Okies.. I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack ..
OMG I have had the most totally awesome weekend in my life. This surpasses almost anything i've experienced and anything I have ever felt (emotionally).
I flew down to Avalon airport (Victoria) after leaving home at 3.30am Saturday morning where my plane left at bang on 6am.. From there, I went and jumped in the hire car which i was supplied with and proceeded on my hour and a bit drive out to Ballarat (Gold Rush Town in Country Victoria - the site of the infamous Eureka Stockade and historical Sovereign Hill Goldmine - the place where the Welcome Nugget was found).
Anywho.. after a non-eventful but enjoyable one and a half hour drive, I received a phonecall from my new-found Cousin Alison to ask where I was at.. to which I responded - "I'm near an Aldi supermarket at the edge of Ballarat" to which she excitedly responded "stay there, we are on our way to meet you and we will escort you to your Motel". So, with all said, I turned into the Carpark of Aldi and waited 10 or so minutes - next thing I know in drives a Blue Ford Station Wagon and pulls up beside my Hired RAV4 4wd and out jumps my Cousin and she sprints at me already in tears. We hugged for about 5 minutes and yes, we were both blubbering fools.
Anywho.. after a brief chat, I followed them into Ballarat and to my Motel where they left me to check in and freshen up as they headed back to their house (2 mins away) to tell the family I would soon be there..
Well.. after about half an hour in which I checked in, had a quick shower and unpacked, I jumped back in the Car and drove around to Cousin Alison's house. I turned into their street and I got about half way down the road at that point, on the radio, I heard Guy Sebastians song "Angels brought me here" which instantly reminded me of my dearly departed Mother (sister to the Aunty I was about to meet for the first time) and I looked down the road and saw a few people standing out front of Alisons house - at which time, I started trembling like i was experiencing my own private earthquake and then the Tears started pouring out. Then and there, I became so nervous and emotional that I turned the Car around and went for a drive to calm myself down - needless to say I had been spotted driving down and received a phonecall not long after.
After about 15 minutes and still tearing up, I composed myself long enough to turn back and go to Alisons house. I drove back down the street and this time there was only Alison and her husband Colin waiting out front.
I pulled up, got out of the car and walked over to them.. once again, Alison and I were crying and we cuddled again. Next thing I know out comes another Cousin (daughter to my now deceased Uncle Bruce) and she joined in the hugs n tears. I was then lead into Alisons house and as I entered I saw an elderly lady standing in the middle of the loungeroom with the biggest smile and tears streaming down her face - it was my Aunty Joyce. I literally went weak at the knees and lost my balance slightly from the shock - as the similarities (lookwise) between my Mum and Aunty Joyce were that significant and memorable that I just lost it.
I went over to her and gave her the big bunch of flowers I had bought earlier.. then we hugged and she kissed me and vice versa. By that time, I was gone!! My eyes were burning, my cheeks were aching and my ass hurt from where i bumped into the corner of the coffee table when i lost my knees.
After we all stopped crying, the stories started... I found out more about my mother's childhood in 8 hours than i had been able to do in the 22 years that I had mum with me. I cannot describe the feeling other than to say that I had and still have goosebumps on goosebumps.
The rest of the happenings, were pretty much alot of reminiscing and questions back and forth so I'm not going to put all that stuff in here.
Here are some pics that I took and were taken.
MrTushie "MrTushie" Sparkling
- 16 years, 6 months, 9 days ago