Hi guys

[Carl Wrbka]

Hi everybody,

Yup you all identified Dunja correctly. Hi Susan, nice to see you remember me from our schooldays in Windhoek.
I'm Dunja's brother Carl. She introduced me to this website today and I must say it was a very emotional experience going through all the photos and postings.

We lived in Oranjemund from 1973 to 1984. My mother, Brunhild, worked in the cash office at the shopping center and my dad, Alfred, at number 4 plant. At the time we lived at 55 - 1st Avenue. For those of you who can remember, we used to have the highest tree in Oranjemund growing in our garden untill about 1981 when it had to be cut down after I killed it (it was an accident. really it was). I remember all the hangouts that Michael Alexander mentions, especially the windbreak behind our house. I spent most of my childhood in that windbreak. I started smoking in that windbreak.Pity that it's gone now. Any possibility of some pics of the house Michael?

I cant really recall all of our neighbours during the time, except maybe the Tonkin family who lived at number 57 and the Bergh family at number 58. He and his wife were teachers at OPS, teaching history and I think geography. She was a fitness fanatic and was always running to the Pink Pan and back. I remember the policeman, Dirk Coetzee, lived a few houses up the road. He used to threaten to shoot our dog (the black labrador) on a daily basis. Every day when he passed by our house on his way to work and back our dog would jump over the gate and take him out.

I remember playing marbles in the streets quite well. First avenue was quite a rough gravel type of tar road and we would slip through the alleyway next to the Bergh's house to play in second avenue which was much smoother.
Living in first avenue meant we had many gemsbok visiting at night. My mother would wake up many mornings to find her prized rosebushes gone and the familiar elongated heart shaped footprints everywhere. Many evenings on my way home from the movies I would encounter a gemsbok or two at the traffic circle between the tennis courts and the GM's house.

Anyways, now that I've joined the forum, I'll share some more memories as time goes on. I've got a stack of old photos that I'll scan and post as well. It's great hearing from all you guys again. Thanks for the great website Michael!

Regards,

Carl Wrbka.

[Susan Kintscher (Lineker)]

Hi there, did you see our class photo???? if not it is somewhere under photographs - school.
Stephanie Carr was asking about Andreas a few years back, maybe you should tell him about the
site.

[Carl Wrbka]

Hi Susan,

I think I've got an old Std 5 photo somewhere. I'll have a look and post it in the forum. Andreas is living in Holland at the moment. I'll send him the url for this site.

Cheers

Carl.

PS. Do you know what became of Tony Smith (Gallagher)? He was at Centaurus with me from Std 6-8 and then his family moved to Joburg after his brother, Paul, died. I last heard from him in 1984.

[Susan Kintscher (Lineker)]

already posted our std 5 photo. Dont know what happend to Tony Gallagher, maybe one day he'll hear about this site.

[Michael Alexander]

Great to have you back Carl, Did you remember the Meyers, also in 1st avenue..... they were Belgians.....

[georg ruf jr.]

did they live across the road from the van Greunens?

[Michael Alexander]

round about 66-1st ave , I rekon, also had tall pine tree's in the garden....

[Carl Wrbka]

Hi Mike,

Cant say I remember the Meyers, I'll find out from my mom if she remembers them.

Carl

[Michael Alexander]

Sorry... that was De Meyers....

[georg ruf jr.]

I remember a Belgium family living out there. They were kind of scary. as if there was something going on....
Beetlejuice???

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Carl, I am Dirk Coetzee's daughter - yes I remember the dog!  Used to storm out your yard and came chasing at us.
Do you remember the people who lived in 61/1st  - the one daughters name was Vasti  - their house burnt down one night.  There were also people living next to you who used to own a trampoline, and we would go there to jump our hearts out on it.

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

Welcome Carl

I wrote that in a new tread

Here you remind me of your mums name Brunhild, your dads i remebered as Alf

Hope you contribute here a lot and find old friends perhaps make new ones in the O-mund family

Georg ( Here as Georgswa ) With Son Georg jun and Marcel, about the complete Ruf ´s

[Carl Wrbka]

Hi Everybody,

Thanks for the tremendous welcome to the forum! Then again, thats how I remember Oranjemunders. One big happy family.

Hi Dalene, I heard from my sister that your father has passed away. I was saddened to hear the news. He was a good man and I can remember him well. If only all policemen nowadays were like him. He really lived for his career and was a perfect example of what a policeman should be. He used to cycle to work and back on his "dikwiel" bicycle and whenever he passed our house our dog would give him a real hard time. Eventually, when we saw him comming, we would hide our dog in the house in case he carried out his threat. We were sh*t scared of your dad, but respected him a lot.

I remember the girl Vasti. She insisted on being friends with us even though we didn't really like her a lot. She would invite herself over to play whenever she felt like it and we eventually learnt to accept her. I can't recall the fire though. Was it after 1983?

I still remember the first time I met you. I was stealing lemons from your tree which overhung the fence in your front yard. You caught me in the act and we started chatting. Then you dared me to eat a lemon without screwing up my face! Like father like daughter... Nevertheless I remember leaving with a bag full of lemons.

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Carl  -  yes my dad passed away in May 1999 and my mom just last year 1st Dec.  Say hi to your mom from me.

Ah  -  the lemons!  I can still eat a lemon without screwing up my face - love them. 

My dad used to paddle his bike to work to keep fit after his heart operation.  Also used to go swimming.  What did eventually happen to your dog  -  it was actually a very beautifull dog - this pitch black labrador.

[Carl Wrbka]

Hi Dalene, sorry to hear about your mom.
As for the dog, my dad shot him shortly after my parents split up. Due to CDM policy at the time us kids and our mom had to leave OM after my parents decided to split up. My dad decided that the dog was just another burden in his troubled life and took him to the dumps behind our house and shot him. I have never forgiven him for that.