IT's A SMALL WORLD
Yes viewers, It's a small world alright and earlier this week I visited an old lady in a local nursing home, something i have been doing for the last couple of years. While I was there this chap came up to me and g'day mate and he turned out to be an ex Pussers Killick Stoker by the name of David Cooper. He was a Rhodes Division from 1970 - no 33. Anyway while the Mrs nagged to the lady we went to visit,I chewed the fat with Coops. He is 55 and has found his way into the nursing home as he had a Stroke some 3 years or so ago and is now paralyzed down the right side. If that wasn't enough he has Diabetes and he lost his right lower leg to it so he is in a wheel chair these days. He bought out his photo albums and showed me the ones from his days in Pussers, he done 9 years then got out and went to Alice Springs and then was up in Darwin for a while. He loves his music and has a good selection in his room. With all the setbacks he has had in life he remains very upbeat and takes his lot in life with a "Ill be right mate attitude" and I'll tell you not once while i was talking to him did he whine on about the shit hand that he has been dealt, in fact, he seems pretty well adjusted to his lot. Well heres the kicker I mentioned we have a Cooks site and I said there's an ex cook called Darryl Thomas from Darwin that writes on the site. He said yea he's my Brother in Law, did I forget to tell you David is an aboriginal. Turned out Darryl married Davids sister . . Like many of those residents in those nursing homes he does'nt get a lot of visitors, but that will change now as I will be a regular visitor. He has been in this home for 2 years and its only been in the last month that he was moved into the same unit as our friend. Had I known he was in there earlier I would have got to know him earlier than this, but better late than never. If there happens to be any reading this that want to contact David by email then I will act as his proxy, his nursing is only 5minute walk from where I live here in Adelaide. I would only be too pleased to pass on any correspondence, I can be contacted on, quinn52_2@hotmail.com. II know that he will be glad to hear from anyone that may remember him from his days in Pussers. Thanks all Regards Quinny

Will do Cliff, Stokers were amongst some of my best stepping oppos while I was at sea. Us cooks had a good working relationship with the Stokers, especially when I was on the Vendetta. They were always on the bludge, it was their nature to steal anything they could get there hands on. Yes I have many dits about Stokers and one day I'll relate a few of them, all good though. Yeah a lot of those Stokers would have made good Cooks and if there was a Cuff Rate for Cooks then the Stokers would be wearing the majority of them I'd reckon. Keep well all .

Quinny re Coops in the nursing home,unfortunately,when we get there no one wants to know us, my Mrs works in aged care and trust me the stories are not good re older folks just being placed in nursing homes then forgotten, now re stokers being cuff rates as cooks, Quinny not sure if you did time on the flat top,but, the stokers mess was right next to the Galley and as good as they were to get on the piss with, as many of them were, trust me they were better off as stokers

Probably right Bob, cuts both ways, I know of a lot of Cooks that would have made good stokers or any other branch than a Cook. Yes those nursing homes can be depressing and it's really shocking how a lot of people treat their oldies. I done my time here in Adelaide being the Head Chef in a big nursing home. It lasted all of 3 weeks, then I moved on and I vowed that when my Mum got to that stage she would never end up in one of them. So when her Alzheimer's got to a stage that I could'nt leave her at home alone I gave up work and became her full time carer. People some be so uncaring when it comes to their loved ones, bung them in a nursing home, well I can understand that as some absolutely need that level of care, but not to visit them on a regular basis, well that's what I really get the shits about. And as busy as my life is these days, I still find the time to drop into the nursing home, in fact, I visit 2 just to say hi and touch base with them.I have just made friend s with an Ex Pusser who resides in the RSL villas here. He is an Ex Stoker having served in HMAS COLAC during the war years, he is 90 now and is good for a nag, and same story here - if it were'nt for me and the Mrs he'd have no visitors, so if any readers are at a loose end one day, just pop into your local nursing home. Check with the Sister at the desk and ask if there's anyone that would like a visitor. I love playing cards as did a lot of us Cooks so a game of Crib or Euchre is always appreciated. I alwas feel better after I leave these places, it's as if you have made a difference and trust me you have. Keep well all, I've got off track a tad sorry for that.

finding old cookies
Don't you gentlemen forget me when you find an old cookie... let me know his contact details for the Cooks List... Only thing that annoyed me about stokers grovelling for bacon and eggs in the middle of the night to take down the hole is that they never had anything to trade in return except empty promises of buying a beer next run ashore.. but yes some stokers really did pay you back with beer which I thought was magic because it was pussers bacon and eggs not mine and I got pissed for being a good bloke....ah the the good old days... Tomo

Excellent post re; Nursing Homes chaps, but a bit one sided I'm afraid. It's a rotten cruel way to resort to having your loved ones put in a nursing home, however IF it's a good one well then this is sometimes the only option if you want to retain your own sanity, and get on with life without 24 hour caring of your loved ones. I can think of many examples where young folks were driven to feeling guilty admitting their loved ones into a nursing home, but realistically they had no other choice. Some people just can't offer sufficient care for thier own mother, father whatever, they can't lift them, they can't administer proper health, medicine or time toward their care. I recently saw one young lady crushed mentaly and physically trying to offer domicillary care for her mother, she cracked and it was no suprise after what she had copped. Two sides to every coin I'm afraid, and I won't hold it against my kids if I end up in the 'joint', mind ya, I'll do everything humanly possible to avoid going in there.

Na ya missed the point Paul, I alluded in my post that in many cases the nursing home is the only option because of the reasons you mentioned. I have no problem with this and in these cases nursing home care is the only door left open to many and I'm not uncaring of this. The point I make is that they are left there, in many cases, with the rellys only visiting perhaps at xmas and maybe on birthdays. This is what I can't fathom out .

Yes Cliff have already done him the life story of the Colac and him, and his mates down the home were most impressed about 50 odd pages I ran off the Colac was hit during the war too, and one Stoker was killed and a couple were injured and the ship nearly sunk they were lucky. Knocker was on board when this happened and he has a vivid memory of this and was eager to tell me the dit. He now has a full history of the ship and some phots he did'nt even knew existed. God i love this internet now I'm doing some research for another chap down there today, he's an ex army but I don't care I love helping out where I can.

My Nanna worked in one until she was about 70 or so and she does'nt want to live in one and she prefers the independence of living in her own home. My Mum is over in England at the moment visiting her and this is one of the perks of not living in a home. My Nanna is 85 and nothing holds her down not even the little stroke she had last year.