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 “Highden”, Sat. 22nd March ’69. Dear Mum & Dad, Please thank Sue for her letter. And also thank Sunny for her painting. I have got it hanging up in my room. Actually, Fr. Bennett had opened the letter (as he sometimes does when he might think it is not suitable for novices) so I don’t know what he thought of the painting. I suppose you got some rain yesterday. We got some – the first for the month, but it was fine again today with a wind to dry everything up. Sometimes the wind blows continuously for days here. Possum trapping seems to be the craze here at the moment. I have one metal trap and one “spring-trap” but haven’t caught anything yet – tonight perhaps. I don’t know if you would have heard about “spring-traps” before – I hadn’t, but the Tongans knew about them. You get a young springy tree & cut the top off. You then bend it down & put it under a looped wire… cf. diagram!   The possum goes in the get the bait & presses the sticks down – it thus releases the bent tree which tightens the noose around the possum & goes flying into the air. I don’t know if you understand, but so far with them they have caught 3 possums & 6 hedgehogs! I don’t know where the silage knife would be. On the 17th & 19th we had free days because they were the feast of St. Patrick & St. Joseph. We spent most of the day picking blackberries. Br. Aloysius made 30 preserving jars of blackberry jam from them – however, it won’t last long. Singing classes are busy at the moment preparing all the Easter Ceremonies – they are all in Latin. The weekly Sunday Sung Masses have been alright so far, but could be a lot better I suppose. Well, I don’t think that there is anymore news this week. Keep smiling!! Love from Bruce How to get to “Highden” Awahuri – 10 miles out of Palmerston, “Highden” 2 miles out of Awahuri & 7 miles out of Feilding. But I think the best way to come is thru’ Sanson – anyway suit yourself – no doubt you know a quicker way to get to Awahuri than I do. Anyway…  Gate is clearly marked with “Highden”  Bruce P.S. Bring lunch!! |