Hi Everyone,
Our Conabere Family have had a busy year. (We include Bantocks,
Cornwells, Smiths and Whites.)
Kerryn is working as PE teacher three days each week at the
newly formed Morwell Central Primary School in McDonald St next to the Latrobe
Leisure Centre (which includes a heated swimming pool, gyms, netball and
basketball courts). Her gymnasium building used to be part of the Morwell High
School. It has been refurbished, but is still a hot or cold shed despite
modernisation. The school boasts a Performing Arts Centre which was also on the
site before the school began. The three schools that closed all pooled funds
they received from Kevin 07 and built it.
Kerryn has also just entered the 60s club. She still plays
and umpires netball at a high standard. Ian and Kerryn crossed Bass Strait with
her car on board so Kerryn could compete in the Australian Masters Games in
Devonport in October. Third place with some bad bruising on her body and a
swollen knee was the result for her team. (Non-contact sport!! Ha ha!)
She has spent many days caring for her grandchildren, being
wise counsel for her daughters and a loving and devoted daughter to her 87 yo
mum who struggles with constant pain, but still manages to be chirpy. Above all
that she continues to love me and put up with the grumps.
Together we have been involved in the Church Singing group,
trying to ensure that we sing worship songs which are current in their
approach. With a new young (48 yo) minister, we are hopefully developing
acceptance for songs with which younger folk will identify. Each service begins
with the same 3 new songs for a month as we build up a repertoire. We have had
weekly singalongs on Friday evenings and a monthly Sunday afternoon singalong
and meal to encourage the congregation to step outside their comfort zone.
Ian continues to write songs, including worship songs. He
attended Transforming Worship Conference in July in Adelaide and got to know our
new minister, Tony Johnson. It was lovely to catch up with Stewart and Jenny
Dunn and their friendly and talented daughters. The Bush band Crosscut played
for a 35+35 party in September (Moe Salvos) and in October as a fundraiser for
Life FM (Traralgon Baptists). Leading up to the Latrobe Valley Carols by Candlelight,
he has been singing tenor in the choir. He
has been doing casual relief teaching work at Morwell Central PS to keep his
skills alive and bring a bit of extra cash to the coffers. He is the founder of
the Latrobe Valley Casual Relief Teacher Network, (see the blog at
lvcrtn.blogspot.com) which has been in existence for 8-9 years. Education department funding has all but
dried up for local professional development (PD) and the government has
employed Teacher Learning Network again for 2018 to run PD for CRTs. This has
enabled CRTs to do online PD and also live PD, but the majority of live PD is
in Melbourne, which disadvantages regional areas. Recently Karen (Secretary of
LVCRTN) joined Ian to make a podcast with Amy Cotton about our experiences.
(Available http://feeds.tln.org.au/podcast/episode-4-la-trobe-valley-crt-networks-ian-conabere-and-karen-mackay/)
Ian spent two weeks on a farm in Central Queensland (near
the Barcoo, north of dinosaur country,
Isisford) with UCA Frontier Services last January to care for pets and
garden and generally keep a look out on the property while the owners were
having a break. He learnt a lot about life out there and was well looked after
by the folk around.
Ian is still on JACC (a committee for family and children
and youth camping in Gippsland Presbytery of Uniting Church.) Our main work this year was developing new
policies in regard to Camping with children and youth. Ian joined the September
Camp held at Uniting Church’s Lake Tyers Beach Caravan and Camp park again as
On Camp Co-ordinator. Mid primary to mid secondary students attended with some
fantastic adults as cooks, leaders and helpers.
Three of our daughters live nearby. Rachel lives in Melbourne
with husband, Mike and numerous guinea pigs, a rabbit, Monk (cat) and Nora (a
black Labrador who oozes love and friendliness). Since becoming a singing
teacher at the school where Mike is Secondary Music teacher (and technically,
her boss!), she has had more time to develop her acting and classical singing. We
have seen her in a number of plays and musicals this year. Notable was her role
in (the two actors) Ophelia’s Inner Monologue held at a pub in North Melbourne during
the Fringe Festival. She still plays in Western Region Concert Band and has
joined the Choir that is an offshoot of that group. All this activity has meant
cutting her involvement in Eltham Concert Band, in which she played many
concerts and served on the committee. Driving out to Eltham at night for
rehearsals was difficult for her. Mike does a lot of things too. Mike continues
to run a Footy Tipping comp for his staff, family and friends, in which I won
the wooden spoon. He also performs in Five and a half men. They had some very
sad news last weekend; Simon, their bass player and Mike’s buddy died in his
sleep, which meant cancelling the gig at Altona on Saturday night.
Melissa, Liam, Eva & Zoe live in Moe. Both parents work
in Morwell; Melissa for Quantum and Liam for Latrobe City Council. They have
enjoyed their new home, the garden, the chooks etc. The twins started school in
2017 and have thoroughly enjoyed every moment. They also joined a dance group
in Trafalgar (we call it Raglafart) so we have seen quite a few concerts both
at home and at local venues. Jameson, Cathlyn’s second son has joined them on
Monday afternoons at Stadium 34 for a netball skills program. Melissa has made
some beautiful quilts and continues to help the girls develop their artistic
activity. They are very involved in Moe Salvos. Liam and Melissa visit us regularly
and we sit with the twins one night a week while Melissa and Liam play mixed netball at Stadium 34. Barry, Naomi and Cathlyn also travel for the same
comp each week, but Barry is off-shore every other week so sometimes Kerryn and
I split our grandparent activity between households.
Cathlyn, Richard, Kaeden and Jameson live in Traralgon. Cathlyn
has gained a position at Chairo, Traralgon for 2018. This year was a transition
year for Flinders College to Chairo, so she is glad to have a job at the same
location. She has worked mostly in the library since 2004 when I was prep
teacher. She is one of two original staff. She achieved distinctions in the
subject she did this year for a Business Studies course at Federation
University. She walks, plays netball, retains the household and all that comes
with having three males to care for. She has continued her interest in singing
and writing songs. Kaeden completed Grade 1 this year and will be joined by
Jameson who starts school after a successful Kinder year. Both boys had regular
swimming lessons at Morwell Leisure Centre which has built their confidence.
Richard works at Lowanna College in Moe as timetabler, which is a big job alongside
his regular teaching duties. Recently he has become the proud owner of a new
Astra. He plays bass in a band that practices regularly. Gardening has been the
major project with the removal of the rock garden and ponds and the development
of a front yard vegetable patch to involve the boys. Both boys live and breathe
Minecraft, which can be a bit challenging for a non-gaming grandparent! Lego construction
is favoured by all grandchildren, although Aubrey is still more interested in
putting Duplo in her mouth!
Naomi has been the homemaker both inside and out. They have
ensured that the home is as self-sufficient as possible with solar energy,
enormous water tank, septic tank and plans for growing a garden. Enjoying
stints on the mower of their 5 acre property is better when there is a
grandparent inside to care for Eamon (3) and Aubrey (1). She goes to the gym
regularly. She is building up her core strength in preparation for Barry and
her trip to Barbados in January to play netball. We agreed to have the
kids before Aubrey was born so they could have their international jaunt. Barry
will have a week’s holiday and the weeks either side are on-shore ones. Barry is
building a cubby and plays bass or piano in a few bands. Wolf and Willow have
recorded a number of songs this year. Melbournites may even know this group.
They attend Traralgon Family Fellowship church and are intentional in wanting
to use their property to grow the fellowship in their church. Eamon and Aubrey really
enjoy the daily Skype sessions with Daddy when he is off shore. Eamon has
stopped attending Gymbaroo, but does swimming lessons (as does Aubrey now)
at Morwell Leisure Centre. Kerryn goes there on off-shore weeks to assist.
Melissa has become quite familiar with using her Thermomix to cook and prepare food. Cousin Meagan (my sister Heather’s daughter) did the
original party at Naomi’s place after all daughters had borrowed our Thermomix
which we got after a demonstration by a local dealer. Naomi uses her Thermomix
to explore a variety of foods. I enjoy making bread and thick crusty pizza
dough. Liam and Barry also use it when they get the chance. Mike and Rachel are
vegetarians and they both cook, but not with a Thermomix. Cathlyn and Richard
have been eating healthy by signing up to Hello Fresh. This ensures they have
all the ingredients for healthy eating. Richard likes to cook and prepares his
family lunches for school, work or kinder. Their boys don’t have a very wide
appreciation for food, but somehow they still grow.
We support the Who gives a crap? toilet paper and a number
of international aid projects.
Heather Gillespie (my little sister) turned 60 this year and
we joined her at a steakhouse in Nunawading with her family. Meagan arranged
it. It was lovely to have the four Conabere kids together and to chat with
Scott and Emily and Sam & Meagan and enjoy Gus (Angus) cuteness.
Rosemary & Geoff Perry now live at Applewood, Doncaster
having sold their 5 acre property at Hazelwood North. It was great to have them
stay recently when they came to be part of an Antiques fair at Kernot Hall, Morwell.
Keeping in touch with David is mainly done by phone, but
occasionally we visit Leongatha. He is to have an exploratory test in January.
As I write this letter epistle book I am aware
of how much editing Kerryn will have to do has done.
Hope that you all have a blessed Christmas and that 2018
brings you many reasons to celebrate life.
Ian & Kerryn Conabere
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