Mum's story

Last night Mum tried to speak with me on the phone. Not only is the Alzheimer's kicking in and making it more difficult to remember, but her hearing is not good, and she refuses to wear her hearing aids, saying they are useless. I have spoken with people who suggest that perhaps she likes it quiet!

Well the end result was we couldn't have a real conversation, as she pressed the end button and cut me off twice.

However, I dug this photo up. It was in 1947, a few years after the war ended. Mum had been working for 2 years at Le Louvre, an upmarket dressmaking outfit at the top of Collin's St in Melbourne.The imposing copper facade is still there, though the business has moved, to South Yarra I think. She was 16, and shown here with her friend Mabel Jack, who has since passed away.

I use friend rather loosely in the light of what Mum told me once. When these two were at school together in Preston, Mum and her had a spelling test with the class. Mabel got one wrong,and Mum passed her a rubber and told her to rub out the wrong answer and put the right one in. Mabel did so, and Mum promptly put her hand up and told the teacher on her!!! How rotten was that. However, to Mabel's credit, she must have forgiven her because I remember her being really helpful to Mum when I was living here.

Mum made her suit, as she did all her clothes.

Three years after this she was on her way by ship to Ireland, where she met and married Dad.

She has memory gaps about most of her life now, not just the later years, but she is not unhappy. My brother Rod takes her out regularly so she gets to see the old places she used to know, and he says sometimes she remembers surprising details, and sometimes she has very vague recollections of family happenings.