My neighbour Anna

There is a lady who lives down the street from me called Anna. She is Greek and ninety years old. Yesterday was a hot afternoon and as I walked past her place with my boys, she offered them an icecream. She indicated that we should follow her inside and she took us all an icecream from her freezer. We sat on her front verandah to eat them. Once finished the boys headed on home to play with the neighbours and I sat a bit longer with Anna.

Anna has lived in Australia since she was sixty years old. Her and her husband followed her three children over here. She mainly associates with Greek people, they are a very tightknit family, and her English is not great. When we talk I understand about thirty per cent of what she says. But we do talk, we do communicate and I enjoy hearing her stories.

Anna mainly tells me all about her extended family, their jobs, their houses, their finances, their health complaints. She is a very strong minded woman and upfront with her opinions. For example, we have a vegie patch outside our place on the nature strip. It is enclosed by wooden sleepers and used by four households. It is very tidy and we all tend it and share what is grown. We also share with other neighbours and friends, anyone who passes by is offered something from the garden.

Anna doesn't like it. Whenever she comes by on her walking stick, she stops and points, "No good," she says. I tell her that we like it and explain that our backyard is tiny and doesn't get much sun. She doesn't care. "No good," she says again, pointing with her stick. This makes me smile. Back in Greece and at her place down the street, you have your vegie plot out back, not on the grass verge. She likes things the way she likes them. She is ninety and entitled to her opinion.

I will continue to have my little chats with Anna where we only really understand a bit of what is said to each other. But we connect and that is what matters. Also, I love oldies. I really do.

Sorry for the gap in posts, I had a computer meltdown and had to get a new one and blah, blah, blah.

love to all, K.xxxxx