About Suzanah
My beginnings: In Hornsby hospital Sydney. I was brought up on the beautiful leafy North Shore where the houses are old fashioned and the gardens large. I had an elderly friend who used to teach me the names of plants and birds and take me for walks down to Lane Cove river park to admire the trees and feed the ducks.
When I was ten years old we moved to England into a three-story narrow terrace house with a paved square for a back garden and a front door that opened onto the street. Even though we progressed to a better place, I missed the big clear skies of Australia and the sound of the currawongs and magpies terribly. I planted a gum tree in our front garden but the frost was too much for it and it turned black one particularly cold winter’s night. Canterbury was an interesting and picturesque town but it never felt like home. I returned alone to Sydney, at the earliest possible opportunity, just two weeks after finishing high school.
Where I live now: In Australia somewhere!
My Family: Very arty and musical. My mum was a ballet dancer for a while, loved to sing and in later years ran a fancy dress costume business from home. Dad has always been attached to his typewriter, writing fiction for as long as I can remember. Other close relatives have careers in graphic design, classical music, country music, photography...
Well I can’t sing or dance and learned the violin under duress but it soon became clear that painting was my thing.
My Career: I knew I was good at art and everyone expected me to pursue a career in illustration or design so I began by working in a pet shop and progressed to a job in the zoo. After a considerable time learning the intricacies of tour guiding and later progressing to manure processing I suddenly realised that I wasn’t really destined for a life of sweeping up piles of giraffe droppings after all. Armed with a variety of unusual pets and plenty of enthusiasm I applied for a university degree course in Fashion and textile design.
I’m still not sure why I did that. My dress habits at the time consisted of khaki shorts and t-shirts (hand painted) and my hobbies included abseiling, caving and cross country skiing. When they asked me who my favourite designer was I couldn’t think of any at all - let alone a favourite one! I was accepted into the course on the basis of a strong portfolio of paintings and a comment after the interview that I knew I was artistic and just wanted to learn to do something useful.
I found the fashion industry fast, creative and exciting but after four intense years I was drained. Where could I go from there? I had a degree but no desire to use it! I began to work from home with a little bridal dressmaking followed by years of painting animal t-shirt designs for various zoos and wildlife parks and native animal designs for the tourist market. My working life became a seemingly endless stream of kangaroo and koalas... and then one day I unexpectedly received a key hidden in a carved wooden box.
It was the key to an old country guesthouse on a small acreage. There I discovered the Fairy Foals... and that life does indeed begin at forty!
Marital status: I was married once for three years. He was a beautiful man. He was an engineer and a pilot in training. He died when a drunk driver hit his car late one night. I was newly pregnant at the time but I lost the baby at 19 weeks.
Hobbies: Gardening, fencing and sewing.
I wish I could claim to be a knowledgeable gardener but it wouldn’t be true. I cut things back (a lot), make compost, apply water and hope that it all works. If it doesn’t I pull it out and try planting something else. Of course growing vegetables would be easier if I could keep Fuzz’s thieving teeth away. I’m trying to teach him that these ones are his and those ones are mine. A barrier of mesh helps to some extent, but this is one determined cabbage moth pony.
Gardening is fun. I wish I had more time out there getting my hands dirty.
By ‘fencing’ I mean swords not planks. It makes me keep fit, is competitive and challenging to my brain. I have a pillow wearing a shirt, hanging on the clothes-line to practice on.
And sewing - well I have to use my degree for something even if it is just for clothing myself!
What I Like: Watching Little Brown! Escaping to the peace and tranquility of my home and a nice glass of red wine with a friend.
Of course I also like dressing up and making costumes. The more bizarre the better! Any excuse will do, I don’t mind standing out in a crowd. There aren’t enough things to dress up for legitimately these days.
I also love trees, camping and walking in the bush.
What I Dislike: Chainsaws - extremely
Also low cut hipster trousers and trousers that are falling down.
Character strengths: I was once accused of being ‘devastatingly honest’. I assume that was a compliment.
I like to work hard - and not just the fun things. My mother used to say “Get in and do the jolly thing!” If an unpleasant job presents itself I like to get it done and out of the way. This does not mean I am tidy; my house often resembles a tip! I prioritise my work, and picking things up and vacuuming are not usually high on the agenda.
I’m also good at offloading unnecessary rubbish - both physical and psychological.
My aunty once said I smiled a lot. That was nice!
I daydream a lot.
Character weaknesses:
I daydream a lot.
I am inclined to panic in a tight spot and I don’t always look before I leap. It can be a pretty messy combination.
I also often open my mouth before engaging my brain. When it works it is called being straight and honest. When it doesn’t it’s called being tactless and heartless. Eeek!
