Belinda Holmes

Belinda Holmes

If you were to see grown up Belinda you would know exactly who she was from this photo of her as a four year old. The other clue would be her laugh. Belinda has the best laugh in the neighbourhood. Possibly the world!
We have gotten to know, and always enjoy seeing Belinda since she started working at The Crabbe Hole café.

“I started working at the café about 18 months ago. Otherwise I am a freelance book editor. I live in Bondi where I was born and bred.”

Have you noticed much change over the years?

”I’m as surprised by the changes as I am at things still the same. I miss most the ice cream kiosk that used to be top of Notts (Avenue). Nothing like an ice cream for the walk back to North Bondi. And Bates for the engraved mirrors. Don’t miss a bad sewer night with the wind in a bad direction. The biggest change for me was the train and expressway. Just in the nick of time for a 17-yr-old to get into town in no time flat.
Before that train, I’d pack 2 books, 2 newspapers and a pen for the crosswords for the looong bus trip. And that was before we carried water everywhere! I’d have had shoulders like my rugby playing brothers (Dad was President of Bondi United for years, and he’d be proud. All the grandboys are or were professional footballers. He’d also be proud of me cos books and words were our thing). Instead I was known as Felix, as in the magical magical cat who’d reach into her bag of tricks.

That ice cream from Notts would be gone long before we reached the terminus, and Mr Tomlinson from the chemist would arrange more from Con next door for the last hike to Blair. Or we’d make our baby brother go ask Con …”

Is there one thing you’d like people to know about you?

“Don’t interrupt me when I’m reading? You know those people who don’t look up and hold a finger in the air? You’ll get that. I’m not much of a mystery; what you see is what you get.”

What you get is pretty good, so say hi. And say something funny!