Neighbours

 From the time I was born until I was ten years old I felt nothing but unconditional love for our next door neighbours.

I was extremely fortunate to live on a farm next door to my father’s parents and I saw them almost every day of my life.

In my memory we are always seated around the large kitchen table having morning tea, afternoon tea or lunch. There is always a crowd of people there - my uncles, aunts, grandfather, Dad, and sometimes also shearers and other workmen. 

The kitchen always smells of delicious meals, soups, roasts, and of course fruit cake and slice. I always have a cup of cocoa with the adults because my grandfather makes it deliciously sweet and creamy, just the way I like it.

Soon after, my grandfather died, my uncle married, my aunt returned to live at home with her two children, and then we moved far away from that encompassing circle of family love.

The magical spell was broken but those happy times will remain always in my memory.