​

 

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

~~~~

​

​

The Great Universal Power of Love gift me with a most precious gift in life. From across the seas Bryan did come, for love!

​

I have a painting titled 'It’s not a cosmic joke” in my living room.  This is ‘OUR’ (Bry and my) painting of life, of love, of challenges, but ultimately it depicts the story of our eternal life together. I shake my head at the crazy crisscrossing that’s taken place in both our lives and that lead up to the ultimate electrified connection between us.

​

.......and across the planet, in Canada and the US growing my soulmate on his own journey....

​

Both inspirational and creative in their own rights!

​

As a thirteen and fourteen year old teenager I'd hung out week in and week out in the early eighties for the next episode of The Thorn Birds. Can you tell me what Australian female in the early 1980’s didn’t melt over Richard Chamberlin and Rachel Ward in the epic Australian drama The – Thorn – Birds? It had us all on the edge of our seats daydreaming about a forbidden love! I remember one week day when I was fourteen, Id stayed home from school with a head cold…Mum had tucked me into the living room couch with a pillow and blanket, doubling as my sick bed, she put the TV on for me, the only thing on a country TV station was The Mike Walsh Show. Half way though the program, Mike beamed live to LA to interview with Colleen McCullough author of the Thorn Birds novel AND  Daryl Duke, Director of the Thorn Birds! Were you kidding me...this was a good day to be sick and home from school!! Oh lordy, I sat there taking in every word Daryl had to say about the characters he was so lucky to know and work with. Sitting there that day I had absolutely no inkling that I would be married to his eldest son in seventeen years’ time. None! But marry Daryl’s eldest son, Bryan Duke, I did…and happily so. Id found my soulmate living on the other side of the planet.

​

Like wise, my parents, Mari and Bill like to listen to a mixture of music and genre...classical, opera, jazz...Id often heard them talk about Duke Ellington but as an 80's teenager Ellington was not where it was at. I would never have  imagined in my wildest dreams that my future mother-in-law not only was discovered as a singer by Duke but toured and recorded with him. Bless her heart she is currently the last surviving member of the Duke Ellington gang...still jamming and singing at 93.

​

Both of these unique folks gave Bry is AMAZING gift of music and acting...writing and creating.

​

​

~~~

 

Life has such a funny way of turning things around for not only the better but for a bit of a shove and giggle.

 

Together we have 5 kids between us. My two children (Nate 30yrs & Sammi-Jay 28yrs) from my first relationship, Bry with his daughter (Dakota 25yrs) from his first marriage and together we have two boys (Elijah 17yrs & Noah 14yrs). Blended families are a challenge but one word links us all together…Family!

​

All the kids are talented and gifted in their own rights, and with parents and grandparents who are also gifted in their own ways, be it in art, music, theatre or academics...each little bit is a part of them. All these beautiful children are strong and resilient kids doing life on their terms. Good for them, they know they have our love and support doing it.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​