Dusty | West Auckland
“Oh, my goodness, that would be not go to work. Sorry, that’s, complete truth. I’d grab my motorbike and go for a ride. That’s exactly what I’d do, and not worry about getting back on time to get a good sleep to go to work.
Without sort of letting too much go, because you’ll figure out how old I am, I’ve been a mechanic for over 30 years, and it’s hard slog when I get to my age. So, I guess the passion has dwindled somewhat, and maybe I wouldn’t like to be a mechanic so much anymore. Every day in my job, there’s another challenge, and I guess my passion gets rekindled when I come up against something really tricky, really hard, and I have to remind myself it’s just a mechanical thing, and I can beat it. So I slog it out, and I beat it, and that does rekindle my passion. Also, I’ve had four apprentices and when I see them get that ‘wow’ moment, and when they click with their job, that’s something that’s really good.
Definitely, it was a, it was a huge journey as you can imagine; 30 years ago it was really, definitely a male dominated industry, and what I call an old boys’ club. So I feel I had to be twice as good to be half as accepted, and I did; I really battled for that sort of place. As years have gone by there’s been more girls can do anything attitude, and now I sit in a lovely place where I’m hugely respected and admired for what I’ve achieved, and I definitely know I’ve inspired other females to at least give it a go, and that really anybody can do anything that they put their mind to.
Everyone hopes to win Lotto, but that’s not my hope. I just hope that my children grow up and find their place in the world, which three of them have, and I’m proud as punch, actually, and I just hope that – I don’t know. I think that the world gets to be an easier place to, to be, and that you know, things get better for all people, and that more homes are available for everybody, and our wages catch up to sort of, yeah the cost of living, and that’s a truth from me.
Well, I grew up on the southern coast of Wellington, known as Happy Valley, or Island Bay, and my favourite part I guess of that area was diving for paua, and just the uniqueness of the coast. It’s really rugged; really hard place, but within that, a lot of beauty, and something I’ll always cherish. It was a great place to grow up.”
