30 day meme. entry the 3rd. My Parents
I was just thinking to myself on the train tonight how much my parents remind me of unsung heros.
My father Michael Jack Raymond Stasse is unique. Born in Brussels in 1952 and imigrating to Australia when he was 12 years old he somehow managed to remain easy going and wasn't poisoned by the French tradition of being proud.
I can happily say I know my father well now, and we talk every day. Dad is a real enthusiast for future vision, and his philosophy is lead by example. He has extensive knowledge of all things energy related. He can tell you anything you want to know about possible energy sources, and renewable energy systems. He is capable of being a real asset to the community, as he also has a brilliant mind for planning and is an invaluable teacher type.
Dad can't wait to teach me things. If he sees me doing something that isn't the way he does it, he proudly walks up and tries to teach me how to do it. 'Claire, no no no.. what are you doing, you do it this way'. But with anyone else, he shows great patience. ;)
Dad is the eldest of 8, and was often the cook, the cleaner and the big brother in charge. He told me once that he walked to school in snow, sat at school with snow in his boots, walked home in snow and then promptly got very very ill in grade 5. I can't imagine what kind of suffering his parents put him through, and what I do know of, I shudder to think.
Dad can be quite opinionated. Stubborn, but never strict. He has the best of intentions and only wishes to teach me how to live. He inspires me to try harder, to read widely, to try new things, to grow and to enjoy my youth.
Mum tells me dad was a draftsman and worked on wyvenhoe dam*sp but didn't enjoy the work. He was also a driving instructor for a number of years before being convinced by mum that his dream of photography was worth persuing. I haven't always known my dad. When we were little, he was always at home, but with having to get us ready for school was an aggitated man. After 1987 his photography business took a dive and his clients couldn't pay him the money owed. That was a really large obstacle for my parents, and it broke my dad.
Instead of going down a dark road however, dad immersed himself in do it yourself ethics and went to meet a most brilliant man, Bruce Teacle at Mt Glorious; about his solar panels. The rest is history. Bruce exlained everything he knew to my father. Dad, impressed by the ethics and the application of green technology took it on board whole heartedly.
In 1989 Mum and Dad moved up to Mt Nebo with us and a trailer load of things they couldn't part with, bought a block of land and started renting; while mum started working as a registerd nurse full time. Dad busied himself endlessly tearing down lantana on the block only for it to regrow stronger and with unrelenting enthusiasm. I remember running around the block, confused since it never really changed. He designed 5 different houses for that block of land, and eventually after we moved to The Gap, commited himself to a BERS energy efficent house design course at TAFE.
Dad taking on the greens ethics found himself drawn into helping stabalise the Greens QLD south branch and was a secretary for the greens for a number of years. He was always commited to elections and often ran in local seats in the area, including Ryan in the Ryan bi election 2000, against that schmuck Michael Johnson. I remember handing out how to vote cards at Mt Nebo State School in 1992 and this one elderly couple told me 'money doesn't grow on trees'. Dad overheard them and came over to defend me.
There was a lot of times where dads locally celebrity influenced how I was percieved at school, choir, sports etc. But I was too proud to care. Even when there were election signs on the roof racks.
He also took us to lots of protests. Alex and I were both involved in making sure the local goat track going from Mt Nebo to Samford remained a dirt track. It still is. I also remember biking from King George Square to the park across the road from The Royal Brisbane Hospital in protest of the 6 lane freeway.
That aside, it was hard for him. Dad was quite influential in the QLD Greens. For reasons I cannot go into, the QLD Greens factioned off and a few key memberships were stripped and out of protest, Mum and Dad left the greens party. They sold the block to their neighbour Hendrick and with the money bought 13 Risley Court.
This is around the time Dad started to get seriously worried about peak oil. If paranoia was the poison, Mon Abri was the remedy. He has put everything into this place and I am seeing a real marked change in his confidence and overall wellbeing. He loves it.
Dad has returned to the work force this year. After over 15 years unemployment Dad is now a senior consultant for Solar Zone and doing well.
Dad is a real artist. His nature is of a loving and honest, bright man and I couldn't ask for anyone better to be my father. I am a proud dad's girl. :)
___________________________________________________________________________
My mother Glenda Stasse, born Glenda Jean Malcolm in 1956 is a quitessential healer. Born and raised a Brisbane girl.
Mum is a registerd nurse and the rock that has kept my family functioning. She has sacraficed a lot of mother daughter time to put food on the table. Mum always left the house at 7 in a rush and returned home at some godforsaken hour exausted and in need of 'me' time. I remember mum occasionally tried to go to UNI in her 30's. She has started and dropped out of psychology, interior design, teaching art, a writers course and most recently a community degree but she has gained much from each. She has finished a cert I, II and III in Horticulture and herbs and wound care really is her gift.
She has always stuck by me. My mother is unfortunately born of the selfless gene, and has always put others before herself to her detriment. Taking in strays and helping women is what my family does. She has helped 3 interesting and troubled women get back on their feet by letting them stay with us for nothing. She grumbles about it, but she knows she has made a difference, and she has learnt a great deal from her decisions.
She has the most perculiar sense of humour. People who think I'm odd haven't met my mother. She can be downright adorable. Incredibly bohemian. It isn't unusual to see my mother in mismatched bright clothing while drinking her upteenth cup of tea. I love her. She reads constantly. always alerting me to fads in popular culture, health, literature and world projects.
She recently has been looking after my grandmother, and attending a ceramics course at tafe. She won a scholarship the other day and sold her first piece. I couldn't be more happy that she has finally let herself do what she wants to do.
I'm always reminding my mother that she can be my friend if she wants. Unfortunately, taking my father to her friends dinner parties in the late 90's caused her to lose her long time school friends, since he is so outspoken and left wing. She hasn't had the best time at remaining happy, but she has always succeeded at moving past her feelings and getting on with it.
She has taught me how to do that. When I left home at 15, she continued to support me and help me even at a distance. I can't believe how patient she was. She understood I suppose, my need for independance. I can't. She is the reason why I can function right now. She helped me day to day when I finally moved back home in 2008, 5 years later.
We have a great bond now. I tell her everything, and I suppose I need to. She in turn lets me help her, and I'm glad she finally will. I take her on great walks around Cooran when she gets time to, and just generally hang out with her and egg her on to be her fantastic creative self.
My mother and father together are a real power couple. Not politically as such, but she plants the seed of inspiration and pushes my father onward and that shows real backbone. She has stuck by him, which proves to me just how much I mean to her. She has sacraficed, they both have and they have come out on top.
Right now, my family is at its best since a long time.
:)
My father Michael Jack Raymond Stasse is unique. Born in Brussels in 1952 and imigrating to Australia when he was 12 years old he somehow managed to remain easy going and wasn't poisoned by the French tradition of being proud.
I can happily say I know my father well now, and we talk every day. Dad is a real enthusiast for future vision, and his philosophy is lead by example. He has extensive knowledge of all things energy related. He can tell you anything you want to know about possible energy sources, and renewable energy systems. He is capable of being a real asset to the community, as he also has a brilliant mind for planning and is an invaluable teacher type.
Dad can't wait to teach me things. If he sees me doing something that isn't the way he does it, he proudly walks up and tries to teach me how to do it. 'Claire, no no no.. what are you doing, you do it this way'. But with anyone else, he shows great patience. ;)
Dad is the eldest of 8, and was often the cook, the cleaner and the big brother in charge. He told me once that he walked to school in snow, sat at school with snow in his boots, walked home in snow and then promptly got very very ill in grade 5. I can't imagine what kind of suffering his parents put him through, and what I do know of, I shudder to think.
Dad can be quite opinionated. Stubborn, but never strict. He has the best of intentions and only wishes to teach me how to live. He inspires me to try harder, to read widely, to try new things, to grow and to enjoy my youth.
Mum tells me dad was a draftsman and worked on wyvenhoe dam*sp but didn't enjoy the work. He was also a driving instructor for a number of years before being convinced by mum that his dream of photography was worth persuing. I haven't always known my dad. When we were little, he was always at home, but with having to get us ready for school was an aggitated man. After 1987 his photography business took a dive and his clients couldn't pay him the money owed. That was a really large obstacle for my parents, and it broke my dad.
Instead of going down a dark road however, dad immersed himself in do it yourself ethics and went to meet a most brilliant man, Bruce Teacle at Mt Glorious; about his solar panels. The rest is history. Bruce exlained everything he knew to my father. Dad, impressed by the ethics and the application of green technology took it on board whole heartedly.
In 1989 Mum and Dad moved up to Mt Nebo with us and a trailer load of things they couldn't part with, bought a block of land and started renting; while mum started working as a registerd nurse full time. Dad busied himself endlessly tearing down lantana on the block only for it to regrow stronger and with unrelenting enthusiasm. I remember running around the block, confused since it never really changed. He designed 5 different houses for that block of land, and eventually after we moved to The Gap, commited himself to a BERS energy efficent house design course at TAFE.
Dad taking on the greens ethics found himself drawn into helping stabalise the Greens QLD south branch and was a secretary for the greens for a number of years. He was always commited to elections and often ran in local seats in the area, including Ryan in the Ryan bi election 2000, against that schmuck Michael Johnson. I remember handing out how to vote cards at Mt Nebo State School in 1992 and this one elderly couple told me 'money doesn't grow on trees'. Dad overheard them and came over to defend me.
There was a lot of times where dads locally celebrity influenced how I was percieved at school, choir, sports etc. But I was too proud to care. Even when there were election signs on the roof racks.
He also took us to lots of protests. Alex and I were both involved in making sure the local goat track going from Mt Nebo to Samford remained a dirt track. It still is. I also remember biking from King George Square to the park across the road from The Royal Brisbane Hospital in protest of the 6 lane freeway.
That aside, it was hard for him. Dad was quite influential in the QLD Greens. For reasons I cannot go into, the QLD Greens factioned off and a few key memberships were stripped and out of protest, Mum and Dad left the greens party. They sold the block to their neighbour Hendrick and with the money bought 13 Risley Court.
This is around the time Dad started to get seriously worried about peak oil. If paranoia was the poison, Mon Abri was the remedy. He has put everything into this place and I am seeing a real marked change in his confidence and overall wellbeing. He loves it.
Dad has returned to the work force this year. After over 15 years unemployment Dad is now a senior consultant for Solar Zone and doing well.
Dad is a real artist. His nature is of a loving and honest, bright man and I couldn't ask for anyone better to be my father. I am a proud dad's girl. :)
___________________________________________________________________________
My mother Glenda Stasse, born Glenda Jean Malcolm in 1956 is a quitessential healer. Born and raised a Brisbane girl.
Mum is a registerd nurse and the rock that has kept my family functioning. She has sacraficed a lot of mother daughter time to put food on the table. Mum always left the house at 7 in a rush and returned home at some godforsaken hour exausted and in need of 'me' time. I remember mum occasionally tried to go to UNI in her 30's. She has started and dropped out of psychology, interior design, teaching art, a writers course and most recently a community degree but she has gained much from each. She has finished a cert I, II and III in Horticulture and herbs and wound care really is her gift.
She has always stuck by me. My mother is unfortunately born of the selfless gene, and has always put others before herself to her detriment. Taking in strays and helping women is what my family does. She has helped 3 interesting and troubled women get back on their feet by letting them stay with us for nothing. She grumbles about it, but she knows she has made a difference, and she has learnt a great deal from her decisions.
She has the most perculiar sense of humour. People who think I'm odd haven't met my mother. She can be downright adorable. Incredibly bohemian. It isn't unusual to see my mother in mismatched bright clothing while drinking her upteenth cup of tea. I love her. She reads constantly. always alerting me to fads in popular culture, health, literature and world projects.
She recently has been looking after my grandmother, and attending a ceramics course at tafe. She won a scholarship the other day and sold her first piece. I couldn't be more happy that she has finally let herself do what she wants to do.
I'm always reminding my mother that she can be my friend if she wants. Unfortunately, taking my father to her friends dinner parties in the late 90's caused her to lose her long time school friends, since he is so outspoken and left wing. She hasn't had the best time at remaining happy, but she has always succeeded at moving past her feelings and getting on with it.
She has taught me how to do that. When I left home at 15, she continued to support me and help me even at a distance. I can't believe how patient she was. She understood I suppose, my need for independance. I can't. She is the reason why I can function right now. She helped me day to day when I finally moved back home in 2008, 5 years later.
We have a great bond now. I tell her everything, and I suppose I need to. She in turn lets me help her, and I'm glad she finally will. I take her on great walks around Cooran when she gets time to, and just generally hang out with her and egg her on to be her fantastic creative self.
My mother and father together are a real power couple. Not politically as such, but she plants the seed of inspiration and pushes my father onward and that shows real backbone. She has stuck by him, which proves to me just how much I mean to her. She has sacraficed, they both have and they have come out on top.
Right now, my family is at its best since a long time.
:)