Don Jr's Birthday

Don Senior's funeral service was on Saturday 5th at 11.30 a.m.
(Queensland time) The kids said that it was a lovely service
except the celebrant forgot to mention Margaret as one of
Don's children, as all the others had kids and they were
mentioned she was suffled over to the side on the paper work.

The weather was fine and although there were tears no one
broke down.

On Sunday the kids caught a 5 p.m. flight home and as day
light savings had finished here that was the correct time in
both states. As it was also Don Jr's birthday he had an extra
hour to 'enjoy' it, but as he said every year from now on he
would remember that his dad died and had his service the day
before his birthday. Of course with getting to the airport
flying down and driving the girls home he did not really get
to celebrate it so we had a family dinner at the top pub.
Normally we would not celebrate a 34th Birthday, but the
unusual circumstances made it seem like a good thing.

Don brought his kids over from Traralgon to have tea with us
and to spend the night with him. He was taking them to school
the next morning.

Cliff came and Tom and Audrey had arrived they came along
also. Audrey and Tom took the time to speak to Maddie and
they both thought her a nice little girl with good manners
and intelligent.

They have met Kirsten often on their stays.

Cliff and I had the Alantic salmon and it was lovely (grilled
with vegetables) it nearly killed me but I gave half of the
pumpkin to Kath (Cliff had also put his on my plate and I gave
her all of that.)

The kids meals have gone up and cost $8 each and poor Talhia
wanted snags and potato and ended up with one thick snag about
four inches long and a bowl, half filled with potato whip that
was cold. Not exactly appetising. The nuggets and chips
actually came with salad and was HUGH. That was what Jasmine
wanted.

Cliff of course could not resist the lure of the pokies and
lost $100. Tom won $110. (I guess you could say it was
swapped between them.)

As Cliff wanted to drink, they had caught a taxi over so I
ended up driving them home, but I did not stay the night,
really there was no room to sleep and I don't fancy the floor.

The only child to come and say goodnight to me when they were
leaving was Jasmine. She came up and said "Kiss and cuddle."
and put her little arms up. So naturally I gave her a kiss
and a cuddle.

An enjoyable night.

CenterLink

They have been giving me a hard time about the properties I
'own.' I have tried to explain that being on a pension means
that I could not afford to transfer over the deed of Donald's
house to Donald at the time. (Still can't afford it!) that
he is the one who has paid the mortagee and the rates since
1999 so it is his house, but oh no, as I am the only one on
the title I OWN it 100%. So they want to know all the
information about it, which only Donald has e.g. rates and
mortagee papers.

I had an interview with a woman to help me fill out the
paperwork but all she did was fill out the questions I could
already answer, the ones I couldn't answer she could not help
me with!! so that was a bloody waste of time.

That was on the Wednesday and the paperwork had to be
returned by the following Monday, which turned out to be
Easter Monday. So in other words I had to get it all done on
the Thursday to sent it away in time. I told her I wouldn't
be able to do it and she said if you can't get it away on time
then ring and let us know, and I said "Well I'm telling you
now that I won't be able to get it there by Monday" and like
a broken record she repeated that I could ring, we went through
this routine three more times before I got up and in a parting
shot said "I won't be ringing as I have told you that the
paperwork will not be there on Monday."

Well I went to the accountant and no joy there. He only has
to keep paperwork for five years and it has been NINE years
since he did my returns for that property.

I went to the council and the lady was very nice and gave me
photo copies of the rates notices so I had all the paperwork
together. I only needed to go to the real estate office to
find out about floor space and the square of the house.

Well on that Thursday Don Snr went into hospital and then with
him there and the kids worried about him and me worried about
them I clean forgot about the paperwork till I received a
letter yesterday telling me that my money was suspended.

I rang up quite upset and explained the situation and the
lovely young lady Tanya arranged to get it reinstated till
the 30th April. So I have till then to get the paperwork
back, but now I can't fine the rates notices, yet I had them
all together!!!

Meg rang and I thought it best to ask her to get something
from the hospital to say that her father was there from that
Thursday before Easter till he died on April 2nd, so they
could see I was not spinning a tale.

So that is another trip to the council office for the missing
rates. (Never did find them!)

Life at this time seems to be one trial after another.

R. I. P. Donald Gladstone McDougall

At 8 a.m. (Queensland time) on Wednesday, 2nd April, 2008,
Donald Gladstone McDougall died at Ipswich Hospital,
Queeensland.

He was born on the 20th January, 1938 at Crown St Woman's
Hospital, Paddington, N.S.W. It was the largest maternity
hospital in Sydney, but closed in 1983.

He married Pam and had Kim Denise (1960) and Tracey Lynne
(1961).

He married Pat but as far as we know there were no children
as the marriage lasted about 6 months.

He married me and we had Donald Alexander Joseph (1974)
Margaret May Lillian (1977) and Kathleen Jean Rose (1981).

He is survived by his fourth wife Shirley, his brother
Willian Kevin (1940) and his five children.