A screenshot of the Pages document on Trenna's iPad.
Letter by Tren, Intro and Background by Greg
First, Some Background
If you read The Kitchen Tapes series on this website you will find out a lot about Trenna, including that she experienced quite a lot of bullying at high school, primarily because she looked different to other people. Her thick, coke-bottle glasses didn’t help at all.
Then in 1974, when Trenna was 17 years of age, Optometrist Nick Humphry prescribed some rigid (hard) contact lenses and they transformed her appearance, her self esteem, and her life. Trenna was forever grateful to Nick for those lenses, and she kept coming back to him until he retired around 2019.
The magnitude of her gratitude is reflected by the fact that he was the only person I ever saw get away with calling Trenna, Treena! (If you don’t understand the significance of that you may wish to read the eulogy I gave at Trenna’s final farewell, it is HERE.)
Introduction
Trenna’s iPad has many gems. I found one recently in a folder labeled “Optometry”. It was named Thank You & Au Revoir Nick, was dated 22 June 2019, and I remember her writing it.
She had recently had an appointment at her regular optometry practice in Hampton Road in the suburb of Nedlands. She was quite dismayed to find that her contact lens provider, Nick Humphry, had retired.
He had been talking about it for a few years so it wasn’t a huge surprise, but Trenna felt a very deep gratitude towards him, and she was so sad that she hadn’t said “goodbye, and thank you” in person.
At the practice she spoke with a staff member, Sue, who Trenna had known for as long as she had known Nick – that is, since 1974. Trenna was told that Nick was happily enjoying his retirement, and yes, Sue was in touch with him and would love to take a note and a gift from Trenna to him.
When we called back a couple of weeks later Sue no longer worked there!
So, Nick never got the note, and never heard of Trenna’s gratitude.
I think I’ll try to contact him myself…
Here is the note, as written by Trenna.
The Note to Nick
22/6/19
Dear Nick, I very much regret not seeing you last year to say my farewells and thank you for taking such wonderful care of my eyesight.
Good advice! Did I obey that advice? No way!
I know that for you, I was a patient who you had seen maybe less than 30 times in your career, but for me, your father and then you, are the people who had a major impact on my life.
Your Dad had a limited choice in the style of children’s bifocals, cat’s eyed and white framed, but nevertheless, your Dad would not allow me to move from his table until he was absolutely sure they fit me perfectly but he also ensured that I felt comfortable whilst I wore them. Initially I visited your Dad only, I was a young child. Then 1974 came, I was seeing Dr Walsh now as my Ophthalmologist and he suggested I pop next door and see if I could make an appointment to see you as he thought I may be able to wear hard contact lenses, I did, and you prescribed my first pair of contact lenses. They were hard and very small. You gave me instructions on how long to wear them, getting to wear them for a little bit longer each day. Good advice! Did I obey that advice? No way! By the second day, I was wearing them for most of the daylight hours. I walked down Hay Street in the city and a young teen working on a building site “wolf whistled”, I thought he was doing it to my attractive girl friend but as things were back then, he cheekily yelled back to her ,”not you, your friend wearing the Levis”. That was me! Nowadays, that would be considered sexist, then, it was definitely complementary and I was over the moon with goofy laughter that you had brought out a little beauty in me and it was noticed!
Over the years contacts have become gas permeable and easier on the eye.
I have always come to see you except for 2 years in the mid nineties when we lived in Darwin while my husband, Greg, worked at the NTU University as it was named back then.
Sincere thanks Nick for your kind and patient treatment. I am sure your life on the farm, experimenting with grape growing and wine making must be a wonderful way to spend the later years of your life.
Go Back to the Start of the Website – The first 35 posts
The distinctive colour was to help her find it on her iPad when the document was minimised.
As far as I can judge, our relationship was a pretty good one. It was based on love and an abundance of shared values. Nevertheless, Trenna was always looking to improve things.
About
Growing up in Perth in the 1960s and 70s
by Greg Mahney
Trenna always liked to tell a story. She knew that her life story was interesting and that some people could find comfort in hearing how she coped with what life threw at her.
We had talked about it for a
Recording #1 of The Kitchen Tapes 9 April 2018
[GM: This recording of 9 April 2018 was the very first in a series of 24 recordings]
THM: The nineteen sixties were a decade of huge change for me and … for the world.
“…so my childhood was in some ways
A Celebration of Trenna’s Life – 15 January 2021
By Greg
Below is the eulogy I delivered at the Celebration of Trenna’s Life (her funeral). In due course I will do another post explaining what I wanted to achieve from the event and how friends and family helped me to organise
By Greg
Setting Some Context
On 15 January 2021 a celebration of Trenna’s life was held. I wanted to hand out a postcard which had a picture of Trenna and a couple of links to a playlist I developed after Trenna passed away a few weeks earlier. I then put up a
Recording #2 of The Kitchen Tapes 10 April 2018
GM: OK we’re recording. It’s the 10th of April 2018.
Mofflyn
THM: Right. We’re back at Mofflyn Homes, some more things have come to my memory.
In our cottage the older children looked after the younger children. They had responsibilities.
Younger children had to be
A little bit of fun is better than none
by Greg
Trenna became aware at some point around 2010 that she was getting out of the house less and less – it was often pretty hard. But she didn’t want to lose touch with the city in which she lived. And she
By Greg
Business Class Travel – It’s Not For Everyone
In November 2016 my then employer, Advocare Inc, gave me the opportunity to go to a mediation conference in Wellington, New Zealand.
Travel was becoming increasingly difficult for Trenna. Her eyesight was very bad and her pain management was not going well. We
Recording #3 of 24 Recorded 12 April 2018
GM: This is a recording of Trenna Mahney made on the 12th of April, 2018. Tren, let’s talk about the time you lived down near the Old Mill.
19 Mill Point Road
THM: Alright, OK, well that was 1975. I was heading to being
About This Site and About Trenna Mahney
By Greg Mahney
A quick note before you start. If you have read the “About” page of this website you can ignore this particular post as the contents is the same as on that page. If that’s you, just scroll down.
About Trenna
You will learn
Recorded 13 April 2018
Before we Start
[GM: As the title suggests, this was the fourth of 24 recordings done at our kitchen bench in Kensington, Western Australia. As part of the preparation for putting it on this website, in February 2022, I asked our friend Helen to read through this transcript
by Greg
A Need to Cope with Life
This is a list of some of the strategies Trenna adopted to try to cope with life and her many medical issues. She didn’t have a specific list of these items. This is just the things I remember us trying.
I’m expecting (hoping?) that
By Greg and Trenna
Reliving the Experience
Looking through Trenna’s iPad I came across the document she wrote to review/record the Black Sabbath concert we went to along with a friend, Adrian. It was the first time I had read this piece since 2016.
It immediately brought back memories of a really
By Greg
I started to watch The Andy Warhol Diaries on Netflix last night. It reminded me of two instances when the great artist and the great woman connected…….
Trenna at the Western Australian Art Gallery – 16 December 2012.
https://videopress.com/v/6svI2nFw?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true
Starring Helen and Trenna. Melbourne 2016.
Recorded 14 April 2018
GM: OK, so we’re here with Trenna Mahney. It’s the 14th of April, 2018. Tren, you were going to tell me about when you left Mofflyn Homes and went off to Craig House.
THM: Alright. It is a blurr. That time in my life was lost to me
Below is the the eulogy delivered by Trenna’s oldest sister, Nancy Seckington-Baker at the celebration of Trenna’s life.
Eulogy
Greg has shared his story of Tren’s story. He has stressed I have 5 minutes.
We have endless, wonderful stories of our sister Trenna.
A truly life WELL LIVED.
However those stories are for another
A screen shot from Trenna’s iPad
[Note from Greg: I don’t think for one moment that when Trenna prepared this piece on her iPad that she just added a nice picture to the top. I think the fact that she is standing on an island (Staten), with the rest
Below is the the eulogy delivered by Trenna’s friend, Helen Rice at the celebration of Trenna’s life.
Eulogy
I met Trenna in October 1967 when I moved to Craig House a hostel for Legacy children.We bonded instantly as we were the youngest at Craig House at that time. She became my closest
Recorded on 15 April 2018
Primary School Days
GM: OK, today is Sunday, the 15th of April 2018, I’m with Trenna Mahney, and she’s going to continue telling us about her memories of her past. Tren, last time we were talking with you you were on your way to school …
THM: I
By Greg
The time had to come in the life of this website when I had to write about THE Rolling Stones concert. For one reason I have HUNDREDS of photos Trenna and I took at the concert, and for another, Trenna and I had such a good time.
The Very Earlier
By Greg, and then Trenna
Trenna and I lived in Darwin the capital of the Northern Territory from 1995 to 1997. Darwin, for our international readers is well and truely in the tropics.
This is our copy of Microsoft Word Version 5. It came with 5.25″ floppy disks, 6 printed manuals,
Recorded 19 April 2018
Meals at Craig House
GM: OK, today is the 19th of April 2018, with Trenna Mahney. Tren, can you tell me whatever you can think of about Craig House.
THM: Well, Craig House was quite posh in some ways. It was formal in that we had to dress for
By Greg
As the title suggests, this is the second part of the story, the first part is here.
Near the Stage
So there we were, in the tongue pit with Tren’s great friend Sue, who she probably hadn’t seen for a couple of years, and Sue’s sister, Judy.
“Ahhh! You’ve got the same
… and Trenna’s Voice, Recording Kitchen Tape No. 8
By Greg, and then Trenna’s own voice
The popular-culturally literate among you will immediately be thinking “Being John Malkovich”.
What’s this got to do with Trenna?
Well….
I have decided that in most cases I’m NOT going to put the original sound recordings on
Recorded on the 20th April 2018
Mainly About Meals
[GM: Before we start. Also see the post “Floor 7 1/2” as it contains a player to hear “Tape 8 from the Kitchen” spoken in Trenna’s own words.]
GM: OK, today it is Friday the 20th of April, 2018. Tren, yesterday we were
By Greg
Palm Sunday, 27 March 1988
Here is a special bonus post, because it is Palm Sunday today. Neither Trenna nor I were religious, but there is a story related to this day that Trenna and I always remembered.
Setting The Scene
I got together with Trenna at the very start of
A New Series of Posts Based on Trenna’s Records of Evening Meals
A New Career and a New Kitchen
In 1990-91 Trenna and I employed builders to do our first home renovation. Trenna had recently resigned from her job at the Hospital Benefit Fund (HBF) and therefore had the time to
March 1992
Rissoles, Rumah Batik and Sunday Sessions
The first thing I notice about this menu sheet is that there are a number of crossings out. I think at first Trenna was drawing up the sheets with what she expected we would be eating. Then when circumstances changed she had
This Kitchen Tape Recorded on 21 April 2018
GM: OK, today is Saturday, 21st of April, 2018 and I’m with Trenna Mahney. Tren, you were going to tell us a bit more about Craig House, I think?
THM: Alright. The main house – I was talking about the kitchen and the back
April 1992
Anzac Day and Hungry Jack’s
Saturday 4 April. “Ragaletto”! A pasta sauce from a jar!? Could this be right? Then I remembered that when we were first together and both working it wasn’t uncommon for us to have Dolmio brand pasta sauces from a jar. On this
Strategies and tips used by someone with a degenerative condition and chronic illness
By Greg
Things Trenna and I Tried, That Worked
in no particular order
This is the second part of this list. For the first part please click here.
I’m already working on part 3 as things we have done in the
May 1992
Nibblies, and Scones for Dinner
Monday 4 May. Steak with green pepper sauce, herbed spud, beans, carrots. Tren describes it as gluggy but yummy. She is referring to the green pepper sauce. I haven’t had it for years. It was made with peppercorns that came in a
Recorded 22 April 2018
Early Years at Craig House and with the Andersons
GM: OK, today is Sunday 22nd of April, 2018. We are with Trenna Mahney. I think Tren you wanted to talk a bit more about the early years at Craig House.
Craig House
THM: Right. I don’t really remember getting to
The Eleventh Kitchen Tape
Recorded 4 May 2018
Greg’s Notes: During this recording Trenna started to remember more details about her very early life as she cast her mind further and further back. You can “hear” this is some of the sentences in this transcript. At the end she told me that
Intro by Greg, Wisdom by Trenna
Here is another pearl from Trenna’s iPad. It looks like she started it on 27 April 2016 (at 10:31 am) but then didn’t edit it again until 31 May 2017. (How nerdy is that detail I’ve given you?!)
PLEASE NOTE: It is a
Just an update. After I published this post I was able to locate Nick’s son and he was very helpful. He said he would pass on the website details to his Dad. I was glad and appreciative.
One reply on “Thank You & Au Revoir Nick”
Just an update. After I published this post I was able to locate Nick’s son and he was very helpful. He said he would pass on the website details to his Dad. I was glad and appreciative.