I hope the Paisley clip didn't give you the impression that my...

I hope the Paisley clip didn't give you the impression that my childhood was steeped in harsh dogma and misery. It wasn't.

But I was born in Melbourne (in 1938) so for seven years all I knew was Australia on a war-time footing with ration cards, my father digging an air-raid shelter in our back yard, and house windows and street lights being being blacked out at night to deceive enemy bombers.

But there were always school holidays to look forward to - which I did with gusto as I loved farm life and being with an old uncle who had a marvellous outlook on life:


My aunt, my mother, my uncle and me.

His marvellous outlook:

One year there was a terrible drought and many
other farmers were (as is only natural) focusing
on how bad it was - which only made them
feel more miserable and helpless.

But my uncle said: "It's bad and there's no getting
away from that. But it's sweetening up my sour
water-logged bottom paddock."

He could also see some good in me - which
is proably why I had a lot of time for him.

He and my aunt had a lovely marriage.

But not all marriages are made in heaven:

Before marriage:



After marriage:



After the divorce:



When all else fails...



... try group therapy.