So from Sydney, we caught a flight to Wagga Wagga where we had a book signing at Book City. We weren’t there for long before we started the drive to Goulburn. I spent a lovely hour or so, in the car with Deb, Allen and Unwin’s book seller before I jumped back in the car with Kate.
Well now, there’s an experience! I can tell you that Kate can’t drive in the country! (It’s okay, I told her so and she very nicely allowed me to drive for the rest of the tour!)
Goulburn was great, with a very interactive crowd (this picture is of the owners of the Angus and Robertson store).
After a night in Goulburn, we drove to Dalgety, to the Dalgety Women’s Day, which was such a wonderful experience. Genevieve, a very inspiring woman, told of her journey with her husband, from the hospital ringing her to tell her to come and say good bye, after a tragic farming accident, until now. Her husband is far from dead – although paralysed – and is the primary carer for their child. It was truly, a very moving story.
I then spoke about friends and networks and how important they are in the country. One of the key points was why rural women need a supportive network.
“When I think of a support network, I picture a spiders web. Something complex and sticky! So much so, you could never fall through the gaps. Strong, but delicate too. And essential to our survival.
The landmarks that people lay down for us are the ones that take away our identity.
When we get married we become ‘Mrs’. When we have a baby, we become ‘Mum’. And while our greatest achievements are the ones who call us ‘mum;’ and call us ‘wife’, the people who recognise us for our true identities are the ones that call us ‘FRIEND’.”
The creative writing workshop was so much fun! We had about twenty people and we created a character and developed a synopsis for a story – I’m so hoping that one of the amazing women that were there, will write the story, because it got my creative juices following! So if you come across a novel about a woman called Adelaide Dalgety who marries a bloke for respectability and there is a court yard and brass regiment buttons in the bottom of a well, you know it’s the one we started to creative that day.
I’ve been so very privileged to have met these women – it was inspiring to see laughter and attentiveness that followed the whole day and the women who were on the Dalgety Women’s Day committee, who put it all together, really have something to be proud of.
Next journey… Tasmania!
