It has been eight years since I was last in the Australian city of Geelong, my parent's home town. The city has changed very little, but I could scarcely recognise my young cousins, who have grown up in the intervening years. Anna's baptism in the family church, St John's in Geelong West, provided an opportunity to bring the extended family together for the first time in many years.
Present at the baptism were: Hazel Dicker; her son Leigh, his wife Sue, and children Rueben, Louisa and James; Hazel's daughter Jenny, her husband Stuart, and children Robyn with fiancé Craig, and Carol with husband Mark, and children Nicholas, Emily and Olivia. Also present were Jean McDermott; her daughter Margaret and Margaret's son Jack; my parents Peter and Heather McDermott; and my sisters Katherine, and Elizabeth with her boyfriend Derek. Family friends in attendance were Joan Moody; Alan, Helen and Olivia Truslove; Tom and Veronica O'Brian and Deborah, Mark and Erika Kotowicz. Post-baptism we later enjoyed Australian Champagne and canapés at Leigh and Sue Dicker's home.
While in Geelong, we had the opportunity to spend time with my cousins Bridgette, Allison and her son Aaron; and to dip Anna's toes in the Pacific Ocean.
