Sheila took me for a good explore along the coast, to Ocean Drive and then round Geelong where she lives.. its a beautiful spot! Like me she came out to Australia on a working holiday visa from England.. except that was in the
1950's.. needless to say she never made it back! She married an italian guy who has since died but I can see the italian family in her sons and she cooks great Italian food!! (the lasagne was amazing!!)
I feel like a selfish, self absorbed, ignorant bitch. Shame on me. So many things have made me think this, this week.
First watching the world news.. i dont remember the last time I sat down and watched it.. it was great to see what was happenign in the world but I also felt stupid. I really dont understand what and why is happening in Afganistan, I dont understand what China has done to Tibet.. here are literally millions of people suffering and i have been happily floating by in my bubble.. I dont even know how I can educate myself as when I try rto read an article on the subjects its way over my head because they start as if you know whats going on already.. I need an article that treats me as if I have been living under a rock all my life..
and now here I'm learning about my family. In my self absorbtion i've never looked byond my grandparents.. and to be frank i've never really thought about the lives they have led, the childhoods they may have had or who their parents were.. yes I know I'm selfish. I'm staying witrh my grandmas cousin who is explaining my grandmas family tree to me. I really am as thick as two short planks.. I could have asked my grandma about her mother "Frannie" I'm hearing about.. but now its too late.. I'm over the other side of the world and my grandma is rapidly losing her brain cells in a nursing home. She's my last remianing grandparent and with here she'll be taking things about our family that none of us know.. How have I managed to get to 28 and no nothing about my family? what have I been doing? where have I been? why did I not appreciate my grandparents when I had them? why have I not asked my parenst questions. So now I appreciate my parents but I am at the other side of the globe.. we email regularly and they read my blog but I would love to be able to spend some time with them asking about my family and where I come from.. Sheila is genuinely shocked at my lack of knowledge and at me saying"who"? akll the time when she talks of a family member.. but I am learning!
