A COLOUR FILLED LIFE

Young people seem to have the knack of dressing according to how they want to express themselves. Those of us who are a little older tend to be more conservative - at times!

So it was with some fascination as well as admiration when I met Anne the other day at my local shopping centre.  I was sitting some distance from her and while I sipped my favourite lemon and ginger tea, I couldn't quite take my eyes away from her.   Her face just sparkles with fun.

Finishing my tea, I went across and introduced myself to Anne, and asked if I could please take a photograph of her.  Her use of colours, reflected and repeated in her hair as well as shoes, caught my fancy.

Anne laughingly said she wished she'd put on some of her bling that morning, but I thought she had captured her own "statement" of who she is quite well, and she is telling the world she KNOWS who she is.

We all need the courage to be as distinctive as we would like to be, yet sometimes we hold back.

'til next time

LETTERS from INSTANBUL ..... from Helen

After a year in and out of hospital having ovarian cancer, a stroke and now a brain tumour, and all its attendant procedures, and trials, chemotherapy, hair loss, physiotherapy and so on, I decided I was well enough to go to Spain and travel around at my own pace, a bit rushed really but manageable, by car.  I have a sympathy stick to assist my walking and to warn inattentive tourists not to push me over!  My younger sister went with me to supervise which was really good.

We went to Malaga for a few days to swim in the crystal clear cool Mediterranean, then drove to Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Madrid and Barcelona.  A journey of about 15 days. We stayed in inexpensive hotels and even had a little apartment to ourselves in Barcelona.

I died with delight at the intricately decorated royal apartments of the Islamic age and the elegant shady gardens of the Alhambra (which I thought I would never see) and even managed to throw away the stick and dance a little flamenco with the gypsies.

Now I have planned out a piece of spare land at the back of my home in Melbourne to include elements of those beautiful gardens for me to enjoy and remember in my old age, whenever that might be.

I will be 74 on 1st September.

COUNT ME IN ......

Yipee, I agree :)

I've just finished a book about my experiences of growing up in the 1950's. I began it for a number of reasons, mainly because all the old traditions, domestic chores and so on have totally changed.

No one gets milk from the churn on the back of a horse and cart nowadays. I used to stand holding the jug whilst the milkman poured a stream of milk from a long ladle.

Who uses the mangle and posser, the copper and creel? 

So because I wanted my descendants to know about life in those days, I knocked out 95,00 words about life, school, festivals and traditions in Bradford, Yorkshire just after the war.

It won't be published, but I may get it printed up.

I'm also into new experiences as well as old ones, and here's me, silver hair, bib and all, enjoying crab for the first time.

Followed by dessert, of course!

Lynda, New Zealand