My French Life

Okay, I know I'm jumping on the Vicki Archer bandwagon very late, but I just bought this book and absolutely love it! Carla Coulson's photos are gorgeous, and Vicki's words reads like prose - beautiful. It's like comfort food for my soul!

Coco

Hurrah! The Coco Chanel movie is released into Sydney cinemas tomorrow.

Brrrrr!

Wish I was a bear and could hibernate through winter. Even in a city like Sydney where the top temp today is predicted to be 20 degrees C, it is still too cold for me. Please wake me in the Spring!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Why do so many people find what they want to do with their lives in mid-life? I know of many middle-aged people who changed careers mid-stream - usually to pursue much more creative pursuits. Having worked in many different fields over the past 30 years I've finally started to listen to that inner voice that has been telling me all my life that I'm a writer and an artist. Even typing those words makes me feel pretentious, however, I'm pushing through that barrier of self-consciousness to explore the creativity inside of me - even if no-one ever reads a word I write, or gazes upon my paintings, because I've realised that it's not about seeking the approval of man, but finding the satisfaction in expression.

Do not covet your ideas

Give away everything you know, and more will come"The problem with hoarding is you end up living off your reserves. Eventually you'll become stale. If you give away everything you have, you are left with nothing. This forces you to look, to be aware, to replenish.Somehow the more you give away the more comes back to you" PAUL ARDEN

Bikie beggar

Walking to work in the rain listening to my iPod when suddenly a male voice cut through saying, "Can you spare a dollar?" Peeked out from my umbrella to see a tall leather clad bikie boy who kept asking me for a dollar - and with each request he moved closer and closer in, his voice becoming more aggressive with every appeal. 'No' I stammered, 'I'm sorry, I don't have a dollar' - which I have to say was the truth. Whilst I had my wallet on me it contained no cash.

Unbelieving, he kept persisiting, until finally, I said as sternly as possible, "Go away!" the adrenaline pumping through my body and panic lifting my feet to move faster. I stopped dead in my tracks as I realised he had begun to laugh and somehow, strangely, surreally was saying my name! I looked at him full in the face and saw his eyes through his bike helmet. It was my little brother who was now falling about with laughter! I gave him a shove, realising that I had been got and then my fear gave way to laughter.

Funny reaction that. Last night I was listening to a film director talk about a film scene set in WW2 London where the city had just been bombed, and the patrons in a pub having heard the explosions go off outside after a moments of silence, all start to laugh. And he said that his research showed that this was a common reaction! I'm sure someone out there can explain the phyisological reason behind this - but I find it a charming reaction and I'm glad we humans have it!

Pursuit of beauty

Sydney summer is now long gone and in a desperate attempt to keep that beachy feeling, I parted with $25 to buy a new hair product called 'Old Salty' which claims to give your hair that "fresh from the beach malleability". Excitedly I applied it and as suggested finger combed my hair and allowed it to dry naturally. I felt great walking through the city precinct on my way to work, knowing that I looked liked I just been for a surf. It wasn't until I saw myself in my office elavator's mirror that I realised, I didn't have 'beach hair'! I had messy hair that looked liked I just climbed out of bed!It reminded me of a time many years ago when I bought 'Clear Mascara' for that just got out of the shower look (why I wanted to look like I just got out the shower I'll never know!). Again, eagerly applied it to my lashes and waited and waited. Until slowly it dawned on me - that it looked as if I had NOTHING on my eyes! I empathised with the foolish emporer in the children's tale about the emporer who finally realised that he had been fooled into thinking he was wearing the finest garb of gold and silver silk, when in fact he was naked! Oh how the advertising men must laugh at us hapless consumers!

Accidents do happen

On Tuesday afternoon, I had arrived at Edgecliff station and was traveling up the escalator when I heard the most sickening thud behind me. I was almost too scared to turn around, and when I did I saw an elderly man lying upside down on the steps. Apparently he had lost his balance and fallen backwards down several steps and he hit his head on the sharp metal edge of the step. There was only one other passenger on the steps and she was behind him. We both froze for a moment and then I heard an inner voice inside me say, “Quick move!” and I raced down to him and realized that he was unconscious.

At first I didn’t have a clue what to do, but I prayed for help as the other lady rang for an ambulance. Blood started to pour from the back of his head quickly forming a large pool underneath him so I ripped off my scarf and applied pressure to the wound. His blood covered my hands. Suddenly I found I knew exactly what to do, as others came to help, it was me who had taken charge! I told the people not to move him but we supported his head and neck which was hanging back over the step, and I asked someone to loosen his tie to allow him to breathe clearly. He had gained consciousness by now but was very groggy and I held his hand and calmed him down.

By the time the ambulance staff had arrived, the man was making jokes! I left him in the capable hands of the ambulance staff but continued to pray for his recovery. The next day I rang St Vincent’s hospital and was advised that he had been held overnight for observation but had been released that morning. Thank God!

Tiny ponies

A photographer friend of mine is obsessed with tiny ponies! Check out her blog which is completely devoted to this cute little creatures at: tinypony.tumblr.com

Caffeine

It's been 6 weeks since I changed my diet to a "migraine-free" one i.e. no coffee, no cheese, no salty foods, no salami etc. and that with along being happier, seems to have had an impact as even though I've had a couple of attacks they haven't lasted longer than an hour (when they used to last for days and would send me to bed). Hmmmm interesting!

Happy

Someone at work mentioned to me last night how happier I'd seemed lately. My first thought was "Oh no, how grumpy have I really been?". Upon reflection I realised that I have been surrounding myself with people who make me laugh more and more and making a conscious effort not to worry about those people who just haven't got it yet and seem hell-bent on making your life miserable!

Happy Friday

Just popped out of the office to grab some lunch and the blustery wind took me by surprise - felt like one of these umbrellas! I had to force myself to take a short walk as I'd been locked up in a meeting all morning and felt the need to breathe! Love the messge on this pic. as I was thinking that I needed to go and buy a new top, but found that just the short walk and the chill of the wind made me feel alive again!

April in Paris

Been reading a friend's husband's blog www.phillipprideaux.blogspot.com (they are Aussies currently living in Vienna), and Phillip or 'Badger' as he is known, has written about his recent stay in Paris, and it has set my heart ayearning to return to that magical city which rates No.2 in my favourite cities of the world. Sydney is of course, No. 1.

The 'eyes' have it

One thing I have on my 'to do' list is to buy new glasses. Always an odious chore, as I cannot see that well without them and therefore am not able to confidently judge if the glasses suit me. I've made some bad mistakes over the years - like the pale pink pair that I bought in the late '80s which with my fair skin and blonde hair made me look like albino! Or, the time in the '90s when I converted a pair of rayban wayfarers thinking I looked super cool like a female Elvis Costello only to be asked by my friends if it was too late to take them back! Now with geek chic I would have been cool!

To Do

Worked back late tonight as I have a lot of things to do. The last thing I did was to write up a list of "to do's" for tomorrow (otherwise I forget!).

Looking at the long list of tomorrow's tasks made me feel slightly overwhelmed. Maybe I should draw a circle around the list tomorrow as suggested above - do you think they will look better then?

I like the list above, especially the last item!

Monday evenings

Is it just me, or is Monday the most exhausting day of the week. No matter how little or how much I have to do on a Monday, I am always completely shattered before 9.00pm. And so, goodnight......

The end of Summer

I'm praying for a long indian summer. Daylight Saving ends in 3 weeks - oh noooooooooooo, I'm cancelling all my plans and spending the next 3 Saturdays in and by the ocean. Saturday's swim at Nielsen Park was bliss - thanks for asking, and now I'm craving more and more time in the sea and being weightless like these cute little otters just floating carefree by....

Having said that, I think I will have to be brave and venture one more time down to Bondi to overcome my shark phobia and to surf some waves. Nielsen Park is lovely, but I love to bodysurf!

Quote for the week

Love these words from Jack Kerouac.

Water

This fantastic photo reminded me that we are 90% water! Imagine if we looked like this - think I would prefer something more glamourous than gum boots on my feet though!

Beware!

This funny Japanese "Beware of the dog" sign made me laugh and reminded me of a photo I took outside a Capetown railway station showing that it was prohibited to board the trains carrying - wait for it - machine guns, axes, machetes or spears! Well that was a nervous ride into the city, I can tell you!
I was thinking wouldn't it be great all the bad things in life had 'Beware' signs on them. Like, beware if you go out with that guy he is going to break your heart. Or, beware, if you eat that last piece of pavlova, you don't realise it now, but next time you step on the scale your weight would have gone up by another kilo! Oh, how handy these signs would be for all the choices we have to make.

Happy Weekend!

Been off sick for the past 2 days (migraine). Am so grateful that the pain has gone and this morning I'm up early getting ready for time at the beach. Spending the morning with my BFF at Niesen Park - a beautiful harbourside cove with a great cafe - essential for that 8am cappucino! Am equipped with back issues of Grazia magazines and lots of pent up conversation waiting to catch up with my old mate! Weekends can be so busy, full of tasks and duties, that I love it when we make time to just chill and not feel guilty about it! That's what I call looking after your heart!

Happy Weekend!

It's been a long week....

.. and Friday afternoon is dragging. I want to go home now!

Ever had a week where....

stress overtakes you and in the words of the Paul Kelly song, "you do all the dumb things"? Like take no exercise, drink too much coffee, get little sleep, live on junk food and worst of all spend little heart connection time with God, and you're left wondering why you feel so bad? The above poster made me chuckle. It's taking the mickey out of the poster below, which believe it or not, I actually have hanging on my wall at home! Pity I didn't take it's advice last week - still that's why I love a new day, a new week, a fresh start so much!

I love a new day

It's a new day in a new week in a new month and there is an autumnal freshness in the air which makes me wonder what will this day, this week, this month of March bring?

Happy Friday!

The sun came back today. I'm hoping to get a swim in tomorrow - how about you?

Coffee love

Am loving coffee so much at the moment that I'm thinking of giving it up for a while! Well, maybe I could reduce my intake by half instead - if only I had one of these cute cups to help me...

Recently, fasted coffee for 40 days without a problem, but since then my daily intake has been rising from 1 to 2 to 3 cups a day. In fact I could rate how well my day is going by the number of coffees I drink. Hope today is a 1 Cup Day!

It's strange as I gave up cigarettes and alcohol over 10 years ago without a problem and I've heard that nicotine is harder to give up than heroin - but I'm finding coffee so much harder to say goodbye to. Is it the warm frothy milk or the sprinkling of chocolate or the buzz of the bean that I crave? Or is it all in my head.....

Lost: One summer

If found please return to Sydney-siders at Sydney, Australia. Thank you.

Seriously, though between the weather and the recent shark attacks no-one is getting into the water! Just when I was enjoying a newly started ritual of a 7.30am Saturday swim down at Bondi . It's what makes my heart sing! John Eldrege in his book, "Waking the Dead" poses the question, "What does your heart need?" And goes on to say, "For some, it's music; for others it's reading; for still others it's gardening." Made me wonder, "What does your heart need"? Is it the ocean (sharks and all!) like me? Or something else.

Happy Friday!

Looks like we're in for a wet Sydney weekend - enjoy!

Inspiration board

Yesterday, I created an Inspiration Board with pictures and words of my favourite things and things that I've been dreaming about....

Things that I love .... art, shells, frangipanes, waves, interior design, writing....

Dreams in my heart.... being married, a beach mansion, visiting italy on my honeymoon, writing a NY Times best-selling book...