The first lockdown began shortly after we had moved house. We probably bought the cheapest habitable house in our suburb and there has been a lot to keep us busy, especially in the garden as we attempt to convert the backyard into something closer to the

The first lockdown began shortly after we had moved house. We probably bought the cheapest habitable house in our suburb and there has been a lot to keep us busy, especially in the garden as we attempt to convert the backyard into something closer to the native landscape over the back fence. There has been plenty of time for contemplation as we have pruned, weeded and dug. I have thought a lot about the past, thinking of the earlier pandemic, and found myself doing a bit of digging online as well. My mother is 90 and in poor health but with an amazing memory. She recalls a visit to a house in Pymble when she was a very young child. Her mother had emigrated from Scotland and was 'in service' to a family who owned a department store in the city prior to her marriage. The visit was to the enmployers' home near Pymble station. Searching newspapers for information about the family and their house has also led me to descriptions of the area I now live in from earlier times. I unearthed some large oyster shells in the yard after I had read a description of local Aboriginal people bringing seafood from around Cowan to trade with the Europeans now living on their land. I have also found old ink bottles, medicine vials and a curious pierced spoon in the earth. Having this time to think about those who have lived here before, the changes in a few generations and the layers, even in this small area, makes living here a richer experience.