1992 Jun 21 Happy winter (or summer) solstice!
1992 Jun 15 I found myself thinking unchristian thoughts about Daisy and Mila (their names), such as why didn’t they have strokes instead of heart attacks? They may have lost their powers of speech
1992 Jun 08 My specialist took off for Geneva and Paris just after I paid the bill!
1991 Jul 14 The sun has come out again, and I'm about to join it outside
1991 Jun 23 John knew about the "surprise" party, but Joyce had been kept in the dark. I think that it was the nearest Joyce has ever been to being speechless
1991 Jun 16 Next week-end we are going up to Bendigo for Joyce's 70th birthday celebrations (do you really celebrate turning 70?)
1991 Jun 09 This week (weather permitting) we are to go on a Probus walk along the Yarra (actually a path beside the Yarra River)
1991 Jun 02 I guess that it is only a matter of time before we are all required to have barcodes tattooed on our foreheads
1991 May 28 ...it was great to have everyone we most care about together with us, over the last week or so
1990 Jun 10 Tuesday was World Environment Day. It was suggested that people leave their cars at home and ride bicycles to work. I didn’t think that my exercise bike would make it, so I travelled in the usual way
1990 Jun 03 Our Prime Minister is back in harness after a short spell in hospital for a prostate operation (requiring a private-member's bill). | Our clients don't seem to be bulls or bears — mostly chicken
1990 May 20 It would be a pity to let work interfere with my snooker or bowls
1989 Jun 08 It is the last post — however there is no need to salute
1989 May 12 Hope that Peter's mystery illness has resolved itself — in any case our period of warranty on him has run out
1988 Jun 29 He doesn’t need a ladder to reach up to the ceilings. He stands 7’ in his socks and is built in proportion. I think we had better pay the bill without argument when they finish.
1988 Jun 15 Enclosed with this letter is an instant cure for insomnia. As you will be aware by now, I usually write a progressive family letter when we go on holidays
1988 May 29 We arrived here [Surfers Paradise] without our special Chicago notepaper. Fortunately we were able to get his fly letter locally, but were unable to get flypaper to go with it
1988 May 15 Australia's new Coliseum otherwise known as our Parliament House was opened on Monday by the Queen
1987 Aug 02 Excuse me if I seem a little self-righteous, but the date reminds me that it is five years ago today that I gave up smoking
1987 Jul 26 [Thailand] also has the distinction of having a public holiday on 12th August to mark an important birthday. (Queen Sirikit also has her birthday that day.)
1987 Jun 14 I am writing this at the dining room table whilst listening to a simulcast of a Verdi opera. The fat lady is singing at the moment. The music sounds better than it looks
1987 Jun 07 The highlight of this past week was of course the double event on Wednesday 3rd June — Mum's 60th anniversary and Claire's birth
1987 May 05 I will also have the unwanted job of being the big white chief [of McNalls] in Melbourne
1987 May 04 Glyn had a great sendoff from Norths on Thursday
1986 Jun 10 So far we haven’t sent an engagement present to Lois. She probably deserves a medal for bravery, but what else? There must be something she wants apart from you!
1986 Jun 08 It was good to get your telephone call today and to hear that the wedding has been moved forward to about the time you originally planned
1986 Jun 01 I think that I mentioned that Mum was putting her paintings into shows at Doncaster and at Yooralla School. She sold 3 in all during the week, so I'll be able to cut down on the housekeeping money
1986 May 25 As part of the master-plan for the garage, now that we have again taken possession of it, we will be shifting the billiard table out there and converting the end-room into an office
1986 May 18 Jenny & Bill & the kids are still in Tasmania, so we were able to accept the offer of a free meal in Endeavour Hills
1985 Jun 16 It just seems that with a girl like Vickie there is no middle ground. You either have to marry her, or have nothing whatever to do with her. That decision should have been made long before this
1984 Nov 26 Visit from cousin Barbara, her husband and daughter
1984 May 30 We are both looking forward to our holiday. It is a long while since I have seen much of the "outback" (not since we had the sewer connected)
1983 May 12 I could also offer my services as a German-speaking guide, and mum could check out any young Fräulein you may care to bring along.
1982 Sep 05 Got to meet a mountain goat face-to-face
1982 Aug 11 (from Mum... switch)
1982 Jun 02 Interested to read of your farming pursuits (In some circles it's called husbandry, but I guess that's a word you don't use)
1981 Jul 28 No doubt the cufflinks are what you have always wanted. They should add to your status, and will no doubt impress any visiting directors
1981 Jul 26 Copenhagen… a very clean place, apart from the literature
1981 Jun 10 Hope that your new job is going well, and that you can get some time off to meet your latest nephew before he is exported
1981 May 07 I think that mum was tempted to take [Beth and David] to the Bacchus Marsh lion park today and wind the windows down
1980 Jun 10 Knowing that you are again playing the euphonium makes your absence from home easier for us to bear
1980 May 01 I have been invited to make a worthwhile contribution towards balancing the budget