THE SMITH FAMILY

I received my bank statement this week and enclosed was an envelope asking for donations to the Smith Family.  While Phil and I have always donated to various charities over the years it is not always easy when one is on an aged pension, much as we'd love to continue to do so.  As this organisation does such a wonderful job though, I just may try to find a few dollars this year if I can.

That though is not my point in this instance.   It reminded me of a story told to me many years ago by the wife of an uncle of my first husband (Aubrey) (have you worked that out OK?)  She had been Minnie Smith before her marriage and the story goes like this.

Uncle Bert and Auntie Min had travelled to Melbourne (Victoria) from Perth, Western Australia, by train (a journey of a couple of thousand miles) and upon leaving the station in Melbourne what should confront them but a big sign on an adjacent building 'THE SMITH FAMILY".

Bert turned to Min and said "and now I know where you all came from!"   Min always loved telling that story and now you too know where all the Smiths came from.

Min and I remained friends after my divorce to Aubrey and the last time we visited her in her unit in a retirement home in Mount Lawley she would have been in her mid-nineties.   She passed away in her sleep on 21st November, 2001 at the ripe old of age of 97.  Bert had pre-deceased her in 1985 when he was 81.