I was born at Wangaratta, Victoria on January 30, 1936, the third child of Daniel George Watson and Mary Watson.

I was educated at Saint Patrick’s School Wangaratta and Wangaratta High School.

In 1952, I joined the Bank of New South Wales. I worked for the bank for thirty five years. The Wales became Westpac Banking Corporation in 1982. I retired in 1987 from the position of Manager, Colac, Victoria. The bank was always a kind employer.

In 1958, I married Joan Hanlon of Benalla at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church. We were both lifetime Catholics. We were together for sixty-one years until her death in 2020. I loved her dearly always and she loved me. She was faithful and good and much loved by her children. We have three sons; Tony, Dan, and Peter. She loved each of them and their families as I do; without reserve. She was always the practical one; I am the romantic.

In 1998, Joan and I bought ‘Dunmovin’ in Wodonga. We lived here together for 22 years – the longest either of us had ever lived at any address. Joan died in this house. It was her last wish that she might die at home and have a Christian burial. She achieved both of those aims and was buried in the Wodonga Cemetery after her Requiem Mass at Sacred Heart Church. I continue to live at Dunmovin.

In the last thirty five years I have retired five times. I can’t say that I ever enjoyed retirement and each time I found a reason to get back into harness.

In October 1987 there was a stock market crash and I suffered a very large hit to my savings and superannuation. Plans to settle on the NSW South Coast went out the window. Fortunately, other affairs were moving more favourably for us. I had a few other irons in the fire – mostly in property.

I became a Development Manager with the Ballarat Regional Board in June 1987 – soon after I left Westpac. I had a two-year contract and during that time my main job was to co-ordinate the amalgamation of seven municipalities into one – the present City of Ballarat. I retired for the second time in 1989.

I began working for myself for the first time in 1989 with a small business I established – Budgetwise Personal Borrowing Service. I operated it quite successfully until we left Ballarat in 1995; my third retirement.

A long-held desire to become a farmer was realized in 1991 when Joan and I entered a partnership with two great friends Wally and Dorothy Carey. We bought 602 acres at Darlington and ran up to 1800 medium-wool (20-21 micron) Merinos; buying, shearing, and selling wool and sheep off-shears. Wal was a shearer and wool classer and I was very good at maintaining the property. The farm had begun to show some good outcomes when Wally became ill. Late in 1993 we sold the farm. He died in 1995. A great friend!
Another retirement.

We incorporated Macro Enterprises Pty Ltd. in 1992. In 1998 the company bought Easy Life Domestic Services, a tiny agency for cleaners and gardeners. My function was to find the work, factor the debts, and do the billing. The contractors’ function was to carry out the work. Over a period of nineteen years we built it up very strongly. In 2017, at the age of eighty one, it was time for my fifth retirement. We wound up Macro and Easy Life.

I have been retired for five years and I am fed up with it. I have never been bored in my life, as far as I can recall – but inactivity sits ill with me. I have always enjoyed writing and I love the English language. About fifty years ago, I started writing my ‘Epic’; a historical romance set in England and Europe in the early nineteenth century. I believe I am a very bad novelist, but I enjoy it. The novel is unfinished – of course. It will never be published. Oh, well!

For many years I have wanted to do more for the needy of the world – particularly children. My life has been a fortunate one and it would be good to be able to help those less blessed than I am. Joan always supported any thoughts I had to put a foundation in place, but we didn’t have the resources. Who was it who said “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions”? I don’t know who said it and I don’t believe it for a moment, but, if it is true, I am on my way to Hell for sure.

It is now almost two years since my wife died. I miss her every day.

In the last year or so, I have developed my “Grand Dream”. I call it “The Word”. I have had the idea for many years but never managed to formulate it into a proper plan. Now, at the age of eighty six, I have completed it. I don’t believe my family think I am mad; but I’m sure they reckon I should be buying a rocking-chair rather than dreaming about changing the world. I am reasonably sound of wind and limb, but I have to accept, naturally, that the clock is ticking louder every day. Once I get The Word up and running I shall develop a succession plan for it as a matter of urgency. Tick tock! Tick tock!

Carpe Diem!

Today is the day the Lord has made. Today I begin to operate “THE WORD”.