Murray Murray Murray,
when I entered ORANGE TRACTOR land that morning on the 11 th November 2017 I had problems with
missing my camera (which was still in the bus back to Perth) and with Murrays name. I think Pam
already needed to correct me five times. Murray supervised the crazy Austrian visitor, red head,
furious about the person who might have stolen her camera (at the Albany bus station, could only be
a joke, but I had no idea that time). Mostly I had no clue what was going on in Murrays intelligent
head. He was such a rock of wisdom, smiling mostly but that´s it. Me 100% chatterbox and easiest to
read from my face had a bit of a riddle to find out. But to my surprise this man was so much fun.
Black humor overdose. And lucky me, Murray asked me to go running to the BEACH.
So I spent my 2 nd morning already at Albany beach with Murray running on the rainy beach and me
running crazy! Jumping first time into the clear turquoise blue and on top the shower was HOT!!! All
hungry we hopped in the near BAKERY! The perfect start, and for me the beginning of my endless
love relationship with Albany and the whole surrounding area.
Murrays tendency for music was hearable all day, I loved listening to his and Pams special music
selection. So the two brought me to the music quiz night (I was sooo bad hahaa, they were so good!).
I felt so honored that Pam and Murray took me to get to know many of their friends. All so new and
all so funny for the Austrian.
My English was so very rusty, but Pam and specially Murray had fun correcting me. Ill never ever
forget when I was proudly telling them that I only eat and buy Ortschanik food. ORGANIC food well…
I only could improve. And I did! Murray was my living pronouncing dictionary on 2 legs! Often he
made jokes which I did not understand properly, I loved his grin after that. He and Pam both often
burst out into laughter about my mix of formaustrianintoenglish mixture of an English language
bafflegab.
During beer tasting (Murray and me loved beer!) at Wilson, my favorite brewery on earth, I named
my brand new rusty car: Honeyjump. Out of a pronouncing mistake for my favorite Australian milk
shake…
Besides that Murray and me started with him teaching me stupid sayings, because I never heard
about before:
Does the bear shit in the wood? Does the pope has a balcony?
Murray finally learned me how to open a beer bottle, during we waited for the pizza to get yummy
crusty.
I loved creating new pizza topping versions with Murray.
I only know how to steel ripe cherries, so I loved Murray learning me new skills with so much
patience, like how to plant tomatoes , to prune, to stick the bottles, perfect the sparkling, make pizza
dough (not toe haahaa be will still say garlic toes in Autria)… his passion for music and nature, his
calm but very mindful character teaching me.
More funny facts:
Murray and the sunlotion face. (no photo sorry)
Stinky Murray after spraying Sulfur. Well I really like you Murray, but there have been expectations…
After Murray returned from spraying the wine with Sulfur, he was such a stinky creature, gosh all was
stinky on him.
Murray asked me one morning: “Monika did you cope with any serious health respiratory problems
last night?” Me totally surprised as I always felt so super powerful during my stay at Orange tractor….
->The reason for Murray asking me this: We are both night active and he sat under the volley room in
front of the computer and me above him was chatting with one of my mates in my deepest tyrolean
dialect which sounds really rough to the rest of the world as we have a VERY hard “k” which is
vocalized very deep in the throat. So he thought I might have problems with breathing… hahaaa
Miss my best times including all of Orange Tractor from the soil to the Merlots (not only wines call
Merlot) a lot, often, but I have you all sheltered deep in my heart. Until we see us again.
Murray all the VERY BEST to your 60 th birthday. I am sure the number does not disturb your chilled
mind. So I wish you from the bottom of my heart: HEALTH, FUN, simply a HAPPY LIFE. Forever.
Moni - the boomerang.