My 1st decade set the foundations for my physical and mental strength.
Emotional awareness was limited. I adored my mum and dad. I was particularly fond of my brother. He was gentle, kind, and cute as a puppy. As for my sister at this stage of my life... well... she once tried to harm our brother with a weeding fork through his skull.
My earliest memories are from kindergarten. I actually remember the rooms, my teachers, and one day in particular – the day the bee man came with his hives. We ate honey from honeycomb. In pre-school I too remember the room, but not the teachers. Again, one day is most vivid – we learnt “rain, rain, go away, come again another day”. A close friend taught my youngest son Emerson this not long ago. It brought a tear to my eye as I remembered sitting at pre-school learning the same verses.
I remember having my face painted as a tiger at under-5s in the park. I went home, hid in the grass on the hill to our home, and jumped out when dad drove his tractor up the hill. Mum and dad worked, all the time. But I treasure the times mum went to Bundaberg and brought home a new vinyl record. We’d play dad’s stereo (purchased in his pre-family days during his time working from Singapore). The headphones, microphone, and B&W speakers are all etched in my mind. I loved every second in that lounge room with those records. This love cost me an obscene amount in our new home.
We lived on a farm for most of my 1st decade. Snow peas, avocados, squash, zucchinis, bananas, and tomatoes all feature heavily in my memories of this time. I learnt to work early. It was my job to run the rope and wire up the rows. Many rows. Many metres. I would come home from school and off I’d go, running the rows. My brother had the same job… on a motorbike. Consequently I featured very well on athletics days… the longer the race, the better. To this day I attribute this to the foundations for my physical and mental strength – my work ethic.
I should mention, we got paid to work. I got $5/hour, my brother $6/hour. "But I ran and he rode a motorbike" I would say!!! It was an injustice that ran so deep it still remains within me today. This was the foundation for my entrepreneurial drive. That, and my drive to outperform the boys (and men!).
I remember highlights from grades one, two and three. Mum and dad bought a ‘brand new car’. It was a maroon Toyota corolla sedan. We thought it was amazing to have a new car!!! As it turned out, it was a second hand hire car. The late Dorothy Bunn kicked off my first two years of schooling. She was firm but fair. I attribute my education to her – my academic drive.
In grade four I fell in love for the first time. He was the best looking boy I’d ever seen. He never felt the same, but I’m lucky enough to still love Steve McDonough to this day. Steve and I may not have seen each other in a long time, but we don’t really need to. He remains one of my oldest and most treasured friends. Although it would make for a great story, Steve had nothing to do with my pending sexuality.
That story to come...
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