70th birthday party: Speech (part 3)

 

In 2019 Mel came to me. She was at the Y.  She said two people came in and wanted to play pickleball. They had come back from a cruise in Canada. So, she did some research and bought some pickleball nets. And she said to me you are retired. You have nothing else to do so I’ve put you down to play PB. So, I turned up one day zero. Dave was there. Good on you Dave. And we kept on going back. And we loved it.

Now my grandparents taught me a lot. They were all different but good people.  Hopefully my grandchildren will learn something from their grandparents. I am a link in the chain.

I will tell my grandkids what my mother said to me.

Only two things to think about.

What if everybody did that?

And when you meet someone see the world through their eyes. Do what is best for them?

Or as I say, not mum. Everybody you meet is unique. Has a different back story. Respect them. Treat them the way you would like to be treated.

Now Kaya one of my granddaughters is going to answer the question.

Kaya: Who is Grandfather Alan?   Now, we all know him, that's why we're here! But have you really ever stopped and thought, who is Alan Carlton? Why was I invited to celebrate his 70th birthday? And if you just assumed,

 "Oh, it's the bare minimum, we've known each other for years!"

Then think again. 

We've all shared good moments with him, the ups, the downs, and all the in-betweens.

Whether that be that your family, from tennis, pickleball, a park run or any of his many hobbies. The other day we were at Burnside Manor re-watching old movies directed, filmed, written and edited by Alan, with the cast mostly consisting of Brad, Jo, Mel, Stacey, and himself. They were outstanding! We all had a good laugh out of the old memories and video proof that the cast, though you may not believe me, were young! In my years, although not many, I've started to notice a pattern. Wherever I go, I seem to see someone who knows grampa! From dentistry all the way to music, someone knows him. Thank you for your time, I hope that I've inspired all of you to think about how much we truly love, Grandfather Alan.

 

The end

70th birthday party: Speech (part 2)

My time in hospital taught me that health is physical, emotional and social. And luckily, I had good social health.

When I came home from hospital, I met Robbie one of my neighbours who, at the time, I didn’t really know that well. So, I say to you get out there meet and greet your neighbours. You may be as lucky as me.

Jo I am asking you to talk about life in our family.

Jo: Growing up with Dad, he was very focused on our studies. He used to spend hours helping me, particularly with my maths... which, unfortunately, I still failed.

In fact, he spent hours and hours and hours helping me get through school. One of the big things he said to me about this speech was, "Can you just make sure you write it down and actually prepare for it?"

So, in true style... I didn't.

There are a few things worth mentioning about Dad. He was a bit of a prankster growing up, and one of the memories that has always stayed with me was a family Easter trip to the lake where we grew up. We were fishing at a place called Lake Sambell, and it happened to be April Fools' Day around Easter time.

For the first time ever, my sister and I managed to catch what we thought must have been a fish. As we were winding in the line, we were convinced it was a really big one. We were getting more and more excited as it got closer.

What Dad had actually done was tie our collection of Easter eggs into a plastic bag, add a few rocks, and put it on the end of the line. So for Easter that year, we got soggy chocolate.

We still ate it, of course... but it was wet chocolate.

Dad has taught us well. He made sure we studied when we needed to study. Sometimes the lessons felt hard at the time, but they've paid off. We're all dedicated people, and we've learnt those traits from Dad.

And just so you all know, you could practically set your clock by him. He left home religiously every morning at exactly the same time, and if you drove down Letitia Street, you would see him in exactly the same spot, at exactly the same time, every single day. Rain, hail or shine.

That's probably one of the reasons he's always been such an incredibly fit and healthy man.

Dad has always led by example. He's taught us the value of hard work, consistency and commitment, and we're all better for it.

 

And finally, Dad told me I had to keep this short.

Alan: In 2018 Parkrun came to town. I went to the first parkrun at the Queens Domain. Then I went back the next week and kept on going back.

Running has always been a part of my life. I started to run at Uni. At Flemington race course. No dogs there.

Stacey I am asking you to talk about running and the finish line.

Stacey: You wanted me to talk about parkrun, so obviously I had to start with the stats. There are quite a few. Here are the main ones:

That is 373 Parkruns in total—331 of them at Queens Domain—and 17 volunteering.

I first went in 2015, then 2 years later took you to your first parkrun (which was my second). You were 60 at the time. 

After that, when someone would drive you, you kept going back.  You have travelled the state, country and world with Parkruns, doing a total of 29 different ones.  Your running achievements also include 2  Comrades Ultramarathons in 1985 and 1986, the Gold Coast and Cadbury Marathons, Point to Pinnacle and many fun runs.

After getting out of hospital, in 2015, you showed us all how determined you were to recover.  You often told me how we need to look after ourselves first to be healthy and happy in our body, mind, work and our relationships with others.  You also lived the “healthy body healthy mind” attitude through your commitment to your running, sport, and healthy eating.

Even going back to childhood, you always had that consistency and determination. You walked to and from work every day, spent ages kicking the ball with me in the backyard, patiently listening to my piano practice, even though I would make the same mistakes over and over again. But the mistakes didn’t worry you.  You would take me to eisteddfods, admitting later you were possibly more nervous than me, I hardly ever won, but you continued to offer your support, encouraging the effort more than the outcome.

Back to parkrun, you have inspired 2 more generations.  My son, Bryce, now willingly volunteers and runs when he can.  You’ve passed down your values and are still out there showing us all how it’s done. Here’s to many more years of living life to the fullest.

And my talk finishes with me saying I don’t know where the finish line is.

Alan: There is no finish line.

 

To be continued…

 

70th birthday party: Speech (part 1)

Now I thank everybody for coming here.  I really appreciate it. I spoke to one of my sisters today and she said keep it short. So here goes.

I’m going back to 1956. 70 years ago. In Melbourne, 1956 was a big year. Three big things happened.  In August TV came. In October we had the Olympic games.

On the 24.9.56 in a hospital in East Melbourne near the Fitzroy Gardens and Captain Cooks Cottage mum decided to do what mum’s do. Then when mum was feeding me melon juice, I heard a rumbling noise.

I said to Mum: What is that noise?

She said they are building a stadium over there.

And I said: What is that for?

She said the Olympic Games.

I said can I go?

Anyway, my dad went to the Olympic Games and he raved about Kutz who won the 5 and 10 kays. He was a Russian runner who went to the front and pulled the field apart. My research tells me he came from the Ukraine.

Dad said, we went to the athletics and we sent the ladies to the closing ceremony and the basketball. And mum took me with her and I enjoyed the Olympic games so much I went to sleep and filled my nappy.

As for the Basketball. Lyndsey Kline the famous basketball coach played in the AFL game. It was a demonstration sport.

The MCG was my dad’s and my happy place. We loved going there. I have so many happy memories of the MCG. My biggest memories are the 1970 grand final and the bowling of Lillee and Thompson. They were fast.  

I then went to Melb Uni which changed my life.

And then after that South Africa which definitely changed my life.

I worked in Soweto for a year. In Soweto I saw a lot of people more intelligent, harder working, more caring than me who lived in a one room shack with ten other people. I was incredibly lucky.

Anyway, I worked in Soweto for a year, pulling out a lot of teeth, and I thought I am going to have to do some proper dentistry and I got a job In Natal.

My first nurse said to me: You should meet my sister. She is really good looking.  I saw things differently from Debbie.

What I was subconsciously looking for was someone who knew how to look after my kids. I saw someone who was good with the young kids and I saw someone who was kind to her maid. That impressed me.

Years later, one day, I looked down into the crib. I thought I want you have a happy, healthy successful life. I looked at my daughter and I said to her. I know a place where you can have a better life and you won’t have to worry about some of the troubles here. I am lucky. I can go there. You can go there.

So, we came to Australia. I felt like an immigrant. I remember going to the supermarket walking the aisles. Stunned at the food here. I couldn’t believe it. Wow amazing.   

I eventually started my practice here in Collins Street Hobart.

One of my siters told me my grandmother was born in Collins Street. I did some research and found out Florence Solomon was born above her father’s shop. He was a tailor. After a few years he moved to Cygnet. He had a tailor’s shop. My grandmother did all her schooling in Cygnet. The tailor’s shop is now a cafe.

My other grandmother, Dolly, moved to Queenstown when she was about three. Her father chopped down trees. One day she sat on his axe. Which was a mistake. They had sharp axes. She had a great big scare on her bottom.

In the year 2000 my dad’s favourite sport watching moment occurred at the Sydney Paralympics. He was sitting in the stand watching Melissa swim the 100m freestyle. The whole crowd was roaring Carlton, Carlton, Carlton and he couldn’t believe it. My mother rang me up and said your dad was happy.

I played at the New Town Tennis courts with David Brown and they were good times. But unfortunately, in 2015, one Wednesday night, I played tennis, went home and went to bed. I woke up two weeks later in the Royal Hobart Hospital. I thought bloody hell I’ve got to get back to work. I bet the patients are building up and here I am lying watching the TV. Doing nothing.

Jo came in, one day, and I said to her I’ve got to go back to work and she said you are retired. And I can’t remember what I said.

 

To be continued…