Guest Blog by Libby Hanson
An object of significance to me ? …. I thought about this for some time.
Is it the terracotta garden pedestal and bowl I love that came from my Mum’s garden?
Is it the old lounge suite from my Grandma? … Yes it’s that old!! And comfy, so comfy.
Is it all the pieces of ruby glass that I have?
No, none of those ….
It’s the dresser, side board, hutch, or whatever you call it, that takes pride of place in my home.
It came to us in the early 1970s from my late husband Tony’s family. Made of the most beautiful oak, very early Australian, elegant but chunky. A very heavy piece.
But covered in white enamel paint!!
It took him hours and hours to strip it back to its former glory. Not to mention the hours of sand-papering that followed. So yes, very significant.
It has had a few moves with us. From Norwood, to Marryatville, Kensington Gardens, Wattle Park, and now back in Norwood.
A part of me.
Libby went nursing when she left school. The old style training in hospital. She worked in operating theatres and learnt a lot from some amazing surgeons (including how to swear!). She then got into catering and cooked for gourmet shops around town (her Mum was a fantastic cook and she’d learnt a lot from her). She had the opportunity to buy a business in the Adelaide Central Market called ‘Gourmet to Go’. Fantastic place to work. Lovely customers. Lovely suppliers. After 10 years, back into a busy GP clinic. (GPs work so hard and are there for everyone – admirable people.) Then came retirement and she loves it. Playing bridge as much as she can. Playing Pétanque every Sunday in the parklands and then enjoying lunch with the crew on the balcony of the Exeter Hotel in Rundle Street. And having a ‘sleep over’ once a week with her grandkids (24 hours with those two is always fun!).