A Profoundly Sad Story

(this story was sent to me by Mary Grace - it was as a direct result of this that she met her future husband, which will be described in a later blog)
Thank you Mary

MY STORY 1970 (by Mary Grace)

My family packed up our belongings to move from Gympie where Michael, Mary, Peter, Bernard, Catherine and baby Gerard were growing up. We were excited and nervous about moving. We were looking forward to seeing our dad again after a long separation while he was having treatment in Brisbane for kidney problems but on the other hand we were extremely anxious about leaving our friends and starting new schools in Brisbane. Our eldest brother Michael was already working in Brisbane.

The news of our dad’s death came unexpected on the night of September 23^rd 1970 when we were staying the night with our Nana (Dad’s Mother).  This changed all the plans, as we were to travel to Brisbane to start our new life but had to deal with the grief of losing dad so the journey down was sad.

We moved in to a temporary house at Cleveland after my dad’s funeral. I recall what a horrible house this was, but we were to live there until our new house was built at Manly West.

My big brother Michael who was 18 yrs old at the time moved to be with us to help my mother out. I hated the new school at Cleveland State High School because we previously went to a Catholic School in Gympie.

The morning of Tuesday the 9^th February 1971 at 8.03am changed my life and everyone that knew us forever.

It was raining constantly that morning and my brother Michael was driving the family Holden station wagon (1964 model) with me, my brothers and little sister from our house in Cleveland to our new schools at Wynnum. Michael had transferred to a job at the bank in Wynnum. I had started school at Mt Carmel College at Wynnum in grade 9, my sister Catherine at Guardian Angels Primary school across the road from my school and Peter and Bernard at Iona College at Lindum. I don’t recall what grades they were in.

As we were driving along Sturgeon Street at Ormiston the rain was extremely heavy and vision through the windscreen was foggy, so Michael asked me to open the corner glass in the window to de fog the windscreen as I was sitting in the front passenger seat. I remember so vividly that day even now. It was driving rain so bad we couldn’t see in front of the windscreen. Sturgeon Street was a long straight stretch of road. The next thing I knew was that the car hit something extremely hard and we were all in the car sinking in the water of Hillards Creek.

I was lucky to find an opening (which later I discovered was where the windscreen had broken) and somehow I was free to swim to the top of the raging flooded creek. I could almost touch the underneath of the bridge but couldn’t reach so I had to gain my strength to swim across the current to the side of the creek (I remembered from swimming training to swim across current).  As I crawled up the bank of the creek I could see that the car had slammed into the bridge. I walked around in a daze. It was still raining. There were a few people around but they hadn’t realized that I had been in the accident. I couldn’t believe what I saw and what had happened.

A school teacher on her way to work noticed I had a bleeding knee and saw that I was stricken with grief, so she drove me to her home which was at the other end of Sturgeon Street.

 As the hours passed during the day the chance of the others being alive was hopeless. When the car was lifted from the creek my 2 brothers and sister in the back seat were washed down stream. My eldest brother Michael was the only one found. Later Peter and Bernard were found drowned in the creek but my young sister Catherine had washed further down the creek and her body was not recovered until the next day.

The injury I had was very small and only needed stiches which healed quickly, but the memory of this day never fades away.

The kids are buried together at Hemmant Cemetery – Lawn 3 – Grave 681

v     

In Loving Memory of

REGINALD JOSEPH LESLIE HORE

Born 13.1.1924 - Died 23.9.70

______________________________________

MICHAEL REGINALD JOHN HORE

Born10.12.1952

PETER GERARD HORE

Born16.2.1957

BERNARD JOSEPH HORE

Born 22.8.1958

CATHERINE TERESA NAN HORE

Born 8.8.1962

Accidentally killed 9.2.1971

Kayleen and Brent - A Very Public Proposal

It was Valentine’s Day 2009. Brent suggested that they go to the movies to see “He’s Just Not That Into You.” They arrived early and settled in to watch the movie. But first the adverts !

They sat through a few ads taking little notice and then one seemed to attract Kayleen’s attention. Several segments  were shown in different languages and seemed to involve words of love being spoken between couples. Kayleen thought that was nice to have on Valentine’s Day. Suddenly her eyes were riveted to the screen as some English words appeared “Kayleen will you marry me?” A myriad of emotions flooded through her. She turned to her boyfriend Brent, who at this stage was on his knee. People throughout the cinema strained to catch a glimpse of this very public proposal.

Kayleen and Brent never really knew what happened in the movie they were so excited. They were pleased when it ended so that they could share the happy news with family and friends. Exactly one year later at Banora Point, just over the Queensland border in New South Wales, I had the pleasure of pronouncing them husband and wife after which the music of Taylor Swift’s “Two Became One” reverberated across the waters as they signed their certificates – the first task in beginning their married life together.

Bazikki - A Unique Beach Wedding

Baz proposed to Nikki at the summit of Tabletop Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Baz had just finished a trans Atlantic Ocean race and Nikki had flown from Australia to be with him. It was at this special place, where they saw the waters of the Atlantic Ocean meld into those of the Indian Ocean, that Nikki happily agreed to be his wife.

Their wedding ceremony spoke of their love of the outdoors, and especially the sea. South Gorge Beach at Stradbroke Island is a beautiful little cove and the venue for the ceremony. The weather the preceding week had been horrific  - rain, rain and more rain. As Trish and I travelled over on the barge it was still raining and I was thinking that plan B was to be put into action. However when I arrived the rain ceased and Baz was determined for the wedding to happen on the beach. And what a brilliant decision it turned out to be.  There were about 120 guests, mostly barefooted and a two hour dry “window” without any wind or rain made conditions perfect. The sands of time were perfectly aligned.

One of the lovely things they did was to go around to each guest during the ceremony with a vase. People were asked to give them a special wish for their marriage and place some sand into the vase. I began proceedings by wishing them “sore mouths from smiling.” It took 6-7 minutes for them to go around the group. We played some music while this was happening and the crowd was entertained by a swarm of bees that were attacking the groomsmen. They told me later that the few seconds spent with each of their guests and receiving those personal wishes was very special for them and something they will always treasure.

I remember saying that they will use that vase as a doorstop – one to keep their front door always open as a sign of welcome to their family and friends.

After the ceremony the eskies containing beers and champagne were opened and people happily mixed for about an hour on the beach toasting the wonderful “Bazikki.”

That was on the 6^th March 2010 – a magical afternoon indeed.

Kelly and Tony - Accidental Facebook Poke Changes Lives

Kelly lived in Melbourne. Tony lived in Sydney. They didn’t know each other. One day Kelly was searching for a bike and visited her friend Geoff’s facebook site in the hope that her friend, who was a cyclist, had some ideas. She noticed a picture of a handsome man with an amazing smile on Geoff’s site. She clicked on the picture to make it larger but in doing so accidentally poked Tony, the bearer of the smile. Tony thought “who is this strange person poking me?” So he replied asking if they knew each other. Kelly was very apologetic explaining that she thought he had a great smile and just wanted to enlarge the photo.

They chatted about their mutual friend Geoff, discovered they had probably met briefly through work about four years earlier and ended up exchanging phone numbers. That night Tony rang Kelly and they spoke for an hour. Numerous (and longer) conversations followed during the week. They also checked with Geoff to see if the person they were talking to was indeed normal. Geoff gave the good oil to them both that they were talking to a person who was indeed over endowed with normal genes and felt they would like each other.

As fate had it Tony was coming to Melbourne for work that Friday and Tony asked if they could meet. Kelly had arranged to catch up with a couple of friends at the Albert Park Hotel and Kelly suggested he join them. Tony happily did and after he and Kelly dined at St Kilda and they talked till closing at 3am. They had truly found their soul mates.

After five months of an interstate romance and commuting Kelly said it was becoming difficult for her; she wanted someone full time. Tony asked if that was her only problem and she replied that it was. He booked her a plane flight to Sydney, he had his bags packed and they drove back together in his car to Melbourne, from where Tony then based himself to work. That was in 2008. They were married on 3^rd October 2009 in Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens, a lovely ceremony with family and friends attending. The vows they shared that day were beautiful, part of them are here below;

I want you to know that you are a precious gift and that you bring so much to my life.

I will always be there as your partner, lover and friend as we embrace the experiences of life together. I promise always to respect your needs and individuality. I will endeavour through kindness, patience, unselfishness and trust to achieve a warm rich life shared together. This commitment is made in love, kept in faith, lived in hope and made eternally new.

I just recently heard from Kelly and Tony (who are a brilliant couple) – their lives have changed significantly. They are living in Sydney, Kelly has her own Promotional Products company “Blah Creative” and Tony is the national buyer for Harvey Norman accessories. And best of all, they are expecting their first child – 26^th January next year, Australia Day – how good is that.

Alan Waterman - A Humorous Man

As a young boy in Australia I remember hearing stories of my Uncle Alan’s feats as a dart player – how he used to go to the showgrounds and win all the prizes with dart throwing; how he used to live next door to the pub and when in there playing darts and having a pint, his wife Margaret would bang on the wall letting him know when dinner was ready.

I had the privilege of spending time with my uncle Alan five years ago when Trish and I travelled to Dorset, the county where my father and his four brothers and three sisters were born. I caught up with not only Alan but other uncles John and Alby. Since my last visit John and Alby have both passed away.

In June this year we returned to Dorset and caught up with Alan in his home in Wareham. Alan is a funny man and we enjoyed his company. He lives with his faithful dog Nico, that he walks up to three times a day. He reckons Nico eats a lot more than him. We interviewed him on film to bring back to my parents here in Australia who are unable to travel at this stage of their life (Dad is 95 and Mum 88). I asked Alan if my Mum was a film star who would she remind him of. Without hesitation he said “Maureen O’Hara.” Must be Mum’s wild Irish looks! I knew he had a picture of Maureen O’Hara there so I said “have you got Maureen O’Hara here?”

“Yes, matter of fact she’s in the next room!” he responded.  We spent most of our time laughing with Alan. He thought my Dad looked like Charles Bronson. At various stages in the interview I would attempt to close it off by saying something like “thanks Alan for talking to us today.” Alan would then continue on with another story which was all very interesting and entertaining.

We returned to Australia in July and sadly we received news that Alan had passed away suddenly on August 14^th peacefully at home. These are a few words that Steve, his eldest son, said at the funeral;

“Alan prided himself on his personal sartorial style; never knowingly being seen without a jaunty hat. With this perceived gift he felt he was suitably qualified to shop for stylish anoraks for his only daughter. These cutting edge fashion items came in glorious shocking pink, bright red and most recently, in the sort of green only safely worn in sporting sunglasses. Shelley has just broken cover and admitted to all, that when she wore one of the said items, it was only from the bottom of her dad’s steps to his front door and then only after checking that nobody was in sight. This of course shows Alan’s kind hearted and generous spirit.”

We do feel fortunate that we were able to spend that time with my fabulous uncle and we have ten minutes video footage of him, that to all of us and especially my Dad, Alan’s brother Cliff, is priceless.

Nikki and Tony - The Moonlight Did It

Tony had never met Nikki, but Nikki had seen him on TV. For eight years Tony was a presenter on Good Morning Australia – the national TV show on Channel Nine. And Nikki thought Tony was truly handsome (as did probably the rest of the female population in Australia).

It was many years later when their paths eventually crossed. Tony was doing a breakfast radio program on what is now Radio 94 Jazz FM at Sanctuary Cove. Nikki ran a Saturday evening music program and was at the station one morning organising her music when Tony spotted Nikki through the glass window of the studio. Tony said to his co-host at the time “that’s the girl for me.” Another Thursday morning came and there was a power blackout and Nikki and Tony talked; Tony asked her if she’d like to go out for a drink one night. Nikki hesitated for a couple of nano seconds before enthusiastically agreeing.  On their first date they crossed a small bridge leading from Fisherman’s Wharf to a restaurant and, under the light of a full moon, they kissed. Needless to say it must have been a great kiss.

While travelling to Vietnam one time Tony asked Nikki’s father for permission to ask her to marry him. However it was a whole year later before any asking occurred. They were on a cruise of the Baltic and Tony was running a quiz show and during the show asked Nikki to be his wife. She was happily stunned.

Their marriage was memorable. It occurred around the pool in their home at Sorrento, on the Gold Coast. When Trish and I arrived forty five minutes before the ceremony Tony and a couple of his mates were casually swimming in the pool.  And so it was that the handsome Tony and beautiful Nikki were married under the light of a full moon. And as they expressed their heartfelt vows to each other in the background the stereo reverberated with the tuneful words “that moon glow gave me you.”

Sam and Kat - An Amazing Proposal

Sam and Kat met about eight years ago at Dicey Riley’s. It was one of those ‘Titantic’ moments when Kat was coming down the stairs and Sam was totally captivated by this descending vision. Needless to say Kat, fortunately, felt the same way when spotting Sam.

The proposal was amazing. Sam and Kat enjoy horse racing – it was one Valentine’s Day when they attended a meeting at Eagle Farm. Sam decided to buy a program and suggested Kat check to see if there were any horses worth backing in the next race (race 2). Kat opened the program and the name of the race was “Marry Me Kat” – and, just in case Kat wasn’t certain what was meant here, a picture of them was emblazoned aside the field of horses. All thoughts of horse bets were off as Kat enthusiastically agreed.

Sam and Kat were married at Eagle Farm racecourse on the 10^th October last year (10/10/2010). The wedding ceremony was to be held trackside but the heavens opened that day – inches of rain fell, the course was flooded. Happily the ceremony was held inside. I remember saying at the ceremony that if it rains on your wedding day you are being blessed and also that it was an ancient sign of fertility, which must be true as the birth of their first child is imminent (due last week) . In fact it may well be happening right now!