Karenn Marie Layne (Nee North)
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In those days, little girls often had their hair put in rags to get that 'Shirley Temple Look'. On one of these occasions, mum thought she'd have a photographer visit the house to take my photo. Unfortunately, my hair was so long that it used to take all day to dry, so when the photographer turned up my hair was still wet. Mum came up with the brilliant idea of sticking my head in the oven to dry. It worked and here is the picture he took. My hobbies were dancing, gym and skateboard riding. I used to run errands for my next door neighbour, Mrs Loader, and I'd skate to the shops and buy her small items of groceries. She was very old and lived to 101 years old. |
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Sometimes, for entertainment, I would skate up and down the footpath for hours on my skateboard or swing on the little red swing dad made for me. When I was eight years old, my brother Paul was born. I didn't like a baby in the house much because he was too little to play with and got all the attention. After a few years we moved to Baulkham Hills and I started Second Year at Castle Hill High School (Year 8 now). Things changed for the better. I stopped wearing my glasses to school and I became more confident. Boys started taking notice! During high school I made lots of new friends. My hobbies were now tennis and boys! I remember mum, Paul and I went on a three week holiday to South Australia to visit a friend of mum's. Dad wished us well on our bus trip and gave Paul and me a watch as a present. He gave mum, Jason! Yes, Jason turned up nine months later. I left school in Fourth Year to help the family out financially. |
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When I was 19 I came second in the Miss Orange Blossom Pageant, which was held every year in the Hills District. As winners, we were driven around in antique cars in the parade. It was an exciting time. At age 21 I went on my first overseas trip. I went to
New Caledonia and the Isle of Pines. I had a wonderful time, except
that on my last night there I got food poisoning and had to endure many
hours on bus, plane and car trips before I got home. It was at the tennis courts that I met my first husband, Mick Bourne. I was 12 years old and he was 13. We met up again when we both joined the Commonwealth Bank and met socially after work and then ended up working at the same branch together. |
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We were married for 12 years and had a lovely daughter, Laura. During our marriage we moved from Winston Hills to Canberra and some years later divorced. I met my second husband, Maurie, also on the tennis court, (great sport, this tennis!) and we have another beautiful daughter, Cassie. My hobbies now include painting as well as, of course, tennis. Some of my paintings have received awards at the Canberra and Queanbeyan Shows. I've even been lucky enough to have sold some. Whilst having some time off work to have children, I started a little craft business called 'Country Temptations'. I made all sorts of things, like dried flower arrangements, pressed flowers, decoupage and folk art. Now I just concentrate on folk art, as my life is very full with working and being mum's taxi for the girls. |
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| As the girls continue to grow and shape their lives, I look forward to retirement and doing some travelling around Australia and Overseas. |
