Town Talk | A time to give thanks

I’m able to do that because the three potential stories I had lined up for this week all ‘fell over’ for one reason or another.

They will all appear, sometime soon, and one in particular is a ripper.

It has been requested by some of our readers and is unique to Shepp.

Coming soon!

However, I really must thank the people who have been in touch over the past couple of weeks.

Beginning with those of you who shopped at the Eco Store or had coffees at the Eco Café — and took the trouble to let me know.

By the way, this included my eldest son, who found the perfect hamper for his 19-year-old niece.

Shopping where it does the most good brings its own rewards.

And thanks also to that wonderful family who have given up buying Christmas gifts for one another and contribute to their own charity fund instead.

As I understand it, each nominates a charity and two are chosen.

I admire this so much because I simply can’t do it.

And I must say ‘thank you’ to those of you who hung in and read the story about Rome.

It was kind of you because I have the distinct impression that you got nothing from it at all.

I can summarise the feedback, with one lady’s comment: “I look forward to Tuesdays and I even read the Rome story.”

No-one at all said “I enjoyed it” or “I learnt something from it” — which, I admit, is pretty much as I expected and why it ran on Christmas Eve.

This self-indulgence won’t be repeated. Oh!

There was one person interested in the story and that was the newest member of our family: the gentleman who is going to marry our granddaughter.

In fact, I get the impression that Rome may be a possible honeymoon destination. Except, her eyes glazed over!

Just a thought! I am also very interested in Türkiye — prior to the Ottoman Empire!

President Trump

Now, the Trump story wasn’t self-indulgence; I included it out of necessity.

There were early deadlines over the ‘silly season’ and I hadn’t anticipated the second one.

I had written that particular piece, to sort out some of my own thoughts and feelings; then, suddenly it was needed.

When Roger replied, he mentioned that we were straying from Town Talk “in a big way”. We were, and I apologise for that.

Here is Roger’s initial comment:

I liked your observations on what is US politics.

Not only are they the wealthiest country in the world, they lead the world in everything we know of.

So, you would think they are the smartest as well — but politics and gun laws show the majority to be stupid.

I would hope here that if a convicted criminal was pitted against a decent person with morals we would vote for decency.

Two things were against Kamala Harris winning.

Yanks won’t vote for a female leader, and having Indian heritage made them rush to the criminal.

Funny thing is, I have met people in Shepparton that would vote for Trump if they could.

These are people with high standing in our community.

Keep up the good work,

Roger

By the way, Roger’s home, and the land on which it sits, has an interesting past — and might turn into a story one day.

To the lady I met at the butcher’s

I am so sorry but I don’t know your name.

The butchers were waiting to lock their door, anxious to begin their holidays, and I ended up leaving you in something of a rush; just reminding you that my phone number’s at the bottom of the page.

However, I do understand that you have a plan to discuss Shepparton’s history and, of course, I’m happy to participate.

Please give me a call, so we can finalise the plan. I will need a little bit of notice.

The best response of the week

I wrote about Keith Raverty, last week, and his passion for the GV Motor Vehicle Drivers Club.

When I left Keith, I was very aware of his loneliness — and hoped he’d have some response to the story.

On Thursday, I heard from his daughter Margo with great news.

Keith had lost touch with neighbours, close friends he had in East Keilor — in the ’60s, I’m guessing.

They now live in Ballarat; however, their daughter-in-law lives in Numurkah and read the story. His old friends are coming to visit him on the Australia Day weekend.

I told Margo I cried (happy tears) when I read her email — and her reply was “So did I”.

My thanks to the Numurkah reader — you made it happen.

She also mentioned this: Another story that Dad could tell you was how he got town water to Lemnos in the ’70s. It’s always amazed me how he did it.

Something for me to follow up!

Mrs Thomas’ School of Dance

When I visited a dear friend I call Joybelle — and many of you will know as Joyce Dawber — we were looking through old photographs and came across the one on this page.

I had not seen it previously, but it looks to me like Varloine Studio.

However, the name at the bottom is illegible, so I could be wrong.

I think we have all the names correct, as they were at the time.

We believe that five of the nine girls in the photo still live locally; Jan and Thelma live in Melbourne, Lucille is in Queensland and, sadly, Yvonne is no longer with us.

I got some of this info from Dorothy (left of the pic) who is still in Shepp and sounds like a young girl on the phone.

I said “You sound young” and she replied “I am!”

Way to go, Dorothy!

Sometime after this photo was taken, Lucille suffered appendicitis and her doctor said she could not dance for six weeks.

I clearly remember her sensible response, and my horror. I mean — how do you live for six weeks without dancing?

I was so very sorry for her and decided I would never suffer the same fate — and didn’t.

I can recall many of our concerts and competitions; however, my memory of this photo of Mrs Thomas’ Performing Group and the performance attached to it is non-existent.

We estimate the date as somewhere between 1950 and 1953.

According to two of the ladies, we danced in a ‘Command Performance’ but there the stories differ.

One of them remembers a very well-known British performer, Jenny Howard, visiting.

My research told me that Howard had arrived in Australia just after World War II.

She remained in this country, and passed away, in Queensland, in 1996.

She was obviously very welcome here because a stage was set up on grassland near the river (where Princess Park Medical Clinic is today) for the performance.

Another of the dancers told me that the ‘Command Performance’ was held at the Star Theatre — and she has no recollection of Jenny Howard.

I’ve been checking the important visitors to Shepp around this time.

The governor visited in 1950 to recognise our city, which was proclaimed in 1949.

(Look, I’ve been wrong before, but I don’t think I’d have known a plié from a running jump in 1950 and yet, there I am. So, I don’t think we danced for the governor.)

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester visited but that was even earlier — just after the war.

As deadline looms, we are still working on this.

There is a program for the performance at the Heritage Museum, but it doesn’t reopen until Tuesday, January 14 — four days after my deadline.

If the other ladies and I ever agree on anything, I’ll let you know next week.

If we are right or wrong, I’d love to hear from someone who knows — or anyone who remembers.

But one of us will be the first in the door of the museum on Tuesday, January 14.

‘And this’

I’ve just been thinking about the joy of giving one particular gift — to our great granddaughter, who is eight years old.

She opened her parcel and said “Marnie, I’ve been waiting and waiting...” Had I known she was hanging out for a musical jewellery box, I’d have bought it years ago.

Take care and may it be easy, my friends.

Marnie

Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au

Letter: Town Talk. Shepparton News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.

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