Bad news tonight

[Rodney Mills]

JSW #43 re retiring early.

Congratulations to your son. My wife and I retired at 46 me, 36 her. I had 36 years, 24hrs a day with her. Next to meeting one another and falling in love it was the wisest thing we did. Me being 10 years older than her, I had assumed she would be a widow for at least ten years. How wrong I was. Thankfully I have wonderful memories and a thousand photos of our travels to occasionally jog the old grey matter in remembering the places we had been and the things we had done.

No one can tell what fate has instore for oneself. As well as the congratulations to your son, tell him to make every second count, especially with loved ones.

Cheers, Rodney

[j.sabourn]

#60. That explains all then . A job already done and dusted . Probably planned and executed by men no one will ever know living in the shadows. Money certainly does talk. Maybe just one more notch on the totem pole to remind people never to trust the media and of course politicians and used car salesmen. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

#61. Rodney in 15 days time we celebrate our 60 th. Wedding anniversary and will probably go out and have fish and chips or some other divine luxury ? . During those 60 years , 40 years of them were spent at sea , and without sitting down and trying working out and being very conservative with leave ratios were most probably at the most spent 32 years away, so in actual fact it is actually say it is 60 minus 32 or our 28 th. Wedding anniversary which my wife is quick witted enough to remind me often when I air my views. We all reminence about our time at sea , was it worth it ? It was a hard price to pay and a hard life to live at various times. I like many others knew no different , but know I was very lucky on my supposedly choice of a partner even out of sight and at times out of mind , as she brought up our two children on her own , and was always there when needed . However the question was it worth it.? It was the only life I knew and money is essential for a married man , also I was not the only pebble on the beach there were thousands in the same situation as me of not knowing any better. It was a life on its own and one had to live two different lives at the same time , something like Jekyl and Hyde maybe ? Almost forgotten now by today’s standards . But I consider myself one of the lucky ones , even though I have a guilty conscience when I say it at times. I admire your attitude and the way you managed to live your life you had the gumption to take charge of it regardless of all else. Regards JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Life is much like a train journey.
You get on at the first station and begin, along the way new passengers join you and some leave at the next station.
You may change trains and go down a side line for a while, and there will be times when you are on the wrong train.
But in all it will for most be a journey of great interest and wonderful times.
Then at the end of the journey you end up in the sidings.

[j.sabourn]

better than living on the streets I suppose John. But look at all those old sailormen one used to see staying at the Missions to Seamen. The only home they would ever have. Think of all the stories they could tell about their lives at sea., and the family breakdowns that so many experienced. They would all have a story to tell and admissions to come out with. In reality we are all responsible how we finish up in life. I think I would have been dead long before now without my sea anchor and its container of oil and to hell with the clean seas act Cheers JS

[John Pruden]

john my train has derailed a few times? jp

[happy daze john in oz]

john my train has derailed a few times? jp

Yes but you are still on one of the tacks and will be for some time.

[j.sabourn]

#36. Don’t forget Donald Peers was still looking for his shady nook , John, and filter tips on cigarettes had been invented , Jimmy Shand still came to Whitley Bay every year, he usd to stay with a mates Aunty in Edwards Road, bed and breakfast so to speak. I had resigned from my cobblers job and gone full time as butcher boy to earn money to buy extra underpants for going to sea. And my father insisted I do an apprenticeship whether at sea or not. He signed for a 30 pound Bond if I failed to do the 4 years and threatened me of the consequences if he had to fork out. The population of Australia at that time was about 8 million and there was a distinct. Shortage of eligible females. So Saturday nights at the local bush dance hall was quite used to fist fights. The white Australian policy was in vogue a name given to it my early starters of The Woke brigade , and to crown it all the pubs were closed on Sundays and closed weekdays at 1800 hours. Yes us oldies have been through hell and high water to get here. Cheers JS.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
I remember the six o'clock swill, where you switched from schooners to a seven ounce so you could get it down your throat quicker, then a dash around to the bottle shop for a couple of bottles of lovely Penfolds for 5shillings each, now $20 but that is inflation for you. Then down to Harry's pie cart in Woollamaloo. Heady days .
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Here in Melbourne there was a pony, glass or pot.
That was five, seven or ten ounce glass.
Now only the pot or a pint.

In NSW Pot, pint Schooner is about the limit.
Queensland, South Oz, WA size as well all with different names.

Most bar staff can tell which state you are from by the way you order.