Memories from Fran

Jude is great at organising parties and getting the extended family together. A couple of memorable occasions for us have been Jenny's 60th birthday party and Lee's (third) wedding celebrations.

Another beauty at Illabo was Lee's 21st birthday where heaps of people, including Jude, ended up in the pool fully clothed, compliments of Scott and Joe Oehm. Mum (Betty) drove us back to Wagga that night lecturing us all the way on how we'd embarrassed her in front of her family and how undignified all our behaviours had been. I imagine that Jenny would have given you the same lecture. It took the wind out of her sails a bit when we pointed out that her own sister, the hostess, had no more control over the situation than we had.

Jude's great at adapting to anything at a drop of a hat. Speaking of hats, after the Illabo bushfires raced through destroying most of their property a couple of years ago, Jude and Barney were interviewed on the farm for local television. I happened to be in Wagga looking after whichever aged parent needed help at the time. Jude was wearing the most un-farmlike, orange (I think), piece of millinery perched on top of her head that I ever saw. It looked as if she'd just come back from a Buckingham Palace garden party.

Another time at Batemans Bay when my four kids were little, my Dad ran into the side of the Clyde mountain with Viv's Jarrod in the car. Both the car and caravan were a write-off and Dad was hurt, although luckily Jarrod escaped with just a few bruises. Viv came from from Canberra and I had to come from the Bay to meet at Braidwood to salvage what we could, just as they were transferring Maurie into an ambulance to go back to Woden Valley Hospital. Luckily Jude was at Batehaven so with only five minutes notice, we dropped my kids off with her for the day and went up the mountain. When we finally returned, we discovered my kids had a hitherto unknown "great aunt" in both senses of the word. She'd taken them to Macca's, the playground, the beach, the ice-cream shop, back to Macca's and they'd had a ball. Whatever Russell and I did for them after that was never quite as good as what dear old Auntie Jude had done.

Best wishes to you and yours, and a very Happy 60th Birthday to a terrific lady. I'm sneaking up on you Jude, only another three years to go and I'll be there too.