2016
From: joannerulez@hotmail.com
To: anna.b.1964@gmail.com
Date: 30 July 2016
Subject: Did you see the protests slash where is Isabel? OMFG
Hey Anna,
Hope all is well down in Melbs. I saw this on the news and thought auntie Isabel may be involved? Hard to get a sense from here but looks like her sort of thing?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/30/nt-juvenile-detention-centre-treatment-snap-protests-called-across-australia
Cheers, Jo
From: anna.b.1964@gmail.com
To: joannerulez@hotmail.com
Date: 1 August 2016
Subject: Re: Did you see the protests slash where is Isabel? OMFG
Dear Jo,
How lovely to hear from you. I hope everything is good up in Queensland. Lili and I are both fine, school and work keeping us busy. To answer your question – yes, there have been protests about the recent allegations from ABC involving Don Dale centre in NT. Quite shocking really. Isabel has been coming around in quite a state. Well I don’t know what to think but I hope she is not getting in trouble again. I don’t understand half the things she talks about when she’s around, but Lili seems fascinated by her hippie auntie and can’t get enough. It must be the dreadlocks and the clothes and everything. Rather colourful. Well I don’t know but I, too, hope she won’t get arrested.
I have been meaning to ask you - do you know what a ‘hashtag’ is and how to use it in a sentence?
How are you and how is everything up there? We miss you. Lili has just walked by my study, came back to say ‘Are you writing to Jo, mummy?’ and then ‘Tell her I loooooove her’ and blew a couple of kisses in your direction.
I better go back to making dinner now.
X mum
From: joannerulez@hotmail.com
To: anna.b.1964@gmail.com
Date: 1 October 2016
Subject: Re: Did you see the protests slash where is Isabel? OMFG
Hey Anna,
All good, am in SA mostly now actually, just conferences. Sorry for the silence, there was a really big power outage, don’t know if you saw? Like half of the state was without electricity for days and I think even Elon Musk (the crazy rocket guy?) commented on Twitter.
I really admire you juggling Lili, work, the house, and keeping the whole family together. Let me know if Isabel gets into trouble with the law again so I can get ready to intervene / help out.
Love,
Jo
From: anna.b.1954@gmail.com
To: joannerulez@hotmail.com
Date: 5 October 2016
Subject: Re: Did you see the protests slash where is Isabel? OMFG
Dear Jo,
As always, good to hear from you. Your aunt has been around a lot, and I have to be frank – it is stressing me out quite a bit. I cannot wait for the US election to be over. It seems to be rubbing her the wrong way.
Are you going to be home for Christmas this year?
Love, mum
From: joannerulez@hotmail.com
To: anna.b.1954@gmail.com
Date: 9 November 2016
Subject: Re: Did you see the protests slash where is Isabel? OMFG
Hey mum,
Maybe not this year?
My love to all three of you,
Jo
From: anna.b.1954@gmail.com
To: joannerulez@hotmail.com
Date: 21 November 2016
Subject: Re: Did you see the protests slash where is Isabel? OMFG
Dear Jo,
No worries. We will miss you, though.
In other news, your aunt got arrested yesterday in some sort of protest. I am sorry to say, but I am at my wit’s end. Is that how you spell it? Well I just spent some time searching on the internet, but I am not sure of the spelling. Either way, she is almost closer to you in age than to me – perhaps you can explain why she has been so impossible lately.
Love, mum
From: joannerulez@hotmail.com
To: anna.b.1954@gmail.com
Date: 29 November 2016
Subject: what protest?
You mean this? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/20/police-brace-for-duelling-pro-and-anti-trump-rallies-in-melbourne
Don’t worry, mum, some people are saying 2016 is the worst year of all times. It’s not just you!!1
X
From: anna.b.1954@gmail.com
To: joannerulez@hotmail.com
Date: 24 December 2016
Subject:
Dear Jo,
I hope you’re well over there in Adelaide. I wish you wrote more often. Sometimes I feel so alone and lonely, in this house with a small child. Lili is a lot of work – deep, relentless work of dirty socks everywhere, food splatters on walls and mud in the hallway, blisters and colds and rashes and tantrums, and then letters she can’t memorise and the rules that make her upset. It can be such gruelling work, just getting her out of bed in the morning and back in in the evening, surviving the hours in-between. And already she seems to find Isabel more interesting than her own mother. When I write this, it feels poisonous and I feel ashamed, but it also feels bitter and heavy, deep in my chest, like grief or regret. Why is she so fascinating? My sister who comes to my house to shout politics, slam her fist on my table, and leaves in a flurry, never asking if I need help with the bills or with childcare or with painting the walls or any-fucking-thing less abstract than the state of the civilised world.
We were so close growing up. What has changed?
I miss you. I miss having another adult in the house to talk to.
I will probably not send this, but my gosh, typing it out has given me such a relief.
I hope you know how much I love you. I hope you will get everything you want in life, including the many things I haven’t had, and I hope I will be able to feel happy for you.
Anna
From: joannerulez@hotmail.com
To: anna.b.1954@gmail.com
Date: 25 December 2016
Subject: Merry Xmas
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!
Xxx Jo
From: joannerulez@hotmail.com
To: anna.b.1954@gmail.com
Date: 31 December 2016
Subject:
Dear mum,
Sorry for not writing more this year. They say this has truly been the worst year in a while. I spent most of 2016 wanting to talk to you about my depression, and not finding the right words.
You can be so tough. I love you all a lot, and I hope you are kinder to each other than usual, now that it’s the holiday season. I hope 2017 will be better.
Give my love to Lil and aunt Isa.
Much love,
Jo
P.S. I have been knitting on the advice of my psychologist. I know it’s not your thing, but I’m sending you a little pink beanie I’ve made myself. There’ll be a big women’s march in Jan, and people are encouraged to show up wearing one. Could be cathartic? I’ll be going.