Agatha walks Flinders island, her grey hair wrapped in a bun and her footsteps purposeful and free.  Dagmar lives in the city with a room full of collectable dolls and makes delicious cups of tea.  Both are amongst the aunties of my childhood, as my mother’s sisters were unknown.

Dagmar was a dress shop owner who made cucumber sandwiches for feast.   Many Ayyam-i-ha celebrations she gave packages of dresses to my mother for me.

I loved those dresses as they were so unique.  Each one had its own personality.  One was my Heidi dress.  I liked that when I spun in it the circle skirt twirled; it seemed to be made for dance.  Another dress was very long and had a checked pattern and ruffles on the sleeves.  It made me feel like I could time travel, like in the time travel books I was into reading at the time.