Carol was 8 years younger than me, but growing up she spent a lot of time with me and my late husband, Allan. We would pick her up every Friday and drop her back on the Sunday.  Most of the time we would go to the local Basketball games where she would help us set up and run the canteen stall. We also loved to travel around our home state Launceston in Tasmania, and had a passion for the local 6 day bike races and carnivals on the coast. Even when she got older Carol continued to attend these.


Carol was 3 years older than our brother Gary and could beat him at most things. She was very cheeky and I remember clearly the day she ran at him in the hallway, swinging her arms, hoping to connect with him as usual, but this time was different! Gary had just gone through a growth spurt and suddenly grown substantially stronger. On this occasion he put his arms out and lifted her in air. Carol was just hanging there flailing her arms in disbelief, miffed that she had no hope of getting to him or anything else! What a laugh!


When she was at High School, she played hockey and even to this day all the girls from the team stayed close. She was once hit straight on, in the mouth, by a raised hockey stick - that was something, but she took it like a trooper.


Allan and I worked at the Railway, and so did Carol and my brother Gary. Carol joined straight after High School to become a Secretary to the Works Manager. Railways were a huge thing then and Carol always knew how to make an impression on the boss. She would take in his coffee, somehow always managing to spill it on to the biscuits (yes, back then only ladies made the tea & coffee & took it to the men!)  


When she left there she began working at Richie, Parker Alfred Green & Co. (Solicitors), where it was always eventful. She then rebelled and decided to buy a motorbike!  I still don't know how she got our Mum and Dad to let her do this under 21, but off she went to the mainland with her school friend Gaye and the bike (there is a photo). Oh boy, what a trip they had, and lots adventures - Carol's bike always seemed to break down but luckily it would usually happen in small towns so they could get it repaired cheaply. Eventually they started running out of money and had to end up eating cold sausages & vegetables straight from the tin.  Her friend Gaye would send home for more money and somehow they managed to get to Brisbane. They then met up with a friend Bill and the 3 of them hitchhiked to Cairns, picked up by some dodgy driver!!!!  After a while travelling they arrived at a small town at night and when the driver went to the pub they made a run for it! After they ran they discovered that nothing was open and they had no where to sleep. Needing a place to stay they decided the best solution was to head to the local jail (as you would) and ask if they could stay the night there! After some sweet talking and alot of charm, they were allowed.  She said it was a good night! They never did connect with that driver again!!


Next Carol went to Perth, in Western Australia, and worked several jobs, living in lots of different locations. She would come home back to Tassie sometimes, ie. to help our Mum or help me with my eldest son Stuart when my second child Rodney was born. She had bought a caravan in Scarborough in WA and was living a bohemian lifestyle again. While she was there she was given a small pox vaccination, as a prerequisite to go overseas and at that time they gave her a huge dose, which made her soooo terribly ill. We didn't know this at the time (not like today with mobile phones), but she later told us that she couldn't even get out bed to get a drink of water and didn't have anyone coming to help! I don't know how she survived? I guess it was down to sheer determination and good genes!!    


Then she went to the UK alone by boat with just £20 to her name. When she got there she started working her way down the coastline in Hotels. She eventually got to London and landed jobs working in Offices. Eventually she came back to Oz for a bit and stayed in a lovely NSW flat (which is worth a fortune today).  One year we visited her over Christmas with my sons Stuart and Rodney and sometimes she would return home to Launceston to see us there too.


But alas, she missed the UK and wanted to return back, so off she went again...


...next time returning with a husband!