OPEN LINE:
your thoughts
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I have been reading your wonderful magazine for decades, and at 62 can still remember first reading it at my grandmother’s house as a child, avidly devouring the celebrity photos and the recipes. I now have her old handwritten cookbook, full of recipes she had cut out of her prized Australian Women’s Weekly collection.
I particularly enjoy the high quality investigative journalism that you print regularly – most recently the informative article on the disappearance of Brenda Hean, written by Ingrid Pyne (March 2020). I found this article fascinating – that such a prominent, intelligent, highly committed woman could just be silenced like that.
Brenda’s dedication to saving Lake Pedder was outstanding and she was truly an original eco-warrior, fearless and deeply founded in her faith. Nothing was going to stop her mission and because of wonderful journalism such as this, nothing will.
Your writer has done an incredible job of keeping Brenda’s memory alive and also keeping her mission on track, even after all these years, creating a resurgence in the goal to once again restore Brenda’s precious Lake Pedder. Raewyn Bloxham
DOLLY’S THE GREATEST
What a lovely and inspiring article about
Dolly Parton – a beautiful person who does not come across as a celebrity and seems to take fame in her stride, living a generous and healthy lifestyle. Poor doesn’t necessarily mean doing without; a loving family makes for a good team. Dolly Parton is my all-time favourite country singer. Cheers Dolly, keep that music coming our way – you are the greatest personality. Look forward to seeing 9 to 5 The
Musical sometime. Lynn Adams
I’VE LOST THE ART!
Your story “The lost art of handwriting” (March 2020) is so true. I hadn’t heard from a dear friend of mine for months. It was a bit of a concern that she hadn’t answered emails, so I decided, rashly, to write a “proper” letter. Unfortunately, I couldn’t because I’d forgotten how after typing emails for years (abysmally, I admit but so easy to delete/backspace and start again). I got about three lines in (the first being “Dear …”) and that took about 20 minutes because I had to concentrate on forming each letter. Persevering, I managed a complete paragraph and realised it was so bad even I couldn’t read it. So I did the next best thing and emailed her with a question in the subject line. I received a reply in two days saying: “Yes. I am alive.” Communication is now resumed. Sue Mercer
– Mandy Hale