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There is a backstory to today’s column.
It was last Christmas Eve when I was relaxing in my rocking chair, comfortably ticking off the jobs we had finished.
It was around 3pm and one of my elves had made me a coffee and was mopping the floor — the final task.
Everything, I thought, was under control, until a text message told me that the Melbourne mob would be arriving within a couple of hours.
I hadn’t expected them until later and, therefore, hadn’t sufficiently catered for dinner that night.
No problem.
They all like lamb cutlets, and I’ll buy them already crumbed.
That would be easy.
Some chips in the air fryer and a simple salad would do the job.
So I went to Riverside Plaza, to find the butcher shop closed.
Okay, no panic!
I went to Colliver Rd Butchers, to find they were about to close — had no meat left and certainly no lamb cutlets, crumbed or otherwise.
As I was leaving, a lady approached and introduced herself.
Her name was Lolene James, and she was writing her memories of Shepparton in days long past — and would like to meet with me.
I said “yes, of course”.
She replied that she hadn’t finished the task but would contact me.
All I could think about was that night’s dinner and I said “I have to run” and — following me to the car, she said “I’m running” — which made me laugh.
So we chatted for a while, at the car.
Lolene contacted me again, perhaps three weeks ago, and I arranged a meeting at my earliest opportunity — which was this past week.
Memories
Lolene’s memories begin with primary school.
She was then, and is now, an energetic person, and she wonders if any of the old playtime games have survived into the 21st century.
Games like hopscotch, tiggy, what’s the time Mr Wolf?, skippy, rounders, making daisy chains and hidey.
(Neither of us was sure of the spelling — hidie/hidey?)
Speaking of these games, I had a sudden memory of laughing uncontrollably during a game of Mr Wolf.
I can’t remember what was so funny, but I was allowed to laugh in the playground.
(It wasn’t encouraged in the classroom.)
This was at the Fryers St School; we were in a courtyard, and I was in Grade 4.
(Was there a courtyard? I don’t trust my own memories any longer because I’ve learnt the hard way!)
There were also races such as egg and spoon, potato sack and three-legged with your leg tied to a partner.
Lolene remembers riding bikes on clay roads with grass growing in the centre and bike forks stuck with mud on cold frosty mornings.
If you had bike problems, you had to get a ‘dink’.
She loved collecting the unwrapped bread at the gate and eating the ‘Baker’s Kiss’ — breaking it in half and eating ‘the lovely high part’ before taking it inside the house.
After school, chopping kindling for the fire, helping to turn the milk and cream separator with the cat waiting patiently.
She has written ‘Dear Nanna Freer would make butter from butter churn for cooking’.
She also remembers building playhouses from SPC and Ardmona boxes.
She recalls the Coolgardie Safe, and the iceman and butcher both calling with deliveries.
Also, the Rawleigh’s man with a purple velvet-lined case containing coconut oil shampoo, ointments, cough medicine and hypol.
(Lolene would always hold her nose when taking hypol.)
She remembers huddling with her ear to the wireless and listening to Martin’s Corner, Search for the Golden Boomerang and Dad and Dave.
They had to be very quiet when it was time for the news.
Lolene also writes about driving a Fordson Major tractor and stretching her legs so far for the clutch and brake that she was off the seat.
She even loved swimming in the channel with leeches and yabbies.
And, at Sunday School, rolling pennies along the road for collection, singing the following: ‘Hear the pennies dropping, listen while they fall, every one for Jesus, he shall have them all.’
She repeatedly wondered, but never asked ‘How does Jesus get them?’
Shepparton High School
After Ardmona Primary, secondary school was a big adjustment.
However, she loved sport, P.E. and sewing.
Her class walked from the high school to the tech school for cooking, craft and sewing — and they couldn’t leave the school without their hats.
Lolene left school to join the News staff, where she remained until her marriage in 1961.
It was a very happy time for her and some of her stories over this period are too good to miss, so I’ll include them next week.
We also had a long discussion about the locally owned businesses that were around during this time.
I have also spoken to others about this and the names of some of these stores will evoke memories for our older readers.
I am only a few years younger than Lolene, but she lost me with the Coolgardie Safe.
I know what it was but can’t remember ever seeing one.
And I certainly never met the Rawleigh’s man with his purple velvet-lined case.
Hypol I remember with distaste.
The unwrapped bread being delivered went on for many years; in fact, into the 1960s.
For me, today’s bread doesn’t hold a candle to its predecessors.
Lolene has put a great deal of energy and enthusiasm into her contribution of four typed pages; so join us for, what she is calling, the ‘next episode’.
Please give me a call if you have a particular memory of the 1950s.
The photograph
Lolene and I apologise — because this photo has had many incarnations over seven decades.
And neither of us chopped off the pretty hairstyles of the girls in the back row.
I asked her to find other pics but, like many of us, her boxes of photos are stored in the garage; the boxes too heavy.
With help from family, she will try again for next week.
I recognised my cousin, Evol Cronyn (née Pryde), second from left in the back row.
And, of course, the remarkable Nancy Vibert in the centre.
I’ve lost count of the stories I’ve written where Nancy has been involved.
Lolene is on the left of the second row from the back.
Sorry, but we have no further details.
Wisdom
Very recently, I was researching another story and found myself reading about Einstein.
I thought you might like this quote –
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.”
I had been contemplating ‘happiness’ which, for most of us, comes and goes.
Perhaps if we can find some joy in the everyday activities — taking a coffee out to the garden, cooking an interesting meal, taking the dog for a walk, stopping to listen to the birds — I’m sure you know what I mean.
If we can find some joy in the everyday, perhaps we can find sustainable happiness.
Take care of yourself, and may it be easy, my friends.
Marnie
Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au
Letter: Town Talk. The News, P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.
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