Stella and Tony Go Home

Tony was absolutely adamant that he did not want to leave Mount Martha, wasn't going to leave Mount Martha and intended to stay there for ever.

And he didn't leave Mount Martha, or not until Stella moved to Mount Clear and brought his ashes (interred in a teddy bear) with her.

Stella didn't really want to leave Mount Martha, although she did enjoy life in Mount Clear and in Ballarat. She said that Ballarat was a beautiful city, even if it was unnecessarily cold. She enjoyed the lake, the cafes and restaurants, the local countryside, the fun and merriment. But she still had a hankering for Mount Martha.

When Stella was cremated, we included Tony and The Bear (I still think that would be an excellent name for a rock band) with her and since then they have been on one of my dining room dressers, next to Jim.

Yesterday, we took them home. Everyone who was in Victoria met at The Dava, which Tony absolutely loved, for a Family Farewell lunch. We ambled along the cliffs, which Tony regularly walked along before he couldn't reliably walk on them any more. We didn't go down onto the beach. Stella lived in Mount Martha for decades, loved looking at the sea, went to the beach often and never once set foot on it! We poured a libation of red wine for Tony and a gin and tonic for Stella. And we left them there, in the (unexpected) sunshine which came out to greet them.

Their five children were all there

plus all the grandchildren and great grandchildren who were in the state, including the youngest, who is only 3 weeks old. (I was a bit disconcerted to realise that I am now the oldest!)

I wore the clothes I had bought for Stella's 90th birthday party. One grandchild wore a ring Stella had given her. People wore Stella's or Tony's socks. Freyja brought Stella's nursing badge, which Stella had given her when she (Freyja) skated in the tribute to the NHS in the London Olympic Opening Ceremony.

It was a great tribute to them both

We didn't just leave them there. Wendy is heading to the UK in May and she will return them to their birth country. And Lindsey and Ian will take them to Hill House, as a mark of the happy times they had in Ballarat

Next time we gather will be to mark the 60th anniversary of our arrival in Australia