The back of our home where we had morning tea with Frances
Our daughter Monika said the other day: ‘I knew, Mum, that you’d like Frances.’ She wasn’t surprised at all that I very much loved having her around. Peter and I were always very much looking forward seeing her here at our home. This was some weeks ago. Very soon now we should get the result of these recording sessions with Frances.
I think Frances saw our daughter Gaby just a few days before Gaby died. Sadly the planned interview with Gaby could not take place at the time. There was some difficulty with incoming calls Gaby was expecting that day. Apparently Gaby was reluctant to switch off her mobile phone!
Gaby’s passing must have been a shock to Frances as it was to all of us. Frances had already been looking with Gaby at some of her documents. She was aware how Gaby caught polio at age four, and that she had lived as a quadriplegic with breathing difficulties for over fifty years. After Gaby’s passing she was keen to interview someone of Gaby’s family.
Frances found out from daughter Monika that we, Gaby’s parents, had gone overseas soon after Gaby’s death and wouldn’t be back for quite some time. In the meantime Frances started interviewing Monika. This is how Monika did get to know Frances. Monika agreed to be interviewed about her life in connection with Gaby. So Frances recorded twice one hour with Monika. Some time later, after our return from our long overseas trip, Peter’s and my tale was recorded too. Peter’s took eight times one hour, mine seven times one hour.
This picture was taken on Monday, 11th May 2015, near Sydney University when we went to a court hearing in Glebe.
On the 11th and on the 12th of May we went to the Coroner’s court hearing about the circumstances of our daughter’s death.
State Coroner’s Court of New South Wales
The State Coroner ensures that all deaths are properly investigated. If necessary, an inquest into the death is held. Coroners can also recommend measures to prevent future deaths.
An inquest is a court hearing where the Coroner considers evidence to determine the identity of the deceased and the date, place, manner and cause of death of the deceased. Read more about the steps involved in an inquest.
Peter always said, that he is only half of one. I was the other half! So, what am I now? A lonely widow!
Actually, living on my own is not all bad. Some doctors, that I saw recently, told me, I could live to be 100.
Is it possible to love life that much, that one would wish to live for that long? After all, it is very unlikely, that a one hundred year old would still have any kind of partner: Just memories, memories . . . .
The above is the start of a post of mine from March 17, 2013.
I wrote then: ‘I anticipate that I’ll probably live for another five or ten years. I also anticipate that I might perhaps even be able to venture on another overseas trip when I am in my eighties!’
Well, by March 2023 the ten years will be gone! And what then? Will I keep on living, and for how long? What do I anticipate now? I could not say. I only know, life becomes more and more uncertain. Every year, every month, every day is just a bonus.
Peter made a comment to that. He wrote: ‘I hope you anticipate that I’m with you all the way. It is important that old people are not lonely. In today’s societies the elderly are often left to their own devices.’
And he was with me all the way, until he died. Two years ago Peter was given only a few month to live. And he died before Christmas that year. His oncologist had warned us that this would happen, for he suffered from bone cancer.
So, I am now one of those lonely widows. True, there are still a lot of positives in my life. I really do get all the support that I need. However, for as long as their was a partner actually waiting to hug me and all that, for sure this made for a good life!
Peter always said, that he is only half of one. I was the other half! So, what am I now? A lonely widow! Actually, living on my own is not all bad. Some doctors that I saw recently, told me, I could live to be 100. Is it possible to love life that much, that one would wish to live for that long? After all, it is very unlikely, that a one hundred year old would still have any kind of partner: Just memories, memories . . . .
Oh, no. I will keep Peter, and you, in my thoughts, prayers, and meditations, Uta. I want the very best for Peter…for his health and safety. It makes me said that you cannot be with him. (((HUGS))) and for both of you PS…I clicked on “like” button because that video is wonderful and made such an impression on me. My Mom lived to 97 and I will never forget so many of the things she said to me…especially in her last year of life.Reply
auntyutaEditI thank everyone for all your good wishes! Peter is in a cancer ward now. Caroline stayed with him all day. They had to wait in Emergency until Peter could be transferred to the ward on level 7. Visiting hours are there from 11 to 1 and from 5 to 7. For each visiting time only one person is allowed to visit. That means only one person can visit in the morning and the same only one person towards nighttime. Caroline and Matthew drove me to the hospital last night. That was good that I could see him then. But both Caroline and Matthew had to stay outside waiting for me to take me back home. Today, Sunday, daughter Monika wants to visit her Dad at 5 pm. We have not worked out yet, who is going to visit at 11 am today! I hope Peter had a good night in hospital, for he often gets breathing difficulties during the night and has very interrupted sleep because of that. He has his mobile phone with him and can call us later. Everyone is very friendly in hospital. So Peter is well looked after.
Uta says: First my comment to this article. Can anybody please tell me, why on earth Australians should not be worried about the safety of the submarines until 2040?!! It gave me a shock, to hear about all this a few minutes ago on the 7.30 Program!!
Former submariners with over 500 years of collective service in the Royal Australian Navy are warning a newer version of the Collins-class boat is needed as a stopgap measure before the AUKUS nuclear-powered boats start hitting the water in the 2040s.
Key points:
The Collins-class submarines are due to start getting major upgrades from the mid-2020s to extend their life
A group of submariners are pushing to find a replacement sub that can be used until the nuclear subs arrive
The Swedish designer of the Collins class says it is happy to help Australia with a newer model
The veterans, who have served on Australia’s current submarines and the predecessor Oberon-class, are urging Defence to consider building an interim boat based on the Swedish-designed Collins to address a looming capability gap.
In an “Expression of Grave Concern”, the group argues: “Australia must keep the Collins submarines running until 2040+ or acquire some new conventional submarines:”
“The fact is that arguably both must be done, or the Collins submarines will be retiring at age 45 and beyond.
“It’s reasonable to ask whether they would still be safe to operate, let alone whether they should be used in a fight. This would be very poor value for money.
“Getting on urgently the Collins life extension and building more submarines are both necessary for sustaining today’s submarine capability and preparing industry and Navy for nuclear submarines.”
I copy here my above ‘Private’ Diary Post from Saturday, 25th 0f April 2020:
‘Everyone has by now some idea about the Coronavirus. It definitely has brought a lot of changes to our lives. How will all this end? Nobody knows for sure. We may have some ideas how it might end. However we cannot really know it, not exactly . . .
I think back to World War Two. Eighty years ago at this time of the year we had already eight months of war behind us. I was still only five years old. School started after Easter. But I was not allowed to go. I was considered to be still too young!
Our war in Germany ended on the 8th of May 1945. By then I was a ten year old. I emigrated to Australia in April 1959 with my husband and two daughters who were five months and sixteen months old. I left fourteen postwar years in Germany behind and started a new life in Australia. My dear little family did thrive in Australia. We did not make it to become rich. But we had a life in Australia, a good life. Neither Peter, my husband, nor I ever regretted our move to Australia. Yes, Australia has been very good to us!
Over the years we made a number of visits to our old country. We were amazed how prosperous Germany had become. Still, we were always glad to be going back to Australia. Four years ago, at the beginning of June, Peter and I made our last trip to Germany. Most of the time we stayed in Berlin, our home-town. Our son Martin had come with us and stayed with us, which was good. At the same time our daughter Caroline had come to Berlin with Matthew. They loved to get to know this interesting city. However on short notice they suddenly had to leave: Daughter Caroline had been called to Darwin on a job opportunity.
Towards the end of June daughter Monika had come to Berlin with all her tribe, that is with Natasha who is one of her daughters, and also with her twin sons, Troy and Ryan, as well as Ryan’s Partner Ebony and their sons Lucas and Alexander. They were on a tour from London to Paris to Switzerland to Berlin, where they stayed for nine days only, and then back to London, touring England a bit and then back home to Australia.
Why I mention our stay in Berlin four years ago is because that is where Peter first noticed something wrong with his bladder: Often he could hardly make it to the toilet on time! He always had to run, run, run to the toilet. A few weeks later in Australia a test showed that there was a tumour in his bladder!
For two years Peter received BCG treatment at Wollongong Hospital.
(BCG stands for Bacille Calmette Guerin. BCG is a weakened (attenuated) version of a bacteria called Mycobacterium bovis which is closely related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the agent responsible for tuberculosis. … BCG is also used as an adjuvant to stimulate the immune response and in cancer chemotherapy.)
Peter ended up with a battery of specialists: Urologists, an oncologist, cardiologists, a skin specialist, a dentist, hearing specialists, an optometrist and an ophthalmologist.
About two years ago heart bypass surgery was suggested because of Peter’s blocked arteries to the heart. Because of Peter’s brittle bones and his advanced age Peter decided he did not want any bypass surgery.
Recently Peter ended up in Wollongong Hospital with severe kidney pain. After successful surgery to drain the kidney and the insertion of a stent to the bladder the pain is gone. But Peter gets off and on severe back pain. Sitting in a comfortable easy chair usually helps him to immediately get rid of the pain. Also when he lies down on his side, the pain does go away instantly. However some Ex-ray revealed now, that Peter has the start of bone-cancer, which means that his bladder cancer has spread further.’
With the bone cancer spreading, Peter had no chance of survival. Peter died on Saturday, the 12.12.2020. For the last few weeks of his life he was given palliative care at home with daughters Monika and Caroline, as well as son-in-law Matthew and son Martin doing all the necessary caring with me mostly just sitting by his site.
After we had returned from our Berlin visit in 2016, I thought I would never again be able to go for another visit to Berlin. Surprise, surprise, it so happened, I did visit Berlin again in May of this year! We, my daughters and I, as well as one granddaughter, had just ten full days in Berlin. But I was able to see a lot of family and friends during this short stay in Berlin. So, I was glad, that I was given this chance for another visit.
Anthony Albanese and Labor have a plan for a better future.
Australians deserve a leader who is not afraid to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work needed to get things done.
But after nearly a decade in office, Scott Morrison still refuses to take responsibility, goes missing in action, blames others and can’t admit his mistakes.
From the bushfires to the bungled vaccine rollout to not securing enough rapid tests, Morrison’s mistakes have held Australians back.
Australians deserve so much better.
With your support at the 2022 federal election, Anthony Albanese and Labor will:
We were lucky the cafe was open today, Wednesday, the first of May. We had some good breakfast there and ‘bowls’ of excellent coffee. Then we drove a bit around the backroads of this small town called Berry. Our first stop was here:
There were still a lot of wreaths and flowers from Anzac Day.
From Wikipedia:
“Anzac Day (/ˈænzæk/) is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.[1][2] Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli Campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).”
Berry Station is just down this road!
Our next stop was the Berry Swimming Pool that was closed for the winter months from April to November.
Here is some Wikipedia information about this town :
“As of 2013, the small town has a variety of arts and craft shops, restaurants and cafes, a hotel, club, post office, supermarket and other businesses, including an ambulance station, general practitioner and a chemist.
Kangaroo Valley has a bus service to Nowra and Moss Vale. Priors Scenic Express also provides a long-distance coach service to Bowral, Mittagong, and Sydney as well as to the Shoalhaven and South Coast, as far as Narooma.”
We stopped at a very nice cafe in the main street.
Oh yes, we had not great difficulty pretending it was 1995!!
On the way home we stopped at the Robertson Pie Shop for a cup of refreshing tea and some delicious fruit pie.
Here is a link to a post Peter (Berlioz) wrote seven years ago:
Among other things you find the following in Peter’s post:
“The other day, on the First of May actually, we were enticed by the beautiful sunshine to drive into the country site. Not far from where we live, about 70 km is Kangaroo Valley. On the way there and back we passed through Berry, a town on the Princes Highway. It is “old charm” town where on weekends well to do people from Sydney come to visit and do some shopping for things that do not come from China, like craft work etc. . . .”
“When the Cenotaph was unveiled in 1921, a tree was planted for each of the dead along Alexandra Street, at the base of each of these trees a bronze plaque was set recalling the soldier to whom the tree was originally dedicated. . . .”
Peter also did mention in his post from 2012 the Cenotaph in Berry that we visited again today:
“We drove a bit further and suddenly saw the town’s Cenotaph erected for the fallen of the two World Wars. The floral tributes from the recent ANZAC Day were still to be seen. I realised then, that perhaps Berry represents, in equal parts, the modern and the old Australia, and the fallen soldiers are the connecting element of this duality. Without knowing it they gave their lives for just the Australia we have become. Migrants of the countries that were fighting in the Great War of 1914/18 are now here. . . .”
In my post from seven years ago I mentioned the Berry Sourdough Cafe in Prince Alfred Street:
” . . . we drove on to Berry where we had some pies for lunch. We also bought some cake at the Milkwood Bakery. This is a newly opened bakery in Queen Street. They are a branch of the Berry Sourdough Cafe in Prince Alfred Street, which is famous for very good breakfasts.” So today, seven years later but also on the first of May, we did actually have breakfast at the cafe in Prince Alfred Street.
“Early in the morning we heard a song about the Hampden Bridge and we thought why not go there today? It seems to be the right thing to do. First of May is not a holiday in Australia. But what the heck, our life is a constant holiday and we can go to the Kangaroo Valley, that is where the bridge is, any time we want. So off we went. The Illawarra is a beautiful part of NSW and we are proud to live here. . . . “
Today we passed Hampden Bridge again, but did not stop there but drove on to the village of Kangaroo Valley.
AuntyUta 