My "home office", 1981 version

Thirty years ago - May 1981 - and my interests and hobbies were somewhat different to those that occupy my spare time these days.

I was into designing and constructing rubber-powered model aircraft to what was termed "Peanut Scale" (still around today).

I also had recently gained my Amateur Radio Operator's license (Novice level), with the callsign VK2-VNV, having graduated further into the hobby from the CB stage, which had only been legal in Australia for about 5 years.

Back then (1981) we had been living in the Blue Mountains, some 60 kilometres west of Sydney, for just over 4 years, having moved into our new home at Winmalee in 1976.

Our daughter (Lauren) was 6-months old and I was using the third bedroom as an office/spare-room. This was in the days before personal computers, mobile phones, CDs, DVDs and the internet, so other than what you see here and our Onkyo stereo hi-fi and a colour TV, the only other techno item I owned was a portable Canon typewriter.

I recently came across this B&W photo when I discovered a roll of 35mm negative film when cleaning out some drawers in my present "home office" and, with the ability of being able to scan film and slides on my Epson V330 scanner, I popped the strip in and came up with the result seen above.

I can't even remember taking this photo (and others on the strip.....of my daughter and the model aircraft seen in this photo).

The camera was either a Nikon EM, which I still have, or a Praktica, which was replaced by the Nikon. But it was so long ago that I cannot recall which camera I was using in 1981.

The subject matter is interesting:

On the wall is a global map which gives the compass directions from my location so that I can aim the big rotating beam antenna (on a mast outside the window behind the curtain on the left) in order to achieve the strongest signal strength when transmitting and receiving. The rotation is controlled by the unit on the left in that centre cubby-hole.

To the right of that is a cassette tape unit with which I recorded received and transmitted calls, just for checking and logging.

On top of the shelf sits the Kenwood TS-120V modular outfit, comprising transceiver (left module), a matching speaker unit and, on the right, the antenna tuner sitting on top of my old USB/LSB/AM CB radio.

Atop the transceiver is the microphone next to the Kenwood world-time clock (which is right here with me on my current desk) and, next to that can be seen part of the Williams Bros plastic 1/72nd. model of a Gee-Bee racer from the 1930's.

Sitting on the desk is the Peanut Scale (13" maximum wingspan) flying model of the Fokker DVIII which I had just completed, painting by hand the individual lozenges for the camouflage-pattern that you can see on the fuselage and wheels.

I drew the construction plans up myself from three-views in  an "Aircraft Illustrated" magazine, seen on the desk next to the model and accompanied by my cutting pad, steel ruler and assorted utensils.

The ashtray is no longer around as I gave up smoking 12 years ago and they all went into the garbage.

This old image brings back some lovely memories.

The radio gear has long gone; I sold that in 1985, after we moved here to Canberra in '84.

The models have gone too but the magazine I still have and also the Kenwood clock, still in perfect working order.


Here are two pix from that same film strip.
The first is a close-up of that model Fokker DVIII.

I crafted everything that you see, with the exception of the wheels and propeller, which were from Peck Polymers, in California.
The pilot's head I carved from balsa wood.

This second one is of my daughter having a bath.

She was a pretty sweet kid.....most of the time!

Spring has sprung......well and truly here in Canberra.

(Click on any of the photos for a much larger image).

In what must be the best start to Spring that we have had for many years - maybe a decade or more - Canberra has literally flowered as the deciduous trees burst into blossom and the flower beds go berserk.

In our garden we have several Camellias - three red and two pink.

This one - outside our back door - has exploded into flower, with so many buds that the branches are leaning over so far that negotiating the back steps is an OH&S hazard!

The photo above shows the shrub laden with blossom and this is three weeks after it started to bud. There seems to be no end to the production of flowers and the poor old thing (about 26 years-old now) can't support all the flowers and is dropping them not long after the buds open into full flower-hood.

We have a continual pink snowfall and I am having to sweep the porch and path every morning before going to work and every evening after returning home!

Not that I am complaining, mind you.
With Canberra's water-supply dams at a ten-year high (79.9% today; this time last year they were at 45%), spring rains, green grass and flowering trees and shrubs, it is very, very welcome.

In our front yard we have a beautiful English Elm that has been a feature for about 20 years.

This afternoon I took this photo (above) because this is the most magnificent display of seed-pods I have ever seen on it.

I expect the summer foliage to be quite dense this year. The birds love it and it provides excellent shade across the front garden.

The next photo was taken two weeks ago when our Prunus Elvin - or "fairy-floss trees" (as the kids referred to them) - were smothered in blossoms.

Even the local school-children and their parents were stopping to look at them as they went past.

Yep, it's a wonderful thing to have our yards, parks and gardens looking so nice after many years of drought conditions.

It will be very interesting to see whether the same sentiment can be expressed at the end of summer!