Bella Photo Art » Photography by Bella

I knew when I spoke to our site supervisor that things were coming along well but I couldn’t believe how well until I saw it with my own eyes. Only 2 weeks ago we just had a slab and as of Sunday we have what I can call a house! The frame, roof and electricals are all completed. The brickies are about 3/4 through and the gyp-rockers start this week. WOW! I actually walk through the house now and think it’s so big what are we going to do with all this space? Looks like Flame can have her choice of bedrooms!

This is the new studio/office space

Our new kitchen in the making

Stepping out into the back yard from the main living area. I think a nice hardwood deck would look fabulous here!  

Last Thursday I said goodbye to my Dad, as I held his hand and told him that I loved him he didn’t respond but I know that he heard what I was saying.

My dad, Oswin Plorer passed away last Thursday night at home surrounded by family.
We only just found out before Christmas that he had inoperable kidney cancer that had already spread as well as an kidney infection that no antibiotic could fix. The doctors gave him 3-6 months but it was only to be 1 month. I watched my Dad slowly fade away in front of my eyes until all that was left was a shadow of a man that he once was.

The funeral was on Tuesday and was one of the hardest days of my life.  I can’t help but sob the whole way through this but I wanted to write a little  something about what my Dad meant to me.

Oswin Plorer was born on 23rd June 1937 in a beautiful small town in the Austrian Alps called Innsbruck. He was the third son of 6 children. Dad grew up as a child during the hard years of World War II. There was no such thing as a Wi or a Playstation back then. In those days you were lucky enough to have a full belly and shelter over your head. In 1956 Dad immigrated to Australia and started on his first job here working on the Snowy Mountain Scheme. His best friend Peter had written to a German magazine asking for female pen pals to respond. Peter was overwhelmed with so many responses that he handed one over to Dad her name was Barbara. Over the next 2 years mum and dad wrote to each other getting closer and closer with every letter that crossed the ocean.  Dad asked mum to move to Australia, enticing her with the promise of a  house,  car and a boat. This was just too good for mum to resist and in 1961 at the docks in Melbourne mum and dad laid eyes on each other for the first time.  They married in March 1961. This year would have been their 49th wedding anniversary. In 1962 mum gave birth to David shortly followed by Robert in 1964. It wasn’t until 1980 that I was born. After leaving the Snowy Mountains Scheme Dad worked as the Maintenance Manager with Plessey Telecommunications  for 15 years. In 1986 the family moved to the central coast and purchased the Tourist Cafe in Gosford which is no longer. This place was all I knew growing up. The business was finally sold when I turned 18 and mum and dad retired. For years dad kept himself busy working on numerous projects with the biggest being the extension on the family home. Unfortunately he was never to finish as he fell ill 3/4 of the way through.

I was very close to my father. Dad was my rock, he was a warm, kind and gentle man who always loved a hug. He loved his cricket and considered watered down coffee a hard drink. He was a mechanical engineer by trade and loved nothing more than working with his hands.  Nothing ever seemed to trouble dad, he always took everything in his stride.
He used to say to me don’t worry about things may never happen and in most instances he was always right.

With Mum and Dad owning a family business that was open every single day of the year including Christmas it made it hard to spend time with both of them so it was mostly dad that I grew up with. I remember when I was only a little girl how I used to look forward to seeing him every afternoon at the school gate. As we walked back to the shop holding hands I would tell him all about my day as he listened intently all the way. He took me to swimming lessons and dragged me to gymnastics classes. We went to Burleigh Heads every year for a holiday as well as the  Easter Show and Australia’s Wonderland. He made the yummiest strawberry sponge cake every year for my birthday and when I was sick he would sit up with me all night just to hold my hand and say everything was going to be alright.

Since I was young I always wanted a horse. It was what I would ask for every single day. It wasn’t until mum was over visiting family in Germany that I talked Dad into buying me a horse. Mum came  home to find a horse in the back yard and didn’t she hit the roof.  She got used to the idea and for years dad would come down to the paddock every chance he got. He really took to my horse and became my own personal strapper always helping as best he could with the grooming and feeding. Even with his full schedule he was up at the crack of dawn every Sunday ready to drive me and my horse to the next event. It was a shame that because of the business he could never hang around and watch me compete.  It was only later in life when I got back into horses that he had the time to come help and watch. I can’t explain in words how special this was to me. To have dad sitting on the side lines cheering me on, someone to trot back to and hand that winning blue ribbon to and share in the excitement of all that hard work paying off.  To me this meant the world.

As I got older there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his daughter. Every weekend he would pick me and my friends up after a big night out just to make sure everyone made it home safely.
Once I got my license then cars came on the scene. I can’t recall how many times dad was under the bonnet of my car doing repairs or improving the running performance. Especially when Russell came on the scene along he pretty much lived in the garage working on cars. He never wanted anything in return, he did it all for his daughters love.

I feel so lucky that I have had my father in my life for nearly 30 years. I got to walk down the aisle with my dad and he got to witness the excitement of moving into our very first home. I do wish he was here to see our new house that he had so much input to and it brings me to tears to think that my children will never know that what a fantastic Opa they could have had.
Thank you dad for being the best dad ever, for always being there for me, for holding my hand during the hard times and laughing during the good times. Thank you for walking me down the aisle and for all the help and advice you ever gave me. I am the woman I am today because of you.

I love you dad. You will always be in my heart today, tomorrow and forever never forgotten. XO

1952 dad at 14 years old

Working on the Snowy Mountain Scheme in the late 50’s wasn’t he a spunk

On holidays up on the Gold Coast 1984

He loved his tools and every christmas would always involve some new toy to play with

My wedding day 2005 just before walking up the aisle this is one of my favorite images from the day

Dad the strapper

Dad the builder

My fav photo of dad which now sits framed in the lounge room next to a burning candle

Dad, the best ever Opa to Aimee & Harry

Fathers Day last year

Last Chrismas 2009