It was a cool, drizzly day on 13 October for the funeral of Dennis Blanchfield at Quaama Cemetery. He must have been well-remembered and liked, judging from the crowd.
Dennisās brothers Jim, Danny and Brian all still live here in Quaama.
I didnāt know Dennis; he left Quaama well before my time. But I heard the expression āwild childā a few times in the days around his death in Canberra on 5 October.
At Earle Horneās funeral on Thursday 1 August we heard from his son-in-law Richard that Earle joined the army when World War II broke out, at just 16 years of age.
They say you can tell a manās heart by how he treats his dog. And if thatās true then Rob Burgessās heart was solid gold. The Cobargo community would have seen Rob walking his Great Dane, Jensen, up and down the street on a regular basis until just a couple of months ago when his advancing cancer put an end to that.
A common sight in Quaama, until recently, was a big old blue Falcon doing the morning run from Fieldbucketts Rd along Bermaguee St to the store, apparently with no driver. But then youād hear a friendly ābipā as it passed ā Joan spotting a friend. Joan Horne, the little lady with the big presence.
Picture, if you will, a forest clearing. Thereās the chatter of birds in the treetops. A dirt track, recently graded. Heavy equipment stands idle all around ā bulldozers, knuckleboom loaders, chainsaws. At one end, a ragtag group of people in beanies and coloured clothing, with backpacks and thermos flasks, sits chatting. At the other, workmen in fluoro vests and helmets stand with arms crossed.