Today it is warm and sunny with a sea breeze ,just the sort of weather that makes you feel in holiday mode.Our parks like the drought striken state of Victoria are not looking good although as I have said before the Elms,Poplars Palms & the many English trees planted in Port Melbourne before the turn of the century are all doing well ,perhaps as my friend Angela has said "They have found the water table and are taking their sustenance from this"
In my street alone there have been 9 bores sunk by home owners over the past few months due to the water restrictions and their lawns and gardens form an oasis among the parched lawns.I often wonder why we have one to each home ,why not share the cost and take it in turns to use it ,perhaps it is the cost of the electricity to run the motor,but surely this could be overcome.I wonder I wonder I wonder.I can remember my Father telling me that in the depression many families shares a hand mower to cut their lawns with my Dad keeping the blades sharp and in good order.The same went for jam making fruit bottling and the sharing of home grown produce .I read about an organisation set up some years ago in Sydney where people shared their talents in exchange for the talents of another person,so a Plumber did work for an Electrician and the Electrician did work for the Plumber.Oh what a stir this caused especially in Fed Gov circles when the non payment of Tax on income took up many hours of time in parliament in discussion.
Whatever happened to this I know not but as it was an accepted practice in the depression of the late 1920's perhaps we have to wait for another one before sharing comes back once again. Makes sense to me to share recourses in a world running out of ideas and comittment to preserving our world for future generations.
. My ramblings have somewhat gone astray today,but as Port becomes busier and busier and our main street resembles a racing track of tooting horns and loud voiced people calling out to those who park in a single lane Bay st to pop onto the footpath and take money from the outside teller machine leaving their hazard lights flickering.Instead of shopping I walk along the beach where the sea breeze gives life to my body,I could be anywhere in the world but I choose to be here because this is where my soul is and also my ancestors........I do feel peaceful ..Lois Daley Thursday 19th Dec 2002.