Is the refrain of the Australian soap opera which my daughter watched when she was young, and it's something I've always tried to be. My marvellously madcap neighbour has lived in this apartment complex virtually from the day it was built, and talks to absolutely everyone. She was a positive ray of sunshine when we... Continue Reading →

Grey skies, ridiculous amounts of precipitation, flooding all round, with only the briefest of brief spells of sunshine and blue sky, before the cycle starts again. I'm having to wear trousers cropped to the ankle - not the most flattering form of dressing for someone with my body shape - but I can't bear the... Continue Reading →

The story goes that when the Russians first launched Sputnik into orbit, there was a genuine fear that it was being used to listen in to the conversations - of not just the US government - but the everyday man in the street. To give some context, the first Sputnik was launched in the year... Continue Reading →

But, to me, it's just Wednesday. You know, the day of the week when I publish my blog. I did try writing stuff connected to V-day; I even had something scheduled, but... you know what, I don't want to have to write about something connected to Valentine's Day, so it's gone. Let me explain my... Continue Reading →

We all have times when we've wished we had a camera (or a camera phone), or had remembered to get it out and grab the shot - it can't only be me... surely? So, for this post, I thought I'd share two moments from decidedly different scenarios when the shot got firmly imprinted on my... Continue Reading →

I used to be one of those people who believed stress was a necessity for getting things done. I left things to the last minute, so deadlines were critical, as without them, I'd probably not achieve much. Yes, I was one of those annoying people who considered stress to be a positive. [Side bar: I'm... Continue Reading →

I've seen the question "how do you choose what you read?" multiple times over the years, and I've given thought to what my answer would be many times too. But the truth is there is no one single answer - how can there be for someone who reads, reads and reads some more? While I'm... Continue Reading →

I've had cataracts for a while now and have been waiting for the right time to have surgery. Initially I understood that the right time meant cataracts needed to be at a certain level of ripeness before surgery was the right choice; subsequently, I've realised that's not the whole truth. Despite my early decades requiring... Continue Reading →

You know me and my liking for A-Z lists... well, this year I decided to combine it with my liking for all things festive too 🙂 A is for mulled apple juice - a wonderful way to enjoy mulled spices without the alcohol. Not that I've anything against alcohol, but I just don't drink much... Continue Reading →

is what I started my day with. Although I absolutely love hot buttered toast, I rarely have it for breakfast. Too much bread makes me sluggish, and hot buttered toast is just so moreish, so I tend to stick with other breakfast options. But this morning, the temperature had dropped, the cars were covered in... Continue Reading →