My name is Charlotte.
I live behind the racecourse in Strathalbyn. Today I'd like to tell my story of the blessed life I had as a child in my mother's care.
People never truly comprehend how a child be loved unconditionally when on the outside, the life looks hectic and unpredictable. My mother yielded crops of cereal and hay as an income for our family. She grew vegetables for us to eat and crops for financial income.
Together with my father she assisted in creating a busy, happy, loving home. It was organised chaotic mayhem most days. Organised because everything was done in a routine. Chaos because things were left about the place. Happy because noone cared how untidy our place was.
We all laughed and loved. Mother would bring milk in fresh from the cow for us at breakfast time. Warm milk porridge was a staple breakfast in our home.
Thank you for listening to how our mother created a happy loving life for her children.
Hi. My name is Jack.
I am your Uncle. I want to share my mother's love for her children. She would prepare meals in the hardest of droughts for us with love. She would ensure we had food on the table each meal time. Every meal was prepapred with her love for us and her desire to feed us nutritional food.
In good years the vegetables were plentiful and varied. In leaner years we often ate a lot of fresh fish as this was a reliable source of protein when the stock were hungry themselves.
I adored my mother for she always told us she wanted the best for us. It meant sometimes we pushed her boundaries and were met with her hostile wooden spoon. We never begrudged her as we knew in our heart that we had pushed her boundaries and she didn't have time for our bullshit behaviours.
She often turned a blind eye when we were up to mischief with our horses. The horses knew we were being ratbags but would play along most times. We did land on the ground in a heap from time to time. We deserved it.
Thanks for listening dear Fiona. Who knew we would be having this conversation. It is wonderful to see you share these stories of a mother's love for people to listen to or read. You know how much reading I did, so story telling suits me. (The pendulum them made its laughing motion to signal his laughter.)
My name is Violet.
I live in the house on Wells St you once lived in. I came to Streaky Bay from a ship to find a husband. I became a maid at the hospital. For many years I was a cleaner at the hospital before I met my true love. We left town to make our home. The war took my husband from me. He never returned. We never made our family together as we had dreamt. Instead I created a home for my fur friends. I loved my cats and dogs like they were my children.
Today I wish to share that a Mother's love has no bounds. Animals are family too.
Thank you for listening to my story Fiona
Hello. My name is Judith.
I live on High St, Strathalbyn. I understand the plight of women who always wanted to be a mother yet never became so.
Life's circumstances tend to dictate opportunities for parenthood. Mine just never came. Instead I showered my nieces and nephews in my love. These children became my children in spirit of parenthood. Their love exchange with me endured my life. I am forever grateful for their unconditional love exchange with me throughout their life.
Thank you for listening to my story.