Mercedes 500SL c1995. See what I mean? Timeless styling – 20 years old and it still looks fantastic. But not for me.

My car, the Magna wagon, is 14 years old now and although it’s still a pleasure to drive, I’ve been trying to decide on a replacement for some time. I’ve mentioned before that I had the hots for a 1994 or similar Mercedes 500SL. It’s a convertible soft top that comes with a hard top, but you have to lift the hard top off and on. I assume it’s fibreglass. I couldn’t do it alone, and you can’t remove or replace it except at home in the garage, so I gradually went off that one.

I’ve been thinking for weeks about what else to buy (a very pleasurable pastime) and I think I’ve made up my mind. The requirements are, a bit of prestige and luxo; timeless styling; high build quality and reliability; driving pleasure; and affordable price, of course.

Ta daaa…

Mercedes CL500, 2006 model.

It’s a fixed hardtop, not a convertible. I was sold on a convertible for a while, but decided against it, due to security concerns, mainly. This is a 2006 model – in 2007 they changed the head and tail lights and I don’t like them after that.

This particular model is for sale in Melbourne at the moment for around $35,000. It’s done 112,000Kms, which is less than my Magna at 135,000.

Phwaoooor.

But I have some doubts – the price is low for that year and model. Why? I’ll have to get my good mate Barry, the ex used car salesman onto it. If I go ahead with any car, I think I’ll ask him to be my negotiator.

What I’d like to do is fly across on frequent flyer points, pick up the car, have a driving holiday as far as Cairns and Port Douglas, then slowly make my way back here across the Nullarbor. No time limit, no dog to worry about (although if I could have Minnie back, I’d forgo the car. I’d give anything to have both my dogs back).

Just pipe dreaming.

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My shoulder and neck have settled down to a sharp/dull pain. I can tolerate it, it’s just annoying and always there.

The AMA are blaring their disapproval of a new medical school at Midland in Perth. They say there are no training places at hospitals for new graduates. They may be right, but they can’t deny that there is a huge shortage of doctors in WA. We have 36% of our doctors trained overseas, vs 26% for the rest of Australia. Country WA areas are chronically short of GPs. It’s much more likely that the AMA are just protecting their closed shop position, where a shortage of doctors keeps a steady stream of paying patients coming to their doors, non stop.

When my blood test results came back last year suggesting leukemia, I was given two months to wait before I could see a blood specialist. Two months!! I was very nervous, yet I just had to wait. My GP stamped her foot and pointed out that the referral had been marked URGENT and they relented and brought me forward by four weeks. Gee thanks, but I still had to bite my fingernails for a month. (The result was, yes, you have chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but it’s slow progressing and you’ll probably die of something else first. But watch the blood tests, it can change suddenly. There’s no cure, just chemo and radiation. What would be the point if you’re going to die anyway.)

And now, when I phoned the orthopedic surgeon for an appointment and told them I’m in severe pain, I was put on the waiting list for a month, again! This is bloody wrong! I’m angry. This is the doctors’ club – we’re in charge, you wait your turn, no we don’t need more specialists. Bastards.

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I’ve been doing the PhotoBook on My Life and I’ve come to the Werribee and Wundowie days. Unfortunately, I have almost no photos of that time. I’m not sure why, maybe I just didn’t get any from Dad among all the other negs.

So I started searching on-line and came across a book that’s been written about the home:

It covers the 1930s right up to the time in 1962 when it was closed down. We left at the end of 1959, so that was well timed. I wonder if Dad had heard about the impending closure.

Unfortunately the book is out of print and unobtainable, but the City of Perth Library and the Alexander Library say they have shelf copies, so I’ll try to borrow one. It has photos – I wonder if I might be featured? 🙂  Of course, I’m reading an allegation of “abuse and torture in a prison like atmosphere” between 1956-59 when I was there. Huh? That doesn’t tally with my memories. I had a great time there. I remember some of the names – I must tell my close female relative, eh? – and I ended up working at TVW7 with one of the boys as well for many years.