Saturday 7 December 2019

Circular No 944







Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 7 December 2019 No. 944
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Dear Friends,
Interesting conversation between Gillian O´Connor and Don Mitchell below.
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idmitch@anguillanet.com
28 Nov 2019, 08:55
Hi, Gillian,
How exhausting and depressing it must be for you at this time! 
Thank you for trying so hard to entertain Leary and to keep him engaged:-)
But, tell me, what device do you read the Blog on?
Do you see one column, or two, on your screen?
Best,
Don
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From: Leary & Gillian O'Connor gilleary@raafawa.net.au
Sent: Thursday, 28 November 2019 03:17
Thanks for all the help and have not succeeded in seeing all the articles. 
Took the one of Leary and the group to show him this morning and to remind him what a handsome young man he was. 
He smiles a lot but does not say much but I think he finally realised it was a photo of him, especially when I showed him his mate Malcolm Boyack who also lived in the South and kindly gave him lifts to and from Mount from San Fernando. 
Leary always you to tell me how the three of them drove all that way with hardly a word uttered from beginning to end. 
I think he may have remembered that as he had a laugh at it.
I enjoyed your photo but there is no doubt as to who was taking who for the walk!  Between waking up at 3am and your daily walks you must be very fit.
Thanks again and keep up the good work. 
Have a happy Christmas with your family.
Gillian
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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Sent: Wednesday, 27 November 2019 5:34 PM
Hi, Gillian,
It is no trouble at all replying to your emails. 
It is now 5:25 am, and I have been up and reading on-line newspapers since 3:00 am.
If you were able to read No 936, then you were able to read No 937. 
No 937 is at the top of your page on your computer. 
You had to scroll down to reach the earlier one, No 936. 
No 936 is the one with the story about the letter. 
No 937 is the one with the photo of the football team.
I am now off to join my “walking ladies” on our scheduled Wednesday walk in Cedar Village. 
We call it the “Cliffie Walk” since it was started several years ago to exercise one of the dogs, Clifford (photo attached for your amusement). 
Actually, he takes us for the walk, as is obvious.
Best,
Don
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From: Leary & Gillian O'Connor <gilleary@raafawa.net.au>
Sent:Wednesday, 27 November 2019 05:10
For some reason I could only find the one with Leary in it (936)  
Will have to keep trying to find the other one. 
I did read something from Arthur a couple of months ago speaking about Leary writing about his children and saying it was lucky he seldom wrote! 
As Leary left the writing to me I guess I was the culprit who wrote about the kids.
Must have been a long time ago because the youngest who was at school was born in 1966 just before we came to Australia! 
How time flies! 
We have always enjoyed reading both Arthur’s and Ladislao’s articles so hope they keep coming.
Thanks for taking the trouble to get back to me. 
I really appreciate it and I can see bits of quite a few of our 15 grandchildren in Leary’s photo.
Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and the best of 2020.
Gillian
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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Sent: Wednesday, 27 November 2019 4:40 PM
Hello, Gillian,
I only hope that you were able to read both of the Circulars. 
Depending on your browser settings, sometimes you can only see one of them at a time on your home page. 
Then, you have to go to “Blog Archive” in the right hand column, and click on the missing one.
I see that Leary is featured in the photograph of the 1953 football team in Circular No 936. 
That was just two years before I entered Mount in Prep B aged 9. 
So, I suppose my question is were you able to read No 936?  
There is in it a photograph of Arthur Knaggs, and he mentions Leary in one of the items in his Bulletin No 8 for November 1983 which Ladislao features.
Best,
Don
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From: Leary & Gillian O'Connor <gilleary@raafawa.net.au>
Sent: Wednesday, 27 November 2019 03:46
Wow.  That was quick service! 
When I tried to open the circulars, I could not do it but when I saw what you sent me I realised I had already opened it but I thought the numbers were different. 
I am hopeless on the computer and obviously not getting any better with old age!
Anyway, I now have to photo to show Leary which is what I was after.
We always got Arthur’s circulars and I think I actually have them put away somewhere but we are pleased that Ladislao is re-sending them as they bring back many happy memories.
Leary was the same vintage as Arthur as well as being a good friend and we were lucky enough to spend a wonderful week with them when we were visiting that part of the world. 
There is only one Arthur and Leary used to tell me stories about him from their school days and then of course we were quite friendly when they had both left school.
Thanks again.
Gillian
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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Sent: Wednesday, 27 November 2019 3:16 PM
Hello, Gillian,
So good to have news of you and Leary, and to learn that he is happy if becoming more and more distant with age. 
Having seen and experienced my mother’s advance into her final years, I know you made a wise decision to let him be taken care of by the professionals.
I’m copying this to Ladislao, so he gets some news about how his Circulars continue to affect so many of us.
To find the last Circulars and to open them, you need only place your cursor on the name of the blog and click on it. It will automatically open. 
Best,
Don
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From: Leary & Gillian O'Connor  
Sent: Tuesday, 26 November 2019 21:53
Hi Don.
Thanks for your notification on Ladislao’s Circulars 936 and 937. 
For some reason I could not actually find them to open them so wonder if there is something I am not doing correctly. 
I don’t usually have a problem with them but know I am getting old and stupid so may need a clue!! 
Leary’s dementia has got worse and he has now gone into care. 
Nearly broke my heart as felt I could cope but the family and doctors had a different thought. 
Have to admit that Leary seems to be so happy there that I think it must be the years of boarding school and also working at Barrow Island where he had a regular schedule so maybe he thinks he’s just on another shift! 
It has been painful for me but makes it easier seeing that he is quite happy and there are so many activities there for them there is no time to be bored. 
The staff are lovely and as Leary loves to clean they have even given him a dust tray and broom so he is happy. 
I always read him the Circulars and he did not remember many people but one of the last ones had a photo of himself and others in his group so he loves those! 
Arthur’s old bits are also enjoyed by both of us. 
Thanks for keeping us in touch and please send me the two circulars I am missing or tell me how to retrieve them.
Regards,
Gillian O’Connor
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From: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Sent: Monday, 25 November 2019 2:47 AM
Dear Old Mount Boy,
Ladislao’s Circulars Nos 936 and 937 are now published.
Comments are open on this year’s Circulars, and you can go to the bottom of each one, click on the word “comments”, and leave your observations.  Or, you can send your thoughts to me, and I will publish them for you.
Best,
Don
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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list , subscribe and help
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Photos:
15LK4425FBAFRWFE, Andres Freytez and wife
17LK4862AAULKE, Adolfo Aumaitre and Ladislao Kertesz
86LK4871FBCDGWFE, Christopher de Gannes and wife
15LK0001RGA, Randal Galt and friend, President Carmona







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