Synopsis & Overview

Freya Attwood is the anonymous name I used for myself. This is a Memoir of sorts, but not written in first person. I decided to opt for a more creative manner in which to convey the story. The story is broken into several time frames, as the current story is discussed in the interview, nominating past events from previous years. As such, I have included a few dates in order to keep the reader aware of the switching to and fro as the story continues to return to the interview as the tale unfolds.

15 June 1999 Freya and her young children make a visit to a friend’s house, set as a meeting place for an extensive interview with Sabrina, an interested party, in order to gain full details of the crime with the view of hoping to find a solution.
 Leaving Gumnut Cottage and commencing Coolabah Tree.
Numerous aspects discuss Freya’s background. Set around 1995 is the opening of her first Gallery venture, which leads to her moving on to open a separate Gallery a year later.
• Background of the Freya and Beverley mother/daughter relationship. This relationship is complex, and fraught with numerous emotional difficulties that have spanned their years together.

 Finding suitable shop for Coolabah Tree, arranging new lease, and fitting out
May 1997 finds Freya searching for an alternative building in which she desires to open a separate gallery, leaving her first Gallery in order to move on.
The fitting out of the new Gallery is done with much love, care and artistic talent from Freya.

Staffing Coolabah and the Nannies; Decorating Kids’ Party Rooms
Designing and decorating the wonderful fantasy addition of the ‘Magic Faraway Tree’ Party Rooms gave Freya huge pleasure. Each room was decorated extensively to the individual theme.
21 July 1997

• Prelude to the fateful accident, as Freya enjoyed dinner with her mother and children.
• This major car accident dramatically altered Freya’s path in life.
• Freya learned of the accident when the Police knocked on her door that night.
• After the police left, Freya sat in shock with her friend Roger.
• Beverley received extensive life-threatening injuries. She was transferred to hospital after the accident, and shortly thereafter was sent to the Accident Rehabilitation Hospital, to receive the complex care she required. There is much organisation and adaptation to the lives of Freya and her family as they now include, and learn to adapt to, Beverley’s major disabilities. The impact upon their lives is substantial.

 Auction of Coolabah Tree building

• 21 August, 1997 Freya is dreadfully disheartened that the building housing her new Gallery is being auctioned, and much as she would love to be able to purchase it, the cost is well outside her reach.
• Patrick Harley is signed over as the new owner. Patrick has big plans in store!
• Freya and Patrick adjust to their relationship as landlord and tenant.

 Coolabah Tree Fire and aftermath

• 21 January, 1998 – Around 4am Freya receives an unnerving phone call informing her that her precious Gallery building is on fire.
• A complexity of events unfolds; Patrick has ample insurance cover, whereas Freya discovers she is uninsured.

 Coolabah Tree Staffing and Sale of damaged stock

• With the help of friends, a staffing roster is designed, enabling Freya to run a Fire Sale, allowing her to sell off as much of the damaged stock as possible, in order to keep herself from being completely destroyed financially.

 Entanglements of new arrangements at Coolabah Tree and difficulties therein

• A great many obstacles continue to interrupt Freya’s life, and her ability to cope with the disasters that that took place tax her to the extreme..
• Who keeps leaving doors and windows open and/or unlocked? Security is a major issue Freya must tackle.
• Freya’s life became a whirlwind of many and varied tasks vying for her attention and time, with insufficient of either to go around. The enormity of the fire only a couple of weeks after she’d shifted to care for her mother was almost more than she could bear. She must soldier on, as she had no-one else on whom to lean.

 Fears of a new fire being lit at Coolabah Tree, and suspects come to mind

• The next few weeks involved a great deal of amateur detective work for Freya and her friend Sue, as they battled to understand the unsavoury events taking place at the Gallery.
• Neither the insurance company nor the Police seemed to be on Freya’s side, as she battled for justice.

 Lease complications at Coolabah Tree and attempts to locate an alternative venue

• As time progressed, Freya’s dislike of Patrick grew, as did his unsavoury and unethical modes of behaviour. At every possibility, Patrick was forcing her to end her lease.
• It was becoming decidedly clear to both Freya and Sue that Patrick had a very callous aspect to his character, and they kept an extremely watchful eye on his behaviour.
• Scattered throughout this difficult time, Freya frequently crossed paths with other worldly entities, she labelled as ‘They’. It was her opinion ‘They’ were there to assist her in these vast ordeals.
• The climax came when the Arson Squad detective asked Freya a pressing question:
“I can sum it all up in a few words, Freya. Did you see anybody light a match to start the fire? If not, there is simply no case.”

 Finale

• The last aspect sees Freya describing to Sabrina the wonderful new bus and caravan rig she is using as a healing tool, as well as a home! She claims it is akin to being like a phoenix, picking up everything from the fire and starting a brand new life. Freya wants to put joy and colour back into their lives; especially her young children. This appalling disaster was so hard for them, and they’re still too young to deal with such heartbreaking situations, she explained to Sabrina. Their grandmother’s accident, and then the fire, meaning we lost everything we owned. That’s a lot for young kids to handle, so I want to patch it all back together into a life that’s colourful, magickal and hopefully stress free. Boldly across the front of our bus, in rainbow coloured fancy lettering, we emblazoned ‘Spirit of Adventure’, and on the back of the van we’ve put ‘Follow the Rainbow’.”
• “That’s exactly what we’re off to do