Christmas traditions can be made, remade, forgotten, remembered and reinvented. One of the traditions I used to love was reading from Tasha Tudor’s book Take Joy! as we gathered around the Christmas tree, just before we opened our presents. I inherited my mother’s copy of the book and I still
On Friday night I had the pleasure of my eldest grandson’s company. It was the first time he had stayed overnight with me on his own, without at least one of his parents. It was a big thing for a nearly three-year-old. We had big plans for the next day
If, like me, you have ordered one or more DNA tests through organisations such as 23andme, Ancestry or My Heritage, have you thought about who can access your data? Should you be frightened of who can use the data to identify you? Did you even realise that organisations such as the police are,
Nowadays it isn’t often I get to spend time with all my three sons, together at the same place. Especially as my middle son lives in Western Australia and my eldest son is over an hour’s drive away in Gippsland. However, this weekend saw middle son fly to Melbourne to
These were the siblings of my grandmother. In this picture her eldest sister Clair and her brother Dima are shown performing a Russian dance. Cleopatra was called Clair as she detested her given name. She was, according to my grandmother, sensitive, kind, straightforward and truthful. She acted older than her
Last year, around Anzac Day, I discovered this article written by Minna Muhlen. As I read it I felt such relief, relief at finding someone else in Australia who is potentially struggling with the same emotions as I am. I debated with myself for quite a while, should I contact