"For 29 years I’ve lived in the same country, in the same state, in the same city, in the same suburb, on the same street, in the same house. The house began as a cute little post-World War II 1940s Austerity building with a bright sandstone face, surrounded by a low white fence (now covered in leafy green vines), and a ramshackle front garden shaded by a large Chinese elm. Parking any vehicle under the elm for any length of time is not recommended.

Growing up, our generous block featured a huge backyard filled with fruit trees (lemons, oranges, mandarines, nectarines, cherries, and horribly dry Lilly Pillies which made your tongue fuzzy and throat itchy), grape vines, colourful flowers, gum and almond trees, fences, two sheds (one large, one small) and a granny flat. The granny flat was home to an old, bald man named Bob who we suspect sprayed our dog Meg in the face with fly repellant. Meg was a gorgeous purebred black labrador and a proudly disobedient failed guide dog. Meg sadly passed away in Christmas 2010. Bob is dead."