Grandma Emslie rose from her chair very graciously. On the stage with her were various important dignitaries, the popular local mayor, a blustery member of state parliament and the humble president of the Wangaratta South Hall Committee. She moved toward a lacquered wooden box, switched on a brass switch above a plaque displaying the important information for posterity: that electricity was switched on by Blanche Emslie, the oldest resident in Wangaratta South on this day in 1951. Ever a gracious lady, Grandma executed her task and held her proud head high.

In 1914 Dad bought a new "Essex 4" motor car. And he was one of the first farmers to have a tractor - the steel wheeled variety; Fordson, and other makes later. Fuel was cheap in those days, and came in wooden boxes, two in a box 1/3d a tin. These boxes had various uses for furniture - three boxes nailed together made a window seat for bedrooms, covered with cretonne. The tins were used for milk buckets, with a handle added at the top. Necessity is the mother of invention! Wheat was carted by wagons, before the motor trucks came.