“New friends may be poems but old friends are alphabets. Don’t forget the alphabets because you will need them to read the poems.” - William Shakespeare.

Cherish the old and new friends and relatives you have - talk, laugh, reflect with those who you have known for years and create new memories! Be present and enjoy the time you have because it goes faster than you plan.
AJ was more than a friend to me; she was an aunty. I went to Sydney with my parents when I was about 16, from New Zealand. Carol and family arrived soon after. Waaay back in 1980. I look back now and realise how very lonely I was for family. I had lots of old friends and family in New Zealand. In Sydney it was just me and my parents.
Carol’s family opened their arms to me and treated me like family. And this included, of course, AJ. Carol and I would go and stay at AJ’s house in Coogee. She would take Carol and I out to a flash restaurant, go her own way and Carol and I would go out on the town. She spoilt us. I remember her smile and laugh so vividly.
I remember being SO impressed with her recounting of some of the memories she shared. My favourite one was when Russell Crowe came to a health centre she was in charge of, to retrieve the drummer of his band for band practice. AJ wouldn’t release him and so she and Russell Crowe went toe to toe. He yelled and screamed. He lost. Ha!
(Note to self – don’t take on An Angry Lewis -mad as a cut snake!)
OH AJ, you were a LEGEND!

Carol and family, so sad to hear about AJ. So many great memories of AJ at family gatherings. My most lasting image is when AJ tried to introduce angle parking into the street. AJ will be dearly missed. Love Ivan, Helen, Alex and Tom.

AJ was a real force - and a kind one at that. I remember visiting Sydney and remarking of on how pretty the colours were in something she was crocheting. A few weeks later and she presented me with a blanket - a truly treasured possession of mine which was one of the few things in my initial moving country suitcase. Thinking of you all at this time - her memory will keep her with you always. Xx