Mark and I share the same birth date - 19th December and we are very similar in that we are both lovers of knowledge and have bright, funny personalities. We are both quite deep as well though.  Mark lives here in Auckland and is a member of the Hare Krishna Movement.  He is a chef and cooks at one of the big University Vegetarian Restaurants.

I went to live with my beloved Nanna, I was 5 and even though I had lost my Mum, I seemed to remain bright and full of life.  This picture is so special.  That is one of my favourite Uncles, Ray standing behind me.  This little dress was made for me and I will always remember all the layers of netting and how special I felt when wearing it.

I will never forget this day.  The older children came home from school - Kevin, Christopher and me and we were scrubbed within an inch of our lives and I got to put on the organza dress with little white dots sewed by my Mum and the whole bodice smocked by her as well.  I still have the little dress thanks to my Aunty Therese saving it for me.  I cherish it.  My Mum was not to be with us much longer, in fact only a matter of weeks after this photo.  Our Dad George, Kevin, Christopher, Me, Eugene, Paul, Michael and Mark were left with a massive hole in our lives.  I am determined to live on hopefully bringing joy to my Mum and Dad up in heaven.

This house was in Locksley Avenue, Dallington on the curve of the Avon River.  Apparently my Mum was always so worried one of us would drown in that river.  It was not to be one of her beloved children, but David Ponsonby who was in my class at school.  We were seated at the dinner table looking out at the river and David and another friend were jumping from the dredge to a little boat tied to it.  My Mum sent my Dad out to make them stop - just then, David fell into the river. I have been told my Dad dived with others to try and find him, but the weed in the river was too thick. My Mum was devastated. To think she would die just a few weeks later, there headstones are almost back to back.