Tuesday 2 July 2019

50 years later; that July afternoon is etched in my mind forever...


"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too." JFK 1962




And then, 9 years later....

"But the world all stopped to watch
On a July afternoon
Watched a man named Armstrong
Walk upon the moon"




Arguably the bravest men the planet has produced.



Mission patch designed by Michael Collins.



Reg Lindsay nailed it with that song....

Back in 1969 when I was a student at Power Coaching College in East Brisbane, life was magic for this just turned 16 year old. Magic music, fast cars and motorbikes to lust after.. and great school friends.

Talk about high tide and green grass. My last year at school and my best ever school year. Now, the school was housed in an old house (still there today) and we had everything.. except a TV set. As an amateur astronomer I was fascinated by the Apollo missions, especially Apollo 11.

Appollo 11 lift off.

I just could not believe this; we are going to the moon. I remember thinking at the time it was sort of like Cook heading off to find the great southern land.




This decal is on my BMW GSA1200


Into our class room walks our principal and tells our science teacher Mrs Ewart, (the best teacher I ever had) that we should all go home and watch the moon walk on our TV sets.

The bus trip to the city and then the train trip to Eagle Junction Station could not happen fast enough. I was just so excited.... even my father had come home from work early to watch this event.

Captured on film with a Hasselblad!

And then on the 19 inch Healing, valve driven black and white TV set we saw those grainy, contrasty images of Neil Armstrong descending the stairs of that landing module. Sitting here the day before my 66th birthday I still can remember that feeling of wonder. 

History in the making.. and I saw it as it happened.


"Look dad.. we have gone to the moon! Isn't this amazing?"

And my mother said, "I wonder if we will holiday on the moon one day?"

Dad's reply.... "What's wrong with our house on Bribie Island?"

That night I set up my reflector telescope at the bottom of our front stairs. Focusing on the moon, I can even now feel the thrill that coursed through every part of me. It was just one of those moments.

My parent's comments are memorable....

Mother, "Can you see Armstrong on the moon?"

Father, "If a farm boy from America can walk on the moon tonight, there is nothing your generation cannot do."


Life cover shot


And the funny thing is this.... some 50 years later this one event is etched into my mind as much as Armstrong's boot print was imprinted onto the lunar dust way back then. 


What a symbol of man's dreams


I think that it really is the greatest thing I ever have experienced in terms of technology. Yes, I know my iPhone has more computer power etc. 

But consider this...

When man landed on the moon, we still built cars with generators and not alternators, cars had carburettors, not fuel injection systems, drum brakes were still standard on many cars and we had rotary dial telephones, only 4 TV stations here in Brisbane. Technology was just not that advanced. Virtually nobody had air conditioning in their car let alone their home. Our music came from 7 inch singles or 12 inch LPs or the just newly invented Compact Cassette. But most of us just got our music from Mike Ahern on 4BC here in Brisbane.

And yet .... we went to the moon that same year. 1969.

So 50 years later, if I was a man of independent means, I would buy myself an Omega Speedmaster, the "moon watch" and strap it onto my wrist at the exact moment Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the moon's surface. (That would be 13:14 hours in BNE) Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface on July 21 at 02:56:15 UTC; Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later; Armstrong left his Omega onboard the LM and only Buzz Aldrin wore his on the surface of the moon. Now that would be a blast. I love that watch!



The moon watch!


Here is a link to some other stuff from 1969!






Add to Story
Margi Blair
AltRider


Just now







Monday 17 June 2019

2019: A year of anniversaries... growing old is not for the faint of heart.


Note to my readers..... this blog is being added to as the year goes on.. it's a work in progress I would say. Come back now and then and have a look!

Seems like years ending in 9 have featured a lot in my life.

Funny thing that.

So this year, 2019 makes for a whole lot of anniversaries.

And to quote Peter Noone... "Let's take a look behind and see what we can find...."

70 Years

1949 and on June 18, my parents were married. I think it is fair to say that they had an interesting marriage. Country girl marries London born WW1 veteran who literally was a well educated man of the world. Now mum was no fool, but born and bred in Mt Morgan with a short stint in Sydney made for a less than worldly view of things. (She voted Labor, the old man was a Conservative and in middle age my father's genes kicked in for me!) Mother came with 4 boys of her own and then I came along. Our first years were spent in that house on Hamilton Road at Chermside, with Neville leaving early on to join the RAAF. Every time I drive past over the years I look at it and wonder why it seemed so much bigger to me as a toddler. We moved to Clayfield in 1958.






My father always reminded my mother of the Anniversary of the battle of Waterloo.



18th June, 1949 at Romney Studio Brisbane




Dad, mum and Max on the front steps at Chermside. C1950




Father at his desk not long after I was born.




60 Years:

1959 and in January I start primary school at Eagle Junction State School. I remember clearly that first day. I was terrified and crying my eyes out as my mother dragged me in under the building. My mate from the age of 3 Stephen Hart was there. "Look.. Stephen isn't crying!" Of course that made a lot of sense to a howling 5 year old.

But on that first day.. I did meet Robyn Cook and for the next 7 years I was so keen to be her boyfriend. Always picked her at folk dancing.. I don't think she even knew I existed. Such is life. And from those days at EJSS I still have friends I stay in touch with. Stephen Hart, Russell Coleman, Roger Fulton and Heather Walker. (Nee Appleton)

All those years ago....

This is grade 3.. but we're all there!


1959 and on July 27 at 0800 hours, brother Max opens Max's Speedo Electric Service. Originally in Wellington Rd East Brisbane and then 87 Logan Road Woolloongabba (next to the Broadway hotel) and finally to 6 Deshon Street Buranda. That business morphed into MAX Instruments when we closed the auto electrical division and moved to 662 Beaudesert Road Salisbury to concentrate on instrumentation only. I joined on January 6, 1970 and just loved working with my three brothers, Neville, Max and Paul. For show and tell I told the class about the new fabulous Max's Speed Electric Service. Teachers response  was to ask me to spell Woolloongabba. Somehow.. I managed it!


Note the phone number... our home number before the shop opened.


50 Years:

1969 and I am in my last year of school at Power Coaching College located on Stanley Terrace, East Brisbane. It is an amazing year.. Julie Vanek.. wow was I infatuated with her. And then a great bunch of friends to spend your days with. Allan White, Greg Gibson, Louise Sweeney, Ignatius Kalatzis, Tony Harrington, Ben Zavelski, Harry Bolding, Julie Vanek, Selwyn Hasthorpe and so many others. A big year: Armstrong on the moon, Gough nearly wins Government, Colin Bond and Tony Roberts win Bathurst in a Monaro 350 after the GT Falcons run out of brakes. (Yess!!) Music wise we had Such a Lovely Way by the Group, The Real Thing, The Star and of course the album that dominated the year.... Abbey Road. And Mrs Ewart our science teacher. She was the one teacher.. yes that one teacher who could get inside my head and teach me. Best teacher I ever had. And told me a year later I was her best student. Really wish I could have gone back 20 years later and thanked her.

The year rolls on and motor bikes come into my life via Wayne Pinna. The entire world felt like it was opening up to me. To me it really was the dawning of the age of Aquarius. No idea what that meant but I was so happy. And happily I have managed to stay in touch with some of those old friends... Selwyn Hasthorpe, Tony Harrington and I always wonder where Julie is... actually I wrote about 1969 on my blog before. Look here and also here. And finally here.

UPDATE: I finally managed to find Julie. In August, just before she left for an extended trip to the USA. It was awesome and we got to have about a half hour chat on the phone. Amazing! When she does eventually return to OZ.. we'll have a long catch up over lunch. I truly never thought I would ever see her again. Thanks to the universe!



1969 and Holden release the GTR. Man what a car that was.



Honda CL90, the bike I learned to ride on in Kalinga park at 15.




Cannot believe a half century had passed.






Buzz Aldrin as photographed by Neil Armstrong.



Last night I watched "The Dish" again. Brought back bitter sweet memories of that fine year. The music, the cars and the moonshot. I think that was the most technical achievement ever achieved by man kind that occurred in my lifetime.. so far. . And this just turned 16 year old got to see it all on a grainy TV set in the lounge at Armagh St. Also.. 1969 the first 747 flew in February and the QE2 went into service too. Man what a life lay ahead for me.

Then near year's end the Yanks put on Woodstock for us and the albums from that were amazing...


By the time we got to Woodstock....



40 Years:

1979 and as January 1 rolls around I have no idea what a year of highs and lows awaits me for the next 12 months. By this stage I am the "Technical Services Rep" for MSES Pty Ltd which was the new name for Max's Speedo Electric Service. We are now located in 6 Deshon St Buranda. Neville and Paul have departed the business to seek fame and fortune elsewhere. In 1976 I have picked up Volvo Australia's truck factory for a client. And didn't they spend big. I spent so much time out there involved in the design of a new instrument panel that the pay lady became upset when she couldn't find my pay packet.  "Sorry Mary.. I don't actually work here!" I had just come back from a holiday down Sydney way in the Daihatsu 4WD towing a Golf Camper. I returned the camper to Eagle Farm.. and the next day they closed up shop. Went broke. Well there went my security deposit. One Sunday I was at Clayfield visiting my father and he didn't seem himself. He had turned 80 the year before and all seemed well then. Come February I had a discussion with mother about dad and we ended up getting Dr Donahue to have a look at him. He decided that he was on too much medication for his crook heart. The idea was to put him back in hospital, stop all meds and then get him sorted. Long story short, he went into hospital on February 7 and died from undiagnosed lung cancer on March 7. For me that was a dreadfully stressful month. Trying to be supportive of him, mother and then trying to keep myself together. This 25 year old learnt a lot that month. Actually dad accepted his fate, mother struggled with it. Especially at the funeral. You see dad had cheated death twice before, World Was 1 as a 16 year old and again in the 40s with then untreatable osteomyelitis. He was fortunate to survive. Read more about my late dad here.


 A sibling reunion at BNE airport. L-R Dad, Bill, Tilly & Gus (1974) (4 of the original 10)


The year rolls on, personal issues with alcoholic in-laws (who are our landlords) causes all sorts of dramas. And then come August I have had enough and decide it is time to buy a home. Good mate Dr Ken finds one for private sale in the paper. So on Exhibition Wednesday we all go to inspect this post WW2 box in Wavell Heights. Owned by a retired house painter and former digger it was built in 1949. He was asking $28,500 or near offer. I asked him... "Would you accept $28,000". He stuck out his hand... "Son you've bought yourself a house." He told me he was amazed at the price. You see he had paid $1400 for in in 1949... so in 30 years it had gone up 20 times.

And so.. we became home owners for the next 5 years.

A tiny little place with 24 perches of land and I added a tin shed out the back... for the bike.. of course.



The 82 Honda in the back yard at Wavell Heights


Now around the same time, Max had a brain wave. Let's move the business to Rocklea (well Salisbury actually) and just do instruments. We had about 4 or 5 auto electricians in the shop and a couple of instrument fitters. Max offered the auto elecs that part of the business but they didn't want it. So in November 1979 Max Instruments opens its doors for trading at 662 Beaudesert Road Salisbury. All new office furniture and just the 5 of us. Joan as office manager, Barry Butler and Phillip Ross as the techs and me as the rep with Max on the front counter to start with. It was a really exciting time with Volvo's income supporting the move and then the truck dealers all over Rocklea just came in the doors... we were busy. So very busy.

An amazing end to a turbulent year.


30 Years:

1989 This is the year Christina turns 6 and her first year at EJSS. Thirty years since I had started there. I still remember this tiny little girl with this giant bag on her back heading out the gate for her first day.

Also, with an escape from the clutches of the family court well behind me, Debra and I are literally growing our relationship. I had been swanning around Europe in 1988 with my good friend Allen O'Grady. And now Deb wanted to travel. So we pack up and head to Hong Kong for 2 weeks in June. Did we have a good time.. lots of new photo gear at big discounts, lens to lust after are now in my camera bag. Deb is just loving the culture, I had been there a couple of times before so had a buzz showing her "my" Hong Kong. Fine dining at night, sight seeing every other day and shopping in between. new Reeboks, new shirts.. man did we have some fun.

We also did a photoshoot with Deb using her former modelling skills and I wrote a story about Australians holidaying in Hong Kong. Came back and tried to sell it to various magazines.... most replies came back COD. Anyhow it was fun!





So we rented a sampan for a while..


MAX Instruments turns 30 and VDO fly up to see us and present us with a lovely certificate signed by the MD and Trade Sales manager. It's a big deal for Max and I and the crew. I still have that certificate although it is now somewhat faded.. especially Bernards signature signed with his Mont Blanc fountain pen.



1989... a good year at MAX Insttruments.


Despite the high tide and green grass in my work life.... it  is around this time I start to question my desire to remain at MAX Instruments.... what else is out there for me? Every now and then that thought would pop up in my head... and I would push it down. By now I am a partner in the business and also the General Manager. I didn't know that in a couple of years I would be traveling to Singapore and Indonesia on behalf of the company. Also I noticed my dear friend from childhood Dr Ken Brand was in poor health. Having CF his health was never good, but now this was different.

Little did I realise he would leave this life in a few months in 1990.

And my life would never be the same.


40 Years:

1999 Back in 1969, after man landed on the moon, Mrs Ewart our science teacher asked us to write about what life would be like in 1999 as we welcomed in the 21st century. I can remember doing the maths and thinking I would be 46 going on 47. And the funny thing is, as the years rolled by I never thought about what life might look like beyond my turning 47.

So 1999 was a really busy year at Clayfield Studio. We shot 35 weddings when we really only wanted to cover 25 per year. Our portrait shoots were busy thanks to our involvement with the PIM group with many thanks to Dave and Karen Paton and life was good. Lots of commercial photography and remember all of this on film cameras, no digital cameras yet. We did run a hybrid system where we captured on film and then digitised the images so we could work on them in Photo Shop. It was Christina's last year at high school and man as parents did we have some "interesting" times. I thought a lot about 1969 and wondered where my old school friends were.. little did I know I would reconnect with some of them.. soon. And in July... I thought again about that moon landing. It really had a profound effect  on my life.

An awesome weapon in the heat of battle at weddings in 1999


STOP PRESS:


So here it is, New Year's Eve 2019. And what a magic year it has been. Fun with Debra in Bali, a week away with my German Mistress Maxine, lots of excellent and adventurous things to fill in recreation time. And also this: 


One of my goals for 2019 (of many..  like losing 15kg..  only 25 to go) was to catch up with my class mates from 1969, my last year of high school. And I managed to do it. First there was lunch with Selwyn Hasthorpe and Tony Harrington.... and here we are in a picture some 50 years after we walked out the school gate for the last time. And i always wondered whatever happened to Julie Vanek. And so this year, 50 years later I found her. Hey Julie! We managed a 30 minute talk on the phone a few days before she headed Stateside.... but the coffee will be hot whoever she returns. Lots more to talk about. Happy New year old school friends. That year, 1969 was my happiest ever school year and you were all part of making it so!






Where did those 50 years go?