Well, I must close and get some work done, Fran.
So lots of love,
Dulcie
January 1967
Dear Fran,
Well, what a busy and hot old time we’ve had since 2nd December. Len finished his cane cut and came home near the end of November and we had two hectic weeks mustering and dipping. When Terry’s school closed for the 6 weeks summer holidays, we packed up and took him for a trip to inspect the big copper mine at Mt. Morgan. We had a wonderful time, but gosh it was hot! We have some photos, etc. to send you later.
We came back two weeks before Christmas and Len was taken ill with a kidney complaint. With the temp still up to 109 [43ºC] day and night, Terry and I managed to hold the fort again and also kill the poultry, etc. and prepare the Christmas goodies. But by the time Len was well, it was 2 days off Christmas and then we were all too worn out to enjoy ourselves. There’s still no change in the weather. This summer is the longest and hottest since 1961. However, I guess we will live through it.
Your package arrived in perfect order and what a thrill we got unpacking it. We all adored the racing car and the little soap monkey! When it grew fur it attracted all our neighbours. No one had ever seen such a thing happen. Gosh, if only we could live in USA for awhile! The tin of crackers was delicious too.
Most of all I liked the painting set. Terry gave them to me to do. How I’ve enjoyed every minute painting. I could hardly drag myself away to do the work. Now they are finished they really look beautiful. Have you tried them, Fran? If they are not expensive I would dearly love the ones I’ve enclosed, Fran. Forgive me for being greedy enough to ask you. Is there anything you would like us to send you in return? Please just forget your manners, like I have, and ask for whatever you’d like. We can get the oil paints here but not the numbered sketches to paint. So if you can just get them without the paint as it leaks on to the painting on the way over.
We went to Rockhampton to the annual Tropical Bull Sale last Monday and bought ourselves a few new ¾ Brahman Bulls. We all got terrifically sunburnt too. One thing good about this breed of cattle though, hot weather doesn’t worry them at all.
Well, Fran, I must away now and much as I hate going outside, I must work. Thank you once again for the lovely parcel.
Love,
Dulcie
14th February 1967
Dear Fran,
Although the heat is terrific, I don’t think I’d like all your snow. I’d love to see a little bit but really can’t stand the temp below 70 degrees [21ºC]. Tasmania, our most southern state, has had terrific heat and the worst fires in Australia’s history. Over 50 people dead and hundreds of homes destroyed.
We had 6 inches [15 cm] of rain in 2 hours last week from a thunder storm. Gosh, the roads were boggy. I imagine your snow slush was something like it. I drove up to Rockhampton to get six teeth extracted. I had to fit chains to the back tyres and it took me 3 hours to get there.
Didn’t think I’d make it back home in time to meet the school bus so I telephoned Mum to collect Terry. Just as well as I ran into a string of bogged cars with a council grader pulling them out. Didn’t get home till 8 o’clock that night and by then the numbness had worn off my mouth and it was a bit painful.
Went out on the horse next morning to get the cattle on to high ground as they get foot rot in the mud. By that night I felt a bit worse so next morning drove back through the mud to the dentist and had to get antibiotics and some anti-pain tablets. Doesn’t feel too bad now.
Just hope the loss of these teeth are worth it as they were quite sound. But for 18 months I’ve had abscesses continually in both ears that the doctors couldn’t seem to clean up. So they decided 3 back teeth each side of the lower jaw be removed to see if that clears up the trouble. Personally I think a good long sleep might cure everything. Just don’t seem to get time to sleep any longer than 5 or 6 hours out of every 24.
Len went away 3 weeks ago with two of his friends on a tour of the southern States. They’ll be away till the middle of April. Gee, how I envy them the lovely time they are having.
I don’t know what Len is going to say when he reads my next letter. I got fed up with some of the cattle that were too wild and I rounded up 53 of them and sent them to the sale. Just about killed my horse and myself galloping after those scrubbers. There’s only one bad one now, a black Brahman bull. He charges the horses and I have to be quick off the mark to dodge him. Next time I get him in I’ll dehorn the thing and he won’t be so dangerous.
We bought the 53 steers a year ago for $42 a head and sold them for $92 so didn’t do too badly. Len had planned on keeping them for 2 years but he doesn’t have to work the wild things.
In my spare(?) time I’m putting in a water-lily fish pond in the garden. It is 11 feet x 8 feet [3.4 x 2.4 metres] and 3 feet deep [91 cm]. I have nearly finished digging the hole (hard-going, too) and then have to cement it and plant up the edges. Should be nice if I ever get it done. Terry helps dig and shovel when he comes home from school. Wish I had a few more Terrys! Perhaps you could send Ricky and Mark over to work for me!
Well, Fran, I’ve got cattle yarded waiting to be dipped so guess I’ll have to get a move on.
Lots of love,
Dulcie
18th June 1967
Dear Fran,
As usual, will you forgive me for taking so long to write? Weeks ago I received the parcel and birthday card and two letters from you. Thank you very much for all of them. Although I don’t write very often, I love to hear from you.
I’ve been frantically busy ever since Len left at the end of January. He only got back two weeks ago and ever since then we’ve been flood-bound. Can’t cross the two bridges on the road to Yeppoon. One is still 4 feet 5 inches [137 cm] over the bridge and the other 3 feet [91 cm]. So Terry hasn’t been able to go to school. He was lucky to get home. The first day I noticed the creek rising I went into Yeppoon and got him at lunch time. Just got home as the water was washing the decking.
We have been busy getting the stock to high ground and the weaker ones into shelter. So far we have had 15 inches [38 cm] of rain and it shows no sign of letting up yet. So plenty of time to write a letter as it may not get posted for another few days. Just as well we have enough food, etc. stocked up. Only hope no one gets sick now.
While Len was away, we had an outbreak of foot-rot and botulism in the cattle. I had to get all the affected ones into one paddock and yard them every day and give them injections. Boy, what a job! One week I had 95 sick ones. Took me all day to cope with them. For two weeks running there just wasn’t time to sit down to eat. So I ate on the move.
To top it all off at the same time the engine on No. 2 bore broke down. Sat up till 3 o’clock in the morning with the headlights of the tractor to fix it.
Next day the truck played up. The generator wanted new brushes, etc. so I did that next night. Got in it next morning to cart the lucern down and the starter motor wouldn’t work. Like all stupid Fords it has no crank handle so I towed it with the tractor while Terry drove it and started it.
That night found me in the shed with the tractor lights on putting new brushes and re-bundling the fields on that. Was rather fed up with working in the half-dark by then. So went up to Rockhampton next day and came back with a home electricity plant. Took 2 and ½ days to wire the house, with Terry’s help at night, and then rigged up the engine and everything and thought we’d have lights. Very funny, because I couldn’t crank the big diesel engine over.
So had a starter motor sent down next day and fixed up an electric start on it. Gee, Fran, I wish you could see our house now! Electric lights in every room plus power points, I even have an electric iron. We can also run TV off it. So later on we’ll have a set.
These home power units are becoming very popular in the country where there is never likely to be town power. What’s more it costs very little a week to have such a luxury. To use the lights, there’s no need to start the engine as the 12
batteries of 12 volts each are charged up enough to keep them bright. But the iron, TV, etc have to have the engine running to work. Of course we can’t run as many things as the town supply of 240 volts can but still, it’s lovely. The whole thing only cost $1067. Saved a bit by installing it and wiring the house myself.
I didn’t let Len know about it. I kept it as a surprise for him when he came home. You should have seen his face when I just walked into the house and flicked a switch and the lights came on! Now we can fix things in the shed at night with a decent light.
Terry is quite fascinated by it and leaves his light on when he’s gone to bed. All he wants now is TV so after we sell the next lot of stock in December we will get a set for sure.
While I was busy with all the breakdowns and sick cattle, our neighbour, a few miles away, got mumps and had to go to the hospital. His wife (a useless type of woman) sent one of the kiddies over on his pony to see if I would go over to muster his cattle and dip them and drive her into town to see him at the hospital.
I did all his cattle, fixed up the windmill on the house bore and by then was in a bad mood. So I told her to get into their new car and learn to drive it or get on a horse and learn to ride it and then take a course in mechanics.
It’s really amazing how a city type hopes to live in the country. All country women are as capable as men and can take over the properties, and run them when their men folks are away. So she sure has a lot to learn.
Well, Fran, it’s lunch time, so I guess I’d better close and feed the family.
Lots of love,
Dulcie
Saturday 29th July 1967
Dear Fran,
I’ve been so worried about you all since I’ve heard about the racial trouble in Detroit. People killed, injured and buildings wrecked. Fran, I do hope you and your family were unharmed. We’ve never had any riots in Australia, but I think I can understand what a terrible time people must have during such trouble. I just hope all your family and possessions were untouched.
Len went back cane-cutting again on June 30th. He wasn’t going to go but he thought he may as well get as much money as possible, before he got too old. Then he can settle down and tackle his own place in comfort. Sometimes I wish he’d get old quickly so I could have him here all the time. I wonder what will happen if I feel too old to carry on here without him. Sometimes I feel so tired and with just Terry for company, it gets a bit lonely. However I know Len is doing this for our sakes, so I mustn’t dwell on self-pity.
We’ve had a very poor winter this year (thank heavens)! Just a few light frosty mornings and lovely hot days. The rain has been welcome and unusual for this time of the year. The animals are all looking wonderful and the garden is glorious. Nothing got frosted this year.
We had a wonderful surprise a few weeks ago. The Sub-Normal Children’s Association are having a fund raising campaign to build a new centre in Brisbane and a four-hour concert is to be held at the Town Hall in Rockhampton. Three of Queensland’s recording stars will be singing (Slim Dusty and Chad Morgan, the other one I can’t remember off-hand) and Tom, the boys and myself have been asked to appear. We have been allotted 1 hour of the time.
Needless to say we are very thrilled and we will have to busy ourselves practicing for the big night on August 5th. Maybe I can get someone to catch a few of the numbers on tape for you.
Thirty-eight baby ducklings hatched last week and Terry is doing a wonderful job looking after them. He always tends one batch until the next comes out then he takes the new ones. Things only appeal to him when they are very small! He added another animal to his private zoo a few weeks ago. Dad caught him a small bandicoot.
I wonder what’s going to become of his wallabies, emus, turtles and other things when he grows up and leaves home!
Fran, I forgot to put our new address on the first page. The post office has given us a Mail Service number and post code, so now our address is M.S. 142 Yeppoon 4703. Much easier to spell than the old one.
Well, Fran, I must away to work. Please let me know how you all are soon.
Love,
Dulcie
12th December 1967
Dear Fran,
Yesterday was one of those days when nothing goes right. The temp was 104 [40ºC] inside the house when I came home from fixing a fence. My head ached and sunburn stung when I had a bath and altogether I felt annoyed with the whole day. After tea my parents came and Mum had taken delivery of your parcel from the transport driver.
How I cheered up! The salt and pepper shakers are lovely and the sachet of cream was so nice. I rubbed some on my sunburnt face, smelt good and felt good. We had loads of fun with the magic ball. Terry set himself up as a fortune teller and the answers to some questions we asked were really good! Many thanks indeed, Fran, it made a good finish to a bad day.
This summer is a beauty. Most days have been well over 100 [38℃] inside. Wish we had air-conditioning. One thunderstorm last week gave us 4 inches [10 cm] of rain, so the heat hasn’t affected the fodder too bad and water is plentiful too. Len will be home on 15th December so then we will have busy days until all the branding, dehorning, castration, etc. is done. Terry starts his holidays on 15th December and has 6 weeks off until January 22nd. He is a good help at the stock-yards, fetches and carries for us and stops and starts the engine, etc.
I plan on baking the Christmas cake in two days time. Might be cooler to do it at night. Terry wanted a microscope and a new record player this year. Bought both when I went to Rockhampton last week as I may not get there again before Christmas.
Well, Fran, the washing is dry now so I must bring it in and make the beds. Many thanks again for the parcel and Merry Christmas to all.
Lots of love,
Dulcie
5th January 1968
Dear Fran,
Well, the holidays are over now and it’s back to work for most people. What a Christmas! The really hot weather started near the end of November and reached a peak on Christmas day. I don’t think many people in the state really enjoyed the day. The temp inside our house was 110 [43ºC] and the humidity at night 93 percent.
Brisbane has a normal temp of 88 [31ºC] but reached 101 [38ºC]. Some western towns reported 115 [46ºC] and over. New Year’s day was the same but yesterday a cool change arrived and now it’s only 98 degrees [37ºC]. This is the longest heat wave since 1911. On Boxing Day we went to the beach but the shark signals were hoisted and the water was deserted.
We’ve had thunderstorms every day but no rain, just terrific lightning and thunder. Some places have had quite a few cattle struck with lightning, so we insured the last Brahman Bull we bought. If he gets killed at least we’ll get some of our money back.
Len and I have been erecting a new fence for the last week, in between spells under shady trees. It is 1 and ½ miles long with 4 barbed strands. Gosh, it’s hot work!
Terry’s old collie bitch had 7 pups on Christmas day. She is 9 years old so we didn’t let her keep any. Terry didn’t like them because they were black like their father, just as well.
At present Australia is without a prime minister. Mr Holt disappeared a few weeks ago while swimming. It is generally thought he was taken by a shark. There had been two previous shark attacks at the same beach and the victims’ bodies were never found. It doesn’t appear Mr Holt’s body will be found either after all this time.
Well, Fran, Len has finished welding something or other on Terry’s bike and is now looking for tea so I must away.
Hope your Christmas was nice and snowy. One day I hope to see snow before I get too old to make a snowman.
Lots of Love,
Dulcie
20th January 1968
Dear Fran,
Your letter arrived only yesterday but I’m answering early as I have some spare time.
I had some trouble yarding three bulls last week. I was riding a young flighty horse and it threw me twice. I gave it a good belting and got mounted again and hit the dust for
the third time.
Next day my back pained like mad. I put up with it for 5 days and went to the doctor. Just bruised and jarred so I’m having a day or two of rest. Will be able to catch up on all the letter writing as there sure won’t be time later on.
The weather is lovely and warm now during the days, around the 80s [27ºC]. Nights are still a little cold at mostly 45 to 50 [7 - 10℃] and one has to wear a coat in the early part of the morning.
I can understand Dick enjoying his recliner chair. When my grandparents (Dad’s people) came out from England in 1897, they brought two recliner chairs with them.
The chairs were passed on to Mum and Dad after the old couple’s death. When Terry was born, Dad gave me one of the old chairs and although it’s very old-fashioned, with funny carved squiggles all over it, it is very comfortable and many are the nights I have fell asleep in it.
Yes, Fran, the concert went off with a bang and we had a wonderful time. Radio 1000 broadcast it state-wide and as my parents didn’t go, they were able to tape a section of it from the radio. So, as soon as I can, I’ll mail it.
How is your kitten doing? I like cats much better than dogs. At one time we had five cats but one or two died from snake bites and the others got run over so now we’ve only got one old ginger cat.
He seems to lead a charmed life. Once when I backed the car out of the shed, he got his back legs run over. Then Len ran over him with the tractor once and a black snake bit him early this year. However, he is still going strong although he has plenty of scars, two crooked legs and a bent tail.
Terry’s old collie had seven pups a month ago. I killed them all as Collie is nearly nine years old now and with pups to feed she couldn’t pick up in health. She has only seven teeth left and has to be fed on soft food.
Dear Fran, Love Dulcie Page 10