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This fun, almost finished challenge, is brought to you by.. http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/
and today is brought to you by the Letter
Letter “X” was always going to be a struggle for me to with “family” in mind…
I guess I could class myself as being xenophilia being that love of foreigners, but then I could tell you about growing up in the inner city town of Richmond in Victoria in the late 60’s and early 70’s and how back then and aye even still today there were a lot of foreigners, Richmond back then was famous for it’s Greek population and sometimes it was kind of like “spot the Aussie” but I loved it, we learnt new words, we learnt about new foods, I remember swapping lunches with other girls who had thickly sliced weird bread with slices of spicy salami and strange looking chunks of cheese.. I’d happily swap my Vegemite and cheese sandwiches for those delights. And Easter with Greek friends was always fun too..then a few Chinese started appearing and again, new words and new tastes, back then on our birthday we were encouraged to bring party foods to share, maybe that’s where my love of all things travel” started, because suddenly we were hearing about places like Vietnam and Greece and seeing different flags and hearing different languages. Of course the Parentals were less than friendly, and were even down right racist, children are so much more forgiving. To us kids they were our class friends with the strange names like Houng and Dora, lots of Maria’s and Yanni and Giovanni and Carlos, didn’t matter where they came from we were just all friends.
OK, I’ll confess I’ve never heard of that word before I googled words starting with “X” but the rest of that story is true.
So today what I am about to do is switch it up a little.. I KNOW EXTRA does not start with X-tra but that;s what I am doing today.. illegal for this challenge maybe but hey I’ve been good following the rest of the rules I’ve visited more than half the people on the sign up list. I’ve liked, I’ve responded and I’ve made some lovely new bloggy friends. But I can NOT do this challenge without mentioning this person, although not “blood” related as family, she is the family that I gave myself and SHE is the best present I’ve ever given myself. I could have included her at “B” for “Bestest Best friend”, because that is her official title, and then I could have added her at “D” for Deanne which is her name, but that day I did Dad and I know Deanne loved Dad as much as me, so she wouldn’t mind me not adding her there.. I could have added her at “F” as Friend but she is so much more than that!! I could have added her at “S” for Sister, but she’s sooo much more than that, so then I had to figure out “Where can I add Deanne?”
So I decided to make up a place just for Deanne at X- for X-tra Bestest Best Friend!!
Our Latest photo Easter 2015. St. Leonards
Deanne Lyndell Whykes (Nee Warne) is my bestest best friend.. we have been friends since the day we first met and Deanne is the first real friend I made when I moved to Preston. I was 20 yrs old, newly married and moved to a new area, I transferred my job, so I ended up in the Delicatessen department at the local supermarket. Deanne was one of the “after school” casuals and we ended up working the Friday night late shift together. She was 16 yrs old and not yet driving, so she was relying on lifts or catching the train home, it was late, we used to be open till 9.00 pm and then cleanup, and then it turned out we both had early morning set ups which meant 7.00 am starts, so I suggested that Deanne stay in my spare room, there started a life long friendship, and I am so grateful to my “Bestie“
Deanne and Steve’s wedding Jan 1993
Something between us just clicked and we found we had many similarities, we were both the youngest of five children (Later I found out I was the youngest of 6!! and Deanne was there for moral support and encouragement!) We both had older sisters that we didn’t get on with and we both questioned “Why couldn’t I have YOU as my sister?” and so we made a pact that we would be the sister we each wished we had. and it’s been that way ever since. During long shifts at work when we were tired and getting ready to go a bit crazy, the deli Manager would send us to the kitchen (she thought it was punishment- but we loved it, we chatted and prepared the chickens in peace) to prepare the chickens for cooking in the rotisserie Deanne and I used to make up little songs and dance the chickens along the bench and thread them onto the long poles ready for cooking, it was a terrible job, the chickens were straight from the fridge so cold and stiff, our hand would suffer terrible, but we had our special “Chicken song” and that made it all worthwhile.
Deanne fit into my family so well, she was always right beside me at parties working in the kitchen or doing some silly little dance.
Deanne doing serving duties at the Bloke’s “Hawaii 5-0” party
Deanne, like just about everyone else groans when they receive a party invite from me.. the first question is “What is she making us dress as this time?” but you can beat your last dollar that Deanne will be the first to arrive, the best dressed and stay the longest to help clean up. We have had Hawaiian theme for the Bloke’s 50th, for my 40th we had “Arabian nights” complete with a belly dancer, we have had Burlesque, and Masquerade, we’ve had a colour party where we had to dress as a smartie colour. Lots of themes!!
Amber’s 21st, “Masquerade Party” March 2013 In the Kitchen again!!
We left the kitchen long enough to do some dancing!!
Over the years we have had many happy times together.. for Steve (Deanne’s Bloke) 40th Birthday we had to go dressed as something beginning with “S”
I came as “Santa’s Mrs” and Deanne was a “School Girl”
Deanne was proudly my Chief Bridesmaid for my Medieval wedding to the Bloke.. you can read more about that here: https://kimlhine.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/h-is-for-lots-of-pics-in-this-post/
Feb 29th 2004, Lady Kim and Lady Hawk.
Steve, Deanne, Me and Rob at Jasmin’s 21st Birthday “Burlesque theme” July 2011
When I had the two girls circa 1993 and decided to get them Baptised, there was never any other choice as to who would be Godmother.. Deanne and she’s taken her role very seriously. That was before Steve but when it came time to baptize Jarrah, Steve and Deanne became his God Parents too.
Deanne is the Godmother to the eldest Children.
Deanne and I are lucky that our Blokes get on as well as we do it makes it easy to hang out together. Our Blokes are of a similar mind “Happy wife Happy Life” and so now that the children are older, we are able to spend a bit more time together, so far we;ve been camping to Wye River in Victoria and then the following January we went camping in Alexandra in Victoria and then this Easter we spent Easter together at St. Leonards and Steve and Deanne have just gotten their first camper trailer so LOTS more family camping trips will be planned. Deanne and I spent a lot of time chatting or crocheting or just sitting side by side reading. There is never an awkward silence.
Lord Robert with Lord Steve,
We have been lucky enough to have our children close in ages, Deanne’s Eldest and my first boy Jarrah are five months difference, and our youngest boys are two months difference. So we can go away camping as families and enjoy each others families.
Most of the Whykes family camping in Alexandria Victoria Australia day weekend 2014.
Jasmin and “Da God Mumma” Deanne
Over the years we have got many layers of friendship built, lots of happy memories and some sad ones, we’ve shared births, deaths, marriages, divorce (mine) and remarriage, highs and lows and been there for each other, I moved away from Deanne in 2002 to move up to Sunbury, about 40 minutes away, but we keep in touch through phone calls and visits and camping trips and facebook.
Camping Easter 2015.. Jasmin and her “God family”
Feb 2008… I think celebrating Steve’s birthday, BBQ at Deanne’s house.
If I could give everyone a gift I’d wish you could all have a Bestie like my X-tra Best Friend Deanne.. but I am a jealous friend and I don’t share well, so I’m keeping this one.. sorry!!
Kim L Hine 