Gold Coast, Australia
New stories update on 29 May 2010
New stories update on 29 May 2010
CLICK on a button on the right to
go to a web page to read stories:
A Work In Progress offers real life inspiring stories on
love, relationships, fun, lifestyle, goals and overcoming challenges, grief and
timeless love, being happy and at peace.
Quick Links to Stories:
A Note for You from Graham and BevAbout Sam live a life with no regrets
David's Story the life of a wealthy and famous man
Leave your Mark our enduring worth
Living in the Present finding happiness each day with a promise of the future Living Life connecting with life and seeing the magic around us
NEW Love in Motion love is a verb - an action
Love is Stronger than death how love is timeless and forever
Noel's Story - an Aussie Digger life works when we work it
Noel's Story -
an Aussie Digger
...life works when we work it
The sun rose on Anzac Day a spectacular fireball, against all odds yet
undefeated over time like the spirit
of our Aussie Anzacs. People gathered all waiting, looking to the horizon,
couples snuggling to keep warm, the children playing quietly as our loved
ones and freedom winners are remembered and honoured in the peace of Burleigh Bluff.Sometimes its good to speak up - we never know where it will take us. Let me explain...
I met Noel as he zipped around me on a scooter as I walked to my car after work. I called out (hopefully): I've always wanted to try one of those. He stopped mid-scoot and said: Do you want a go now? YES! He scoots back, jumps off and I hop on and zoom up the path in a shower of gravel - do a not-so-good wheelie and, a newly qualified scootee, pull up with a flourish and say: Thanks - you've made my day. A generous man.
Some months later I spot him scooting along the sidewalk, stop and tell him I've been bragging about my scooter ride to friends. He laughed and as I walked away the thought came - I bet he has a story. Several phone calls later with a few delays including me getting the flu, we met over coffee and he shared a snapshot (with photos) in the large frame of his life.
An Aussie Digger he states: I'll be 90 the end of this year. He's digging in with a milestone to knock over.
Early years growing up on a cane farm in the Burdekin in North Queensland, he recalls a favourite memory as a kid leaping onto a truck with 30 mates, driving up river then in their shorts all jumping in swimming downstream - watching for snakes (as you do!)
His favourite thing to do was climbing trees with his brother collecting bird's eggs. They had a great collection. The highest tree he climbed was over 6 metres and he laughs about falling out of one winding himself.
He met his wife, June, at a local dance while working at Oakey Air Base in Queensland and was married for 56 years before she passed on. She was a WAAF (sounds like Whaff - What's that?) (Women's Australian Air Force) and she worked in the medical section while he assembled Mustang aircraft. His eyes light up as he talks about June giving him a daughter and three granddaughters he dearly loves.
A serviceman in the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) for 23 years then attached to the RAF (Royal Air Force) 162 Squadron and sent to England before D-Day, he has many stories. Of the middle-east war as an Airframe Fitter in the Ground Staff he says "Best to remember the good times".
He tells a favourite story with a photo of a Wellington Bomber with a huge hole in the propeller. Instead of waiting 6 days for parts, he volunteered to "have a go" at plugging the hole. He fixed the hole, balanced the propeller - a triumph - and advised the pilot to give it a test to the end of the runway. The pilot kept going, took off and darned if the plane didn't go on Ops that night. Noel was pleased with his achievement and promoted for a job well done. His attitude was he just "hopped in and did it".
He joined Legacy, an Aussie volunteer organisation still very active today, supporting war widows and helped put their kids through schools and apprenticeships. At one time looking after 5 kids for quite a while.
In conversation it popped up that Graham (husband) and I came from South Australia. Noel had worked there in the RAAF for 12 months as part of the Rocket School Program. I ask in disbelief: You mean at WRE and Woomera? Turns out he was in the building opposite where my Dad worked at WRE (Weapons Research Establishment) at Salisbury around the time I was about a year old and he would fly, like my Dad, up to Woomera for the rocket launches (What if they sat together? Isn't imagination fun!) As a kid I remember sneaking to the Bureau desk to pick up pieces of rocket from Dad's trips away turning them over in my hand wishing I could ask Dad (my parents were now separated) what it was like watching rockets shoot into the sky.
What amazing luck - from a scooter ride! Noel told me through his eyes my Dad's story - a mirror back in time - as I shoot questions: How high was the rocket? Was there a count down? Yes, from 10 - you know, 10, 9, 8. (Noel's thinks I'm pulling his leg). Did you hide behind something? A screen (naturally!) Did they make a big noise? I talk of my childhood wish when I held rocket pieces and Noel pulls out a key ring and hands me a small silver bearing kept from a rocket. His role was sectioning remains of rockets for display for teachers in the Rocket School Program.
Later at home checking Google (as you do) for video of rockets at Woomera we found 30 seconds of a loud rocket launch and 2 minutes viewing the launch pad, work buildings and operations. I look at Graham with happy tears in connecting with my Dad.
I ask Noel if there's one thing he would do differently or more of. He puts his head to one side and says firmly: Travel. He always wanted to go to Alaska.
I ask: What's one thing you've learned you would tell others:-
"Be kind to each other".
Whenever he says goodbye those are his words and now spoken as we part. Noel walks his talk - he's a giver with no song and dance as he lives his life being kind to others and "age does not weary him" 'cause he keeps busy with the plans in his heart. With twinkling eyes he hops on his scooter, waves and whizzes off into the sunshine.
So like his worthy brothers and sisters in the Forces:-
At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
Anzac Day 25 April 2009 at Burleigh Bluff
Watching sunrise with Seagull at Burleigh Bluff
The deed is everything,
the glory is nothing.
...Goethe
the glory is nothing.
...Goethe
Magpie Geese chicks looking for Mum
Magpie Goose in treetops watching chicks
Tell your story. Click on the above tab to email us with your thoughts after reading a story.
Email contact address is:
bev@aworkinprogress.com.au.
© 2010 Copyright www.aworkinprogress.com.au. Stories by Bev D. Photos by Graham D. Website by Bev D. The Authors, Graham and Bev, assert the moral right to be identified as the Authors of this work. No part of this website may be reproduced and published without the prior written permission of the Authors. All rights reserved.
© 2010 Copyright www.aworkinprogress.com.au. Stories by Bev D. Photos by Graham D. Website by Bev D. The Authors, Graham and Bev, assert the moral right to be identified as the Authors of this work. No part of this website may be reproduced and published without the prior written permission of the Authors. All rights reserved.