Lexie’s spirit remains buoyant

Samantha Elley

DESPITE losing her renovated houseboat last Wednesday to rising flood waters on the Richmond River at Coraki pensioner Lexie Clissold is philosophical about the whole event.

“It’s life though,” she mused.

“For me, the way I feel, this is another disappointment in my life and I have had a lot.

“You don’t stop there, you just move on.”

It is this indomitable spirit that has kept Ms Clissold in good stead throughout her life.

After raising her large family of eight children and living for 30 years on the road as she travelled around Australia by bike, she finds herself looking for her next big project.

“The big question at my age is will I build another boat or won’t I?” she said.

The near octogenarian hasn’t totally given up the idea of raising her boat, the Katalong, out of the water.

“The idea hasn’t gone, it’s still there,” she laughed. “But I do think handling big boats is perhaps beyond me.

“I would have to gather some finance and interested people to help me.”

Ms Clissold has also been touched by the reaction of people who read about her plight last week.

“These people came all the way from Casino just to tell me how sad they were for me.”

Related stories:

http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/03/03/heartbreak-over-houseboat/