NOW I AM A COUNSELLOR

Retirement is great for some people but not for me. I did not like sitting on the sidelines of life so I devised a plan to put myself back in the middle of the action.
It took nearly a year to complete an on-line Diploma with the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors but here I am in my office overlooking the waters of Wallis Lake in downtown Forster,NSW.

My former career in hairdressing gave me good listening skills for my new job as a counsellor. I am contantly amazed by the heroism of everday Aussies and I am convinced there is a super-hero within us all. Sometimes Superman or Wonderwoman is down deep inside just needing encouragement to burst forth and save the day. My attitude towards counselling is that I help people rescue themselves from whatever situation is standing between them and their happiness.

LIFESTYLE OF A SOLO SENIOR

A LADY HAS LEFT THIS LIFE.

My mother passed away in the arms of her loving family.
This is my tribute to her.

MY MOTHER KEPT A GARDEN.

My mother kept a garden
A garden of the heart
She planted all the good things
That gave my life it's start.

She turned me to the sunshine
And encouraged me to dream
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.

And when the wind and rains came
She protected me enough
But not too much,she knew I'd need
To stand up strong and tough.

Her constant good example
Always taught me right from wrong
Markers for my pathway
To last my whole life long

I am my mother's garden
I am her legacy
And I hope today she feels the love
Reflected back from me.

Writer unknown.

THE SOLO SENIOR'S SCHOOL REUNION

TO GO OR NOT TO GO?

I thought about it but, no,I didn't go to the school
reunion celebrating fifty odd years since I was the
kid with the over bite and bad hair.After I found the
photo I started thinking about the little school that
shaped my life.

Ormiston was founded in1849 as a boarding school
for the daughters of the early settlers of rural
Victoria.A private enterprise,Ormiston was run by
pioneer women determined to provide educational
opportunities for girls despite the difficulties of
life in the new colony.

Throughout my years at Ormiston,the school was
still privately run by formidable women with the
same pioneering spirit and passion for excellence
as the founding teachers.

We girls were from different cultures and faiths,
however tolerance and good manners were
expected and there was no exemption from sports.

Thanks to the role models of Ormiston I have
resilience for the road less travelled and respect
for all who triumph against the odds.

THE SOLO SENIOR IS BUSY.

I WAS WARNED

I admit that I had reservations about retirement.
What would I do with all that free time? I secretly
scoffed at those who said that I would be very
busy when I finished working.Now I will secretly
apologise to them.I AM very busy.

I love my retired life.Keeping fit with yoga and
tennis and volunteering at the library takes care
of most mornings.That leaves time for painting.
As a self taught artist,painting is an adventure of
discovery.What I may lack in technique I make up
in creativity and inspiration.

At the moment I am into faces and flowers.Here
is my latest effort that looks a little like my
sister,Pam,who had beautiful, blue eyes.

SOLO SENIOR WITH ATTITUDE

ROBBIN'S NEW RED COAT.

Why do I love my new red coat?
Red is the colour of cheerfulness and
wearing red gives me a positive energy
that brightens up the dreariest winter's
day.

Ok,when I bought my red coat,the price
had been marked down from fairly
expensive to frankly affordable,so that
was very attractive to me.The style is
like a trench coat without being too
bulky around my middle.

I wore my new red coat in downtown
Forster the other day and felt pretty
good,too.That was until I went into the
W bank where I sat down to wait my
turn.The teller called out "next" and was
looking all around.Clearly,I could not be
seen because my coat and I blended
into the bank's decor so well.The chairs,
the carpet,the uniforms,even the
brochures were all the colour of my coat.
You could say that I saw RED.
I may have to change banks.

Not to worry,I still love my new red coat.

SOLO SENIOR AND POLITICS

#AUSTRALIA VOTES.

America has the Donald and Hillary going head to
head for the top job.Drama and intrigue prevail.
Australia has Bert and Ernie facing off for the plum
prize of Prime Minister.Gee,who looks better in a
high-vis vest and hard hat?

Here's the thing.There's a big pot of tax payers'
money and a great chunk of debt to divvy up for
schools,hospitals and roads etc.We voters know
that the biggest pile of the loot is set aside to
fund the retirement of those who win a seat in
Parliament.

An honorable member can sit  for ten minutes,
get tossed out for memory loss regarding the
ownership of a diamond mine,and put a hand
out for the golden goodies.

There's a top of the range wheelchair for Hawkie
and a lifetime of trakky daks for John Howard.
Kevin Rudd has many mobiles and Julia has
racks and racks of designer jackets.

Oh,alright,call me a cynic.I guess I am.Although,
I love it that Australian elections must be held
before the Footy Finals or after the Melbourne
Cup.Voting is compulsory,otherwise no-one
would bother.

SOLO SENIOR IS A WINNER.

ANYONE FOR TENNIS?

My team won the Ladies' Tennis Competition
at the local sports club.I wore a pair of
Brigitte Jones big pants for speed and comfort
and my son's hat for luck.

It was a warm day in Tuncurry with a little breeze
off the ocean.The opposition took the first set
in a tie-break.My team dug deep but the contest
was very even.In the last set,with victory in
sight,my partner was tiring.A few rousing C'MONS
got her going and we came home the winners.

We won gift vouchers from Big W and celebrated
with home-made cake and coffee.

When I retired to this town,I knew no-one and had
not played tennis for twenty years.I joined the
club for friends and fun,not expecting a big finish
like this.

SOLO SENIOR AT THE MOVIES

THE MONEY MONSTER
Starring George Clooney& Julia Roberts
Directed by Jodie Foster.

A shot is fired on the set of aTV show hosted
by the whiz-kid of Wall St.,Lee Gates.The show's
director,Patty,keeps the cameras rolling as the
drama unfolds between the money man and the
common man with a deadly grudge.

The Money Monster explores the themes of
corporate greed and our fascination with
reality TV.Thanks to Jodie Foster's direction,
the movie is a thrilling ride of gripping tension
followed by deceptive calm.

SPORTS AND ARTS

DOLLARS FOR DREAMS

I am an Aussie,so a love of sports is in my DNA.
I support government funding of sports programs
and facilities,particularly,for young people.

So, we have Little Aths and Little Leagues,Nippers.
Auskick,mini gymers and junior jumpers.But,what
if your kid doesn't like sports?

Where is the funding to encourage the budding
ballerina,the little Lego builder,the mini music-
maker,the pint-sized painter and story-teller?

All Aussie kids need financial help to fire their
imaginations,to dream big dreams.The Olympic
dream is equal to the Broadway dream,the
Booker Prize dream,the dream of winning an
Archibald or an Oscar.

I say to our Government,fund the big dreams of
all our little Aussies.

THE SOLO SENIOR: ANIMAL LOVER?

I LOVE ANIMALS

Yes,I love lions in jungles,sharks in oceans,monkeys in trees
and leopard print on scarves.You get the picture?

I love cats.My favourite moggies live in loungerooms.Not
mine,though.

Now,dogs,I love dogs.I love dusty kelpies on outback stations
and border collies chasing sheep into shearing sheds.

I'm not to keen on koalas.Doped up on eucalyptus leaves,they
could fall on the kangaroos.

Lots of people REALLY love animals.A guy I know rounded up
some stray mutts and took them to Maccas.After many
Happy Meals,the pooches wanted to jump back in the car.
Oops.

Another animal lover rushed off to Thailand to wash elephants
and eat rice for a week.As if that will help stop the illegal
ivory trade.

Turning a house into an aviary for exotic birds is quite popular
though,for me,it's not so much about the poo on the curtains,
it's the pecking in the hair.

I think that I love horses most of all.However some people
love horses so much they give away all their money and
most of their possessions as proof of that love.

I am an animal lover......from a distance.

THE SOLO SENIOR'S HAPPY DAYS

RETIREMENT PLANS

When I retired,I made plans.I plan to be fit and
healthy.I no longer smoke,I indulge in the odd
glass of wine,I control my weight with a good
diet and lots of exercise.

I walk every day,play competition tennis,practice
yoga.Yay me,right?

John Lennon said,"Life happens when you are
making other plans."

I have a kink in my back from my vounteer job
lugging books round the local library.My dicky
knee requires an elastic brace to get me onto
a tennis court.Chewing all those healthy nuts
and grains cracked my dental bridge.

I cancelled the plan to take an island cruise.
Boo hoo,John.

Just when I have all this time to do all those
things that I couldn't do because of work,my
body packs it in.

On a positive note,I have really healthy hair
and a bright smile.I hadn't planned that.

LUNCHING LADIES

MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT

My stylish friend,Trish,joins me for lunch
at my favourite restaurant in Forster.The
Paradise Marina is known for superb
seafood and my dish does not disappoint.

Japanese prawns with a spicy dipping
sauce and a glass or two of champers
is foodie heaven for me and Trish.

Time slips by as we take in the sparkling
water view and chat about this and that.
A perfect afternoon.Thankyou,Trish.

THE RELUCTANT RETIREE

DID I RETIRE TOO SOON?

I sometimes think that I retired from
the workforce too soon.I take my
good health for granted and have the
energy of a ten-year old on a sugar
high.Therefore,I need to be busy
during those hours that I used to fill
with work.

I achieved that goal this week and
enjoyed myself immensely.Mornings
were taken up with two sessions of
yoga by the sea,playing tennis and
volunteering at the local library.Oh,
I did a few household chores.

My afternoons have been devoted to
painting while listening to music and
reading in the sunshine.

I now think of retirement as a newly
discovered parallel Universe and I am
glad that I crossed over.

SOLO SENIOR AND FRIENDS

A MORNING IN NABIAC

When the Nabiac country markets were on,everyone
came to town.I'd never seen so many sensible
shoes as I strolled among the fresh produce stalls.
There were even live chooks for sale,clucking in
cages next to the free range eggs.

I was with friends who steered me across the road,
past the Saddlery and into the Old Curiosity Shop.
Glorious junk,bibs and bobs displayed on and
around Nan's furniture and Pop's old tools.

Ah,but next door was the shop of retro dreams,
like stepping into the Antiques Roadshow.
Beyond this eclectic emporium was the courtyard
cafe,The Magnolia Teahouse.Under the branches
of an ancient magnolia tree,we three enjoyed our
coffee and delicious cakes served on the pretty
china of yesteryear.

It was a lovely morning spent with friends in the
lively rural town of Nabiac.

A SOLO SENIOR VOLUNTEERS

AT THE LIBRARY

What happened at the library on my first day
as a volunteer? I ran into many old friends as
I wheeled a trolley full of books to be returned
to the shelves.

I said hello to Moby Dick and Lord of the Rings,
the Hobbit and Hucklebury Finn.I saw the Girl
with the Dragon Tattoo and smiled at a dusty
Germaine Greer.

The Cat in the Hat and the Hungry Hippo were
in the children's corner with the Wiggles and
Humphrey Bear on DVD.Where's Wally? I still
don't know.

On the flip side,I knew very few in the Military
and only nodding aquaintances in Religions
of the World.

I must admit to flirting with some new friends
to take home with me next week when I am on
volunteer duty at the the library again.

LEST WE FORGET

AN ANZAC DAY MEMORY

I attended an ANZAC service at the Tuncurry
Memorial Park.I shed a tear for the diggers
and walked back home.On the way,I thought
of another day when tears were shed in
memory of fallen comrades in arms.

There were men in the loungeroom.A reunion,
Mum said.I was told to go outside to play.
I didn't.I sneaked up the hall and pushed the
loungeroom door open a crack.I could see
brown beer bottles on the low table.It must
have been a special occasion.The bottles
with VB labels only appeared at Christmas
or when Hawthorn won the footy.

I pushed the door open wider.I saw men
lined up and my father standing in front of
them,reading from a book.I coudn't hear what
Dad was saying.Tears rolled down his face.
My Dad was crying.I crept away.

SOLO SENIOR GETS A JOB

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

I recently applied to become a volunteer at my
local library and the interview was today.
Obviously,the police background check showed
that I had paid my latest speeding fine.Phew.

I dressed down,no jangly jewellery,no bright
colours except for my red-framed glasses.Well,
I do have a personality.

The interview went well and I am now rostered
on for a weekly Wednesday and a monthly
Saturday morning.

So what's in it for me? I love going to a library
like other people go to a gym or a favourite
cafe.Brousing the bookshelves is relaxing and
peaceful,except on Toddler Tuesdays.

As  volunteer,I will learn how a library is run,even
if I'm only pushing a trolley full of books around
and stacking shelves.

I hope to broaden my interests because I am
stuck on psycho killer thrillers at the moment.
My computer skills will improve with practice,
I hope.

Being the "new girl" will be a little daunting,but
I really like the idea of fitting into a working
environment,if only for a few hours each week.

WAlLKING FOR MY WAISTLINE OR NOT

Forster-Tuncurry,NSW

The Tuncurry Breakwall or a Rock' n ' Stroll

I love to walk along the Tuncurry breakwall and this
sunny Saturday is no exception.There are many others
walking and cycling,enjoying the view across the water
to Forster.A few sweaty runners pound the pavement
past some old guys fishing from the rocks.A white
fluffy dog yips at me and I smile nicely at it's owner.

Halfway along the breakwall is a pretty park and a
netted lagoon for safe swimming.Overlooking this
tranquil scene is the Rockpool Cafe,a favourite
hangout for the latte and lycra lovers.

The Forster-Tuncurry breakwalls are like long arms
stretching into the ocean,making a channel for
Wallis Lake to meet the sea.It's a run out tide.The
water churns treacherously.Yet on the ocean side,
the waves roll in tidy sets to the shore for the
board- riders and body surfers.

A Bridge Too Far? Just Get Over It.

Linking the touristy towns of Forster and Tuncurry
is a long,low-slung bridge that takes about 10 to 15
minutes to walk across.From a viewing platform.I
spot two dolphins dipping and gliding in the clear
aqua water.Pelicans and seagulls camp out on a
sand bank and cormorants hang their wings out to
dry.

A little tinnie with a big esky in it chugs by and whale
watchers wave cheerily from the open deck of an
ocean- going cruiser.

The Path to Paradise on the Forster Foreshore.

I step off the bridge into the shade of a Morton Bay
Fig on the Forster foreshoreA family is having a
messy picnic in front of the caravan park that gives
the grey nomads and other excapists handy access
to boatramps,beaches and the town facilities.

Following the path under the bridge,I see that the
farmers' market is in full swing beside the tourist
Information Centre.Not for me,today,I have a
different destination in mind.Just up ahead is
The Paradise Marina and seafood cafe.

The Seafood Cafe Presents Prawn Stars.

The Paradise Marina and seafood cafe is high on
list of foodie faves.When I lunch with my tennis 
buddies,I usually order the Japanese Prawns.
Imagine green prawns cooked in a crispy coating
and served with a Japanese dipping sauce and an
Asian green salad. On the Yum Scale it's a 10.

Chilled champagne is the cool companion to this
little feast.

As I am walking back home,I marvel again that I
live in this delightful corner of the Mid North Coast.
of NSW.

LIFESTYLE OF A SOLO SENIOR

The Style Queen Gets Creative

I met an artist at yoga this morning.Enthusiastic and inspired
to paint again,I went to the cupboard to get my art supplies.
Well,I disturbed a nest of very angry ants that ran out all over
the place.

By the time I cleaned out the cupboard,I really had to force
myself to get organised to paint.Luckily,I already had a canvas
prepared,so with some background jazz to set the mood,away
I went.

Stylised daisies seemed to appear by themselves.A work in
progress,I think.Now the kitchen's a mess,there are blue paint
smears everwhere and I am feeling in a creative zone and very
happy.

The blue and gold couple  and the girl in the pink hat are my first
attempts at oil painting.I wanted to learn something new.

LIFESTYLE OF A SOLO SENIOR

HEALTHY LIVING

FLU VAX

I went shopping today,thinking that I could do with a new top.
As I passed a Pharmacy, a sign out front caught my eye.
"Flu Vax,here",I read.

Now,Autumn on the NSW coast is mild,but Winter can be
chilly,and some people love to spread their germs around
the theatres,shops and cafes instead of keeping them at
home.

Ten minutes later,paperwork complete,a quick jab in the arm
from Denis and I am feeling very smug about taking
responsibility for my own health.

Hang on a minute! My Dad worked for the Laboritories that
pioneered the first vaccinations against influenza and here
I am congratulating myself,having paid just $20.00 for the
privelege of a flu-free Winter.

Great country,Australia! Thank- you.