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The Story of Our Family, by Julia Millen. Kelburn Normal School 1954

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 22:15:29 +0100

Part 1: In Hokitika & Oamaru

In 1935 Myra Josephine was born in a little town on the west coast of the South Island called Hokitika. Two years later John Macdonald was born. Macdonald is the Scottish clan which we are descended from. Mummy is half Scottish and so is Daddy. Daddy was working for the Bank of New Zealand and when, in 1939, the family moved to Oamaru, Daddy was the Bank's manager.

The Bank house in Oamaru was made of one-foot thick Oamaru stone. It was large and roomy and had a big garden. We had some hens and a huge swing with a trapeze on the back porch. The old Bank house in Tyne Street was a wonderful place to live in. Although in the winter you could not go outside, because Oamaru is a very wet place, the house in itself was always warm and there were lots of rooms that weren't used including a strong room. This was during the second world war and outside our house troops were training. Before John went to school, if he was wanted anywhere he would be found watching the troops. The soldiers got quite pally with John and Myra and sometimes let them hold their guns, which even Myra, who was six couldn't lift.

Myra went to a school on the other side of town called Oamaru South. On the way home from school they passed a flour mill and the baker with whom they were friendly let them come inside and watch the loaves getting baked. The bakery was unusual because it made cottage loaves.

Fluffy takes flight, by Julia Millen

Thu, 13 Mar 2014 01:19:56 +0100

Fluffy was still perched high in the sycamore tree on shaky, spindly branches. Bob was at the top step of the ladder, but he couldn't reach Fluffy's branch. He had a strange machine in his hand. Suddenly there was an awful screeching noise. Bob was holding onto the ladder with one hand and jabbing at a lower branch with the machine. With a crash the little branch below broke off and was gone - Fluffy was still on her branch but she was flying. The ground was a long way below, and getting closer. She let go and jumped, landing upside down and then rolling over in the long grass.
'Fluffy. come here.' Annette called, but Fluffy ran. Through the grass, across the creek, under the fence, through the orchard, under another fence and into the woodshed. She stayed there for a long time. Finally when she was sure there were no more nasty dogs, except her old friend Jack, she crept out of her hiding place. She was very hungry. Annette gave her a huge bowl of food and then Fluffy climbed up into her favourite place - a fruit bowl - curled up and had a long sleep.

Fluffy

Mon, 10 Mar 2014 02:38:43 +0100

Fluffy's Big Adventure - by Julia Millen. Continued...

Mon, 10 Mar 2014 02:28:13 +0100

Fluffy clung to the spindly top branches, swaying with the wind.
'There she is.' Annette, Bob and the other man were standing at the foot of the tree looking up and pointing.
'How do we get her down?'
'She'll come by herself - when she's hungry.'
Fluffy stayed where she was. Annette kept on calling, but Fluffy would not move from her perch. She was scared of the dogs. The wind howled and shrieked in the treetops.
Darkness came with more wind and rain. It was a long night. Fluffy was wet and cold. Hours passed, but still she clung to the sycamore branch. Frightened that she would fall or be blown away, she managed to wriggle into the fork of two branches, but even so she was being buffeted by the gale. She was hungry, her fur was wet and bedraggled but she wasn't coming down.
Morning at last. Annette came with bowls of food. Fluffy was hungry, she wanted her breakfast, but now she didn't know how to get down.
Something strange was going on. Bob was at the bottom of the tree with another man. Was it the man with the dogs? Maybe. Bob and the man were carrying the ladder and something else. Bob was climbing up the ladder, but still couldn't reach Fluffy. She was too high in the tree and the branches were too spindly to hold the weight of a man. Suddenly there was an awful screeching noise. To be continued.

Fluffy's Big Adventure, by Julia Millen

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 22:58:17 +0100

Not long after breakfast Fluffy was sitting on the porch having a bit of a wash: a big effort with extra long fur. She heard an engine noise: a Ute was coming up the drive. She watched as a man got out and then she saw them: three big dogs in the back. Fluffy made a quick dash under a bush. Annette and Bob came out of the house. The dogs started barking and then jumped down to the ground: Bella - a golden retriever; Murph - a ginger mongrel; Lucy - a retro-doodle. The dogs were nosing about and sniffing. The man was joking and laughing with Annette and Bob. Annette looked around and noticed only two dogs. 'Where's Lucy?' she said. 'And where's Fluffy?'
Fluffy was on the run, with Lucy in hot pursuit. Fluffy slid under a fence and ran helter-skelter through the orchard. She could still hear the dog barking and panting. Fluffy splashed through a creek, up the bank, under the next fence. She ran faster, skidding over the long grass to the tree trunks. She leapt and clutched with her claws, scrambling up the first one she came to. It was rather a thin tree - but would have to do. She heard barking and climbed higher, clinging to spindly branches.
'Fluffy, Fluffy.' Annette was calling. 'Where are you?'
The wind was rising, the tree was swaying, but Fluffy was not going to let on where she was.
(to be continued)

Babu's song, by Julia Millen

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 00:49:15 +0100

Babu had been in his new home for 2 days. Still a bit nervous, he spent a lot of time hiding behind the piano or under the bed. Sometimes he came out to practice his old tricks - like shredding the cushion covers and biting leaves off the indoor plants. He was pleased when the new people gave him tastier food. On his second night he had fresh fish - one of his favourites. That night the phone rang. It was the children from his old home in Auckland.
'How's Babu?' they said.
'He's settling down, and he just had fish for tea.'
'Oh' - came a sound of laughter from the other end of the phone. 'We had fish for tea too.'
The children were happy about Babu.
'And we've made a up a song for him. It goes like this.'
It's very clear, our pussy's here to stay
Not for a year, forever and a day.
In time our hopes may crumble,
The house may tumble,
It's only made of wood - but
Our pussy's here - for good.'
I

Babu goes exploring, by Julia Millen

Mon, 03 Feb 2014 20:40:07 +0100

Babu jumped out of the beer crate and began exploring. His legs felt a bit wobbly after his long journey and he nearly fell over, so he had to walk slowly. It was a strange house and very draughty. He realised he'd have to start growing a new fur coat. Walking about, sniffing and listening he suddenly pricked up his ears, peeked around a corner and there it was. A fridge. It was purring at him. He didn't feel like purring himself - not just yet - but he gave the fridge a little rub down, just to let it know he was a friend. Babu was getting hungry so he made a meouw and the new people gave him some milk. He didn't like milk. Then they gave him some food out of a tin. Not very nice, but he ate it anyway. He would have to train these people to give him proper food or he'd have to start hunting for mice. Even the thought of hunting was tiring so he went to a corner and lay down. Just before he went to sleep he heard a crackling noise. He opened his eyes. Bright flames were shooting up in an alcove across the room. He got up and crept nearer and then nearer. Yes, it was - a fire. Like there was in his old home in Onehunga. He could feel the warmth. Babu lay down on the mat, and for the first time since he'd been in this strange new place, he purred.

Babu's New Home, by Julia Millen

Fri, 31 Jan 2014 20:55:42 +0100

Tom met me at Wellington Airport.
'Where is he? He seemed to be expecting a furry black varmint to be peeking out from my handbag.
'Have to go to a separate part of the terminal.' I said.
We collected my luggage and then drove the car around to the freight section.
Inside we wandered about until an attendant came out from the back.
'Is this what your'e looking for?' he pointed. There was only one item on the counter - a beer crate.
'That's must be it.' Tom picked up the crate and we went back to the Simca. There was no sound from inside and
I wondered if Babu would have survived the flight.
'Don't open up until we get home,' I said.
Inside the house we closed the doors firmly and then Tom prized the lid off the crate.
Two large greenish/yellow eyes looked up at us from a black furry face as if to say. 'Where am I?'
'He's OK.' Tom grinned as he put his hand down to give Babu a stroke. 'What will we give him for his tea?'
I could see that Babu had already made another conquest. From that moment Tom was going to be his slave.

Babu goes south, by Julia Millen

Fri, 13 Dec 2013 00:17:36 +0100

Next day I was packed ready to go to the airport. My brother had nailed slats on the top of the beer crate to make a lid and with a black felt tip pen we put an arrow on the side and wrote: This Way Up. The whole family got in the car. Then we looked around. Where's Babu? The children got out again and dashed about trying to find him. They looked under the bed - not there. They looked in the kitchen. There he was - sitting, waiting by the place where the fridge used to be. The little boy picked up Babu and took him out to the car. We were on our way to Mangere Airport with my luggage and the beer crate in the boot. I was worried that the children would not let Babu go. That they would see from his bright yellow green eyes that he was frightened and want to keep him.
At the car park near the terminal building, my brother got out, opened the boot and put my luggage on the ground. Then he picked up the beer crate and said. 'Hold onto Babu.'
The children held him while my brother manoeuvered the crate into the back seat. Then we popped the black furry bundle of trouble into the crate and fastened the lid. His tail was sticking out, so we had to poke it in carefully.
'Remember. When you come back from your big trip, you'll be able to come and see Babu again at my place.' I said. The children were quiet. But they nodded. I set off with the crate and Babu. When I turned back to wave, the children waved and looked a bit sad, but nobody was crying. Babu was going to his new home in Wellington.

Babu takes off, by Julia Millen

Fri, 13 Dec 2013 00:17:12 +0100

The whole family was worried. Especially Babu. How was he going to live in a house without a fridge?
At this stage my brother looked at me.
'How would you like to have a cat?'
'Well. I'll have to ask Tom what he thinks,' I said.
That night I rang Tom in Wellington.
'Would we like a cat? He's very handsome. Black with a tuft of white under his chin and he has big yellow green eyes.'
'OK by me,' he said. 'But he'll be a furry bundle of trouble.'
And as it turned out, Tom was right.
My next job was to work out how to get Babu from Onehunga, Auckland down to Wellington.
I phoned the airline. 'How much would it cost to send a cat to Wellington?'
'Is he travelling on your ticket, Madam?'
'Well yes, I suppose so.' I was thinking that if it cost too much, Babu would have to stay in Auckland. Or go to sea.
'Then it would be $14.'
Is that all? I thought. It seemed the airline had made the decision for me - and for Babu.
'The cat has to be in a wooden or metal crate.' I said to my brother.
'No problem,' he said. And went into the garage and came back with a beer crate.