Ode to my mother.

It is breakfast time and I am feasting on a bowl of feijoas brought from the side of the road yesterday for $1.00 a bag. It doesn't matter how old I get, I can and will sit down and eat 80 of these little fruits in one sitting. And as I do this, so many childhood memories flash by.

Over Easter we visited some little towns in central Otago where I lived as a toddler. It was odd to me how much I remembered. I didn't think I had many memories before the age of 5 but there I was pointing out places and landmarks to my 3 and 5 year old. Our old house, the place where I stole some chewing gum and the treehouse where we then hid to eat it.  The pub with the ghost...

I got home and dug out my baby album and loved what I found.  Check it out, this was my life 30 years ago. More importantly this was my Mum's life 30 years ago.

L-R Me, Mum, Nana Peg and Kathy at St Bathans. 1982

Not only did she have a 3 and 5 year old but she worked full time as the sole teacher of Nasbey Area School. A one room school house from another time that was the place of learning for 12 kids from 5 to 17. The school was shut down not long after we left and the local kids forced to travel into Ranfurly where my Dad worked as a teacher at Manitoto Area school. His claim to fame having taught Mandy Smith- the Black Stick hockey player who married Dean Barker.

L-R Kathy, Mum and me on the table. Cental Otago 1980

So as I start to feel myself fretting about returning to work part time this term, as my shoulders start edging up towards my ear lopes thinking about the organisation needed to get everyone where they will need to be in the mornings I am encouraged by my Mum. She seemed to take motherhood and full time work in her stride. Despite the shoplifting incident with the local boy who's mum looked after me while she taught I have turned out fine. Said as I start on my 23rd feijoa for breakfast!

You make life work don't you. It might not be the path you planned but it will work. And work is something my mother, in fact most our mothers knew a lot about.

This is my favourite photo ever.That's me in the baby bath while big sister Kathy and her play date play in the paddling pool. Hundreds of cloth nappies dry in the sun while Mum plants vegetables, in her togs working on a tan. Now that is a full life.