Heartbeats

Wedding Bliss
Nothing brings joy to everyone more than a wedding…..well maybe the birth of a baby, but a wedding is definitely high on the joy scale. Kerrie from the Galston Village Pharmacy is still glowing from the fabulous memories created when she married her now husband Charles. When all of our country were finding their own way to celebrate or relax on that scorchingly hot Australia Day, Kerrie and Charles exchanged vows, rings, laughter and tears of exhilaration to become husband and wife.

Kerrie and Charles’ ceremony was held at Lynwood Country Club in front of 100 friends and family. Keeping the pipeline filled with great adventures they plan to honeymoon next February on a cruise around the South Pacific.

Congratulations also to Kerrie for gracefully navigating her 50th birthday ‘half a century’ on 18th February 2019.

Clown Doctors are Delightful
I went to Westmead Children’s Hospital last week to see a 15 month old toddler, who had just (the day before) had a cleft palate operation. He was having a very sad and mostly crying day due to the pain within his mouth, the splint restraints on his arms and the meds etc,etc.

Well, around midday in walks this Clown Doctor and says to Tilly (the name is changed), the almost 7 year old next to us, “Have you seen my monkey? I’m so worried – he’s escaped in the hospital. I told him to stay on the motor bike, but he didn’t, and now I can’t find him”. We could tell Tilly was delighted by this funny man but also so was our toddler. I mean, it’s not every day, you see a person with a bright red nose. weird clothes and a strange musical thing (a mandolin), which he sang songs with.

Tilly not only loved his “wacky” questions and singing, but we also were impressed about how the Clown Doctor lifted the spirit of our toddler from unhappy to jigging and smiling in his Mummy’s arms. We adults were all “tickled pink” by him. This was a very special time of joy in a difficult day. It lifted us all!

Seriously though, Clown Doctors, like “Silly Billy”, do such an awesomely great work in hospitals. I actually now realise and believe that they are essential, especially in Children’s Hospitals.

Keep going “Silly Billy” – you and Clown Doctors are great ! You lift spirits and give comfort when others can’t, despite our trying. If you are interested to read of Clown Doctors, just Google “The Humour Foundation.”

Bone Dry Hay Run
On Saturday the 16th of February six of us arrived early morning into Brewarrina to soaring temperatures. To meet a B double truck laden with 20 tonne of Super Dan ( especially grown for stock in drought conditions) hay bales, purchased from the funds raised at our previous fundraiser held on the 1st of December 2018 at Galston Uniting Church.

The local Lions Club met us there to assist us in the co-ordination of the distribution of hay, bottled drinking water and gift vouchers from the local co-op to the most needy farmers.

We did not realise that the need for drinking water for the families was so desperate and such a luxury as their tanks are totally dry and they are boiling bore or river water for drinking. It struck me how this type of living reminded me of a third world country.

It was a very emotional day for us all, to see these/our people so humble and so utterly grateful for the little assistance that we could give.

We are holding another charity event on 9th March at The Galston Club. (see ad page 34). Please come along to help us to help them – our Forgotten Farmers.

What my friends are reading
For almost 30 years I have met monthly for a book club with a group of ladies, who at that time all resided in Beecroft. Over the years we have each moved at least once taking us to different parts of Sydney. Pretty impressive, if I do say so for us to have maintained our dedication to the group. Each year one of our prolific readers lists her top ten books for the year.

I thought I would share some of her selection with you, just incase you are looking for a great book to read.

‘The Patron Saint of Liars’ by Ann Patchett
This is Patchett’s debut novel written in 1992, and is as good as all her subsequent ones. It is about the very independent Rose Clinton who abandons her husband once she become pregnant to him and goes to live in a Catholic home for unmarried mothers in Kentucky, planning to give the baby up for adoption. She befriends the sisters, takes over from the ailing cook and then decides she will keep the baby. Later in the book the baby daughter, now grown up, narrates her part of the story. Such great and well defined characters.

‘I Am, I Am, I Am’ by Maggie O ‘Farrell.
As with Ann Patchett, I often feature Maggie O’Farrell’s books in my list because her writing style is so accessible. This one is an autobiographical group of short stories of near death events in her life. One where she is almost raped and murdered as an 18 year old, another in an almost plane crash, and others in medical emergencies. As always her writing style makes her stories effortless and enjoyable to read.

Mary’s top pick for 2018 was ‘The Heart’s Invisible Furies’ by John Boyne who is well known for his book, ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.’

This is an epic tale of an Irishman man who was adopted at birth and charts his life in 7 year increments until his eventual death. It is both harrowing, enlightening, amusing and compelling reading. It is a novel to love or hate and I am definitely one of the lovers.

Just in case you missed this story from February contributed by Sonja Best from Cafe Sasanqua
This week I had the great pleasure of meeting a couple celebrating 71 years of marriage. 71 years – that’s more years than some people have for their entire life!

From the moment they arrived, he treated her with great tenderness and affection, I thought to myself “what a beautiful couple”. They were the recipients of a voucher prize from the Galston High Twilight Markets.

When I said congratulations and called him a winner, he responded ever so kindly with “love, I was a winner 71 years ago when this lady married me”. My heart melted. This came immediately after I received a most beautiful and heartfelt card from two very special customers who wanted to express their appreciation.

Needless to say, tissues were required that day.

This is a very special community that I feel privileged to be a part of.

His and Hers
My husband has always taken great care of our ride on lawn mover as, like a lot of men he loves his grass. But after 20 years of maintenance it had reached it’s use by date and we decided to bite the bullet and by a new mower. Working in my kitchen while making a cake I decided if my husband could invest in a new mower I too could retire my 25 year old mix master.Those mangled beaters were like his mowers worn out blades and dodgy muffler. I wonder what your ‘his and hers’ items would be? I look forward to hearing from you.

My multi -cultural Australia Day
While Kerrie and Charles celebrated Australia Day in grand style Peter and I, together with 20 other guests sat under a shady canopy enjoying a Persian feast. It was an indulgent treat and I would like to thank our hosts Jennie and Iraj for ignoring the heat of the day to make our day really fabulous.