Guest Editor: Grace Brennan
Who's just lived out a lifelong dream
You are reading a Free edition of Company on Sundays a newsletter designed to be read while snuggled up in bed (or the couch) on a Sunday morning. We champion rural and regional women here as well as providing you with worldly things to read and super pretty things to look at. If you’d like to become a paid subscriber - we would love that! - you’ll receive an extra email, The Mid-Week Missive half way through the week - as another comfy thing to read, when humpday starts to hurt.
This week we commence our Guest Editorship editions where we ask impressive rural and regional women to take the reigns and give us an insight into thier current world.
First cab off the rank is Grace Brennan, Mum of 4 living on a farm near Warren, NSW and founder of Buy From The Bush.
It is a very strange thing to live out a fantasy. This week I had the pleasure. Somehow, I found myself invited to play in a mini netball match as an opener for the NSW Swifts game. I would be flown to Sydney, put up in a hotel and kitted out for a game of ‘off-court all stars’ as a celebration of Suncorp’s Team Girl initiative. And in a – too good to be true twist – one of my besties, Em, would join me on the court. It would all be super ‘relaxed and fun’ celebrating real women starting their leadership journey on the netball court.
Except it wouldn’t.
It would be a dream realised. To play at Ken Rosewall arena. To be warming up with Liz Ellis, in a huddle with Gretel Tippett, talking netball with Laura Geitz. Side-eyes and suppressed grins with my old friend. A twinkle in both our eyes revealing the truth. Waiting for somebody in charge to tap me on the shoulder and tell me to ‘get real’. Em and I met playing netball as teenagers and through our twenties spent far too much time training or driving too and from the court together.
When I moved to the bush, this big, ever-present ritual instantly became a thing of my past. Em continued playing and eventually got a call up to play for the Swifts. I watched on with bated breath as she took the first centre-pass of her professional career. This week - seven children between us later - we were again doing our netball hair and filling up our water bottles together. She was there as an ex-Swift and current premier league player (still an elite athlete at 42!) and I was, well, the founder of Buy From The Bush.
Two divergent life paths meeting again in a place that felt simultaneously random and all together familiar. When I returned home after the game my son asked me how the game was. Mimicking his favourite expression I said ‘best day evvveerrrr!’. He smirked and with wisdom beyond his years said ‘ha! And to think you almost didn’t do it’. It took me a second to realise he was right. He was there when I hesitated. When I said aloud ‘as if I can do that’, which is always my first thought when invited to challenge myself. His eyes lingered a little until he was sure the lesson had sunk in then turned and walked away. A gem delivered by a 9-year-old that I’m passing on to you now…
Podcast Playlist
Lightning Bugs with Ben Folds – halfway through the Sara Bareilles episode and have downloaded the Nick Hornby episode for my next kid-free trip. A messy, sometimes clunky conversation between Ben Folds and a few of his friends who happen to be creative geniuses. I’m new to this one but finding it refreshing.
The Rest is Politics – two English politicos (a former cabinet minster and former head of strategy and comms) discuss world politics from their opposing sides of the political fence. Eloquent guests, informative conversations and – the rarest of joys - respectful disagreement.
Ghost Story – This is a binge-worthy mystery with all the essential ingredients. Beautifully told and not too heavy.
Lay your eyes on these Instagram accounts
@ballerinafarm (fascinating) || @kaydelehmanofficial || @larlmortlock
This pile of things to read
‘I don’t know’: Why opting out of conversations has become a social media crime Charlotte Mortlock’s opinion piece packs a couple of important punches.
The Most Influential Podcasters Right Now - a good list to browse and save. Also a fascinating reflection of consumer appetite.
‘Productivity theatre’: The false promise of a clear inbox and other ‘busy work’
I just booked…
Hamilton at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney. Never seen it. Thought it was time.
I want to see…
Dear Evan Hansen at Sydney Theatre Company.
Might take my tween to The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night.
Hi! It’s Skye here. Talking about sport and living the fantasy - have you had time to chek in with our latest podcast Paddock to Paris?
Just yesterday, our latest guest, Olivia Barton jumped on a plane with her horse Holly to fly to Europe as a reserve in the Australian Equestrian Olympic team for the sport of Eventing. Imagine for a second what that might feel like? Not only the fact that you are travelling on a plane with your horse to the other side of the world, but also that you are not really in the Olympic team and there on stand-by. The emotional maturity it would take to sit with this blows me away and after speaking with Olivia this week, I’m in absolute awe.
Brighten up your day, sit down with the kids and listen to this interview. It will be a lesson in the ultimate form of sportsmanship. (Click on the image below)
And then - FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your podcast platform as a way to say thanks to us!
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story. Loved it.
Awesome lesson grace!