The box was created circa 1950 by my father, for Mum.  At the time they lived in a tiny 2 roomed shack not far from the Goodradigbee river at Wee Jasper.  Also on the farm lived my sister Faye, Dad’s parents (Les and Rita), his younger sister Flo, her husband Phil and their daughter Jean.  I’m not sure if my brother was born or not.

The shack had almost no storage space.  Mum needed somewhere during summer to store her blankets and extra linen.

I’m told by Faye that Dad created the box from tea chests he had during his time in the army.  The box is 70cm long, 60cm high and wide.  The inside is lined with old fashioned tar paper, the kind that has a brown paper on each side of tar.  I’ve no idea how it was made.  Perhaps the tar was brushed onto heavy brown paper, with a second piece of paper stuck on top.  It has survived very well, retaining the familiar tar like smell.  A spare piece of this paper sits on the floor of the box.  The box is very solid, making a great seat.

The boards are held together with nails, with smaller pieces of timber on all upright edges.  On the front is a small handle, which looks more like a door knocker, and is totally useless apart from aesthetics.  Prior to cleaning, this was almost black.  Now it shines like brass, the central semi-circle section being almost pink.

All my life, this box was painted a glossy cream colour.  Geoff helped me sand the worst of the flaking paint away.  He reinforced the bottom of the box, and repaired any timber coming loose.  I have since re-painted the box a milk chocolate brown colour in semi-gloss, called “Nomad”, over any remaining cracked paint; which gives the box an old appearance.  This paint was chosen for obvious reasons – the box, like it’s owners has been nomadic.

After we moved to a farm near Nangus NSW, I remember Mum always storing her sewing fabrics in the box.  I remember this from the few times I was allowed into Mum and Dad’s room to help with something.

The box had many homes (over 20), travelling everywhere with my parents, living in different rooms in different houses.  It’s last home while Mum still owned it, was in Canberra.  I have moved it three more times since.  It has housed rocks from all over Australia, spare light globes and many bottles of essential oils in little boxes for me.

Today it sits snugly in the corner of our new back room, fully restored, on bricks so no water can touch the bottom; and for now it is empty.

A big thank you to Dad for creating the box.  It has made many memories for our family, with more adventures to come.


Maxine Gardiner
August 2020

Right here, right now, our world is in the grips of a pandemic known as Covid-19.  There is so much going on around our own state to keep us confused.  Rules and regulations change daily, how does one remember it all?  I am saddened to hear of so many deaths of the frail and vulnerable in nursing homes.  Others who live alone must feel so isolated from the world right now.  I can’t see any of my family as they all live across the border, yet we keep in touch the best we can.  I am patiently waiting for the day I get to see my children and grandchildren.

Coping in isolation has been relatively easy for Geoff and I.  We have both had many and varied tasks to complete, we also created extra’s.  Geoff spent many hours during the first lockdown cutting firewood for family and friends.  This he would mostly do alone, sawing the wood for others to collect in their own space and time.   He has since closed in two sides of our back veranda, creating an open ended laundry, so much nicer on cold wet days for the washer woman.  He has also completed the capping bricks around the house.  This was about 22 years after the house was built, it looks so much better now.  Geoff also made a lockable carry box to fit the caravan which holds a generator.  He is temporarily back at work near Mitre 10.

He and I have been helping a friend by feeding hay to 4 or 5 paddocks of cattle twice a week.  This gets us out of the yard for a couple of hours at a time.  Some weeks this is my only outing.

I have been completing many UFO’s (Unfinished Objects!).  Strip pieced placemats/coasters started in 2006; cushion tops x 5 almost done; a crocheted jug cover(too far back to remember); knitting beanies/ scarves for grandies and charity; making masks / pot holders; shopping bags;  lots of gardening.

The best part of lockdown has been Geoff and I spending much more quality time together, completing many chores in each other’s company. He reinforced Dad and Mum’s wooden box before I painted it.  He made a new step stool for the caravan, I painted it.  Geoff dug areas of the vegetable garden which I filled with seeds or plants.  We pruned every plant needing attention.  We have also enjoyed many hours in the evenings, watching his personal videos of music festivals, fishing trips, tractor treks, horse riding trips or general holidays.

I hope this pandemic ends soon so I can be re-united with my family and friends in NSW, re-join U3A groups, go to the library or out for dinner/coffee etc, get back in the pool, and no longer have to wear masks.

Maxine Gardiner
August 2020