bay market now & getting to know the ropes of selling at markets, so can almost call myself an expert at it. I know a lot from past experiences at big fairs & fetes, but markets are a little different & I found there was still plenty to learn.

I am delighted with the third gazebo I purchased as it’s a lot easier to erect & the Lions Club men do a great job in helping me get set up. I have a ritual on market mornings which goes like this:

1. Wake up on time. Get up & get going.
2. Arrive at the market, line up & book in, as I am not on the permanent list yet. I think someone has to die before I can on get on that, as I believe there is a lengthy list of ‘would be permanents’.
3. When my turn to book in comes around, it is my cue to ask for help to erect my gazebo. Then I have no trouble in waiting as the ‘booking me in ‘ chap gets on his walkie talkie & arranges it immediately. There’s no waiting for things to happen.
4. Get the produce on the tables & organise the financial side. The last thing is bringing out my chair, but I don’t get to sit on it straight away. Believe it or not, lookers are out & about early on Sunday mornings, which makes me think that there is more insomniacs around than I thought. I can’t imagine anyone in their right senses getting up at that hour on a Sunday morning to mooch around a market! However, I am not averse to early morning sales!

Having done two markets at Fennels Bay I was all keyed up for March & had a grand amount of stock all ready. However, the elements had other ideas & for three weeks we had nothing but wet weather, on & on & on.

I wasn’t sure what happened in these circumstances being new to it, so on the morning itself I looked out the window before my get up time. Sure enough, God had not stopped the rain just because I had a market to go to so I went back to bed.

That happened three times when finally I succumbed to ‘plan b.’ I waited till 9 a.m. then got up & drove to the venue – in the rain!

I hit the jackpot.there was not a sign of a gazebo, a car or a person, so I went back home now knowing what happens with adverse weather! I wasn’t disappointed. Looking at the silver lining was the fact that I had all the stock made for the next Fennels Bay market still another month away.

However, the powers to be intervened on that score as it was not going to be the next market at Fennels Bay, but the local Chamber of Commerce advertised that they were about to start monthly markets at Warners Bay, which is where I live.

They had told me last year at the one market they had that this might come to fruition after they had consulted the Council Chambers & here it was commencing trade only a few days away, on the 2nd Saturday of every month.

I hadn’t received any communication from them & it happened to be Greg who brought it to my attention with an email from LA. I was very quick then to contact my pal, Rhonda, at the C of C who helped me so much last year. She wasn’t aware that I had been missed with the initial notification.

It took a bit of getting all the paper work done, but I made it in time & promised Rhonda I now had a really good gazebo & not like the meccano set I had last year! She had two nice young chaps to help me on that score & she gave me the same site that I had last year, which was really nice of her. I think she likes the original pudding lady!

Now wasn’t that good that Fennels Bay market was drowned out two weeks earlier & I had all that stock ready! There was one big difference in the two markets though as Fennels Bay costs $15 for the site while Warners Bay charge $75. One has to sell a lot of little jars of relish to make that amount up.

I didn’t mind at all as I had to look towards the future when it came to Christmas pudding time. I sold twice as much at Warner’s Bay market last year than any of the others. And so it was, I was bright eyed & bushy tailed as it came around to the new venture again.

There was just a steady flow of lookers & shoppers. I am not backward in offering a taste of the goods on sale – be it Christmas puddings or my popular relish. I have packets of crackers, a big jar of relish opened, serviettes & a spoon to serve it out. You can’t beat giving out samples of the proof of the pudding or whatever else it might happen to be.

I had the table packed with Curried Zucchini Relish. I have noticed the difference with markets is that you think you are not going to sell much as there is not the volume of people in attendance as at other larger venues, so it goes slow. However, on the whole the stock gradually dwindles & all of a sudden there is only one or a few jars left. Its quite interesting.

It wasn’t any different at this market either, they all gradually went. There was one big difference. At Warners Bay I had twice as much stock as the Fennels Bay market, but I also sold it all & my sales were amazing: just double Fennels Bay markets.

Dawn’s Relish Display at Warner’s Bay Market which lead to record sales.

It was worth sitting there from early morning – when the market was due to start at 8 a.m. – until 2 p.m. It was also great when unloading the car after I arrived home! It was a lovely sunny day, the first in weeks & I was rapt. I meet such nice people as well as the wonderful stall holders.

It’s not all about money either. Its about the challenge, the achievement, the activity. My sons say I was born determined! I have a strong notion they are right on that score!

So guess what happened now? I had no stock & Fennels Bay market was the following Sunday. No time to pat myself on the back or anything like that. I needed action.

I left Warners Bay market when it closed & immediately went shopping, as I needed to start making produce fast. I needed the ingredients: zucchini, celery, onions, capsicums & tomatoes.

When I walked into the supermarket I was delighted as capsicums were on sale for $4a kilo down from $9 per kilo. Onions were reduced from $3 to $1. Celery from $3 a bunch to $1 & – wonders of wonders – tomatoes were down to $3 from $7 per kilo. I could make my relish for half price.

I needed enough to make 10 batches of relish, but I bought 30 kilos of tomatoes. I needed 10 kilos for the week’s cooking, but I also peeled all of the tomatoes, chopped them up & stored them in all the large Tupperware containers I had. I put them all into the ferezer deep freeze for use after the current week. My freezer is now chock-a-block: filled to capacity.

So you might say I had a rather busy week as it was the week before Easter & Fennels Bay market was on Easter Sunday. It was quite a week. I not only made all the 10 batches of relish in the next 4 days, complete with labelling & pricing, but also dealt with the tomatoes.

I even went to lunch with Judy & Pat on Monday for 3 hours. I also went to a funeral of a very dear friend & prepared & cooked food for lunch because Charley & Riley were coming to have a meal with me over Easter. Looking back now I wonder how I did it all, but if I had to do it all over again I know I can do it, also knowing I have to be sensible because I am old!

As I was leaving the supermarket with my trolley loaded to the max particularly with so many bags of tomatoes, those at the checkout were asking what was I going to do with it all, make pickles? I told them it was the tastiet relish ever & to trot along to the Warners Bay market on the second Saturday in May & I would give them a taste of the finished product! It could possibly result in a record crowd!

My Fondest Love as Always. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

After writing to you about the mansion & all we experienced while there, I would like to add to this to tell you about the more serious things: the work that the fine ladies who organised the charity event do for the needy, as I can relate to that very well.

I do not know (but intend to find out) how often the ladies meet to do all their craft work & how many there are. They are also to be commended on the ability to work together so well that a function as I described to you in the last letter can be held so successfully as these things don’t ‘just happen’, they have to be well organised.

Riley’s doppelgänger!

I did forget to mention the lovely young lass that was working hard at the fund raiser & looked very beautiful reminding me so much of my Grand Daughter, Riley. I mentioned this to the lass & asked if I could take her photo. I did say it was obvious that she was the film star in attendance!

You will see what I mean when you look at the picture. She didn’t smile when the photo was being taken but afterwards she smiled & thanked me. She looked more than ever like Riley as she revealed the braces on her teeth, just like Riley when when she had them over three years!!

One of the members of the ladies who have been doing this wonderful work is a very good friend of both Cheryl & myself, Yvonne. You will see Yvonne in one of the photos sitting at the table, she is the thin one with the beautiful smile!

Yvonne & Cheryl have been friends for years & used to work together in one of our leading dress shops. The good sales girl she is, she also sells a few Christmas puddings for me among her friends! Yvonne is a real live wire.

When she contracted cancer of the stomach two years ago, she went through a thirteen hour operation that was very successful. I sit opposite her at Prime Timers & her Mum sits next to me. She did say to me one day that she knew her daughter would overcome cancer with her zest for life & she certainly did.

Yvonne in the middle, at the mansion.

She has been given the all clear & even though she lost a lot of weight, she is looking & keeping wonderfully well. In addition to the marvellous medical team that Yvonne had, I must also say that a lot of prayers are offered from our Prime Timers & miracles do happen.

Getting back to the fund raising day. One of the ladies talked to us about the work the ladies do & was very fluent. The talk was excellent & it is quite astounding & outstanding what these ladies have achieved.

Quite a while back some of them became aware of the poverty experienced by communities living in the mountain area of the Philippines where poverty was only recognised if they were starving & had no food. They were even selling their own children to get money & the poverty that our people witnessed was appalling.

They started by sponsoring children & putting them through school, which was difficult in itself but education is where one starts. Over the years many of the children have since graduated through university, but of course a lot of water went under the bridge before that happened.

The ladies (I am going to refer to them as the Hearts & Hands Club) must have really banded together because between them all they have gone to the Philippines & up into the mountains to supply these needy people with things they needed in which to use their hands.

This could have been anything to do with craft work like cotton, wool, beads, materials etc. With these necessities they taught them personally to crochet, knit, make jewellery & craft work to sell.

As they raised more money they bought them sewing machines & showed them how to use them. You can imagine how they built the morale amongst these communities. It didn’t end in one community but they ultimately tutored several communities.

Wonderful things happened to these people & they gradually learnt to be self proficient. I am passing over a lot to just tell you the facts. It didn’t all happen over night but took a lot of dedicated time to build morale & confidence.

In the present day the communities who have been blessed with the Hearts & Hands Club now supply craft to a large number of stores. These communities have gone forward in leaps & bounds as they work steadily at their craft work; look after their families & make a worth while life for themselves.

The lass talking to us said they also educated the community in personal hygiene, supplying the necessaries for them to use.

She went on to tell a heart warming story by saying they even showed them how to paint their nails & toenails. On one occasion she went to the Philippines, but didn’t let the people know she was coming. She was delighted when she showed up on this surprise visit to see that all the ladies had painted each others nails, which was proof of how they had really taken to heart all that the Hearts & Hand Club had offered them.

The lass who talked to us in detail for well over half an hour was fabulous & you could tell the dedication within their own Club & how proud they were of their results, which is an ongoing thing as more communities are taken under their wings.

All present at that fund raiser was wrapt in this talk, so much so that Cheryl is going to get her to come along & give the same talk at Prime Timers.

For me, I was more than wrapt as I could relate to so much of what the lass was saying. I have, for many years, been interested in the poverty stricken people of the Philippines. We might moan from time to time about our own fate, but compared to others we live in a God given country which supplies & looks after us extremely well.

Even with loss of properties in floods & cyclones we have people here who rally round to help & we are blessed in so many things that we simply take for granted. Seeing the need in the world makes us realise how fortunate we are.

Years ago my husband & I got interested in the Philippine people. I forget how this happened, but I know we were keen to help the needy & somehow we were led to the Philippines & a lot of people there.

We started off by sponsoring a little girl called Marita with whom we corrresponded & also with her carer, Florence Panlilio. Then, like the Hearts & Hands Club, we decided to go over & meet our little girl.

Max, Dawn and Marika in the Philippines.

I will never forget the day we met her & Florence. It was surreal & a strong bond was held with both of them for many years. We made sure Marita went to Uni & graduated.

We brought Florence to Australia & she stayed for many weeks in our home. We also took her to Tasmania to meet our families. She had a major heart problem & I was fortunate enough to know a medical practitioner who had immigrated from the Philippines to whom I introduced her & we had a lavish dinner in his home.

From then on this good doctor took care of medication for Florence. I am happy to say that recently, I met Juan, her son, on Facebook after losing contact with the family some time back. I am happy to say that Florence – same age as me – is still with us.

I could write a book about all that happened in those years. as your own experiences encourage you to share with others. Philip & his wife at the time, Jenni, sponsored a little girl as well.

Then because I had a position in Tupperware as a Distributor I influenced others to sponsor a child. In all seventeen were sponsored. I also used to make sponge cakes & sell them to the Tupperware girls etc. & so on.

Talking about food, I could relate very well to what our lass was talking about because I made a number of trips to the Philippines in those years. I remember one thing in particular.

We were staying at a noted hotel & Max & I were going on a bus trip up to the mountains after breakfast one day. We wrapped up most of our breakfast that was portable & took it with us.

Half way up the mountain the bus stopped for us to have a stretch & we were inundated with a number of the needy children bombarding us with shell necklaces for sale. However, when we brought out the left over breakfast I will never forget the reaction: sales for the necklaces were forgotten as they rushed for the food!

I went to the Philippines on my own once, which was also memorable. We had a friend in Newcastle called John who was a seaman. He was home for a couple of weeks before he set sail again for the Philippines & the ship was docking in Manila.

At that time I had started doing Christmas puddings in earnest & John offered to take a couple of cartons with him on board for Florence & her needy family & friends. Then it was arranged that I would meet him over there, collect the puddings so I could deliver them to Florence & her flock.

I look back on that trip & realise how much gall I had, although I prefer to call it determination. John had to sneak the cartons of goodies off the ship.

This took two attempts which meant I was meeting him where his ship was docked at the wharf & had to go back a second time. A bit scary on your own in a place like the Philippines!

When he finally got them out we then had to give the guard at the gate a pudding to let us through with them. I will never forget that night. The people who were to receive those puddings knew about them & were anxiously awaiting for their arrival. I know of one man who was yelling out to Florence one night saying “Where IS my pudding?”!! They were hungry!.

John delivered the puddings to my smart hotel with me & left them in my room until it was okay for me to give them to the recipients. Then John took me to dinner & we walked around Manila as he showed me some sights.

Of course, where would a sailor go but to the red light district! Only at that time I was so naive that I didn’t fully recognise it for what it was.

John led me into a little cafe where we sat at a bar & had a coffee. It was there that he explained that the waitress was looking daggers at me because she thought I was taking her man! I did learn a bit about sailors too! Maybe they do have a girl in every port.

However, John was a perfect gentleman with me: he delivered me back to my room; we shook hands & I thanked him in words at how much I had appreciated his help & reminded him he had a wife back home!

I could tell you such a lot about my experiences in the Philippines especially on one trip when my loveable young nephew accompanied me.

It was all coming back to mind when the lass was talking about the Hearts & Hands Club. It could be said that maybe the Club could forego some of the opulence like fresh flowers etc. but I don’t feel like that.

It is my thought from my own experience that those who have plenty & can be opulent should live as they want to live because I know I wouldn’t have given anything up in that regard, but I was quite willing to give money which I could afford.

It was enough that I was in a position to be able to afford to do what I could which was a mere drop in the ocean when it comes to the Hearts & Hands Club. No doubt all those trips to the Philippines came out of the donors pockets, as mine did, but they still go there with their hearts full of love & heaps of care as their hands teach other hands to assist them in enjoying a life they never dreamed of.

It can honestly be said that the Hearts & Hands Club give more than material things, they give the best gifts of all to those in need which is Love & Care.

Love from my heart to you too, Dawn X O X O