A Eulogy, 10 Yrs On.

I wrote this when I was 16 for a school assignment and read it at my sisters funeral when I was 23.


(("When I was a child I always felt left out of my sisters life.
I must admit however that she was nine years my senior, but to me while I was growing up the years made little difference as I believed I was her equal.
I became my sister's worst nightmare, like so many others.

Joannes' bedroom was her fortress and haven. Being only little the ramifications sailed over my head. By simply entering her sacred room, made more authentic by the burning of incense, I literally risked life and limb.
Many a battle were fought within it's walls, the time when I was just finding out about lipstick or searching for remnant lollies, the wonderful discovery of pen and paper.......How was I to know the paper were her best books!

Jo's friends became yet another curiosity to me, endless hours of entertainment, what a pain I must have been hanging off them wanting to play the games they played and never being totally convinced when they said I was too young to play them.
I was kicked out of that"place" so often only a football would have had more use!!!

BOYFRIENDS! Another magical word! When they did start entering our lives , I would spend hours devising ways to get in the way.

Always, without fail, taking up centre position while watching TV or telling them with no decorum that they had smelly feet. Some retorted with comments like ' go and play on the freeway' !

Our relationship was getting off to a bad start but she stood by me just the same, protecting me from bus bullies or other dangerous encounters.
Meal times became another anger venting session and I just happened to be the ventee. I can remember her always telling me that any pig would be envious of my eating habits.......poor mum, always in the middle, but she did have the answers. Dinners were eaten separately!

Mearly opening a car door became an invitation to world war three! An imaginary line was drawn through the back seat and woe-betide anyone who crossed the demilitarized zone.

With all my sisters faults, she was I can say truthfully kind hearted, particularly to the four legged variety of animal. She had in her care (or more precisely mums care) many of them, none of which I was allowed to touch. Mice, frogs, a rooster which was supposed to be a hen, guinea pigs, fish, axolotls, pet rats, several assorted cats (most of them pregnant) a wild duck which swam in our bath and was most put out by the fact that I had to use it too and one particular turtle, a penny one at that, which our parents drove about 80 kms to release again to the wild.

THEN, one magical day something happened which changed our lives forever.
I grew up and became accepted!

I was suddenly allowed to tag along, touch her pets and sit in her room with her......The hours of arguing having turned into hours of discussion and laughter.
Later after having had her own children she saw that she could have been a little more tolerant of me and my antics and you will be happy to hear that I got from my niece and nephews as good as I gave to Jo.))


Me xxx