The book is about the varied incidents that Roma has experienced in over her eighty-five years. Roma came from somewhat straightened beginnings. Her father was a gold miner, only returning to his home many kilometers away in another state once or twice a year. She was an intelligent child who loved all creatures large and small sometimes a little too well. Her education was a double major at her university in medicine and geology, but family circumstances caused her to have to choose between them partway through her studies. She was the youngest and first female geologist appointed to the government mines section and was sent all over Australia prospecting and examining mining areas. Her adventures along the way make for very amusing and interesting reading. It clearly shows her sense of the ridiculous and also the unexplained in this country. Her downtime between contracts allowed her to do research on a great many science subjects, many of which she gained diplomas from.