I joined Redlands U3A Writing for Pleasure group in 2017. Writing can be an isolated craft and requires discipline to write every day but, by joining other writers and meeting monthly deadlines, it is an excellent way to expand into different areas.
If it hadn’t been for the Redlands City News needing articles for their seniors’ page, I would have missed the chance of giving others the pleasure of reading about Chris Wharmby’s happy and positive outlook on life. This is his story.
For 40 years I worked my craft as a cabinet maker. Beginning at 14 while living in England, I entered an apprenticeship and spent the next 21 years working at my craft.
Then, in 1952, with England experiencing hardships of rationing and shortage of housing, the opportunity to immigrate to Australia as a Ten-Pound-Pom was appealing.
So, at the tender age of 21, and packing up my tools of trade, I booked my passage on the SS Stath Eden to Melbourne before travelling to Hobart, Tasmania.
In Hobart, I was employed in a Joinery Workshop and remained there for the next 30 years. During this time, I married my English wife and brought up a family.
Eventually, wanting a warmer climate, my wife and I left Tasmania and moved to Pottsville, NSW then to Noosa before finally settling in our independent, forever-home in Redlands.
Now, in my nineties, my days are full. Every morning, I rise at 5am and, regardless of the rain, meet up with Tom, his dog Lenny and Jeff and we walk through Apex Park where we are met with hungry ducks, bush turkeys and waterfowl waiting for their breakfast grain.
We also meet the regular walkers, with and without their dogs, discuss every conceivable subject and ‘put the world to rights’. It is an interesting morning.
Being classified as sight impaired, I do not drive but live independently.
My days are full tending my vegetable garden, cooking and taking care of myself, catching the excellent bus service to Cleveland for shopping and keeping contact with my family.
I do have a motorised shopping scooter which takes me to areas too far away for me to walk and keeps me independent.
My attitude to life is positive. I have family, good friends, Lenny who gives me pleasure when he visits with Tom and being independent. Redlands is a great place to live.
