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[page 78]
very great, he said he could live for 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks or 2 days. He lasted 2 weeks and the day he passed away my mother walked in and said how is Ray. So we told some of the children who were there not all of them. But I really forget who, they will know. So we had to let Nanna Wood know and we made arrangements for the funeral from Campsie to Crematorium and while we were sitting in there waiting she took my hand and said "now I know where my wild Colonial Boy is and will be and you have been a good wife and mother and in his own way he did love you and he loved me too".
She was the most wonderful woman I ever knew in my life. If she could not do good for one she would do no harm. People talk about their mother-in-law but I can not say a bad thing against her. The world would be a wonderful place if everyone were like her, loved by all. Now my next door neighbour in Westmead was Mr & Mrs Young (Dorrie and Bill). She was horrified when she realised that Ray had died. (We are very good friends to this very day (15-10-85) and when I told her she said to me "I don't know him I have never seen him around", so she asked me if I would like to work at the Parramatta High School tuck shop as they want another lady for a couple of days a week. Well I said "yes that would help a lot", so she took me down and met the man that owned it and the lady in charge and tried me out for that day and I passed so I started down there. We could walk so no fares and I got Monday and Friday. Dorrie did those 2 days plus Wednesday. Dorris Turner was the head lady she worked the five days and paid us of a Friday and then there was a Mrs Appletins who worked of a Monday. It was a very busy shop and a good money spinner. This was very good and a good help also. I applied for the widows pension and got it. It was only £3.5.0(3 pounds, 5 shilling) in those days for 2 weeks but things were much cheaper to buy. 9a.m. to 2 p.m. I liked it, and by now Albert of course gave up working with Burt Simmons before we left Campsie and had applied for a job with East-Coast Transport as they supplied the trucks or semi's. He got a phone call and was very happy as he would go sometimes north and sometimes south (east coast) also he had bought himself a big black V8 Ford Sedan. It used to fill the garage. I was afraid of him going to bash into the tubs and copper.
Well things were going along smoothly now and of course no dog rugs etc. that is all finished and all dreams of working up a good business gone by the wayside. A new life begins. Albert still going back and forth with East Coast Transport and now I am 5 days a week at the Tuck Shop. There is a bit of a boom and business is looking up and with Christmas coming on Uncle Bill phoned me and asked if it would be alright for him to come and see me as he wanted to put a proposition to me. Naturally I said yes, so he came and after dinner he said "do you think you could come and help out in the shop". I said "not through the week but I could come straight after school for the afternoon and night as Friday night shopping was on there in Crowsnest but with the school holiday comming up I could perhaps give Edaline a rest and come all day Fridays". But I said "I don't want any money, you can give me groceries if that suits". He said "why"? I said " well I am getting the widows pension and the money for the tuck shop and they know about that and if I get any more they may stop my pension plus cheaper fares". So nothing was said about it and he paid my fares and brought me when he came or drove me home groceries, and it was all very helpful and I did enjoy