A death, going decimal, finding a partner

TRnl lost a loyal and devoted reader in November. A magnificent mother Helen Mary Samuel died at 83 in Melbourne Australia. She read each issue cover to cover and always had interesting comments. She once said her father David Drummond, a fiesty Scot who emigrated in the 1900s from the Highlands to the fens of Norfolk England to farm, and to fight with inspectors, taxmen and other busybodies, would have liked TRnl too: “You don’t pussyfoot around. You make yourself clear. Father would have approved. Never let anyone stop you saying what you believe to be true, he said. And it’s fun to read. You don’t know what’s going to pop up.”

Stricken by a devastating stroke a few days earlier, that the catscans showed had killed about 70% of her brain tissue, she hung on until both her sons had arrived from afar at her hospital bed. Then a few hours later her breathing grew erratic and she was gone. She had said when healthy that she would never go to be nursed “like a pathetic invalid.”

On a happier note she was made a great-grandmother just weeks before the stroke so a visit had been scheduled to see the first grandson. The generations move along! And there was a ton of visiting to do of new toll projects, a talk to give to a thinktank, and press interested in opinions on CityLink’s tolling troubles. And great new projects in Sydney.

And as a result of the trip a November newsletter wasn’t produced! Apologies.

This has been advertised as a monthly, but this year has also skipped an issue in July. Just 10 issues for the year. We’ve produced a super-jumbo to try compensate. But for the future we’ll formalize that, and plan on 10 issues per year with a combined issue each summer June/July and winter November/December. Need a couple of breathers from the monthly schedule!

TRnl could do with a partner. It can continue on the way it is, a lean one-person operation, but it might get a big boost from an additional body – especially to get us into the internet age, attend to some marketing, and to get around a bit more. Anyone interested, or with any ideas as to others to approach, please be in touch: tel 301 631 1148 or tollroads@aol.com Peter S.