Frances Whiting

She chose secretary.

She worked at the University of Queensland as a tichus for years, watching other people get degrees.

She joined the public service.

She had to leave work when she married my dad.

But she self-educated her whole life.

So I've never met anyone who's read more books.

And she still reads a book a week.

She's just finished my book.

So her intellect is sharp.

The hardest thing about having a 101-year-old and a 17-year-old, just quite frankly, is the admin.

So for mum, it's medical staff, it's making sure she's eating enough, it's making sure that she's not lonely, you know, just making sure she's okay.

Just being on call all the time and that number comes up from the care place where she is.

But every time I see that number, I have a little moment because she's 101 and it's, you know, I will get that call one day.

And then there's a guilt, I suppose, aspect if I don't get to visit her enough, right?

And then Tallulah, she's in year 12.

So the admin of that, you know, she hasn't quite got a license yet.

So I'm doing the runs, you know, they're my husband too, the pickups, the drop-offs, the sports, the learning center.

I'm just the admin of a 17-year-old.

The best thing about it, there's many lovely things about it actually, but when I see Tallulah,

talking to my mum when she goes up to visit her and they have this lovely relationship and I hear mum telling Tallulah about when she was 17 and Tallulah would be showing her her TikToks