Ozcloggie

Rather melodramatically, my father stopped us and said to me: Joop. Remember. THIS is why we migrated. To give you a better future. 
Don’t be so silly, said my down-to-earth mother.

...memories of being read to in the attic, where my bedroom was and with searching for the original (Sans Famille) books, beside the River Seine, with my daughter, in 2005.

Just kidding!
Honestly!
Just rewriting history, using photoshop. :)
They all thought it would.
O.K.
It almost did. …

So I sat down to watch the ABC, after turning off the computer and they promoted the 7:30 report and a forgotten Australian movie.

Of course it’s Wake in Fright.

Stopping off at Malabar Beach – in those early days to relax on the beach in our new country, unaware of any sewerage outlets nearby.

I doubt that few Dutch people, today, would bring only what they could pack into a crate of 1 or 2 cubic metres, to ex-army camps, with no money and start new lives, say, at the age of 35.

That means that a lot of people who take the time to visit the Old Fitzroy Theatre are having a laugh and spending a few hours, in our busy city, relaxing and enjoying themselves!

After a very strange few days, on Redbubble, out of the blue a nice thing happened!! Donna found me!

Am tempted to write something even more personal about that dear diary. But I’m worried that someone might read this.

You’d be surprised how, half a century later, so many things that fellow MBHS students said and did are remembered, like it was yesterday!

So, go and help young Australian performers, writers, designers, technicians and directors to grow and develop and make some fathers proud!!

I was thinking about how appropriate it would be to photograph this scene, featuring, quite a long way away, a young lady.
It was such an unexpected thud, against my right shoulder!

I’ve forgotten whether, during all her chatter, she mentioned her star sign.
I’m sure that ours would have clashed.

It was my father, via my mobile. Barely audible, telling me not to worry but he didn’t feel well.

..and then baby-sat the daughter and son (12 and 10), until about 11 p.m., and then drove the 51 kms back again to Maude, in absolute darkness.

Not that naturists (or nudists) instantly turn into nice people, when they are naked in each others’ company.

My chemist and my dentist know more about my art than most (Apart from my son, daughter and their mum). Oh yes, and Melissa, the teacher, at Hazelhurst.

One of these was also Dutch and (as often happened) the topic was the lack of culture, compared to Europe.

What to do with this Dutch Australia heritage.
On May 14, 2001, the then Consul-General of the Netherlands, Mr Ed J. Reitsma, spoke on this topic.

I think back a lot, lately.
It’s suddenly gone quiet around me and I think back on the 37 years of wielding the chalk.
Of Riverstone and floods.
Of Maude and dust roads.
Of…......