Pat Manser arrived in Sydney in 1952 from the north of England with her parents who were 'Ten Pound Poms'. Her dad said he had 'discovered sunshine', during his war service. After a degree from the University of Sydney in Early English Literature and Language, Pat's working life began as a teacher at a girls' high school and subsequently at TAFE. Between her teaching stints, Pat worked as a Research Editor on the first Macquarie Dictionary. It gave her a lifelong passion for the special character of Australian English. After Macquarie, she went on to senior positions in both the Commonwealth and NSW public services. She retired as a Deputy Director-General of the NSW Department of Commerce in 2008. She lives in Sydney, on the Georges River, and is enjoying her retirement with her family and friends.