I've been cleaning out old boxes of papers - I could not throw this away ..
he pounamu - it is a treasure
175 St Andrew St
Sunday 29th Oct
Dear Elaine
I got your letter last week so I suppose it must be my turn. I sent your correspondence on some time ago and hope you got it all right. There are a few more letters here but they may have to wait till you are down at the end of the year. On second thoughts I will readdress one of your letters & send it on cant tell what is in it but hope that it & this one arrives all right. I will try to make a point of posting them today.
You mentioned the weather in your letter. It sounded all right to hear you say something nice about it. If it is any better here it is only a little bit. I haven't put anything in the vegetable garden, when I think it is time to start it rains again.
Graeme was luckier than some with the lambing. He lost quite a lot The boys were counting dead ones left at the gate for the lorry to pick up to take to Haslets and they were up to 130. That sounds bad but Graeme said the weather had spoilt a good lambing and he had 140% at tailing time so he has been too busy to growl. He still has as many alive as he will be able to feed as the grass is backward on account of the weather. The floods didn't do him much harm. It was the overall condition of the weather that left the death rate up and some of his neighbours lost more than he did. The death rate you have been hearing about would have been over Mataura way where they had lots of floods & a lot of shorn sheep perished, pre lamb shearing that we hear so much about.
Graeme & his wife & family are well. They had a family gathering at Labour weekend not Allisons the Towns are more prolific, three girls and their husbands and families I think that was thirteen all told. Margaret and Angus were at Te Anau that weekend. Angus caught three fish I stayed at home went nowhere & saw nobody and didn't enjoy my own company but I suppose that is my own fault.
You asked how Bill Leith is, all I hear is that he is in & out of hospital at times, they seem to keep me guessing. Harry Ebbing is back at work and playing Bridge again, but I haven't heard any particulars about his eyesight.
About myself I'm getting on all right. After you went away last time I went to Dr Baird with a pain & a bit of swelling, he gave me a lot of pills & I seem to have recovered & have to go back if there is any sign of a recurrence - so as there hasn't been any it is reasonable to think that I am all right.
Your letter sounds as if you are all right & enjoying your busy life. Hope you enjoy your weekend away. Mr & Mrs Town seem to be keeping fairly well but I'm not otld very much when I ask. No more news but if I get a letter soon I will write again.
Cheerio Dad.
I smile as I read it - with deep affection - the way of speaking - the phrases - the Cheerio (no-one, in my memory of my youth told me they loved me - but that was the way of the times). The attention to detail around the farm - his wishes to be more involved, but as was inevitable, his difficulty in building close connections, "I suppose it was my own fault." This reminded my of my appreciation of my father, my gratitude for his wisdom ( I still quote the occasional snippet of how he advised me - this is a reason for my persevering in taking time over noticing the wisdom of the past). And it reminded me of happy memories from childhood - and sad realisation that he was not a man of words or overt affection. But he was a good man.
Thanks, Dad, you were a good father, and a man of your time, and a good man.
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