Happy Birthday Jude - Dorothy Caldicott

Dear Jude and everyone!

HAPPY 60TH TO YOU, JUDE! You were only 6 years old when my family moved to Anzac Avenue, Junee and we became “across the road” neighbours – and subsequently good friends.

My father – Jack Jellett – had purchased Walter Bell’s stock and station agency in Lisgar Street and he moved our family to Junee (from Henty) in 1955 to our (then) new house. Your family had also recently moved into your new home, with its tennis court. This tennis court became the main after school focus for my younger brothers, Alon and Colin who regularly played on and maintained the court. Your sister Jenny and sometimes Marcia were also keen on tennis at that time. You were too young, as I recall!

As the youngest of the seven Oehm children, life must have been both frustrating and challenging – for you and for your mother . As “the little kid sister” life must have been a combination of being protected ( sometimes hidden and often distracted), and inevitably spoiled because you were often “too young” to join in with the older members of your family as they lived their lives. Your next sisters Jenny and Marcia were 6 and 8 years older than you- then there was Peter and Geoffrey who also still lived at home and were off-road motorcycle fanatics. The oldest two, Betty and Jim were already married and living elsewhere.

Life around you was very busy during the 50’s. Was it a feeling of “being left behind” or trying to keep up with them that gave you the motivation, enthusiasm, energy and skills to do so much as you do and have done in your adult life!

I lived in Junee only during school holidays until the end of 1956 but over the next 3 or 4 years I participated in lots of sporting, social and educational activities with Marcia and Jenny as well as Helen Sheather (now Martin) and your cousin Helen Oehm (now Rosengren) who were my age. These were important years for us and we were lucky to be “growing up” at that time. I do recall vissits to the Junee picture theatre. On one occasion your mother asked my mother if you could walk to the movies with my brothers Alon and Colin - you were probably about 9 years old and they only a few years older. We were all amused because they said it was “OK as long as you walked in front of them so that no-one knew you were together”!! How silly teenage boys could be! Naturally, neither of them remembers this as I do. Did they ever let you ride down the hill in their billy cart?

Jude – it’s great to know that the little kid across the road all those years ago has enjoyed a happy and fulfilling adult life and has now reached the age of 60! On behalf of the Jellett brothers Alon and Colin (and myself) we can all say “WELCOME TO THE 60’s.”

May you enjoy your day and the years ahead !

DOROTHY CALDICOTT (nee Jellett)

Happy Birthday

Hi Jude,
Most of my part of the family will be celebrating with you tomorrow, but from Joe and myself, Gordi, Simmo and our kids...have a great day!
It sounds like a big milestone for someone so young at heart. I have some photos that Mum has emailed to me that I will post in time. I have also got one tucked away somewhere, one of you and I before I could walk so I would like to dig it out to post as well.
We know that you are going to celebrate tomorrow pretty much exactly as you would like it with heaps of family and good friends...Illabo style...those of us who have experienced it will know what I mean :)
And after the partying is all over and the hang over is heavy (it will probably last for weeks) you can be sure that a bit of far northern exposure can be a great remedy. Would love to see you up this way.
Love you heaps and have a hoot!!
Take it easy, Kim xx

A childhood memory

Like many people who will be reading this I have known Jude a lot of years, but I guess that's to be expected when you're turning 60!
I wanted to tell Jude that she is the first 'grown-up' I can remember who didn't get angry at me when I did something wrong. One time we were staying at Loyola and we had been feeding the horses some oats. I saw how much they had enjoyed it so I got some extra oats a bit later and fed the horses oats until they couldn't fit anymore in. When Jude 'knew' I had done that, she was more concerned to hear me admit that I had done it and tell the truth, than to get angry. She promised that if I told the truth that I had done it she wouldn't get angry, so I told her I did and she explained that too many oats could hurt the horses. I just remember feeling how great it was to have something explained to me and how differrent it was to not get into trouble for doing something wrong!