Our Big Fat Aussie Family! (Part 2)

Still introducing the family – it’s a big one! In the previous post, I focused on Baba Ina’s family…today it’s Baba Fotini!

Baba Fotini’s husband died in the war, but she still came to Australia and brought up her two children Patsy and BIll.

While in Shepparton, we felt very blessed to stay in our late Baba Fotini’s flat. Throughout her home there were pictures of the family throughout her years. It was such a pleasure to look at the pictures and see her life through them.

Baba Fotini’s daughter, my Aunt Patsy and Uncle Sam, live right next door on the farm, so it was perfect for us to spend time with them on their orchard and chat away while having a tea or coffee. They are a lovely family who were so kind and hospitable.

They also have fruit orchards which we roamed through and sampled!

Aunt Patsy showing us the orchard.

Sampling the pink ladies!

Delicious!

It was lovely to meet all of our cousins…many for the first time!  Over the course of our time together, we were able to meet up and get to know each other better! It was fun for all of us – although Angelo and Cathy’s kids had their hands full with their toddlers….we remember those days!

The Clan at the Zurcas Hotel/Restaurant

Cathy and Angelo’s kids and grandkids

From Shepparton, we drove to Packenham to stay with Mary Siomos and her family. Our story goes way back! When my dad went to Australia 25 years ago, he met Mary and told her he had a daughter the same age, (me). We started to write back and forth over the years. When Oliver and I went to Australia 15 years ago….I asked to meet with my penpal and Baba Fotini knew it was Mary! We were able to connect with her and her husband Jim, as well as her kids Andrew (6), Matthew (3) and Alycia (2). Fifteen years flies by quickly, and now those young kids have grown up to be beautiful young adults!

Andrew is now 21, working and has a lovely girlfriend Jacintha, Matthew just returned from his first year of university in West Virginia (he’s on a soccer scholarship), and Alycia is in her last year of high school.

It was wonderful to catch up on 15 years and to hear all the stories and have fun together! We also had a chance to see Alycia dance – she is fantastic!

On our last night at their place, it was great to get together with the extended family and spend some Aussie time together! Nothing is better than family!

Mary has promised that their clan will come and visit next July….we will hold them to this promise!!

There’s still more family to come…stay tuned!