Hazel to Joan Foster on March 17, 1996
A letter sent to Joan (Hazel's sister), Ken (Joan's husband), Diane (Joan and Ken's daughter), and David (Diane's husband).
6 Vincent St
Balmain
NSW 2041
17 March 1996Dear Joan, Ken, Diane, & David
Many thanks for the birthday card (says Rob -- he loves that kind of thing) and photos. It's a shame your film ran out because the quality of your photos greatly outshines mine, as you can see. I think I was expecting the world from a disposable camera. I hope Anna can cure her white spot, bad aura or other psychic problem she's got.
I have started chemotherapy -- and I'm looking forward to finishing chemotherapy. Pat told me about the Matthew Manning program -- she was arranging for it to be videoed but she didn't bother in the end she said it was so bad -- the worst possible kind of peepshow. I'm glad I didn't see it.
I was taking different drops when I came back but alas, to no avail, so I've reclaimed my time and money and given up on the alternative route for a while.
The Australian election result was devastating for the government -- it was defeated so effectively that there are barely 45 members left. Ken should not be so sure that Australia's progress to a republic has been stalled -- the acceptance of a republic-to-be is now so widespread that the new government has not ruled it out.
And how about your government. I cannot believe how dishonest it is prepared to be to protect its commercial interests in the beef industry. Major, Hogg & all the other Ministers with a hand in this should be forced to live with a child dying of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease -- it's truly horrible. No wonder people are cynical about politicians.
Joshua and Zoë are well. It's hard to keep up with Zoë's extraordinarily active social life. In school this year she's studying hard to be the most popular girl in the class. Joshua is studying hard to boss. I'd like him to end up using this talent to end up directing some artistic wenture and hope like hell he doesn't end up being a policeman.
I hope Diane & David stay on their bikes? Did David get his promotion? Has Diane been taken over?
The weather is magnificent. I love autumn in Sydney/South Australia. The sun's out but it's not hot. It's cool/mild and still.
Better get those photos to you. Remember, don't touch the beef. How come we eat lamb (it's got scabies or some other related problem [scrapie -- Rob] & its offal started the whole mad cow problem). Vegetables are very nice.
All our love,
Hazel, Rob, Joshua & Zoë
XXXX
Hazel had returned from her last visit to England six weeks earlier, and had visited Matthew Manning with Pat while there.
Last Updated 6 February 20001/em>