You’re never ready for this. I’m old enough, I knew it was coming. But still…
My Dad passed in his sleep last night. Aged 98.
I was really lucky to have him as a step-father. He was in my life from the age of 3 and my only ‘Dad’. He was even a father figure for some of my friends. Anyone can be a father, but Dad’s teach you to tie your shoelaces.
He served in the Airforce in WWII. He helped raise two generations of children. He played competitive football, Cricket, Golf, Tennis & lawn bowls. He would get up at 5:40am in winter to drive me to swimming training. His energy and vitality throughout his life is the reason I exercise. I can remember running up the MCG escalators the wrong way when he was 80. We all want to grow old like Tony did.
He was social, charismatic - happiest chatting in the bar after a round of golf. There was a time when we could walk into a pub or sports club anywhere and someone would look up and happily call him over.
He was often at the forefront of technology, opening one of the first video libraries in Geelong, building computers and writing small business databases from the 1980’s. These things may have rubbed off on me…
He believed in being a good sport, not leaving people out & finding your team (even if that team is a brass band). He believed that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. He was right about many things.
He told me quietly at a family lunch, a few months back that, by any measure he could think of, he’d had a great life. He’d done everything he’d wanted to and was satisfied. That’s all anyone could ask of a life.
Brian ‘Tony’ Herrick 1927-2026
Pizza à la Norma. Everyone’s favourite from last night.My take on the classic Sicilian pasta as a pizza. Tomato pizza sauce, mixed with spicy Ajvar (capsicum paste). Pre grilled zucchini and eggplant in the pizza oven with salt and oil. Provolone cheese. Post cook, finished with olive oil and Parmesan. Vito Iacopelli’s pizza dough recipe.
The Boxing Day test of stomach capacity. Some of the highlights: My home cured and smoked ham, Justine’s Morton Bay bugs, Mum’s home made gravlax, Harriet’s tres leches cake. And the best part, having lots of family together.
Mexico City is much more grand and European in its architecture than I was expecting. Amazing cathedrals, huge open squares. Loved eating Pozole - a hominy, tomato soup. Mine had pigs head, but you can get chicken too. Cocktails bars are world class. Went to Tlecan & had a mezcal Negroni served with orange and gold leaf chocolate. The snacks in the background include spicy fried crickets.
The Overland Track was closed due to fires cutting off the track. Our plans changed daily depending on what was safe and what was possible. We headed south and hiked north from Lake St Claire. Still an amazing trip, but not the Overland. We’ll call this the ‘Fauxverland’ & I’ll try for the Overland again next year.
