The Bride

My first Marriage to George with my Mum and Dad 13th Feb. 1965 

This was a magnificent dress with diamenties around the lace it really was stunning...
.My second Marriage ..... Tony.......Katie is standing on the side...... 3rd of May 1978...I am a very blessed Lady. he is my Soul Mate ...a wonderful man. 

Pot Luck Dinner

I went to a Church Dinner Party last night...Tony had gone to Port Hedland and was on his way home....I generally don't like going to things like that by my self but I went and did enjoy my self...we played a little game where some people were selected to tell something about themselves that no one else might know about them...it was a fun game..and some interesting little bits came out...like my two friends who cheekily wrap up parcels with leaves or grass or anything that obscure in them.....then put a really pretty wrapping around it and place it somewhere obvious then hide and see the reactions of people who think that they have stumbled on something wonderful.........ohwah!!!!!  Honor and Sylvia two little cheeky old girls.
I dobbed my Tony in and told them that no one knew this about him....come to think about it not even his children know....maybe the older ones....but Tony can pilot a light plane !!!   I gave him Flying Lessons as a Birthday Present many years ago now...... he never completed all the mandatory Flying hours due to work pressures....Maybe he should take it up again.....but I bet each Flying Lesson is so expensive now..... I told ya he is marvelous...he can put his hand to almost everything.....I asked him last week actually...if we were in an emergency situation could you take over from a pilot and land the plane....he said the hardest part of flying is taking off and landing...... up in the air is pretty easy but yes with some help he probably could....well probably is better then no......

My Hairdressing Days

Apart from wanting to become a lady that pushes the buttons in a lift in Boans..hahaha
I always wanted to become a Hairdresser....at that time you were either a Barber or a Ladies Hairdresser unlike today where you can become both.
I first worked in a Salon called Maider in Hay st Perth which my Dear Mother walked Perth for to ask if anyone was interested in taking on a young girl who loved to do hair....Maider Salon said yes...so after an interview...I was hired...the boss didn't like my name Lajla and thought that I should be called Dee Anna
Consequently I never responded to the name which was frustrating to those that were trying to get my attention and to me.
My first responsibilities were in the sweeping department..... handing the perm rods and general cleaning..I didn't mind that as I was thrilled to work in a Salon...I remember that I was very industrious in all that I did.  One day decided that I would get all the perm rods and give them all a good washing with shampoo...bubbles bubbles everywhere...but they sure were now clean and not so perm smelly....... I was so upset and so were my bosses when none of the perms took...some of the soap was still left on the rods...even though I thought that I had rinsed them well...the little that was left on the rods reacted to the perm solutions.....I caused the company a lot of money....it was a pretty big Salon.....and many a perm were done.
I am not really sure but after three months I was let go with a promise from the Hairdressing Union that I would get another position in Hairdressing....the reason why I was let go is that every Senior could only have two Juniors and Maiders had more Juniors then was allowed. So several of us were let go. Possibly the episode with those darn rods and the name Dee Anna helped my demise.
I then went on to be a Nursing Assistant Yuk !!!at St Annes Maternity Hospital..... I saw things there that I had never seen before.....all a bit to much for me.....Thank goodness that was only until a position became available again in Hairdressing....
During this time my family moved from Queens Park to Brentwood. State Housing offered us a house to buy there. That must have been a big change for my parents as it was for me as well, we were surrounded in Queen's Park by Dutch friends.... Brentwood was far away....all the fun Friday night and Sunday lunch get togethers stopped....
Eventually a position in Claremont became available with Mrs Lingard in a Salon called Lynettes in Bay View Terrace.... I traveled by bus from Brentwood to Claremont...I loved Hairdressing and did well in that field....I eventually got another transfer to Brentwood ....I loved it there as well my boss was a great teacher particurlarly in cutting.... my pay was 2 pound something......many a penny stick was bought from that.
Penny sticks are what is called musk sticks now, except they were harder and nicer and would last for ages.
hhmmmm could do with one now it's 7.30pm and I haven't yet had dinner.

What is a favourite Place we went to.

When the children were younger we used to go to the Bush to pick up firewood....There is a marvelous Painting which I can't remember who the Painter was but he is famous in Australia...it might come to me.... but in the painting you see the Husband chopping the wood the wife sitting on a log and the little ones playing around her...well that is how it was....although when the wood was chopped we would all gather it and put it in the back of the car.....we also used to go the the King of the West Lake in Kalgoorlie...yes there is a Lake there even though it is so arid....it was on somebodies property and he kindly would let the public in.....we even had a speedboat on it that was Tony's brother Don's ...I loved to sit behind the wheel and go a bit crazy !!!! I just loved speed.......Anyway we would go most weekends......it was before Tony and I were married so Katie and Lee mostly enjoyed the splashing. The ground though in the water was a thick slodge and black not pleasant but who cared it was water and it was hot....so just knew to never swallow it.

I loved our holiday times we would come down to Perth catch up with family and just enjoy each others company.....

The outdoor bush for me is and has always been a favourite place ...I love hearing the birds....

It's one of the reasons why I love living where I do as I can always here little birds..we both do...

Such a shame that it is spoilt by not feeling safe at times, as again last Sunday 6  youth tried to break into our shed and Vanessa's car.

What did I want to be when I grow up.

Wait for it....I had GREAT ambitions.......Some of you will remember the old Boans store in Perth. within that store there was a lift with an operator....well I wanted to be the Lady who pushed the button going Up or Down.
Wonderful ambition don't you think.....My family would be so proud of me....funny thing is ..is that I hate Lifts !!!! obviously not then...

Favourite T.V. Shows

I did not see T.V. until I was 15....Eddy and I were allowed to go across the road when living in Queens Park each Friday evening and watch  77 Sunset Strip....we were glued to that set......thinking about it now , how kind it was for them to let us do that.
Eventually our parents got one and like most everyone it took over the evenings entertainment.
One of my very favourite T.V. Shows was Bewitched of how I loved that I can remember Samantha and I were pregnant at the same time and I felt akin to her...silly hey !!! was very disappointed when Samantha had her baby three months before me even though she was supposed to be at the same stage as me...I didn't understand the magic of Television.
My favourite shows now are Survivor and Amazing Race I love the challenges...I love a really good movie such as Amazing Grace...one that will move me in good things. I loved Frazier but have now seen them all loved Niles !! I love a good Doco generally about Countries and it's People. I love some Renovation projects. I loved watching a programme called Planet Earth....interesting.....   I do love watching a real people Court Room.... not so keen on Judge Judy but something like that.
I looooved Little House on the Prairie ......There are a few shows from that Era that I love. eg; Sarah Plain and Tall......gorgeous.
But then I do like some action as well...trying to give an example right now can't think of any but will come back to that.

My favourite Movie

That was without a doubt the 10 Commandments...I was about 14 and went with my only cousin here in Australia...Paula in Perth......I was totally mesmerized and it embraced and solidified my soul to a Supreme Being......whom I already had known to be Heavenly Father.....I can remember how I felt when Moses's Mother had her dress caught in the boulders that were being drawn together by man power and wanted to stand up to say STOP...your going to crush her...I left that Theatre a different girl....I think also that it was one of the few times I had gone to the Cinema, although Eddy and I did go a few times to the Astor Theatre on a Friday night, while Mum and Dad visited with friends in Maylands.

Games I played

I was a pretty mean marble player...I loved it...the school I went to was St Joachims in Vic Park although I went to other schools this one I spent most of my time at...... it seemed to me that marbles were mainly played by the boys...but anytime I could I would join in.
I loved skipping and was really good at that as well the faster the better and I loved coming in from the side and slipping out on the other side in succession with other kids...I loved sport and was pretty good at anything I put my mind to....I played defence in Netball always defence and I so wanted to be goalie.......I was also good runner, the only time my Dad came to the Schools Sport Day, I came first in everything........My Mother didn't drive so she never came to any sport day.
Now looking back I can see that that would have been hard for My Dad to come, as he would have had to leave work. And money was always scarce.

What do I think brings good or bad luck

I am NOT suspicious at all...I don't believe in bad days persay.......when something not so good starts of the morning...to me it doesn't mean that the rest of the day is going to follow suit....I am always thinking that great will happen....although having said that there has been days or even weeks that the trend has been trying.
So good or bad luck for me only exists when things are not in your control.
I know by writing all my thoughts that I am revealing all about me and I take a risk by doing that...I have had some serious thoughts of this and decided to carry on as I don't have anything to hide and rather then my children reading my journal when I die they can see what I'm all about while I'm here.
 When I think of my Mum and Dad .....I always wished I knew them better....I think sometimes parents assume that their children know all about them and their feelings and attitudes.......when in reality they don't.
It is an ordinary life, one that I am very grateful for.
There is no greatness in it...No amazing Philosophies, no amazing contributions, Just simple and very human with many frailties.......But I am here and I have contributed by being blessed with the most wonderful people who are my family and friends. Hopefully I have brought some wisdom and joy to them.

Child Rearing Philosophies

What are mine. and I wish that I was wiser when my children were little...but I did try to do this.
One of my biggest ones is Respect.....to treat them as I would want to be treated....
I remember when the girls in particular were little........ Sunday Birthday Parties were discouraged because of how we honour the Sabbath....but the decision was theirs..... it was in Pre Primary and when invitations came in which many did..... I would explain to them that we would buy a present and give it to the Birthday person another day with our apologise, but it was our wish well mine really as Tony at the time was not in the Gospel, but always supported me.....that they didn't attend, also explaining about the Sabbath that it was a special day and there were some things we would prefer that they didn't do......BUT the choice was theirs ......The girls were of course sad and made their choice not to go...all except Nicolette ... her decision was respected.....and she went to the party, when it came to pick her up...when she got in the car she said " Oh Mum I didn't feel happy and I wanted to come home"......a lesson learnt very early...which was the whole purpose of them making their own decisions and us abiding with them....... We always felt that early choices were important.......we never made them feel guilty...we were just trying to teach them basic principles...that we as a Family adhered to and believed in. ....it never came up again and to this day the Sabbath is kept in a special way in their families......
.The only exceptions to their freedom of choosing, were of course anything dangerous ...or how much and what .T.V........and things that adults have the responsibility over...One frustration was cloths !!!!...Nic never wanted to wear pants, Nome never wanted to wear skirts.....including to Church on Sundays,  the skirt wasn't a problem ...but the pants were.....so we agreed that on Sundays and when we went out, I made the choice on what was to be worn...we did have some funny combinations during the week though in those early years.......and I see some funny combinations in some of our Grandchildren.
Validation is up there as well.....I wish I had done that one better but I am sure making up for it now with our Grandchildren......oh how a tender self image can be affected...without Validation.!!
 Unconditional Love is one that comes easy..I imagine it does with most parents.......oh the softness of a Mother's Heart.
If I could change one thing it would be that I had laughed more with my children.......I was pretty intense.... I think at times....... I was very organised had to be with 4 under 5 and three others, plus some other pretty responsible positions. More laughter would have been a better way.
Tony taught me a great philosophy....and it is simple, but profound, many of the problems that we have today would be different...and that is "No must mean No"    this statement really caused me to stop and think before I would give an answer...because once I did I had to stick by it.
These of course were some of my most important Philosophies.

A Funny Moment

One that immediately comes to mind...is the time George won a trip to Sydney and he could take me....How exciting.....I was about 24 and hadn't been in a plane since coming to Australia at 7.......our first stop was Adelaide...before landing I needed to go to the Loo.......I had finished and was about to open the door when a sign came up which said Please return to your seat.....and me being of such great intelligence sat back down on the Loo!!!!.......I sat down for sometime.....thinking this is crazy why am I sitting here !!!! It never occurred to me that it meant return to your original seat.......I decided to open the Loo door, which was ever so hard as we were already in a steep descent....I could not walk upright to get to my seat so I crawled...with many strange looking faces looking at me...as I passed them.
Hopefully I am smarter now ...

What is the most trying experiences

When we arrived in Australia life became all about survival for my parents.....That's how it really was...no benefits !! And though they were always about doing the best they could do for us...I would have liked to have been able to talk with them more.
Eddy having Tetanus was dreadful, we lived in Forrestfield, no phone and a good mile or so to the nearest bus stop....Mum knew Eddy was very very ill ...but feeling that he might end up in hospital and him not having any P.J.'s left me home with him I was 9....by this time he was having convulsions and with each cramp would bite of bits of his tongue which then would lay on his lips and as you can imagine blood was a plenty....my poor Mum went all the way to Vic Park by Bus and walking, that was the nearest Shop, it took several hours.....being Migrants she always felt judged.....and we were poor...Dad was not contactable and he had the car, besides my Mother never drove anyway. I make no ill judgement of them or their choice now, although it took me awhile when I was younger to understand why she left me that day.
With each cramp I would run out of our little house and scream and I dared not go back in to our room...but of course did....but did not know what to do..... My parents knew he was ill but not as life threatening as it was.
Mid afternoon the Greengrocer came by and saw the seriousness of the situation and drove Eddy,  Mum and myself to Princess Margaret Hospital. where he was diagnosed with Tetanus and was put into an induced coma....it was so serious that they actually diverted the traffic around P.M.H. Eddy became front page news on the Western Australia paper...after much searching where the disease started they discovered a fly in his ear carrying the germ.
Eddy to this day keeps in touch with the two main Nurses that helped his very slow recovery...he was a very lucky boy as his cramps lasted as long as 5 minutes...the Dr's told my parents ....you can thank your breast milk for that.
The whole terrible situation did affect myself....I felt hopeless and I thought he was going to die.

Feeling the odd one out at School...my lunch's were different....funny hey!!! but I used to hide them....big chunks of bread with big chunks of cheese.... always. ...  I longed for the vegemite sandwich on bought sliced bread
Oh what joy, I was bought a bike....until I saw it as my parents were so thrilled with it, it looked just like the ones from home Holland...but it wasn't what the kids were riding here......the handle bars were way up to my chin....so if you can imagine low seat but high handlebars...they never understood my disappointment. Funny how these little things had such a big sway on me.
Sad to say that they did.......

Anyone whoever is reading this ....please understand that I hold no ill feelings towards my parents at all and am looking forward to one day seeing them again.....My attitude is who am I to Judge another when I myself have made many mistakes......so by the grace of God go I.

Were you responsible for any Household Chores

The one I remember the most was my job to come home from school and cook the evening meal...... we lived in Queens Park...I would have been about 12 and my Mum worked and came home probably about 6..
Oh my gosh I did not enjoy doing that.....it was always potato, red meat and and some veg it never varied.
I guess like most kids..I made our beds and cleaned our rooms which was never a big deal as we had very very little..for instance I had one doll all my childhood except another was bought much later, this one had hair..but I never took to her. So cleaning up our room was easy, hardly any cloths and no toys.
Doing the dishes and sweeping the floors etc like I imagine most other kids did...it varied from house to house that we lived in..Eddy worked out that it was 14 homes before I left to spread my wings on my own.
But I will tell you off one unusual thing...One morning waking up early and going to make my bed I lifted my pillow and there was a snake curled up under it ...I had slept on the darn thing all night...Lucky Me !!!!! Someone was looking after me that night.......Our house was one that Dad had built in Forrestfield...Three rooms side by side with a wooden patterned floor that Dad had made and which was the pride of the family and a little back room which had nothing but sand on the bottom.
Our parents did the very best that they could, I can never remember going hungry , but things were different then it was for others who belonged to this Country.......we were migrants and felt like it....
My biggest responsibility was looking after Eddy, he is 5 years younger then me.....He nearly lost his life to Tetanus when he was four..And that responsibility became even more poignant.... Without sounding ungrateful ..at times it was too much.
 Also being an interpreter for my Mother..... who couldn't understand sometimes what was being said..I think in some ways I grew up too quick......life was very different in Holland then when we came to Australia..... Even though there were times of fun there were more times of struggle...particularly for my dear parents.
So you could say that my Household Chores were somewhat different then some.