Margaret McDonough

Like all of us I left school in 1967. In 1968 I went to Sydney on a Department of Capital Territories scholarship to the Sydney Kindergarten Teachers College where I stayed for three years — studying plus a trip to my parents in London for my 21st.   At the end of 1970 I graduated and married an Army Officer who went to Vietnam within four weeks of our wedding. I came back to Canberra to be a Director of a pre-school in Ainslie. When Australia pulled out of Vietnam I began my life as an army wife — there followed 12 moves within 12 years — nothing too exciting just places like Puckapunyal, Holsworthy, Sydney and Canberra.

During this time my two beautiful daughters were born. Jeanne in 1972 and Emily in 1974. They have both completed university now and have jobs — Jeanne in Dubbo and Emily in Sydney.

Since 1983 I have been living in Sydney. During that time I have gone back to do extra study, worked part time, then full time teaching English as a Second Language at Auburn for nine years. Last year I had a change and went to Burwood where I still am.

When I came back to Sydney we lived at Chatswood — my husband left the army, we renovated and extended the house. He found work after a long search, we divorced, I bought and sold Chatswood and now I’m living in a dear little Victorian house in Summer Hill.