Category Archives: Helvi Oosterman

Socks no more

Posted on December 23, 2012 by

By Helvi OOsterman When I was a kid, we used to get hand-knitted woollen socks for Christmas. Mum was very busy and sometimes she had only enough time to finish one sock, and we had to patiently wait for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Helvi Oosterman | Tagged , , , , | 28 Comments

No Grey Food for E M Forster

Posted on January 23, 2011 by

Helvi Oosterman Forster was returning to England from somewhere exotic, maybe India, on the boat train, sitting in the dining car, he’s waiting for the breakfast to be served. He wrote about this episode later in Food and Wine magazine; … Continue reading →

Posted in Helvi Oosterman | Tagged , , | 40 Comments

Milo moves out

Posted on January 17, 2011 by

Helvi Oosterman Milo moves out… Milo is a dog who knows what he wants. When he turned into a grown-up dog, when he stopped being a puppy, he decided that he was ready to sleep outside. It was more exciting … Continue reading →

Posted in Helvi Oosterman | Tagged , , | 27 Comments

Socks No More

Posted on December 9, 2010 by

Helvi Oosterman When I was a kid, we used to get hand-knitted woollen socks for Christmas. Mum was very busy and sometimes she had only enough time to finish one sock, and we had to patiently wait for a whole … Continue reading →

Posted in Helvi Oosterman | Tagged , , | 19 Comments

Polanski’s Ghost Writer

Posted on September 27, 2010 by

Helvi Oosterman We saw a movie today, over which some critics totally disagree. According to our own Movie Show hosts, Stratton and Pomeranz, it was worth four and half stars, out of five I assume. Yet there are some, mainly … Continue reading →

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Of Piglets and Archibald

Posted on August 27, 2010 by

Helvi Oosterman Popping into my old branch of the ANZ bank to notify our change of address, I noticed a curious little ad at the teller: The Archibald Prize exhibit at the Goulburn Art Gallery. Better late than never we … Continue reading →

Posted in Helvi Oosterman | 42 Comments

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Posted on August 23, 2010 by

Helvi Oosterman We took the two grandsons out for a shopping trip and lunch on Sunday. This was meant to take our minds off the election misery and poor Milo’s hospital stay. Being rightly stressed by these two happenings on … Continue reading →

Posted in Helvi Oosterman | 19 Comments

The Toy Story: To buy or not to buy

Posted on August 3, 2010 by

Helvi Oosterman August 3, 2010 by gerard oosterman Little boys love rummaging in those two-dollar shops that are mushrooming in the poorer parts of our cities and country towns. They are never happier than when you empty your purse or … Continue reading →

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Of Bob and Blanche and Botoxed Beauty

Posted on July 24, 2010 by

Helvi Oosterman Never fancied Bob Hawke, the man, I’m not talking about Bob the Prime Minister here. All those polyester pants and white shoes, and the hair, talk about staying stuck in the time warp… The imitation put-on, Aussie accent … Continue reading →

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Of Alex Miller & Christopher Hitchens

Posted on July 20, 2010 by

  Helvi Oosterman I’m missing my books, they are physically here, in milk crates and sturdy boxes, stacked high in the garage of my temporary dwelling, but I can’t get to them without disturbing the equilibrium of our possessions waiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Helvi Oosterman | Tagged , , , | 35 Comments