We’d really like to thank Alphington CWA for donating a stack of masks to Gurwidj Neighbourhood House in Thornbury.

Julie, who runs the North East Neighbourhood House Network (which provides fantastic professional support to all the neighbourhood houses in the corridor from Fitzroy through to Diamond Creek) was speaking with Cindy from Gurwidj, and offered to round up some free masks for her to give out to those in her community who were in need.

Alphington CWA (and Jan in particular), stepped up to help out.

Julie is now also looking to provide free masks for health workers at the Northern Hospital … there is a need for personal masks for staff to wear as they head home. Carlton Learning Centre (another neighbourhood house friend just down the road) is also keen for some masks to distribute into the Carlton flats.

So if anyone loves sewing or is feeling a bit flat and would like to do something for others … here’s a worthy cause! Just let me know. We have a simple pattern that we can share, or you can make your own favourite style, as long as the masks are effective (ie. have 3 layers).

Thanks once again Alphington CWA. What a great group of humans you are! And … aren’t we so lucky to live in such a sharing and caring neighbourhoodly community!

Note: if you still need to BUY a mask, we have them for sale on our website. Only $10. For some reason the shopping cart isn’t working on phones at the minute - I will investigate! but in the mean time - just log in on a computer if you want to make a purchase here. We’ll deliver them to your door!

This week our letter comes from a tennis playing grandma. Find out what she has been doing and how she’s been coping in her letter to you, her fellow lockdowners. 30 copies of the letter are out to collect - if your daily walk takes you past the Alphington milk bar you should grab one from the window to take home and read.

Want to read the rest … pop past the Wingrove Street milk bar opposite Alphington Station.

I am always looking for recommendations of what to watch; just like when friends share a good book they have enjoyed reading.

At our house, like most likely everyone in Victoria, our time at home has dramatically increased … along with our TV viewing. So I am going to share with you what I have been watching - hoping that you might enjoy it too.

The Letdown - Netflix

If you are new to parenting, or even just remember those days, then you will enjoy a great laugh at the main character Audrey’s struggle to adjust. It is filled with humour for all those moments you don’t know to expect. Alison Bell has written from her experience and is so genuinely funny. She is also the main character and is perfect.

Reprisal - SBS on Demand

A violent but oh so stylish story of revenge. This one had me hooked!

Little Fires Everywhere - Prime

A screen adaptation of the novel by Celeste Ng into a mini series starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. Like many people I read this book and found it engaging. The cast do the characters justice as the story addresses class and racial divides in America. Also what defines a family.

Parasite - Stan

This Oscar Award winning film is such a great one to watch. We talked about it together for days afterwards. The disparity of wealth, how characters reacted and why, the humour and the great direction by the film maker.

War Of The Worlds - SBS on Demand

An Anglo-French reworking of the classic H.G. Wells story. It is a great TV series. It follows several groups of survivors after the alien attack. Like the “Walking Dead” series it is filled with suspense.

I Am Not Your Negro - SBS on Demand and Stan

Raoul Peck’s amazing documentary exploring the thoughts of James Baldwin as he shares his unfinished novel about the murders of three important figures in the Black rights movement - Malcom X, Martin Luther King and Medgar Evers. It is a powerful film that is beautifully narrated. Relevant viewing for everyone. I was moved by the eloquence of James Baldwin. He was a playright, novelist, poet and activist. I will read his work and learn more about his fight to educate us after seeing this film.

Happy viewing!

As we all hunker down even further, perhaps now IS the time to do something just for yourself. Like a workshop or course in something.

If you’d just like to take this idea for a spin (rather than committing to anything full-on) you might like to explore Laneway Learning. Here’s their regular pitch:

Laneway Learning runs cheap, fun classes in anything and everything. It happens on weekday evenings in cafes, bars and other spaces around Melbourne. Classes usually have about 20 people to keep it friendly.

Having adapted to corona-times, they currently have a wide range of things on offer that run on zoom and really are affordable - some started at $9, most I looked at were $14.

Here’s a list of some of the courses coming up:

• Creative paper flowers

• Exploring watercolour pencils

• Slow stitching - enjoying the making

• The pleasure of writing

• Make your own reusable mask

• Self compassion in troubled times.

Sounds good right? Cheer yourself up and check them out!

I saw a post this week published on the Fairfield 3078 Facebook Group. I thought everyone would enjoy this snippet of it … (thanks Agnese for putting this info together).

Did you know that in 1919 the school holidays were extended due to the first wave of the Spanish flu? And Fairfield Primary School became a temporary hospital? The first patient was admitted on 16 February under the care of Dr Heffernan, a matron, an ambulance driver, two nurses, two wardsmen and a cook. The services of the hospital were free, but patients were asked to provide certain items of clothing and sheeting should the need arise. The telephone, gas and electricity were laid on to the school, and beds, bedding and medical equipment purchased.

The service lasted less than a month and in early March the school building was disinfected and fumigated in readiness for the children who returned to the school on 8 March.

And the bit I liked the most … the advice of the Minister for Health in 1919,

Travel as little as possible, avoid crowds, live as much as possible in the open air and lead quiet and cheerful lives.

GREAT advice right … especially the last bit. Lead quiet and cheerful lives …

From the State Library archives.