Introducing The Clam

I thought I would write a pre-trip post and introduce you to my sister Claudia – my travelling companion on our upcoming holiday to New Zealand. Claudia is the youngest of my three sisters (we have six kids altogether in our family – 2 boys and 4 girls).

Despite a ten year age gap, we have always been close. We shared a room growing up – even though I was a teenager and she was a toddler and we enjoy spending time with one another.

The thing I love best about my sister is her laid back and relaxed attitude. I have a tendency to be a little “highly strung” at times and suffer periodically from anxiety and depression. Her no-nonsense, ‘whatever’ approach always puts thing into perspective for me, and reminds me not to take things too seriously.

Now, you may be wondering, If her name is Claudia why is this post entitled Introducing The Clam?

Well, I promise. There is a reason.

Two years ago today, my husband and I were visiting my mum and dad in Canberra. My sister lives with them as she helps care for my mum after her stroke in 2015. We all decided to go ten pin bowling and the bowling alley was very ‘old-school’. We had to write our names on a slip of paper and hand it to the young man attending the shoe counter. He then entered the details into the computer for our lane, on our behalf.

Claudia and I were challenging each other and as we commenced the bowling, we soon realised the hilarity that confronted us on the screen. Instead of entering ‘Claud’ the young man had inadvertently entered the name ‘Clam’. (I have always told her her handwriting was messy!)

You can imagine every spare, every strike and every miss, our guffawing laughter as we received encouraging messages for the ‘clam’.

The nickname has certainly stuck and two years on, ‘The Clam’ is still going strong. Although her game has not improved much…

I am certainly looking forward to some good times and laughter with my sis.