Battleground

'It's tough love she needs, Don. I've been telling you this for the last twelve years.' Don and I are arguing over our daughter, Arabella. She's just come home from the movies with her friends, and there's been a drama of some description. Arabella is sixteen and...well, I remember what it's like to be full…

Losing Mia

Barry and I were in a small room, just off from triage. It was styled with a sofa, two arm chairs, a small occasional table with a lamp, and cheap art work. Also on the table were brochures: organ donation, funeral homes, cancer foundations, and SIDS. And a vase of plastic flowers. We knew instinctively…

Lesson for Me

You know what I'm discovering, more and more, as my children grow older? I bet you can guess the usual suspects...the unconditional love, the pride, the awe as they learn new things, the fact that parenting is a balancing act and that, as parents, there's only so much that you can do for your child.…

G&Ts with Mum

'He's always been a bit daffy,' said Mum. We were sitting at the outdoor couch on the deck, sipping gin and tonics. It was our favourite way to catch up at the end of each week. I'd just told Mum that I saw Aidan at the supermarket on Wednesday. He'd been pushing a trolley full…

Home

I'm almost ready to board a flight to Adelaide to attend a friend's 50th and to see my parents. The city is affectionately known by locals as Radelaide, but to the rest of the nation it's sardonically referred to as Sadelaide. For those of you who aren't familiar with Australia, it's the (very small) capital…