Chapter 17

Weena was on her feet all week again, but she was getting more accustomed to it. I knew that this would be a tough weekend, as she'd be teaching her first class on Monday, so I planned on doing the laundry and the marketing while she prepared. My meeting with the Dean wasn't till that same Monday, so I'd think about that ... I'd also do a bit more preparing myself for my talk on phylloxera.

But I was wrong. Weena wanted to prepare a bit, but to relax more. So we decided to drive south on Sunday, perhaps as far as Margaret River ... though that would mean about seven hours on the road. In actuality, we only got as far as Bunbury.

Weena wanted to go down the Old Coast Road, so we bypassed Fremantle and Rockingham (which are on the coast), but went through Golden Bay and Madora Bay and Wannanup and other places I'd never heard of. South of Parkfield the road veered inland around the Leschenault Estuary, and then back west to East Bunbury. We parked near where the boat had moored and walked around a bit, holding hands. Weena wanted to go back to the "place we went to with Charlie and Maddy." So we did. Weena took several pamphlets from a rack by an estate agent's. "For daddy," she said. We drove back on the highway, which was a lot faster. Weena's nose was a bit red from walking in the sun, so she put some ointment on it when we got home.

"Does my hair look OK?"

"A little windblown, but lovely."

"No! I mean for tomorrow."

"Well, it's not long enough to put in a bun, so you won't look like a schoolmistress. Anyway, you'll be wearing your uniform, won't you?"

"Yes. And my service badges."

"Right. From the war against infection and the battle for soap."

"You ... you ... you!" And we both started laughing.

I fished in my pocket and came up with a small box. "You know, tomorrow's the 14^th." She nodded. "St. Valentine's Day. This is for my speacial Valentine." I gave her the box. She opened it and gasped. It was a small gold heart on a chain with a tiny opal in the middle of the heart.

"Put it on me."

I did. The opal didn't quite match the one on her ring, but I hardly expected that. Weena's eyes were shiny. "I don't have anything for you."

"I've you. I'll never need anything else."

She gave me a big kiss and we went upstairs.

She drove off to her class in the morning and I drove in to the University. I needed Shirl to tell me which building to head for when I went to my meeting with the Dean.

The meeting went extremely well. I told the Dean about my 'date' with the Wine Growers and my hopes for more 'outreach.' I said that I thought being 'affiliated' with the School rather than the Centre might be 'advantageous, ' but that I certainly didn't want to move physically. I told him that I was supporting two students out of CSIRO funds and that they would be part-time when classes began. He was full of enthusiasm and said that he hoped UWA could become the fulcrum for CSIRO's activities in the West. I refrained from mentioning what Maggie's plans were. However, I told him that I'd be conferring in the Alice 'next month.' He told me that I should tell his secretary what to announce and the School would sponsor a seminar series — perhaps once a fortnight? -- and he (oh so subtly!) told me what a pleasure it was and I should chat with him again soon.

And I was gone.

When I got back, Des asked how things had gone. Shirl was off registering. "Just great," I told him. "By the way, have you registered?"

"Not yet. I haven't the money."

"You don't need money. CSIRO will pay. Do you know with whom I should talk at the bursar's office?"

"No idea. Shirl will know, though. She'll be back about one."

"Fine. Want a quick lunch?"

Shirl was in when we got back. "Are you registered?"

"Yes."

"How did you pay?"

"I put it on my bank card."

"Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Didn't I tell you that CSIRO would take care of it?"

"Yes. But..."

"No, but. Now we have to figure out the right way to do this, get your registration done that way, get your money back, and get Des registered. Any suggestions?" She shook her head. "Do you know to whom we should talk?"

"Yes."

"Could you call him or her and ask whether we could all come over? Now..."

Shirl went to her desk, called someone and came back. "We're going to see Professor Robyn Owens. She's the pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Research Training. They said whenever we get there. It's at the other end of campus"

"Let's go."

It was a 10 or 15 minute walk. Dr. Owens was a woman with, it seemed, a background in mathematics. I introduced myself and explained that I had come as a 'trouble-maker.' I got a big smile. I introduced Des and Shirl and explained that they were working for me — through the CSIRO, not through the School of Animal Biology. And that the CSIRO would pay their fees, etc. However, Shirl had already paid her fees. So, I wanted to find out how to get the fees paid by the CSIRO and how to get Shirl her money back.