← Prev · Derek Distel · Memoir index · Next →
Page 39
1977 - 1982
23 Lansell Road, Mooroolbark
The temporary rental period before house completion, children's activities (Colan's chemistry experiments, driving lessons), car accidents, and the author's swimming achievements including earning a Bronze Medallion and swimming with brother Alan.
Click the page to see it at full size
What the page says
When we sold the house in Ferntrée Gully we had to rent a place for a few months. It was up just over the ridge from where we were building. It took quite a while to finish the new house.
There are lots of stories, kids being kids! There was a lot going on that we didn't know about! Probably still goes on today!
Colan did chemistry as a kid and I bought him a chemistry set out of the Trading Post. It had bunson burners, test tubes, etc. He used the old kitchen cupboards and they were full of stuff! I must say, there was a book with it that kept him on the right track.
I started to teach Colan to drive but left it to the instructors in the end. I had tried to teach Pat and hadn't been very successful in that. Pat got her license in Malay and she was used to the traffic over there. I opted out of teaching her! Colan had a green panel van and had an accident in that somewhere on Dorset Road; That was the intersection, oh, I don't know... there were so many accidents! The next car was a Volkswagon. There were that many accidents! That's why I don't have any hair left! I don't think it's good to ask too many questions!
BRONZE MEDALLION SWIMMER
I was considered a good swimmer when I was young. I earned my bronze medallion and went further than that too. I started swimming with my brother in Walpa but he got a bug in the pool and got quite ill. His urine turned black as black! Alan was bed ridden for weeks; it was a kidney problem and he was quite sickly when he came out of it.
Swimming continued and I was particularly quite good at the backstroke but not particularly good at over-arm. My sister Kay was too young at that stage to join in. She was four years younger than me.
People: Derek [DISTEL, implied author], Pat [DISTEL], Colan [DISTEL], Alan [DISTEL, brother], Kay [DISTEL, sister]
Places: Ferntrée Gully, Malay, Dorset Road, Walpa
Interesting facts
Long service leave. Months of paid leave after a decade or so with one employer - an Australian and New Zealand invention with almost no equivalent anywhere else. It started as passage home to Britain for colonial officials and became a universal entitlement.
← Prev · Derek Distel · Memoir index · Next →