Coffee Catch-Up #12

If we were having coffee I would tell you that I enjoyed my job interview last Monday and am very excited to start work at my new hospital in early August. The unit has a calm feel to it and I am pleased to be back working in my home town, although I have been happy living a free lifestyle for the last 2 months.

If we were having coffee I would tell you how surprised and in some ways saddened I was, to hear on Friday nights news that they were closing the wooden escalators in both Wynyard and Town Hall Stations over the next 12 months. Apparently there are only 7 wooden escalators left in the world — 4 at Wynyard, 2 at Town Hall and the other in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Of the 4 at Wynyard Station, 3 were opened in 1932, the same year as the Sydney Opera House and the 4th in 1952. The Wynyard wooden escalators were the first in Australia and over 80 years later are still working hard carrying over 150,000 commuters daily.

Growing up I remember that I loved to ride on the wooden escalators in David Jones stores as they had a warm and inviting look to them which made me feel like a part of history. Unfortunately, these escalators were taken out over a decade ago and since then using the escalators is just a means to an end. My mission now will be to make sure that I get to Wynyard Station before they close the wooden escalators for one last ride and reflection.

Wynyards wooden escalators

close up Wynyard Staion Wooden Escalators

If we were having coffee I would tell you about the walk my father and I went on, from his house along Throsby Creek to Newcastle Harbour and back again. With stopping off along the way to explore, our walk took us 2 hours and as you can see it was  a magical winters day. I couldn’t believe the growth that has occurred in this part of Newcastle including the formal walking trail includes many beautiful sculptures like the large lounge shown below.

If we were having coffee I would tell you I can’t believe how quickly this year is going. Tomorrow is the 25th July which means that it is exactly 5 months till Christmas Day. Wow! Then I think about how much I hope to get done between now and Christmas and that is when I get truly exhausted. Start a new job, pack up one house, do repairs to our Newcastle house before moving in, move in, finish book, catch-up with old friends, shop for Christmas and plan a trip to Japan to visit our son. Think positively is my motto so I am sure it will sort itself out for the best. After all, its amazing what one can achieve when motivated to do so.

If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world?

14 thoughts on “Coffee Catch-Up #12

  1. I had never seen wooden escalators before. I hope you really enjoy being back at the hospital again! And I agree this year is going very fast! How exciting to be going to Japan!!!

  2. Max, there is also a wooden escalator at Macy’s in New York. They have kept one as a historical feature. I have been on it. I have jusf checked info & it is still there.

    • Thanks Margaret. That’s good news. I love it when the official news get is wrong and I wish they would keep one of ours too as they are certainly historical.

  3. Those escalators are interesting. Never seen one before. I’m awaiting for a new job myself and they called me to report this Monday. It will still be a process though. Good luck!

  4. I am drinking coffee… and I am saying, so sad about the escalators… always love those things… except the one time my foot got stuck… WAKE UP CALL, that was…

    This Coffee Catch up is such a wonderful idea for a post!!

    Kind Regards and tweeting – K

  5. The wooden slats on the escalator remind me of the ones that lead down to the Bargain Basement in the Gimbel’s store in Pittsburgh when I was a little girl. They were narrow and noisy. That would be our last stop on our shopping trips. Time for more coffee.

  6. Congratulations on the job. Sounds like you’ll really like it. I have never heard of or seen wooden escalators. That would be interesting. Enjoy them while you have them. And your walk looks like it was absolutely gorgeous. Hope your dad and you had some good conversation.

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