I'd just like to add a bit more on the kind of life
that I've led. Working and living on two continents
was really educational and broadened my outlook in
so many ways. Meeting people from different cultures,
learning other languages, being able to travel to
other places - is something that I have learned to
appreciate and it has made me the person I am today.

I've also worked in a variety of jobs. In my student
days - as a hostess in a restaurant, for the Brazilian
Consulate in Sydney at the Royal Easter Show selling coffee
and teaching people about Brazil and learning to cook Paella.
Then in retail - for David Jones. And later for private
and public companies and organisations. In universities,
and government agencies - ending up in helping my husband
with his own company. And volunteering in a dementia wing
of an aged care facility (part-time). As well as helping out
with my grand-children.

It's been interesting so far. And I can't wait for the journey
still ahead. Life tends to surprise when you least expect it.

Mr O,
I could dispute your opinion that O sung wu was the first to claim George Pell would be found innocent, but I wont bother.I recall having quite a spirited debate with SR on the matter at the time.

I followed the case closely and was shocked to find that the prosecution did not have one skerrick of evidence to support the allegations of the complainant. I reasoned that the high court would find Pell not guilty.

Pleased to see O sung wu still active, he has my greatest respect

HenryL,

Are we talking about the same thing?

Dear Foxy,

Well, you have indeed traversed an amazing breadth of experience and immersion in life endeavour, and have come out smiling, and are very much to be congratulated for having a real go and leaving no stone unturned within your capable capacities and grasp.
Thank you for sharing, and I wish you all the very best with all the surprises yet to come.

I have had a much simpler journey. Didn't succeed at Uni (though parts were interesting enough), had a short stint as a store-man and then was called-up in the birthday-ballot for conscription to the Nasho's in '65 (first intake). After basic training at Puckapunyal, Vic., went to corps training at School of Military Engineering (SME) at Casula, Holsworthy, near Liverpool, Sydney, and thence to 7th Field Engineers in Enoggera, Brisbane, then to 22 Construction Engineers in Karrakatta, Perth WA, by train via Sydney and Adelaide and across the Nullarbor (on which leg I had my 21st birthday - without celebration) and after some more training had a 6-month stint in Sabah, Malaysia (formerly British North Borneo) during the so-called Indonesian Confrontation - which I actually reasonably enjoyed, mostly because I saw some new landscape with massive buttressed Meranti trees - remember all those coffee tables back then in Aus - and Gibbons swinging by in acrobatic ease, and hooting, plus some other critters not to be messed with, and some bridge-building, some explosives action and some heat stress. Interesting times and interesting locals. Six months and back to Perth and scale-down.

Bought a Holden Ute and drove back across the Nullarbor to Sydney (and my parents in Manly) with an army mate from Casino, and, after discharge drove him home and met his elderly dairy-farming parents at Dyraaba. They were still milking by hand, separating the cream to go to the local butter factory, and using the butter-milk and some corn they grew and husked by hand to raise a few pigs. Magic. Saw a band of Whiptail Wallaby (Macropus parryi) and my first Echidna. Fun times.
(TBC)

Continued:

Anyhow, slack times after - a stint demolishing houses and then into the CPS as a Clerk. Wow, what a waste, but included an interesting 3-year stint in Port Moresby.

Much of my best times have been volunteering - surf lifesaving, archery instructing (and participating of course) and judging, some amateur theatre, acting as Secretary and as Treasurer for various activity groups with which I've been involved and lately as a volunteer firefighter and Sec/Treas of our brigade and Sec of the local rifle club - as I started fullbore target shooting in Moresby, then at Anzac range in Malabar, Sydney, and now in country NSW. I don't shoot critters anymore (except a feral dog if necessary), and am not that proud of the fortunately scarce hunting I did in my youth.

As you may have gathered, I moved to the country quite some years ago and I raised some quite fine cattle up till 5 years ago, and am now scaling down.

A brother (retired pharmacist) and sister-in-law, Nephew, his wife and their two brilliant kids. Me, a widower, once-married, and no children. Scaling back and doing my best not to be too bored, or too boring, and doing my best to maintain, and to leave, only a small footprint.

Best regards, and keep well.

Dear Saltpetre,

What an amazing life you've had.
Thank You for sharing it with us.
I'm sorry to hear about your wife
but it sounds like you've got
some wonderful family support.
I can't imagine what I would do without
my family. Family to me is everything.
And my grand-children are the joy of my life.
They make me laugh so much. I love them
unconditionally. I told my son - discipline is
your job. Mine is to love them unconditionally.
And I admit that I spoil them. But that's what
grand-mothers are supposed to do - I think.

Again - Thank You for sharing.