Miss Mandie

If you think I live differently than most, then you need to meet my sister! She permanently lives in her own world, and usually only surfaces into our world when she needs or wants something. Ange has Down Syndrome. It is something some people are born with, through no fault of anybody or anything. She apparently also has Asperger Syndrome, which makes her extremely introverted and overly insensitive to others. I think she’s a hoot, and manage to see the humour in most of her antics.

This photo was not taken on her wedding day. She hasn’t had one, and it’s more than likely she  never will. She loves weddings though, and has been imaginatively married on many occasions. Mum is a good sport and regularly makes her veils and adjusts Ange’s “wedding dresses” for the photo shoots. Ange even staged her own exchange of vows on my wedding day at the front, stealing the show as she kissed her imaginary new husband and twirled around merrily.

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It might surprise you to learn, that despite my pretty sporadic posting on this site, I actually think of things to write, share and humour you with all the time. I seem to have a little issue with motivation in actually getting them from thought to web. However, now I’m discovering there are people other than my mother reading this site, my momentum for sharing is building.

This post goes out especially for Andy and Sue in Michigan. I got an email from Sue today, saying that she keeps track of what I’m up to via this site, and particularly likes hearing about mum and Paul on the farm, given they visited them when they last came to Oz. It reminded me that I took this video of one of our many picnic outings to my parent’s farm in NSW, Australia when I was home last in March.

You also get introduced to the two women who are closest to me in life – my mum, Bev, and my sister, Ange. We were a trio for much of my teenage years. We tend to amuse ourselves pretty well when we are together, and perhaps seeing this video, you might get a little insight into what my upbringing was like. There is one spot where all three of us are talking over each other. Ahhh, yes, sometimes it does feel like we are operating on three different airwaves, but we’re family, and we love each other, and that’s the main thing

After spending an extremely chilled time with my surrogate Zimbabwian family in Broulee, NSW, I am back on the road today. Destination? Mum’s!

I’m looking forward to home cooked meals with fresh veges from the garden, washing my clothes (they are starting to make the car a little stinky to be perfectly honest) and of course, spending some good quality hang out time with the family. In actual fact, it’s unusual for me to be returning home so shortly after my last visit. For the past 11 years, mum and I have lived at least a 13 hour drive from one another, more so when I’ve been overseas, which means visits have been pretty much reserved for special occasions. It was only three months ago that I was last at “the farm” and I can’t recall a time when its been so close between visits. Way to go Mandie on making time for family!

Visiting also gives me a great excuse to fill my car up with some more of my belongings, which have been stowed away on the farm for safe keeping these past couple of years, to help make my new home in Mullumbimby feel like a real home.

Here’s a view of the trek I am making today:

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I am intrigued though how google maps has calculated 5.5 hours for only 400kms? I guess if I find myself driving along a dirt track for a long stretch of the journey I will have my answer!

Christmas on the farm, 2008

Given that Christmas was now a couple of months ago, I figured it was time for me to get organised enough to share the photos from that time. It was a great Christmas with most of the family congregating at “the farm” in NSW. It was particularly great that Jeff came along too – having one of my CouchSurfing family members there with me just made things feel complete.