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Dear Fran, Love Dulcie

Page 6

by Victoria Twead


  We went to see my parents and Len’s while we were down there. They all raved over Terry and said how he’d grown and we’ve only been away 9 weeks! Terry cried when we told him we had to come back here again.

  It really wasn’t a very profitable trip. We hit a bad grid at night (Len driving pretty fast!) and broke the main leaf in the back springs and the control arm assembly and shock absorber on left side front. Patched it up and came on again.

  Later a kangaroo jumped out of the grass on the side of the road and crashed into the right-side door. We’d been dodging the confounded things on the road all night. Still later Len swung over to let a semi-trailer past and hit a large rock on the left side mudguard and door. So our lovely car is now somewhat battered.

  Mother wrote today and said my eldest brother got caught in the corn-picker-thrasher. He hasn’t any broken bones but has some bad bruises and in shock. They’ve been working flat out to harvest the maize before we get thunder-storm rain to ruin it. It appears the picker jammed and Tom crawled up to release it and his clothing got caught in some cogs. He always works with his shirt hanging out and it’s always getting caught in something or other.

  I’ve just finished doing the washing. Gee it’s hard work by hand with only a wood-boiler to boil them in! I feel so tired now. I’m lying on the bed writing instead of ironing. I feel quite okay again now the ulcer hasn’t played up since I’ve been out of hospital. My kidney troubles me a bit though.

  When I was in hospital after losing the last baby I had to have one kidney and one ovary removed as the peritonitis had affected them and the remaining kidney has to work overtime. My feet and hands swell up so big. It’s really alarming to see them some days. However the doctor keeps a close check so everything must be ok.

  I’ve just about made all the baby clothes I’ll need. I knitted some woolen bootees and one complete layette - but I don’t think I’ll need them as it will be extremely hot when baby arrives. Probably won’t even need the cotton frocks I’ve made - just a singlet or nappy [diaper].

  It’s very dry here and bush fires are raging around. One farm had 300 tons [304814 kg] of cane burnt out last week. I hope none gets burnt here. We burnt fire breaks all around our place when we were home so it’s quite safe. The cattle country can burn whenever its ready - was too green to burn when we tried it.

  Well, Fran, I must away now and do this ironing.

  Love,

  Dulcie

  PS About the magazines, better send them to our home address. I will get up a bundle for you, too.

  3rd October 1962

  Dear Fran,

  Well, we are really into summer again. The days are terribly hot but the nights aren’t too bad yet. Cane cutting isn’t much fun in this heat. I get up each morning at 5 o’clock, get breakfast, then call Len and he goes to work at 6 o’clock - comes back for lunch and then doesn’t get back until 7 o’clock in the evening. Long hours.

  We sold our Holden car and bought a Ford Zephyr last week. Then we went for a drive down to home on Saturday and came back Sunday night. The worst part about going home is having to come back here again!

  Mum’s Persian cat had four kittens and she kept one for Terry. It was only 2 weeks old when we went down and Terry thought it was lovely but it was too young to bring back. However Len is going down at the end of this month to get mum to come up and mind Terry while I’m in hospital for the baby, so he’ll get the kitten then.

  I guess your boys are pleased with their puppy. Is it the first dog you have had for them? Our collie had eight pups a few weeks ago but Len killed them all as we couldn’t possibly keep them.

  Yes, Fran, our record player plays 78, 45, 33⅓ and 16 r.p.m. I can’t say I really like Ray Charles singing “I can’t stop loving you”. I like Don Gibson’s version better. The two songs I like most at the moment are “Roses are Red” and “Wolverton Mountain”.

  I’ve just finished scrubbing the floors. They are made of white pine and get dirty so easily but look nice after they’ve been scrubbed. But I still prefer the floor’s covered as at home - much easier!

  Gosh! I’ve been having kidney trouble. My feet and hands are swollen like great balloons and my back hurts every time I move! I have to go to the Doctor each week and she has given me tablets, etc. but doesn’t seem to do much good. Still I’ve only got 5 more weeks to hang out so I guess I shouldn’t complain. I don’t know how big the baby is going to be but I’ve only gained 6 pounds [3 kg] on my normal weight and I’m still wearing my every day frocks!

  We had a rather worrying time with Terry three weeks ago. He had to have anesthetic to get 6 teeth out. I took him into the hospital early in the morning and the doctor and dentist told me he’d be only 10 minutes and I could take him home again. But after they removed the teeth his breathing stopped and he had to have oxygen and resuscitation for 20 minutes to start him again.

  Then he didn’t regain consciousness for 5½ hours. Gosh! I thought he was dead. When he finally did wake up he just sat up in bed and said, “I think we’ll go home now”. Never even cried! The next day he ran around making as much noise as he usually does, while I washed, and it felt like I was 10 years older!

  Well, Fran - I guess I’d better close as Terry wants a sandwich.

  Lots of love,

  Dulcie

  12 November 1962

  Dear Fran,

  Well, on the day your last letter was dated - I had another son - a very small one 3 pounds 11 ounces [2 kg]. He had to have all his blood drained and replaced, because of the R.H. factor, and had jaundice very bad. He is still in hospital and will be there for 5 weeks. We named him Brendan Russell.

  On the day he arrived (October 25th) I tried to wait for Len to come home for dinner, but the pains got to 3 minutes apart so Terry and I had to walk 2 miles to get him. He drove 65 to 75 miles an hour [105 - 121 kph] to get into Mackay and I just made it to the labour bed. I didn’t have time to even change my clothes and he was born.

  When the doctor got there 10 minutes later I had to have an anesthetic as the afterbirth wouldn’t come away. The doctor told me later I had two fibroid growths growing in the womb and they had taken all the nourishment from the baby. Gosh, he’s small! He’s 16 inches [40 cm] long and his legs and arms are as thick as my fingers and his feet 1½ inches [3 cm] long. All his clothes are too big for him.

  On the day I went in I was so worried about the trouble over Cuba. However everything seems a lot brighter now. Gosh! It’s hot here now. Was 110 degrees [43℃] last Sunday and has been around 98 degrees [37℃] all last fortnight. I wish the cane was finished. It’s so hot for Len cutting all day from daylight till dark. Looks like we’ll be here until after Christmas and it doesn’t seem the same away from home does it?

  Well, Fran, I guess I’d better do some work. I was in hospital 15 days and have been here 4 days today and there seems to be endless things to do, washing, floor scrubbing and walls to clean, etc.

  Lots of love,

  Dulcie

  Part II

  1963 - 1968

  29th January 1963

  * * *

  Dear Fran,

  I must say I’m very sorry for not answering your letter before this. But so much has happened since I received your letter on 23rd December.

  We were allowed to take Brendan from hospital when he was 6 weeks old - a week after we left Mt. Pelion for home. We reached home on 20th December and then I was very busy preparing for Christmas. The day we left Mt. Pelion it started to rain and we had rain all the way for the 350 miles [563 km]. Rained right through the holidays (Christmas, New Year, etc) and continued on for 4 weeks. The creeks rose over the bridges and we were isolated with only the 2-way radio to make contact with anyone. Altogether we had 35 inches [90 cm] of rain for the month so on 22nd January Len decided he’d had enough. The creeks dropped enough to let us out and we went to Rockhampton and bought a caravan and decided to clear out!

  Terry and Brendan

  We started out
for Griffith in New South Wales. What a trip we had! We travelled 1521 miles [2448 km] over roads so bad we only made 250 miles [402 km] on some days. Took us 5 days for the trip. We didn’t strike any rain after we crossed the Queensland and N.S.W. border.

  Terry enjoyed the trip and Brendan slept peacefully. We brought the two cats and Terry’s collie dog along in the caravan. It’s very cold down here compared with home. Although it’s summer it’s 65 degrees [18℃] most days and nights. The people here think its hot when it reaches 90! [32℃]

  There’s all kinds of stone fruits grown here. Plums, peaches, pears, etc. and we are staying to pick the fruit for the season, approximately 3 months. The wet season should be finished at home then and winter will be starting. It seems so queer here - different climate and country and crops. They say snow covers everything in winter. I would like to stay to see snow but 65 degrees [18ºC] is too cold now - so I’d guess I’d freeze to death here in winter!

  Brendan weighs 10 pounds [4.5 kg] now. He had another blood check yesterday but I don’t know the results yet. He sleeps all night now and doesn’t need night feeding. At present Len is away with some other men and Terry is asleep. Also Brendan, so I have the caravan all closed up and we are nice and warm.

  The Zephyr didn’t have any trouble pulling the caravan although some of the mountains were steep and high. Two of them were Chandler’s Peak 5,710 feet [1740 metres] and Blackbutt ranges 4,170 feet [1271 metres]. It was lovely to look out over the country from the tops of them.

  By the way Fran, thank you so much for the parcel. I will get one or two things of New South Wales to send you soon. Also just address any letters to me at Bungundarra and they will be sent on if we are still here.

  Well, I’ve run out of paper so I must away now.

  Kind regards to you all from,

  Dulcie

  * * *

  The Zephyr, Terry and Len.

  23rd April 1963

  Dear Fran,

  Thank you for the card and good wishes for my birthday.

  I’m very sorry I’ve been so long writing to you, Fran, but we’ve had a most unhappy time since Christmas.

  Brendan didn’t do well and we had to take him 2000 miles [3219 km] to a specialist who put him into hospital on February 2nd. He had his blood changed twice more and had intravenous tubes in both legs and arms and oxygen until he died on March 27th.

  He had leukemia and in the last 9 days of his life he developed meningitis. From then on, he didn’t have a chance. We drove night and day and reached home two weeks ago. Now all our money is gone and we still owe £300 to the hospital. I just feel as if life isn’t worth living. Terry misses Bren so much and keeps asking why we came home without him. He can’t understand that death is so final.

  We have to go back to Mackay in June to cut cane again. We need the money so badly now. I do hate it up there - but still we haven’t any choice.

  Please excuse me writing on both sides of the paper, Fran, but I haven’t any more paper until I go to Yeppoon next week.

  There’s been such a lot of rain here while we were away, 80 inches [203 cm] since Christmas! Still it hasn’t done any harm and the creeks and dams are full and the grass is lush. The cattle are doing well.

  Terry’s collie bitch is due to have a batch of pups any day and he is anxiously awaiting their arrival. His turtle also has 3 eggs and the Persian cat has had 6 kittens. We sure have a zoo!

  Well, Fran, I must away now and I do hope you are feeling better now that your winter has gone. We are just getting our winter.

  Love,

  Dulcie

  24th May 1963

  Dear Fran,

  Thank you for your letter and photo of Ricky. Terry liked Mark’s drawing. It kept him amused for some time.

  He’s been very ill for three weeks and will probably have a blood transfusion next week. He’s already had one. Gosh, he’s lost weight and I find it hard to find anything to interest him.

  He is very good though and doesn’t cry when he gets his needles. He is still missing Brendan badly too. We are allowed to bring his pets once in a while to have a look at. His old turtle has laid 3 eggs and Collie (his dog) has seven pups. Then last week Collie had two ticks on her and nearly died. However she looks okay now.

  I don’t know when I’ll be able to go to Mackay but Len is leaving here on 7 June.

  Yes, Fran, I agree with you, when you say this must be the hardest time of life. Really, I don’t mind struggling along to make a living but it is disheartening to have one’s children sick and also to lose them. If we lose Terry, I don’t think I’d be interested in living.

  I feel as if I could do with six months sleep at present. Still one thing I can’t growl about - my figure. I’ve lost 28 pounds [13 kg] and now weigh 112 pounds [51 kg]. So worrying does some good!

  Len has been doing a lot of ringbarking on our place - has about 500 acres [202 hectares] done so far and has 1000 acres more to do. Killing the timber off improves the grass.

  The breeder cows are starting to drop their calves but the dingos are very bad so I guess we’ll lose some. Len has been putting out strychnine baits and has caught a few young dingos. The mother ones are the worst killers when they have young ones to feed.

  I’ve just finished spraying my garden. Grubs have been eating my roses badly. They are blooming beautifully, too.

  We went to the pictures last Saturday night. First time for eighteen months. We saw, “Lonely are the Brave” starring Kirk Douglas. It wasn’t very good though.

  Well, Fran, Len will be home soon as it is 6:30 now so I must away.

  I’m sending you some magazines tomorrow.

  Love,

  Dulcie

  5th August 1963

  Dear Fran,

  I’m very sorry to have taken so long to answer your last letter. Thank you very much for the recording. We enjoyed listening to it.

  I haven’t had much spare time as we are in the north for the cane season again. Len has a smaller cut this year as the weather wasn’t favourable to grow the cane at the beginning of the year. We expect to be finished early in November. I’ve been away for 2 weeks. I had to drive 650 miles [1046 km] to take Terry to a bigger hospital for a blood transfusion. Len couldn’t get the time to go with me. I didn’t have any trouble on the way except for the fuel pump on the Zephyr. The pipe broke in half on some bad road. I cut it and joined it again until I got to a town. One section of the road is very lonely, 250 miles [402 km] inland with not even a house in sight. I carried a spare tin of petrol as there isn’t any petrol stations either. I took 2 spare tyres but didn’t get a puncture. I was pleased about that as I hate changing tyres.

  Terry is looking a bit better although still losing weight. He also has a very bad cold and cough.

  When I can get the time I’ve been knitting. I’ve done two long-sleeved cardigans for myself and two long sleeved pullovers for Terry and I am halfway through one for Len.

  It has been the coldest winter on record here. Down to 15 degrees [C]. The car’s radiator is frozen every morning and the windscreen freezes over when Len goes to work. I’ve never felt so cold in my life.

  My eldest brother is in hospital at home. He had an accident when felling trees with his chainsaw and the chainsaw fell and half cut through one foot. It’s too far to drive down to see him but I phoned mother and she said he is doing well.

  Well, Fran, I guess I’d better get dinner started so lots of love to you all from,

  Dulcie

  13th August 1963

  Dear Fran,

  Well, winter has gone and we’ve had inches of rain. Len couldn’t get the trucks onto the paddock to cart the cane, so we decided to go home for a few days. The road was in a terrific mess with semi-trailers bogged for a mile and cars and caravans bogged everywhere. The Roads Department had a bulldozer and a grader to pull them out. We got through okay and then 90 miles [145 km] from home Len crashed into a 12-inch [25 cm] bridge post. Terry was asleep in the back
seat and wasn’t hurt. It hit on my side and threw me into the dashboard. I’ve got a cut and bruised forehead and one arm and leg bruised and Len wasn’t hurt. The car was in a bit of a mess. Gee, I got a fright when it hit the post. The post was set three feet [91 cm] deep in concrete and it cracked right out. Len was doing about 50 mph [80kph] at the time. We had to use the jack to jack the bodywork away from the wheels so we could go again. We came back to Mt. Ossa and now the car is in Mackay to be repaired.

  I hope you have a good birthday, Fran, and now I must away and do some washing.

  Love from,

  Dulcie

  18th September 1963

  Dear Fran,

  I was so pleased to get your letter. It gets rather lonely here, the owners’ wives don’t speak to the workers and the other workers’ wives won’t live in the small huts here, so I’ve got quite a way to go to find any women companions.

  The workmen were bringing their washing for me to do and also dropping in for meals. I had so much to do I soon refused to do any washing and cooking for them. I put up with this horrible way of living to look after Len, so I think the other women could do it for their husbands too. We should be finished in two months time. Gee, I’d hate to spend Christmas here.

  I went into the hospital for a week to have an operation on my ears. Gosh, they are sore. I can hardly bear to listen to Terry speaking. I wanted to leave it until we were finished and home again but the doctor said it had to be done immediately.

 

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