She loved water, sea and the beach! She was into dragon boat racing, and
continued to be a part of it even when she was not keeping well. At the entrance of her house I noticed a
board marked – ‘LIFE IS A BEACH’. Who
else but Kay could ever have thought of this?
Her house faced the sea. Every
time one entered, it was impossible to skip those words – and obviously enter
the house with a broad smile J
and breezy mood!
Kay loved outdoor
life. So much so, she had even placed a
large dining table on her terrace so that her friends could feel and hear the
sea while partying. The mere thought was thrilling!
Each room had a décor of its own. I noticed beautiful paintings, some painted by
Kay herself, certificates of her husband Tim, who was a pilot in “Australian
Air Force and died was killed while flying Boeing 707. There were plenty of books and painting
material as well. There were quotations
in every nook and corner of the house. I
felt fortunate to be there and was instantly in love with the place – Bribie
Island. Kay used to mention the beauty of this island
often in her mails and now I could see the place through her eyes.
Leigh Park (Kay's sister) in Kay's kitchen 
A Surprise Tea party arranged by Leigh for me
Leigh's skills in cooking
Though. I had received a warm welcome from her sister Leigh, I
so wished Kay had been there too! Leigh
and I had bonded in no time and I wondered if it was in their blood to be so
friendly. The ice was broken between us
in no time and we chatted like old friends who meet after a long gap. Not once did I feel I was meeting Leigh for
the first time in my life and might never see her again. I am still so sure that we are bound to meet again one day.
Kay always appreciated the dragon boat club women belonging to Dragon Abreast Australia. In her words : "We have a Vibrant Club in Bribie Island formed by a very strong woman who at first couldn't even bring herself to mention to others that she had had breast cancer." At the time when Kay could not paddle in the canoe, she would sit at the bow of the boat and beat the drum to keep up the pace during the race !
I was told that when Kay died, her dogs expressed their grief
only by maintaining silence. Not once did they search for her, in their own way they seemed to realize that Kay was no more. Or had she prepared them beforehand for the same? The house
was surrounded with flood water. Kay,
the girl who had cast such a deep impression in my thoughts and memory, the
girl who loved water – finally merged into the sea. Her reflection can still be caught in the
blue waters, her laughter heard in the splashing waves and her infinite courage
observed in the high tides!
This short note is posted in Kay’s memory on her Birthday – 12th January.
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