2013 Wilks Christmas Newsletter

Wilks’ Twelve Days of Xmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas 

My true love gave to me:

Twelve Lite ‘n’ Easy dinners

Eleven Steamrail excursions

Ten lawns Roy’s a-mowing

Nine iPad games of solitaire too many

Eight more tea chests a-needing packing

Seven more family birthdays

Six mobile phones a-ringing 

Five art exhibitions

Four Wilks a-cruising

Three Diamond Valley Actors’ performances

Two love birds (Amy & Craig) a-tweeting

And a Christmas pudding from Aunty Jeanette.

“What have the Wilks family done this year?” I hear you ask. “What have they been up to?” Well 2013 has been pretty much like the year before, but we are all one year older. But we are reaching some milestones. This year has been Roy's last year at Croydon SDS. Next year will be Roy's first year of retirement. Roy felt his time at Croydon had come to a close, as the kids are getting bigger and he is not getting any younger. He is counting down the last few days and looking forward to whatever retirement might bring. He will continue gardening for a group of friends, family and acquaintances. He still enjoyed his line dancing and country music.

We are also preparing for the process of downsizing from our home of over 30 years to a smaller home nearer to Duane, Amy & Craig, and public amenities. By this time next year we hope to have moved to Watsonia. There's a lot of downsizing of household goods to be done, with items to the auction rooms and op shop, and probably a garage sale in the near future - as well as making 158 Templestowe Road attractive for a new owner.

Amy and Craig have celebrated their first anniversary and appear to be enjoying their lives together. In July Amy decided to retire from basketball due to receiving a painful injury resulting in an ambulance trip to hospital. Read about this scary night at this posting. Amy has replaced basketball with a gym membership, which she is enjoying three times a week. She is still keeping in touch with her basketball buddies, but on a social basis. In 2014 Amy will be attending the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as a member of the administration of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association. She is looking forward to receiving her uniform and marching in the opening ceremony. Later in 2014 Amy and Craig are planning a holiday in Africa, to give Amy quality time with wild animals. 

When Amy quit basketball Liz resigned her position as a member of staff at the basketball Club. This was in response to our disappointment with the club committee’s poor handling of Amy’s injury and their failure to reprimand or penalise the player who deliberately injured her, and the club’s failure to show concern for Amy’s welfare after 18 years membership.

With Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings free, Liz is enjoying new freedom to pursue her other interests - watercolour painting at U3A, attending clubs and galleries, and enjoying a couple of high teas with Amy on Saturdays.

Liz is still working at La Trobe University at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre and intends to remain there as long as she is happy and useful. Hopefully someone will tell her when she needs to go.

Duane has endured a year where he has had his working hours cut back, leaving him with only two days work each week. This is not enough to keep him happy and active so we have been applying for various options and we hope 2014 will bring some good news for his future. If his working hours do not increase he is hoping to enroll in a day program that will help him maintain his skills and provide some variety and stimulation in his life. Duane's drama group put on a three-performance season of their own production “A Cosmic Love” at the Carlton Courthouse Theatre in October. The show played to full houses and appreciative audiences.

Miles has continued his usual activities and is creating some lovely artwork. This year Miles has varied his creativity into photography, as well as ceramics, painting and animation. His photo below was exhibited at Arts project in July and the run of three prints was sold out at the opening of the exhibition. This photograph was also featured on the cover of the Arts Project Annual report this year. Late this year we accessed extra funding for Miles to access an outreach carer to facilitate some new options in his social life. Miles has enjoyed the times he has done so far, enjoying walks by the river at Warrandyte and a tasty cappuccino at the local bakery, We hope these activities will include joining a bush walking group and the Eltham miniature railway association, to which John will accompany him. Miles’ bowling scores are getting consistently higher – he often scores over 200 points. 

Miles capped off his year by winning the Christmas Hamper Raffle at the Special Olympics Christmas break-up.

In August we enjoyed a week in Coolangatta at timeshare - Liz, Roy, Duane and Miles enjoyed the usual delights of the Gold Coast, and we were wowed with a whale spotting trip off Coolangatta. In August we enjoyed a week in Coolangatta at timeshare - Liz, Roy, Duane and Miles enjoyed the usual delights of the Gold Coast, and we were wowed with a whale spotting trip off Coolangatta - see link.Another milestone we have reached this year - Amy and Craig are hosting the Christmas Day celebrations. A time of generational change!

Another interesting highlight was a tour of the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building. Read my blog about this beautiful old building.

You are welcome to browse my other irregular blog postings for the year.

Mittsy has joined Amy & Craig's menagerie. A playmate for Charlie and an irritation for Austin.

Well, here we come to the end of our news. We hope you enjoy our annual catch up, and we hope you'll let us know what you've been doing too. Have a very happy Christmas time and a healthy and safe New Year.
With lots of love from the Wilks family.

If all goes to plan we will be moving to a new (old) home in the first half of 2014.
Still the same email address and the same mobile phone numbers, but our new address will be in Watsonia 3087

We are moving because the Watsonia house is:
  Within easy walking distance of

• Shops, station and library
• Duane’s house 
• Amy & Craig’s house

  With a backyard big enough to put a self-contained bungalow for Miles
  On a flat block
  At a price we could afford and still have money left for renovations.

We are excited to be downsizing, and a little daunted by all the stuff we will have to get rid of to accommodate the move.

Seasons Greeting from the Wilks Family

XXXXXX
(Roy, Liz, Duane, Miles, Amy & Craig)