Dear Amelia and Fionn

This collection of family history information and reminiscences is centred on the early life of the author growing up in small town New Zealand of the 1950s and 60s. Being in a family that grew to have 10 children living in a 3-bedroom suburban home was a distinctive enough experience. Added to this was the tension of people living with stresses that were certainly not aided by the strong flavour of Catholic religious practices and expectations of the time.