This series of blog posts is part of the A to Z 2019 Blogging Challenge in which I will write snapshot memories of my early married life in the then Territory of Papua New Guinea. Public Servants and expats in PNG Were provided with housing Fibro external walls mostly Louvres in all the windows for … More Uniformity in housing
“Be in Goroka next week” they said “Sure, no problem!” Hah! A baby, a mother cat, five kittens Public Works packing crates Crazy packing and cleaning Cat and kittens to the high school Only a small grey kitten to join us Guilty consciences for decades. Turns out the choice for the District Inspector of Education … More Going to Goroka
This series of blog posts is part of the A to Z 2019 Blogging Challenge in which I will write snapshot memories of my early married life in the then Territory of Papua New Guinea. Dark faces with bright red mouths Sitting on the footpath, chatting in Pidgin or Motu Feels like they’re staring, so … More Of Buai and Boroko
Julie Goucher from Anglers Rest blog has been running a series called The Book of Me for some time. My good intentions came to naught some time ago and I haven’t written on many of the topics. This week’s topic, though, is about “your first home” and Julie has given us free rein to interpret this … More Time for a coffee break: the Book of Me and our first house
This week is the 71st anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay. Far less known to the average Aussie than Kokoda in the annals of our military history, it was a vitally important victory against the Japanese Forces. You can read what I wrote about it for last Remembrance Day, not long after we returned … More Anniversary of Battle of Milne Bay
The highlight of this week’s Sepia Saturday image are the telegram boys on bicycles. This is a very apt theme for my family: my father rode his push bike to work every day, in hail rain or shine because we didn’t own a car. Mum and I also had bikes and we would sometimes go … More Sepia Saturday 162: “Marlon” on a bike
One of our priority activities in Alotau was to hire a taxi driver to take us around the town to see our old familiar places. Eddie was educated as a health worker with a degree from the Divine Word University and his English was excellent (as well as probably being his third language) so we … More Milne Bay: Our Heritage Places Tour
Yesterday I spoke about our return to Milne Bay after 41 years. Today I wanted to share some of our personal highlights, and the ensuing memories, with you. Like two excited two-year olds we waited for the plane to take us back to Milne Bay. Despite a flight delay, the excitement and memories didn’t abate … More Milne Bay: The People and Old and New Friends
Seven days in Papua New Guinea (PNG), seven days home in Australia. A short enough time you would think, but somehow our world has shifted ever so slightly on its axis. It seems that we have been reinfected with the PNG virus. Our normal life seems vaguely strange as we try to reacclimatise to all … More Return to Milne Bay
As you know we’ve just returned from Papua New Guinea, and in particular Milne Bay where we spent most of our time. We had lived there for a couple of years after our marriage but Mr Cassmob had also spent his teenage years in the district, when home from boarding school, and he regards it … More Lest We Forget: the Battle of Milne Bay
Family history across the seas 