How it all began all those years ago

This single mum

The likelihood of "and they lived happily ever after" being a reality in this day and age is, well, unlikely. Actually the statistics are overwhelmingly in favour of single being the "norm" and I have chosen to follow that norm.


Don't get me wrong, I have been blessed with more than one stint of marital bliss and though not long lasting, due to a myriad of reasons, they did have some amazing outcomes. I managed to produce three fabulously talented and gifted children.


The first bold step into single-dom occurred when my eldest children were 4 and 2 years of age and I took up a full time career as an aerobic instructor and part time nurse thinking that this would be sufficient to keep the bank manager at bay. Now I know that the idea of prancing around on a stage in a g-string leotard grape-vining to MC Hammer and mimicking Jane Fonder trying to tone those butts and thighs may seem very appealing to some (and it did me) but it doesn't do much to pay the bills.

I remember like it was yesterday the time when I realised that I wasn't making ends meet. One evening I got home from 2 hours of classes, my feet aching from the Plantar Fasciitis and shin splints that I was limping with at that time from overuse.  I was welcomed by two very overdue electricity and telephone accounts. I sat down on the small burnt orange chair (that once lived in my big sisters room and later was the chair that I sat and did the night feeds for my babies), it always seemed somewhere that grounded me and made me feel secure but at this point it had no such power, I burst into tears with exhaustion and disillusionment. My eldest boy Alex wandered out of the bedroom he shared with his sister Lizzie, put his arm around my shoulder and said " Don't worry Mummy, I'll look after you"... and you know he has been true to his promise in the most part. It was the turn around for me to think out of the box as to how to be the best I could be as the household provider, assuming both the roles of income generator and wonderful mum.

The very next day I posted an ad in the local tertiary school at Kedron for a room to rent, and by the end of the week I was interviewing Japanese students over here in Australia learning English. Within 2 weeks I had started our rendition of Global warming, that is, the integration of many cultures to myself and my kids and all and sundry who choose to be part of our lives. 

The first International member of the family.
His name is Yoshi and this was 21 years ago. 

My story is one of the journey of my children and myself, how we have spent Christmas's, Easters, Australia Days' and other poignant events with people of so many countries. How we have all managed to understand the differences,  tolerate the customs, accept that we all have our own rights and still laugh around the dinner table. 
This is Global warming at its very best and I hope to warm a few hearts along the way.