The Blunden Family

by Alice Reeves,   nee Blunden

Editor's Note .. Alice Reeves was born in 1920 and is Judy Smith's aunt.  Alice was one of a family of nine born to Canterbury farmers, Harold and Henrietta Blunden. The oldest girl was Judy's mother, Joyce, who at 16 was left with the responsibility for her siblings when her mother died in 1923. Alice would have been only 3 years old at this time, and this is Ali's story as she remembers it. 

• My Family
• My Childhood Years
• Boarding School Days
• The War Years
• Married Years - Alice and Malcolm Reeves
• "Treetops" - Reeves Bach at Lake Rotoiti
• Attitude - a postscript
  

My Family

I am writing this journal for my daughters, Penny and Cilla,  and their children. 

This picture shows Malcolm and myself (Alice) in 1993.

My parents, Harold and Henrietta Blunden (nee Denshire), had 9 children, and my mother (Henrietta) died in 1923 when I was three years old.

This is the story of my immediate family who were torn apart through no fault of their own, and how they rose above their individual misfortunes, to once again make a place in society for themselves and their families.

They were to be greatly admired because they did it, in spite of having no mother, no grandparents, no family life, no home and little money, and no one to guide or help them.

We did have our illustrious Blunden family tree to inspire us to fight back as our Blunden ancestors did, after leaving their comfortable homes in England to pioneer in the rough and rugged country of Australia, a far cry from the easy, sheltered lives they had lived in England. 

Our early relatives were pioneers in New Zealand, and some, including our grandmother’s father, Dr. Moore, came out in the first four ships. 

They say hereditary traits can overcome the environment and I now really do feel that that may be so.

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I was three years old when my mother, Henrietta Blunden (nee Denshire) died. The family had all adored me, there were nine of us! They called me "Kewpie" (Remember the little Kewpie Dolls?) I was never ever short of people to play with me or to love me and we had lots of animals. But that was all to end when Mother suddenly died. I still remember her red dressing gown, so I guess I had lots of cuddles with her, as busy as she was.

They say the years up to seven are the years that shape our lives! I do now realise how important a mothers role is and that LOVE is the essential ingredient for a child – not money or possessions!

When my father lost the property after my mothers death, I was the problem, only three years old and all the Aunts in their late fifties. I was also very lively. I first went straight away, to an Aunt and Uncle out of Ashburton, on the ‘Hackthorne Estate’, while Aunt Margaret was having a new house built at Oxford to cater for the new addition – ME!

I distinctly remember arriving at ‘Hackthorne’. I can see Uncle Cecil the night I arrived, lighting the bright white gas lights, with a taper. I was only 3 years old but it’s a memory I have.

"Unk", as I called him, was very kind to me. He called me ‘Bubs’, Aunt Alice was kind also. They had two sons, who I always felt resented the fact that I was there at all. John became a pilot and during the war in the Islands, was shot down. Erlesman became Head Master at one of Canterbury’s Prep Schools.

Unk was frowned upon by the Murphy women because he liked the odd drink or two. I loved him. I always remember him writing in my autograph book:

Here’s to the one who is pleased with her lot
And never sits sighing for what she has not!

Aunt Alice had a glorious garden and nice cats. 

Aunt Margaret was ready for me, as ready as she would ever be! The new house was lovely. Huge big panelled entrance hall with thick carpets and beautiful thick red velvet curtains hanging each side. Big verandahs and a lovely outlook.

Aunt Margaret had not married but evidently she had had many opportunities, but Grandma Murphy was a selfish woman and wanted to keep all her daughters at home, mainly to help her look after the little Blunden boys. 

Aunt Margaret must have resented that later. Her other sisters just left against their mothers wishes and did get married, actually, Aunt Margaret was not even a blood relation of mine. She’d had nothing to do with children and was in her late fifties. She was a fiercely independent woman and a terrific ‘snob’. She decided to alienate me from my family, as in her estimation, the boys were now ‘working class’ and when I got married considered that I had married into "Trade". NOT done in her day! Amusing considering that my husband's mother was brought up by Lord and Lady Plunket when her mother died, and his father was an officer in the British Army in India. She was very bitter towards my father, which on reflection, seemed a rather harsh judgement. Joyce, she thought, was very wanton to have a flat in Christchurch!

She resorted to using the strap if I was naughty! It hung, looking very menacing, on the kitchen wall. I can see it, still!

I remember one time, having cut myself quite badly, she panicked and poured about half a bottle of brandy down my throat. I can’t remember what happened about the cut but I know that I was ‘blotto’!

Aunt Margaret had 10 acres which she farmed herself to start with. Later she employed a local man and a cleaner lady 3 days a week.

When I was five, I went to the local school walking a mile each way and I loved it. But even then, I felt that I was different. The children were nice to me, I think they knew that if they weren’t, they would have to face Aunt Margaret and she was a very formidable character and, actually, very protective of me!

She was always energetic and busy and I guess that is where I got my work ethics from. She had an inflexible routine:

Monday:             Washing
                            6.00: light the copper
                                    all clothes to be blued and starched
Tuesday:             Ironing
Wednesday:         Cooking
Thursday:            Cleaning

Then there was always the churning, the making of the butter, and the gardening etc.

She was a great walker and we often went for long walks through the bush behind the farm and up the hills. We had a dress maker, who used to come and live in and make all our clothes. She was a spinster and very bad tempered. She went around all our relations' homes  dress making, and we children were all petrified of her, and I remember she used to stick pins into me!

I remember having a cat that I adored. I think I used to squeeze the life out of him, I loved him so much. He responded by purring so loudly that he used to keep me awake at night.

Aunt Margaret had many admirable qualities and I will always be grateful to her for all that she did for me. She, in her own way, loved me dearly and it was an amazing thing for her to have done, taking me in, disrupting her peaceful lifestyle, as I am sure that I most definitely did!

At eight years old, I went to Rangi-ruru Boarding School. That was the saving of me! Once again, I was ‘different’, like an orphan, - no father and mother, and no family. The other girls all came from big wealthy families. Divorce was never considered so they all had parents. I used to go and stay with some of them in the holidays. Some had chaffeur-driven limousines, ballrooms, huge homes etc, but I felt I could never ask anyone back. Aunt Margaret was too old and set in her ways.

However, I loved the sport and the family atmosphere and the outings at Rangi-ruru., and I always longed to get back to school after my holidays.

Around about 12 or 13 years of age, I became devoutly religious! I was told that Jesus would save me and look after me, so I guess that I became hopeful and began to believe it!

Later, when I was married and had a retarded child, orthodox religion was of no help to me at all and I turned to Rudolph Steiner’s Anthroposophy. That is still my belief. I feel it works, for me anyway.

Then at 15 years old, my life changed. My knight in shining armour came along and he rescued me. I guess it would not have mattered much what he had been like, I was ripe for ‘plucking’! But actually it turned out that he had all the same interests as me. He was a very good dancer, top tennis player, rider, skier and loved animals. I met him at a private dance and he fell madly in love with me. He was 20 and I was 15. He lived about 15 miles away. They had a lovely homestead and I used to spend all my holidays there, helping on the property which I just loved, We were always going to tennis parties and dances held at the country homes of other young people. And they had the dog trials on their property. A great event which I still love.

When I left school, he gave me a black cocker spaniel called Wog and lent me one of his horses. Aunt Margaret then bought a new car and he taught me to drive. I "came out", when I left school, at the Rangi-ruru Ball and Dad came out of the woodwork, resplendent in ‘tails’ and danced, (beautifully, I might add,) the father and daughter waltz with me!

Then war broke out and that was the end of that era. My boyfriend immediately enlisted and I went into the WAAFS. Life was never the same again.

I did not have a very easy childhood but I learned very early to be self sufficient and self reliant and lived a lot in the make-believe world of my imagination. I would also read everything that I could lay my hands on. I do not remember any birthday parties or family or Christmas gatherings at all. I think I also gained an understanding of old people and their vagaries! I certainly learned the love and joy that animals bring. All these qualities were to stand me in good stead, for when as an adult, I had tragedies and sadnesses, I found the strength to cope and came through it all. I always say "it is not what happens to you in life, it is how you can take it". Actually Aunt Margaret left me a large sum of money in her will which I invested with my husband in a country garage business and home in Brightwater so she started us off financially. I was lucky.

This has always been my prayer:

"God give me serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference"

and my motto has been:            "To keep on keeping on"

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I went to Rangi-ruru as a boarder at the age of eight years old. Being so young, I was made a great fuss of, by the older girls. There were only about 40 boarders and the emphasis was on a family atmosphere. I loved these days, having had no family around me.

Rangi-ruru was a school in a beautiful old home with magnificent trees and gardens, chosen to give the girls’ an appreciation of nature and beauty. 

The house had belonged to the Rhodes family and the Prince of Wales used to stay there.

Rangi had a huge entrance hall and a very big and wide staircase leading up to the second storey, with deep red carpets.

We were not allowed to use that staircase. 

We had to use the narrow maids stairs at the back. The little girls’ bedrooms were in another wing near the Matrons quarters and the Sick Bay.

When we were young, New Zealand was a new country and we happened to belong to some of the families who carried on the style of the privileged classes in England, especially Christchurch. (The founding fathers seemingly wanted to transport a bit of England to New Zealand).

But there were a lot of very cultured, intelligent and good living people who came to New Zealand in those early days, both the people with money and the working classes.

Rangi-ruru endeavoured to turn out young people who had been taught honesty and integrity, respect and service to others, and also that family life was the structure that held society together. It was a religious school. The Ten Commandments were read every morning at assembly and a talk given on whatever was relevant that day. We went to Church services at the Cathedral or St. Mary’s every Sunday.

We were very sheltered, though, from the outside world and from anything ‘not very nice’ out there - when I went into the Airforce, I thought I was on another planet!

There was also bigotry regarding religion, politics, colour and class. Sex was never mentioned. Mothers with babies before marriage were spirited away (on overseas trips etc.) and psychiatric patients were kept out of sight.

Our letters were censored and outside visits strictly checked.

Our mornings started with a cold bath. We were expected to submerge completely and turn over once. You can imagine there was a lot of splashing done with the hand, with the body kept carefully out of range of the cold water. To ward off sore throats, we gargled to the tune of "God Save The King" with salt and water.

Music practice was rostered and started at 6.00am every morning. There were nine pianos, in various places throughout the building.

Most weekends we went for long walks over the hills and for excursions. The Christchurch people with lovely old homes and huge gardens, used to ask the Rangi-ruru boarders to their places for afternoon tea on the lawn. We went everywhere in crocodile fashion (in two’s), with gloves and all the trimmings. There were many visits to art galleries and exhibitions, plays and selected films.

Visitors were permitted on Sunday afternoons. Brothers and other guests had to be introduced before we were allowed a half hour stilted conversation, with the door open!

Behaviour was controlled by a system of Order Marks and often special outings were forfeited. Midnight feasts were traditional, and there were a lot of loose floorboards in the dormitories. We were encouraged to help in the relief of distress among the poor. We knitted ‘peggy squares’ to make into blankets and sewed and gave away baby clothes. On Anzac Day we sewed hot water bottle covers and face cloths for the R.S.A. at Rammersdale Home. We also had a branch of the RSPCA and most of the teachers had dogs or cats, and we all had animals at home.

The house had a good record with regards to health. We all slept with our windows open and were regularly dosed with ‘Lanes Emulsion’

There was opportunity for the academics, the girls who wished to go on to to varsity, but in those days girls did NOT usually go out to work, they got married and raised families, and usually left school after matriculation.

Our school was primarily to build character and good manners and teach us service to others.

We had a French woman teach us French and had dress-making, cooking, singing, elocution, dancing and music lessons. We had lots of sport, which I was lucky enough to excel in. I was Senior Athletics Champion, played in all the teams such as netball and hockey and was a member of the Life Saving Squad. I was also Tennis Champion of the School and kept up my tennis till well after I was married.

In 1931 our sports mistress introduced cricket instead of the rounders that we played, then later, skiing was allowed. (I believe that they now learn flying!)

Some of us used to keep fit by running around the house 8 times before breakfast.

That was one mile!

Helen Gibson, our Head, was a much loved woman, who had a lasting influence on her pupils' characters. She was uncompromising in her moral standards, but she could also show great kindness. I remember once, I was very upset over something and she took me, as a special treat, to the big fowl run, to feed the little chicks and collect the eggs. Happiness returned very quickly to a little girl.

Gentle and quiet, Helen Gibson had a great inner strength. She would not have approved of The Womens Liberation Movement, but she did teach us that as women, we were the most important members of society and that our standards and values would support our husbands and strengthen the characters of our children. It was an honour to have had the chance to be at such a unique school. A privileged life style, I admit, but we knew no other. I like to feel that some of us maybe managed to give back to society, some of those values and lessons of self-discipline. The love of beauty, music and nature that the Rangi ruru family taught us.

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When war broke out in 1939 I was engaged to be married, and I joined the WAAFS as a transport driver and once again entered a totally different era of my life. We were strictly rationed, with regards to food and clothing…actually everything. But we were fed, clothed and housed in the barracks. 

There were long hours of hard work in Transport. We drove the very large trucks, we drove the officers and the staff cars, we did ambulance duty on the tarmac and also went to the crashes, which I never got used to.

The article in the WAAF Magazine by Evelyn Bovett and E.S. Donaldson is a reminder of the life we knew in the Transport Unit during the War.

I will always remember my first crash. It was a long way out in the country, I went to the hospital block to pick up the doctor, I was in such a tizz that I started flat-out as we were told it was urgent and took off just as the medical orderly had his foot on the back step. Needless to say, he went head over heels backwards! I had ear phones on, and an aircraft was flying above us, giving us directions. I went through a mob of sheep and the horn stuck. I arrived at the accident scene and rushed out to try and pull out the right wires to stop the horn blowing.

We also had to go out at dusk and put all the flares around the aerodrome. 

We did our own servicing of the vehicles and used to wash them down, whatever the weather, even cold and frosty mornings. We had to drive the pilots, who were leaving for overseas, over the hill to Lyttleton, in the night, so that no one would see them leaving. The night before, we would have been at their ‘Passing Out Ball’, at the Winter Gardens Night Club. Sad days, as so many of them never came back.

We also took them out to Lake Ellesmere for bombing practice, in trucks. I remember stalling on a railway line and they all bailed out! The station was full of trenches and I can recall falling in them, while creeping in, in the early hours of the morning. We also used to get caught up in barbed wire fences! We had ‘Leave Passes’, but often we used to sneak out. We had to make our evening dresses out of furnishing and curtain materials. We had ‘Squad Drill’ every day and I was in the Airforce Band and played the drums. I still played my tennis and hockey, and we had dances every weekend on station. Good music and lots of talent in the airforce.

We went into Christchurch, to the pictures, at night, and caught the tram back. If we missed that last tram the alternative was a very expensive trip back in a taxi. The pie cart used to do remarkably well in Cathedral Square!

It was a tragic time of course. The lists of men killed, wounded and made prisoner, came out regularly. I was off to serve in Fiji when peace was declared.

In the Airforce, we were, once again, taught discipline, organisation and pride in our appearance, polishing buttons and badges etc for daily inspection and inspection of our rooms in the barracks. I learned to mix with all types and classes of people from all walks of life and that was very good for me. We made wonderful friendships which we never ever lost over the years.

It was very hard settling down after the war.

 Many never did. They kept on with the theme. - ‘Eat, Drink and Be Merry For Tomorrow We Die’. 

There was certainly many a wild party in the Airforce and we had lots of fun, but who could blame them. 

However some of us, when we got out, got married and settled down.

Money was scarce and rationing still in place. A lot of the men who came back from overseas were never the same again. Understandably so. Life was also very difficult for the wives. War affects everyone differently. There have been some incredible books published, since the war, recording the outstanding bravery of so many of the men and women. The stories of the Underground Spy Movement make fascinating reading. Quite unbelievable acts of courage.

I was glad to have been able to contribute, even in my small way, to the WAAF effort. There are times that are etched indelibly in my mind but I pray fervently for no more wars ever again.

At the end of the war I married Malcolm Reeves. I loved our wedding. We had a huge marquee in the garden and I wore the beautiful family veil (by then very old and fragile) which was always kept in the Bank with other precious family heirlooms. Now next year (2001) my husband and I will happily be celebrating our 55^th wedding anniversary together. We bought a country garage, 18 miles out of Nelson. It had a school run and a taxi license and I drove both. In later years when we sold and moved to Nelson, I taught driving for six years, so I had a long career, driving in my life.

In Nelson, I became involved in Garrick Theatre, on stage and also ‘prompting’ for the productions until we once again moved back into the country to a five-acre holding overlooking the sea. It was called ‘Hemelryht’ meaning ‘a little bit of heaven’ and that is exactly what it was. I just loved it.

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Married Years - Malcolm and Alice Reeves

I married Malcolm Reeves at St Marys Anglican church, Merivale, Christchurch, on December 21,  1946.

The photo at left shows the detail of the beautiful family heirloom veil which I wore.

Malcolm's parents came out from England after World War 1. His father was an officer in the Permanent British Army being stationed in India and South Africa.

When serving in World War 1 he was captured early.

Because he was wounded he left the army at the end of the war and came to NZ settling in Nelson and bought a home and 2 acres at Tahunanui and leased the now commercial land between Muratai and Rui Streets. They later gave up the land and Malcolm’s father got the job in charge of the Nelson Wharf.

Malcolm went to a little private school at Tahuna before going to Nelson College Rep, where he was a prefect. He later went on to the Secondary Department.

He was outstanding in mechanical and engineering skills, but as the family could not afford to send him to varsity he took on an apprenticeship topping NZ in his ‘A’ grade mechanic exams.

Malcolm's brother, Bruce Reeves,  had a distinguished career as a Surveyor.

When Malcolm and I were married, his father gave us a section off his land and we built our 1^st home. A few years later, as my Aunt left me a legacy, we bought a house and country garage out at Brightwater.

It was really country in those days. Very few houses, the country store that sold everything and smelt of chaff, leather, fowl food etc. Everything was delivered to us. Meat, bread, groceries.

I still played golf and was in the Waimea Tennis Team competing against the other clubs. We went to the local dances and we also had the school run and taxi.

We got a bach at Kaiteriteri, one the 1^st, moving a house from the Cobb Valley. We had lots of lovely weekends over there with our spaniel "Jamie" and our boat.

But the country garage life was very demanding. All hours, 7 days a week. Farmers always wanting their machinery finished by ‘yesterday’. And always someone at the door. My husband was evidently a marvellous country mechanic, very accurate at diagnosing the trouble and exceedingly talented at repairing old parts and making new ones. He was scrupulously honest and always went the extra mile to help everyone. He went long distances to fix broken farm machinery and I did not really see very much of him.

Then tragedy struck when our other two children were 3 and 5 we had a little girl "Nicolette". Unfortunately she was mentally retarded, caused by metal tongs, damaging the brain during a hard and prolonged delivery. From then on life changed. I gave up all my activities as she was very difficult and demanding and had ‘fits’ so I never really relaxed. I eventually got help in the house so that I could try and give the other two a normal life. We bought them horses and they had pony club, and I drove the float to shows. They joined the ski club and we took them water ski-ing in our boat.

When "Nicolette" was 12 she got too strong and difficult for me and too demanding on the other two, so we put her into care. We also knew we would not always be around to care for her.

It was a heart rending decision, but we know now that we did the right thing. Soon after that we left Brightwater as the long hours were beginning to tell on my husband, also the children were in their teens and always wanting to be in town. (a long way in their car.)

Malcolm started another new garage at Tahunanui and it was easier. Better hours and no travelling and he had good staff. However, we were not really ‘Townies’ and moved out to Hoddy’s Rd off the coastal highway. 

We had 5 acres overlooking the sea and it was an idyllic spot and we called it "Hemelryk" "a little bit if heaven".

It was just that. However, when our grandchildren were little owing to family circumstances we moved back to Nelson. One of our truly wrong decisions as soon after that they moved up to Auckland to be near their father. A dreadful blow to us. Then bad luck continued. First the family’s house in town got burnt down, then months after ours did also! Neither fires being our fault. Owing to insurance difficulties (our lawyer had been remiss in reinsuring us, we had only been in the house 5 weeks) we did not get paid out for 2 years, so my husband and I lived in a caravan on the property while it was slowly rebuilt.

In between this period while at Hoddy's Rd my husband sold the town garage and we had a little tour business for 4 years. We loved that. Malcolm drove. I supplied the food and we met people from all over the world. But it was a competitive business and tourism was not very active in those days so we sold out after the house was rebuilt. My husband got ‘shingles’ very badly lasting about 2 years. In fact I do not think he ever really recovered. A dreadful affliction. Over the years we also attended vintage car rallies as Malcolm bought back their original family car which his family bought new. A 1928 Plymouth Four Tourer. A truly beautiful car.  It also had to be sold when we moved to a smaller house and had no where to put it. Parts also were getting very hard to acquire.

The house we lived in, in Nelson had ¾ acre of lawns, trees and gardens and a large 4 bedroomed house, and each year it just got harder and harder to maintain, so we knew we had to sell. We are now in a smaller house with smaller garden and in a smaller town. We are enjoying it very much, and hope we can have a few happy years here. I miss not having any animals and of course we both miss the family being so far away. 

Cilla and family in Auckland and Penny and Jessica in Cairns, Australia.

Photos show Penny and Cilla, approximately 1968.

We are so proud of them all. Cilla and Penny are wonderful mothers and the 3 children are all very mature hard working young people all doing very well in their chosen fields and we get so much joy out of them all. We have had to accept great changes in our life time while our families have been growing up but we have I think, coped with it all.

Realising that life is change, nothing stands still and we just have to adjust. Right through life we are learning and I think we have learnt so much from out children and grandchildren because we love them. Also in marriage you come into the tranquil waters at the end of the Turbulent River of life and settle down to appreciate each other looking back at the past years as necessary to teach us some of the things that we have to learn if we are to become real people and be able to give something back to society and our families.

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"Treetops" - Reeves Bach at St Arnard Lake Rotoiti

The land was bought in 1936 by Grandma and Grandpa Reeves when there were only a few baches up there and a small country (Baxters) shop with basic materials. The bach was built over the next few years. A true bach in the mountains. At that stage before all the birches and manuka grew up the Lake could be seen from the section. Mt Robert is directly in front with the other Mountain Ranges all close. Unlike other Lakes in NZ the bush goes right down to the Lakes edge and the Lake is very clear and deep. The winters when there is plenty of snow are very beautiful with the white mountains, snow on all the trees. But of course it’s a summer place as well with boating and fishing on the Lake. And wonderful TRAMPING TRACKS from St Arnaud, ranging from 1 day to 3 days.

It sports 2 ski-fields. Mt Robert and the Rainbow Ski-field, so in the winter there is a lot of staff to be housed for the ski season, many coming from overseas for jobs.

"TREETOPS" bach has many antique features. The interior lining is constructed of wooden packing cases which incidentally have some very attractive grain on them.

There is a lovely old antique chiming clock with a reindeer on the front, and the servery is made of teak from one of the old ferries, as is an antique corner bookcase.

The very old mantelpiece has a panel of honeysuckle wood across the top.

The large wood box was an old banana basket used in the old days to bring in bananas. A very deep black hearth fender with hob for the kettle.

When the bach was first finished there was the old coal range, kerosene lamps and candles and a chip heater in the bathroom to heat the water for the very long and deep TIN bath! And of course the proverbial long drop.

The pictures are very old in keeping with the area and two good prints of early Lake Rotoiti and early Lake Rotorua (an adjacent Lake)

Another item of interest when World War 2 broke out one of the boys put a rifle between the walls, but no-one knows now which WALL!

"TREETOPS’ has been a refuge of peace and inspiration now for 3 generations to come to. It has a special aura, a special ‘feeling’ which most people remark on. I for one have always been ever-lastingly grateful to Grandma and Grandpa Reeves for acquiring it for a family bach, as we have had truly wonderful holidays up there "away from it all" listening to the bell birds and talking to the little bush robins that come right into the house; they are so quiet and friendly. It is 2000` up from sea-level so is quite a different climate up there. Mountain weather. The Black Valley Stream runs behind our bach down to the Lake then to join the Buller River. The sound it makes rolling over the stones seems all in keeping with the hills and bush. There is a walkway alongside it which is very picturesque.

For a period owing to predators, wasps, stoats, weasels, ferrets, cats etc the bird life up there diminished dramatically but now that D.O.C. has got it practically under control again the Tuis, Keas, Woodpidgeons, Robins etc are slowly coming back which is wonderful. When the bach was first built Deer would come down very close off the high country, but they now have all gone owing to the commercialisation of deer velvet. They were very beautiful.

It is a wonderful area of National Park with all the cottages in the bush and completely preserved Ratas, Mistletoe and Bush clematis. What would have happened had they not had the hindsight to put all those areas aside in NZ for National Parks to be protected? What beauty and joy they give the public.

There is also a large camping area at the arm of the Lake. Very attractive with private areas cleared between the trees and Manuka. A lovely quiet area off the beaten track.

We hope our family bach will still be just that for as long as possible, and feel we anyway have been very lucky to have enjoyed the peace and tranquillity it has given us when we have needed it.

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"Attitude" - a   Postscript

The longer I live the more I realise the impact of attitude on life.

 Attitude to me is more important than the past, more important than education, more important than money, more important than circumstances, more important than failures,  more important than successes, more important than what other people think or say or do. 

Attitude is more important than being gifted or skilful, and can make, or break, a company, church, or home.

The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude that we will embrace for that day!

We cannot change the past, we cannot change the inevitable,, but we can play on the one string we have and that is attitude!

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you ...

We are in charge of our ATTITUDE!!

by Alice Reeves (nee Blunden, born 1920)

Send mail to judy@jwsmith.com.au with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2000 J.W.S. and Co. Pty Ltd                                                                                                    Last modified: September 12, 2007