[Remarks made at August 15 birthday celebration in Brunswick. Photo: Dave speaking; Jim McIlroy on monitor zooming in from Sydney.]
I’d like to thank everyone for coming. It’s very much appreciated. I especially appreciate the comrades who have come from interstate and regional Victoria to be here tonight.
Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the recent passing of Comrade Bob Hart, just a short while after his 80th birthday. He will be missed.
As a newly-minted octagenarian, I’m very appreciative of the other octagenarians who are with us tonight (there are a few) — as well as the septagenarians who we can regard as honorary octagenarians or octagenarians in waiting!
Growing old is above all a big surprise! You’re just going along, getting older year by year and then, suddenly, you have definitely arrived somewhere else entirely! The mechanism creaks and groans a lot more than it used to. Anyway, I try to keep fit and focus on the tasks at hand.
As a newly-minted octagenarian, I’m very appreciative of the other octagenarians who are with us tonight (there are a few) — as well as the septagenarians who we can regard as honorary octagenarians or octagenarians in waiting!
Growing old is above all a big surprise! You’re just going along, getting older year by year and then, suddenly, you have definitely arrived somewhere else entirely! The mechanism creaks and groans a lot more than it used to. Anyway, I try to keep fit and focus on the tasks at hand.