Happy Birthday Mary-Lou, do you remember...

I remember when we were young, it was an adventure every day and we couldn't care less about our hair-dos.  I remember cramming 6 girls in mum's morris plus the driver to go to school.  I remember how some of them used to SLAM the door when they got out, not in anger, just habit and we braced ourselves every time.  Mum was too polite to say anything!

I remember the dress ups, how I loved to dress up.  I think this was the only time EVER that you weren't the "fat man" complete with pants (pillow shoved down the front), grandma's hat and goggles!  I remember being the princess, and you were the fat man, I was the grasshopper and you were the fat man, I was the sequined crab, and you were the fat man.  I'm sure mum didn't realise how precious this photo was - were you trying to be a bride or a nun? And what's with my hat?  We still didn't care about our hair but layering clothes was very cool.I remember all the parties, the special dresses that mum had made us and the beautiful cakes that she cooked - how glamourous is mum here - I certainly don't look like that when my boys are having their special days.  Please note my pointer finger - this was my party and I was displaying my holly hobby ring. We still didn't care much for a hair-do.
I remember dressing hi-fi up and tormenting her with our games.  She was our 3rd sister.  I remember you saving her life when she nearly hung herself on the outdoor setting.  We had revved her up for a "walkies", put her lead on and let her go berko before leaving.  Do you remember how she used to bolt up and down the table and chairs - did we really let her do that?  We were just about to leave on our bikes when hi-fi's lead got caught in the slats and she went flying - you dived off your red 3 speed, over my bernie jones and saved Hi-Fi's life all in one swift motion.  
I remember fanging around the neighbourhood on our bikes, chasing the ice-cream man, riding through muddy puddles in the bike track (well, only you were brave enough to combat the "big" puddle) and "dinky-ing" each other until our backsides could take no more.  I remember buckle-ing your brand new wheel just after dad told us not to take corners so quickly.  I remember nearly killing ourselves on our initial test run of our new rollerblades.  I remember you rollerskating down the brooks' driveway - from the very top - and ripping your new jeans to bits.  I remember Girl Gatchers and the elevator tree.  

And then we started to think about our hair.  Spiral perms and scrunchies. Undercuts and Princess Diana flicks.  And masses and masses of red hair.
I remember our U.F.O. jackets.  How we thought we were the coolest people to walk the earth in those jackets.  I remember the camping trips, how we had to share a bed in the Jayco and we would stay up late listening to the adult conversations outside hoping to hear something funny or educational or rude or all three, but just falling asleep to the sound of Credence Clearwater on the radio.  I remember the t-shirt "big bruiser, land cruiser": another cool addition to our wardrobe.  I remember fighting with you at Cameron's Corner even though you had a broken arm, just to be the first to stand in all three states at once.  I remember that family vacation to Moonta, Kadina and Pinaroo (I think that's where we were) and racing on some beach to be the person who could run the furthest.  We seemed to go forever.  I remember Bali and your hair.

I remember when we were both studying and we took a break, made some lunch and ate it in the backyard with hi-fi.  I guess you needed a bit of light-hearted relief from all the study to make you attack me with your stinky mayonaise sandwich, rub it in my face, pin me down and let hi-fi lick it off me.  That took conspiracy and planning.

I remember the look in the eye of my teachers when they found out i was your sister.  I remember the look in their eye when they realised we were a bit different!

I remember hanging out with our cousins at nanna and poppa's - and all of the bikes, the oranges with sugar cubes and minties.  I remember playing the car game with the winders - and playing and playing until nanna made us stop because our blisters were beginning to bleed.

I remember moving to Townsville and missing hanging out with my sister.  I remember when you visited and you hated me for taking you on a "fun" bike ride around Magnetic Island, and then making you play netball for the rest of your holiday.  I remember hearing you shuffle to the toilet in the middle of the night because you couldn't walk properly.

I remember making you play touch footy in NSW on a field of very long grass.

I remember staying with you in Adelaide when Sheg was away, and freaking out about the strange woman at your door in the middle of the night who stole your shoes!

I remember so many funny moments over the last 35 years, thanks for being my sister (like you had a choice) and I hope you had a lovely birthday last Tuesday.  Enjoy your time with Mum and Dad - I so wish I could be there too, to have more of these everyday moments. xxxxxxxxxx
Just thought I'd whack a lovely photo of you and the beautiful Lyzie-Lou here as you're probably hating me for some of the other ones - but I know you know it could have been worse, fat man.