Trevor Spring, Burgmann House 1963-1968.

One of my earliest memories of CGS was being in the wrong place at the wrong time when sent outside from Art class in First Year one Friday afternoon alongside the irrepressible Bernard Eidmann. My luck thoroughly ran out when Paul McKeown walked past and thought that misbehaving in a ‘lady’ teacher’s class was thoroughly ‘ungentlemanly’. Being perceived as an accomplice of Eidmann’s resulted in the maximum punishment being delivered.

Mike Overall’s blog entry refers to another memorable occasion when I fluked 9 wickets for 1 run in a ‘titanic’ Burgmann/Scheaffe cricket game. The euphoria was short-lived when Greg Peters berated me after the game for missing the opportunity of getting 10 for 0. Yes, Mike the secret is now out – I was a chucker.

Living close to the school guaranteed regular evening visits from boarders such as Peter Ellerman and Geoff Brown on the hunt for a few beers and then a quick throw up in the local park. Kym Hewett lived just down the road and sometimes participated in these early efforts to master binge drinking.

Unlike a number of others, I managed to avoid being expelled in final year of school but made up for this by focusing on numerous non-academic pursuits whilst at ANU.

The only lottery I ever won was first draw in the first televised Nasho birthday date lottery and then sadly having to spend the same evening at the pub with everyone else who didn’t win!

Joined DFAT in 1973 and spent many years on postings (Noumea, Moscow, Ankara, Colombo, Copenhagen, Stockholm) before ending up in the DFAT office in Brisbane in 2001. Took a redundancy package in 2005 in order to remain in Brisbane (a great city) and now work on social policy and applied research for the Queensland Government (Department of Communities).

First marriage was an eventful disaster. Now married to Pirjo since 1983 after meeting on holiday in Greece and marrying in Sri Lanka. Daughter Katariina born in Copenhagen 1990. Interest in the Nordic region continues with the family having regular trips to Finland visiting Pirjo’s family and friends.

Anticipated turn out for the 40^th year reunion looks good and I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone again, especially those I haven’t seen for years.

Accompanying photo shows proud Dad with daughter Katariina.