20 May 2000

Dearest S, Barry, Brady and O,

It’s been a long time since I’ve written a letter so please excuse the scrawl.

S I didn’t mean to offend by not sending a card for O when she was born, there was no intent meant so I’m truly sorry if it appeared there was.  If I look up from where I’m writing this letter I look at Brady’s photo in her green fairy wings so you are all close all the time. I owe Barry money for the late flowers which I will pay him when you come over or earlier if you want.

The Main Street of “Poo Town” will look so different the next time you see it.  The paths are paved, palm tree’s planted and new kerb and channel.  It’s very disruptive to all the traffic at the moment but I think it will look good at the end, hate to think what it’s costing.

Had lunch with J today, his hair has grown but it must have been short a couple of weeks ago.

Lions Club has been fairly busy lately what with lawns and painting and paving, it’s been good. We have our weekend away (The Lions Club) on the first weekend in June.  We are going to the old Castlemain Goal which has been made into a Motel, promises to be a great weekend.  Don’t know whether I told you or not but we bought another caravan, it is 17 feet long with a front kitchen, deep freeze, annex and all that.  It’s about 4 years old with a tandem axle and it’s in good nic.  We were going across the Nullabour Desert then up the west cost, Marble Bar, Mount Tom Price then to Derby, then across the top to Kurumba in the Gulf of Carpenteria then home down the east cost taking six to seven months, we were leaving on May 30 from your Nana’s house because we were going to be with her on the 28th as it will be a year since Dad died.

All good plans come unstuck, on April 10 Lilith was diagnosed with breast cancer.  On April 12 at 8am she was on the operating table.  They are confident they got it all.  She started chemo on May 10 and it goes for 6 months, 2 weeks on then 2 weeks off with blood tests in between.  The chemo is put in intraveinisiouly (sic) also 4 tablets daily.  The side effects are not very pleasant.  After the chemo there’s 6 weeks of radiation 5 days a week followed by 5 years of tablets.

Hope Brady enjoys her camera, it will be interesting to see the results.  Is Brady still enjoying being a big sister or is the novelty wearing off?  I know so little of her school. How far is it from home? What colour is the uniform, if there is one?  Has she made a lot of new friends? Does she see her cousins much? I’m pleased that the business is going well, that must be a feeling of satisfaction for Barry.

Weather is cold at the moment but still very dry.  The water situation is becoming urgent.

Must close now.

Love Dad