PO Box 391
Kogarah 2217
0409361090
Ko77582@bigpond.net.au
annefieldauthor.com
annefield.net.au
Facebook page : Moorefield Racecourse Kogarah
Dear Relatives and Friends,
I trust that you have had a good year. I, however, must refer to this year as my annus horribillis. Whilst I have still managed to do lots of things, it was a long and stressful journey to my 4 hour spinal operation in May 2015.
My January birthday lunch was celebrated with Nan , Ken and Manuel ,from Brussels , Belgium at the St George Motor Boat Club. That evening, dinner followed with a friend at the Sydney University Rowing Club, Haberfield.
Diana and I, celebrated my birthday with lunch at Hazelhurst Art Galley, Gymea a few days later. On January 10, 2015 Simone and I visited the State Library in Sydney to see the exhibition of Dame Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary childrens’ books. The exhibition showcased 59 original drawings.
January 17, 2015 Maria and I enjoyed an afternoon behind the scenes tour of the Sydney Opera House . On January 31,2015 I watched on TV the Asian Cup final, which Australia won
On February 4,2015 I attended Tom Uren’s Memorial Service at the Sydney Town Hall ; a fitting farewell for the former politician and anti -nuclear campaigner . Tom had addressed my year 12 class many years ago, and he impressed me. I decided that I must pay my respects and attend the service.
I attended the Noel Seiffert Presentation at Ramsgate Senior Citizens on February 11,2015. This award, which was introduced in 1997, is presented annually to the senior citizen , who makes the most valuable contribution to the Ramsgate Centre . The award honours the late Rockdale Councillor, Noel Seiffert, with whom I served.
On Valentines Day , February 14, 2015 Lillian and I went to Randwick Races . We caught up with Ken and Phillip, and Lillian was able to see the new Members Stand. On February 21, 2015 Peter, a SFC season ticket holder, and I saw Sydney Football Club play Central Coast Mariners . And on February 22,2015 , I did my Icebreaker speech at Toastmasters
Whilst I continued to swim , I still had increasing back pain …. I went to Kareena Private for what was to be unsuccessful cortisone injections on March 19 ,2015. By April 19, 2015 I needed a pain killer injection from my GP. I asked him to contact my neurosurgeon to speed up my operation. I simply had to resolve the source/s of my pain, as I felt so awful.
My Moorefield work has fortunately continued at some speed this year. I met with Ron Hunt, a local resident, on March 27 ,2015 in relation to his memories of Moorefield . Sue Byrne and I, chatted by phone on July 5 about her jockey ancestor. He rode at the first Moorefield race meeting in October 1888. On July 16,2015 I met with Paula Benjamin ,who has a family background in racing .
Desmond O’Leary and I spoke on July 21, 2015 Desmond, who is in his 80’s, phoned me to tell me about the jockeys and trainers of the past. On August 5,2015 at Kogarah Golf Club, I met with 3 golfers, who had played at Moorefield Racecourse. We had a most interesting morning ; their memories were excellent.
On September 22,2015 I met up with local historian, Dr Garry Darby to discuss on and off course broadcasting at Moorefield. I met, on October 8, 2015with Christopher Minns, State Member of Parliament for Kogarah, to discuss my Moorefield work . I had lunch on October 25 2015with Colleen Rincheval, widow of John Rincheval , former Moorefield jockey and her son. Some of Colleen’s friends, who had racing connections, were also present at the lovely lunch.
On April 30,2015 the St George Leader printed an article on my Moorefield work . The Daily Telegraph printed , on July 17 , 2015 my request for Moorefield information .The Australian Turf Club printed an article in their electronic newsletter, on August 27, 2015 on my search for the Moorefield Gold Cup . The Sydney Morning Herald printed, on September 19, 2015 my request for information on the Moorefield Gold Cup. Members of the Moore family contacted me as a result of this article. No information sadly came forward on the Moorefield Gold Cup, which was run from 1924 until 1935 ; it continued until 1951 under other names.
On March 30 ,2015 my second bottle was found as flotsam on the beach at Yeppoon near Rockhampton ,Queensland. I was excited to receive an email from Jason, to tell me that he and his niece had found my bottle on the beach. It was not until an article appeared in the Capricorn Coast newspaper, that I became aware that it was my Yorkshire bottle, and not my Grannie’s bottle. Grannie is still happily enjoying herself, and doing a Scottish jig somewhere out there in the Pacific Ocean!
I again contacted my helpful oceanographer at the CSIRO in Hobart .He said that my bottle, in its 2.5 years at sea, would have travelled from Eden to the top of the North Island of New Zealand . He believes that my bottle would have caught the currents, which pushed it back to the Queensland coast . I hope to meet with Jason and his niece in the near future.
On May 2, 2015 I attended the St Georgians High Tea at Rosslyn Gardens, Peakhurst. The new, as of late January 2015, 36 year old St George Girls High School Principal briefly addressed the afternoon tea. Sylvia Hale, former student, and former member of the NSW Upper House, was the guest speaker.
My first e- book was posted on Amazon on May 5, 2015 I was delighted to be a published author at long last. “The Diary of an Adventurous Australian Overseas Traveller,” contains my diaries from my 1974-75 and 2013 overseas trips.
My spinal operation was scheduled for May 7, 2015 at St George Private, Unfortunately, it was cancelled at short notice, due to an emergency on May 6. It was rescheduled for May 14, 2015 at Kareena Private, Caringbah.
My dogs were happy as they went on a “doggy holiday “ to Wollongong to Rhonda, their second Mums’s place. James had some surgery, whilst I was in hospital . Lizzie Mayhem, James and Harry continue to be lively, loving and happy Cavaliers. Lizzie continues to entertain me with her naughtiness……
I am thankful to my friends, who visited me and phoned me in hospital ; they gave me the strength to deal with the pain and to get better. I recall laying on the trolley in the operating theatre saying to myself that “I have to survive , as I have so many things still to do .”
My neurosurgeon called me “The Boss” in the operating theatre. In my teacher’s voice, I reminded him that he in fact was “The Boss,“ as he was doing my operation . I am however most thankful to Ali’s medical skills, and to his capable medical team, that I survived this risky operation. My spinal problem has been fixed.
I came home from hospital on May 23, 2015 to begin my long journey to a full recovery. I was fortunate to have help with my garden, shopping and transport. During the first few weeks, I relied on Meals on Wheels. I got to drive for the first time on July 11, 2015 and to be able swim laps for the first time on October 15, 2015, both very important occasions. I decided to write the story of my spinal operation for the Hurstville Creative Writers competition. This article now appears on my websites under the title “I Enjoyed Doing Your Spinal Operation. “
I watched a sizeable part of the Tour de France this year. The French scenery is stunning, the commentary is always professional, and the cycling exciting. It concluded on Sunday July 26, 2015 in Paris .; late nights and early mornings finally came to an end .
On July 18, 2015 I attended the launch of the Foundation Stone of the new $16million Library at Rockdale City Council. I continue to serve, as a community representative, on the Library Committee.
During July and August, 2015 I spent a considerable time at Bexley North Library checking Rockdale Council Minutes .from a USB. These Minutes referred to Moorefield Racecourse. I was fortunate to have a kind friend drive me to and from Bexley North Library.
On August 10, 2015 I gave a speech at Toastmasters. It is on my website: “My Life’s Story –My Life is a Story.”
On August 20, 2015 I met with the Principal of James Cook Boys High School , and on September 1 , 2015 I met with the Principal of Moorefield Girls High School to inform them of my Moorefield Racecourse research. I would like launch my Moorefield Racecourse book in the James Cook Boys High School Assembly Hall in mid- 2016. The schools are located on the old racecourse.
On September 9, 2015 Nan and I Iunched together to acknowledge the 63 years that Queen Elizabeth had been on the throne. On September 10, 2015 I travelled to Eastwood to catch up with Adele , a Macquarie University friend from 1972 . Adele lives in Queensland, and was in Eastwood staying with her elderly mother.
Graham , a volunteer at Heritage at the Australian Turf Club and I, finally met on Saturday September 12, 2015 at Rosehill Races when Dorothy and I attended the races. We have spoken to each other by phone , and corresponded since the mid -1990’s, in respect of my Moorefield Racecourse work. Graham has been very helpful with some of my current Moorefield enquiries. Lillian and I, went to Randwick Races on September 19,2015.
On October 10, 2015 a friend joined me to attend Barbara Perry’s farewell dinner. Barbara had been the long- serving Member for Auburn in the State Parliament until the March 2015 election. She was also the Shadow Minister for Heritage , when I was running the Griffith House, St George Hospital campaign during late 2012 until May 2013.
On October 13, 2015 I attended with my girlfriend, Maria the popular musical “Anything Goes” at the Opera House. Caroline O’Connor an ex -St George girl was the star of the show . I recall Caroline, in Year 9 in 1977, doing an Irish jig at the end of the year Old Peoples Party. She has gone on to achieve so much in the entertainment world.
I kept up my usual “ big race form” in the Cox Plate on October 24 ,2015 backing 2nd and 3rd. I backed 1st and 3rd in the Victorian Derby on October 31, 2015 and 3rd in the Melbourne Cup on November 3,2015. I was not successful in the Caulfield Cup…..
On October 24,2015 I was delighted to attend the 30 year reunion of the 1985 Year 12 girls. I was surprised at how many of the 60 girls in attendance that I could recognise . It was a lovely evening, and I am pleased that I was able to attend. I reminded the girls that St George will be 100 in 2016 ,and a celebratory luncheon will be held on July 23, 2016 in a City restaurant.
Melbourne Cup Day, November 3 2015 Lillian and I attended a luncheon in a local Club. Last year, I spent Melbourne Cup day in St George Private Hospital with inflammation on my spine . This year, it was wonderful to be able to actually enjoy the day. More importantly, it was important to be able to savour the stunning win by Michelle Payne, our first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup .
And on November 5,2015 I had the pleasure to meet with the Sydney goldsmith, who made the 2015 Melbourne Cup for the VRC. He showed me the brass copy he made of the Melbourne Cup. This one was made before the jeweller made the gold trophy, which is valued at $90,000.
On Saturday afternoon, November 7, 2015 I attended the presentation to the Hurstville Creative Writers competition winners in Hurstville Library. This was my third year of entering the competition. Although unsuccessful, I will again enter next year, as the theme is to be “Memoirs.”
Kogarah Community Services celebrated their 40th anniversary on November 20, 2015. I was invited, as a former Chair of the Management Committee, to make a speech, and to join 3 other people to cut the birthday cake.
Peter and I attended a Sydney Football Club match on November 26,2015.
Lillian and I, attended Randwick Races on December 5, 2015. We always enjoy the old stand and its atmosphere, as opposed to the sterile nature of the new stand. Our views are shared by others!
The year is drawing to a close. This has been a year that I would in so many ways like to forget. In other ways, however, I have made great progress with my Moorefield work, for which I am very pleased. Who knows what 2016 will bring ?
I wish you a Merry Xmas, and a happy, healthy and safe 2016.
