My Kind

Yesterday my good friend Erin McCuskey held an event as part of her project The Aunties, she being the youngest of five sisters. It was great fun and got me thinking again about family. Erin herself, along with others in Ballarat, has become a kind of aunty to me- offering love, advice, and lots of laughter.

I love my blood family dearly and they are the sweetest, most thoughtful people you will meet (in fact I sent my mum a message yesterday saying how proud I felt of her amid the election madness, for living her life (and voting!) true to her beliefs, simply put: of being a good person to the people and to the world around us. I really do admire this). And I’ll never forget my dear older brother, buying me my very first CD player at age 18.

me and mum Margot

However since a young age, I have also been fortunate enough to be welcomed into the fold of many other families and I love this. It is such a rich life!

My second family growing up were (and still are) the fair Staffords, Irish like the McCuskey’s, and they showed me the likes of different cultures and food, politics, Bob Dylan and the Beatles, and good times that involved song and dance, beach holidays, and a good old fashioned Banshee tale around the fire!

With my partner in crime Clare Stafford

Since then I have loved being welcomed into other, different families, where I feel both stimulated and at home. ie. The lovely Looneys- much kindness, laughter, and dancing to be recalled here!, The eccentric Alexandrovic’s- always so much drama and love, & The wonderful Wallaces! Talking art and life and enjoying the simple pleasures, what a joy. I hope that over the years I have never seemed an interloper (“she’s not even related!”) but friends have always been my family too and I love them and am nourished so much by them all. I hope that when PH and I are older that we too can offer a fun, kind, and fascinating welcome to any youngens that may be in need.

Carmel and Amy

With Rhonda & Stevi Looney

Erin and Amy

Annie and Judy

And in my own family, aside from wanting to see my ma, pa, sis, and bro more and continue being known as the crazy one to try and get a bit of fun going, Erin’s event has spurred me on to go visit my aunty Lynne again in NSW, my mums elder sister, a great woman who still has that sparkle of mischief in her eye! And also to make more time to visit my own young niece and nephew. When Lucy was born, we did a baby special that night on my radio show, and I made a disk of that for her to have and listen to when she’s older. Cool aunty, ha? ha? ; )

Aunty Amy with Lucy

Love to all you wonderful  ladies (and fellas) out there Margot, Lynne, Annie, Judy, Carmel, Erin, Belinda and so many more that have been so good to me!

xo