Last Night I Dreamed Of Mandalay 2
Without Prejudice
I went to Mandalay on April 10th, I think 1969. I know it was around Merilyn's, birthday. The family were like the best family, funny and interesting and hard working and so down to earth, like a lot of farm families are. And characters, real characters and partners who were characters as well.
Gwen and Tiny were just these really down to earth couple, with a big brood of mostly grown up kids. In between everything that was happening was the strict schedule that could never ever be deviated from. The Milking. the Milking had to be done, no matter what, twice a day.
And that meant rounding up the cows with sometimes a motorbike, (Ivan and Tiny), the dogs, cattle dogs that were clever and smart and knew just how to round up those damn cows. You could see the dogs determination written all over their faces, and expecting praise at the end.
God, they were beautiful, old gnarly Sammy, My Father in Law, calling out
"get away back Sam, Toby,"
And they would rocket off, running miles and barking, barking barking, and trotting proudly as he bought the cows home.
Eyeing us watching him and giving a stray a sly nip, to show us and the cows who was Boss. I'm sure Sam was a red blue heeler and there was a kelpie as well a blue grey girl.
The dogs amazed me, the cats, the kids, the farm itself, so beautiful, green sloping hills and an amazing garden, mostly maintained by Gwen. Stomping out there in hat and gum boots, the pioneer housewife, disappearing for hours and returning fresh faced with lots of vegetables and a big grin on her face.
She was so funny and down to earth and was so dry and witty. I loved that she loved England and I had not long returned from there, with the extra 10 kilos I had put on over there rounding out my frame and turning my hair into a greasy slick. Yum ! So we talked of all things English. Scottish, Irish and Welsh. The heady smell of eucalyptus Janitor washing up liquid wafting up in to our faces as she washed the dishes and I dried. The sink in the kitchen was tiny, and this was a big family. The water was heated by a big combustion stove in cream and day times was usually lit all year round, It made for some interesting summer days, let me tell you. I recall one when Gwen was rendering sheep fat that will stand out in my memory for ever, as one of the hottest days I can recall.
Hay making was usually hot, baking hot, but we would go out and do it, because it was fun and had to be done. Everything on the farm had to be done. Animals had to be fed, cows milked, Ragwort scythed, ensilage stacked, Cows milked and the more hands the merrier. There was George, my brother, Bob, cousins Waynie Hancock, Robyn Hancock, Me, Kerrie as little as she was. Ivan. The Witchell boys sometimes, Alan the sensitive art teacher, Lawrie and Ian Thomas. And we had fun, just hot dirty work, stop, clean up, eat go to bed type work. Gwen was an absolutely unbelievably good cook and morning teas would be a wicker picnic basket with sometimes fresh scones with fresh from the dairy, whipped cream and homemade jam. Sometimes delicate cream puffs, light as air, with fresh cream and dusting of icing.
Sometimes Jelly slice or peppermint slice or caramel slice, Gallons of tea and plenty of water. It was hot hard work and sometimes I would get to stay back and help Gwen with the lavish preparations for Morning tea, Lunch and afternoon tea. It was like something out of a movie to me. There was all this healthy delicious food, there was all this talking and loud booming voices (Bob's mostly) and he was loud and rude and picked on me ruthlessly and I would give it back just not as loudly. Kevin was the same, he was older married to Joy, loved a drink and a joke and loved to stir up trouble, slyly. He could be quite standoffish sometimes and horribly cruel other times.
Him and Bob would pick on Pauline, then Ivan, then Merilyn. They were mercilessly chauvinist and full of themselves. We all ignored them mostly. Bob's dad might sometimes join in and he could be "overly truthful" at times. But none of them seemed to care and teased each other mercilessly. Pauline was stunning. A big framed girl, tall, always and forever immaculately groomed. She wore natty scarves and knew how to accessorize before the rest of us did. She came off a farm and she was style personified. Even when I first met her at 16, she was like that. Elegantly tipped blonde streaked hair cut very short, not a hair out of place, she applied Max Factor pancake makeup with a sea sponge so I followed that. And she was funny, self deprecating and genuine.
Joy, too, she was the same, good looking, smart, savvy and caring. She had married young and was as happy as a clam with her handsome wicked humoured husband. We all ended up working at Lindsays Target in Chadstone together. Kevin worked opposite us at his Brother In Law Arthurs Hairdressers. Pauline was single, Bob and I married with 2 liitle girls, Joy and Kevin married, no kids. My brothers girlfriend Karin Berry worked upstairs at McEwans. George and Bob worked together often and George still lived with us. Our babies were their babies, this extended family of both of ours. My Mum and Dad were in Queensland, and my Mum didn't like Bob but she hadn't liked Winn either at first, so there was hope down the track she would. She didn't. She was stubborn like that.
But we didn't care for anything of that, the farm was still most of ours destination every weekend, and one time on a long ride home with Debbie held in my arms kicking my pregnant belly of 9 months I grew weary of the weekly trek.
I went to Mandalay on April 10th, I think 1969. I know it was around Merilyn's, birthday. The family were like the best family, funny and interesting and hard working and so down to earth, like a lot of farm families are. And characters, real characters and partners who were characters as well.
Gwen and Tiny were just these really down to earth couple, with a big brood of mostly grown up kids. In between everything that was happening was the strict schedule that could never ever be deviated from. The Milking. the Milking had to be done, no matter what, twice a day.
And that meant rounding up the cows with sometimes a motorbike, (Ivan and Tiny), the dogs, cattle dogs that were clever and smart and knew just how to round up those damn cows. You could see the dogs determination written all over their faces, and expecting praise at the end.
God, they were beautiful, old gnarly Sammy, My Father in Law, calling out
"get away back Sam, Toby,"
And they would rocket off, running miles and barking, barking barking, and trotting proudly as he bought the cows home.
Eyeing us watching him and giving a stray a sly nip, to show us and the cows who was Boss. I'm sure Sam was a red blue heeler and there was a kelpie as well a blue grey girl.
The dogs amazed me, the cats, the kids, the farm itself, so beautiful, green sloping hills and an amazing garden, mostly maintained by Gwen. Stomping out there in hat and gum boots, the pioneer housewife, disappearing for hours and returning fresh faced with lots of vegetables and a big grin on her face.
She was so funny and down to earth and was so dry and witty. I loved that she loved England and I had not long returned from there, with the extra 10 kilos I had put on over there rounding out my frame and turning my hair into a greasy slick. Yum ! So we talked of all things English. Scottish, Irish and Welsh. The heady smell of eucalyptus Janitor washing up liquid wafting up in to our faces as she washed the dishes and I dried. The sink in the kitchen was tiny, and this was a big family. The water was heated by a big combustion stove in cream and day times was usually lit all year round, It made for some interesting summer days, let me tell you. I recall one when Gwen was rendering sheep fat that will stand out in my memory for ever, as one of the hottest days I can recall.
Hay making was usually hot, baking hot, but we would go out and do it, because it was fun and had to be done. Everything on the farm had to be done. Animals had to be fed, cows milked, Ragwort scythed, ensilage stacked, Cows milked and the more hands the merrier. There was George, my brother, Bob, cousins Waynie Hancock, Robyn Hancock, Me, Kerrie as little as she was. Ivan. The Witchell boys sometimes, Alan the sensitive art teacher, Lawrie and Ian Thomas. And we had fun, just hot dirty work, stop, clean up, eat go to bed type work. Gwen was an absolutely unbelievably good cook and morning teas would be a wicker picnic basket with sometimes fresh scones with fresh from the dairy, whipped cream and homemade jam. Sometimes delicate cream puffs, light as air, with fresh cream and dusting of icing.
Sometimes Jelly slice or peppermint slice or caramel slice, Gallons of tea and plenty of water. It was hot hard work and sometimes I would get to stay back and help Gwen with the lavish preparations for Morning tea, Lunch and afternoon tea. It was like something out of a movie to me. There was all this healthy delicious food, there was all this talking and loud booming voices (Bob's mostly) and he was loud and rude and picked on me ruthlessly and I would give it back just not as loudly. Kevin was the same, he was older married to Joy, loved a drink and a joke and loved to stir up trouble, slyly. He could be quite standoffish sometimes and horribly cruel other times.
Him and Bob would pick on Pauline, then Ivan, then Merilyn. They were mercilessly chauvinist and full of themselves. We all ignored them mostly. Bob's dad might sometimes join in and he could be "overly truthful" at times. But none of them seemed to care and teased each other mercilessly. Pauline was stunning. A big framed girl, tall, always and forever immaculately groomed. She wore natty scarves and knew how to accessorize before the rest of us did. She came off a farm and she was style personified. Even when I first met her at 16, she was like that. Elegantly tipped blonde streaked hair cut very short, not a hair out of place, she applied Max Factor pancake makeup with a sea sponge so I followed that. And she was funny, self deprecating and genuine.
Joy, too, she was the same, good looking, smart, savvy and caring. She had married young and was as happy as a clam with her handsome wicked humoured husband. We all ended up working at Lindsays Target in Chadstone together. Kevin worked opposite us at his Brother In Law Arthurs Hairdressers. Pauline was single, Bob and I married with 2 liitle girls, Joy and Kevin married, no kids. My brothers girlfriend Karin Berry worked upstairs at McEwans. George and Bob worked together often and George still lived with us. Our babies were their babies, this extended family of both of ours. My Mum and Dad were in Queensland, and my Mum didn't like Bob but she hadn't liked Winn either at first, so there was hope down the track she would. She didn't. She was stubborn like that.
But we didn't care for anything of that, the farm was still most of ours destination every weekend, and one time on a long ride home with Debbie held in my arms kicking my pregnant belly of 9 months I grew weary of the weekly trek.
