An Email from Diana

It was so nice to hear from both Adrian and Diana in recent weeks, here is Dianas email for you all to read.


Hi Rosie,

I have been in touch with both Gill Illingworth and Melina over the past few months. Melina has told me about your blog - it is great and so strange to see some of the photos I took at our social functions appearing there! Being in the stick, we do not have ADSL or anything more fancy than dial-up. But we do now have free calls out of peak time so I will go in again to see your updates!

I had so many photos, negatives, etc as well as all the editions of the Premier News that I contributed to over about 4 years in a blue file - all of which I left behind at Datacentrix when I left last May. Maybe they are still there but I somehow doubt it. Maybe you could ask Mario, Tony Turner or someone else with access to the Woodmead offices to check out my old corner / cupboards etc. The only thing I kept was my plague for winning Scribe of the Year - that featured your Oceanic disaster as the centerpiece photo.

For several years Ian and I had had enough of JHB and the rat race and we spent some time traveling around SA looking for a country area we liked. Finally in March 2005 we spent time in Nottingham Road (about 1.5 hours inland on the N3 from Durban, in case you do not know). We bought the house back in July 2005 but rented it back to the owners until we could take occupation which was only on 1 June 2006. We have sold everything we had in JHB and have no inclination to ever return. Unless there is a wedding, special birthday or suchlike that we feel compelled to go to. Ian's daughter Fiona is still there working at Standard Bank Treasury now so who knows.

Ian sold his practice as at the end of July 2006 but took the 2 months holiday he had "saved" up and moved to the Natal Midlands from 1 June. We live in a house called Station House, halfway between Mooi River and Rosetta, which is a converted station (it was built in 1901 and decommissioned in 1956). We are busy renovating the house now (it was thought to be a 4 month project but it will take about 6 - 7 months!). We are very secluded being basically the end of the "railway" line and surrounded on 3 sides by a dairy farm and the other by the Mearns Dam which is the dammed Mooi River, and which has great bass fishing for Ian. He sometimes fishes morning, noon and evening from spring to autumn!! There are 3 other houses within a kilometres stretch along the dam but all of them are holiday homes that sit empty for about 80 - 90% of the time.

We have a cottage which we rent out (mainly weekend visitors) which gives us time during the week to enjoy ourselves. If you want to look at the cottage the website is www.wheretostay.co.za/stationhouse.

Sandy Stiles / Lambert from Info Centre is now Sandy Olivier having got married again to Ollie last December. She and her son Duncan, now about 14 I think, from her marriage to Alan, were here to visit us for a few days in June when we had our first snow. She is not currently working except to help Ollie in some of his business interests but her personal email address is (contact me for address). Sandy used to meet up with Carol at Woolies in Links but I am not sure if she still sees her or not - I will ask.

I can hardly believe how time has flown. Ian and I have been married for nearly 14 years, Melina and Lawrence longer than that and you and Derrick must have been married quite some time too.

We have 3 email addresses but all come to the same mailbox under Ian's name - (let me know if ou want any of these).

As far as I know Dorothy is still working at FNB as is Ncedisa Kandawire he left Datacentrix about 2 years ago. If so her email should be (I have this if anyone wants it). Oscar is also at FNB to the best of my knowledge but I cannot remember the surname. Thebo used to be at Standard Bank but I think he moved to somewhere in the States. Ncedisa could be a good contact though for all these people.

And lastly it was Ian Gray not Grey!! (I knew that Di I was just messing, Gray with the grey hair).

Well must get on with my other things now.

Take care, Di

Adrians photographs

I will update the photos with an image number as soon as I have a moment, but in the meantime maybe the clever ones can work out which photo is which:

Image 1 : we were on the border of Swaziland in a game reserve
Image2: Bush Safari swazi border Before we left:- Back LtoR Des Horn, Mike Vidas, Carol, Vic, Johan, Paul. Middle Row LtoR.. Alan, Melina, Di, Ian Gray, Zeta Zaaiman, Ed. Front row LtoR… Adrian, Lawrence, Dolf
Image3: Ed with the game ranger
Image4: Ian Gray and Melina Swazi border
Image5:Paul, Zeta, Lawrence Swazi Border
Image6:Dolf with one of the game rangers Swazi border
Image7:Melina, Zeta, Lawrence Swazi border
Image8:Johan with one of the game rangers Swazi border
Image9:Canoe safari near parys
Image10: Canoe Safari on the Vaal River near Parys:- Lawrence’s Butt and beside him on the right is Colin from the Pc dept
Image11: Canoe Safari on the Vaal River near Parys:- Guim Nel (shirt off) Di and Melina
Image12: Canoe Safari on the Vaal River near Parys:- Between Ed and Dolf is Mike Vidas
Image13: Canoe Safari on the Vaal River near Parys:-Mike Vidas front and centre.
Image14: Bush Safari Swazi border:- ED, Johan, Guim, Di
Image15: Bush Safari Swazi border:- Dolf, Alan, Zeta, Mike Vidas
Image16: Bush Safari Swazi border:- Paul, Melina, Lawrence
Image17: Bush Safari Swazi border:- Guim, Alan, Johan
Image18: Bush Safari Swazi border:- Foreground Guim, Alan, Vic… Background Johan
Image19: Xmas Party: L to R … Linda Morton, Bee Galal, Peter, Sandy,.. Don’t know!!
Image23: Xmas Party: Gert
Image26: Tony and Cass Matthews Leaving on their honeymoon at Jan Smuts.
Image27: Tony Matthews about to get married.
Image28: Tony and Cass Just married
Image 30: Tony Scanes holding my firstborn Lauren 1990.
Image 31: Adrian at Greensleeves Colin Douglas's wife (cant remember her name.
Image 33: Linda from pc dept (holding Lauren about 1991) … used to work for Colin Douglas
Image 34: Alan Sussman holding Lauren 1990
Image 35: Before we departed for Greensleeves LtoR:- Di, Di’s boyfriend, Lawrence, Melina, Adrian, Paul, Paul’s wife. Front row LtoR Shelly(my wife) Gavin Dankworth, Edwina Dankworth.
Image36: Children's Christmas party Shelly getting a prezzie for Sarah May our second born Dec1993
Image37and 38: same Xmas party for kids
Image 39: Colin at Greensleeves
Image 40: The diesel after the fire on the engine’s battery and after the fire brigade had ripped out the ceiling. This is before the engine seized from the water pump bearings seizing.

Thank You Adrian!

Once again a big thank you to an ex premier member for some photos, thanks Adrian it was so good to hear from you and thanks for all the pictures!

This picture of Tony must be one of the most beautiful pictures I have seen!

Dunking Danking Dankworth ...

Any sign of Gavin?

Adrian Potter ....

TRANSFORMERS

Diesel blew a head gasket, system shutdown!!!

Lost & Found ...

LOST!!!!!


The new "survivor" team: Adrian you are going to have to help me with the names here!
Okay Ed, your turn to come up with a campfire song or a story.

Ian, Ian, Ian ...... watch out behind you!

All men (& woman) deserve a rest after a good days hunt!

Okay Dolf, this is a good site for the new "volkstad", but do you think we could have a bit of colour instead of all khaki?

Now then Melina and Lawrence, no need to pretend you don't know each other, Zeta's got the inside edge on whatever happened here. By the way where is Zeta?
Crocodile Dundee watch out, this one's got the ladies wrapped!

Premier Rowing Team or someting???

Beeyoudiful cheeks honey! But I think they need a wax.

Managers Team Building

Aaah so the managers thought they were having a good time on their team building leaving the "indians" to do all the work while the "chiefs" had leisure time.

Here is a picture of (L:R) Ed, Johan, Guim, Dianne and Carol.

Zeta, Mike, Dolf & Alan.
Paul, Melina & Lawrence

MIS Christmas Party 1992?

It was with great surprise and delight that I got an email from Adrian tonight, Melina had passed on the URL to him and he sent me and email and loads of photographs to share with everyone, here are some taken at the "Greek Taverna" in Melville, this was our Christmas party in 1992 if I am not mistaken, correct me if I am wrong Adrian.

At least this photo I can name almost everyone, from left to right, not sure who the first lady is, then we have Bee, Pete, Sandy, Dave, Andre and is that Lynn with the red dress on?

This one is Ed Nowasiad and a very sexy Belly dancer.

Kenny getting his award from Vic Adamini.

Okay need a bit of help here, who are the two guys to the left of Vic? Ed, with is back to the camera, Pete with a drink in his hand, Karen, Dave and not sure about the guy with the green shirt next to Ed, is that Tebo?

Johan and the belly dancer.

Gerhard and the Belly dancer.

And the last photograph is of a guy I think I gave mouth to mouth resuscitation at one stage, but for the life of me I can not remember his name ... sad! (Only kidding Derrick).

A New delivery

Congratulations Dave and thanks for the news, thought I would share it with all the other ex-premier people. Dave's wife is expecting their first pitter patter of little feet on the 13th of February 2008, well done Dave, you can't be happy forever you know! ;-) (That's what everyone kept tell us, that's why we waited 8 years).