He wants to be a grey nomad!!!???.

Hi BB
There's a man in my house! 
Yes, I know that he's been here for a long time, but on & off.  Now, he's actually here!  Like - retired.  And I don't quite know how to handle it, and him. 
He's actually out of context.
C
ps - he wants to be a grey nomad!




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Older Australians enjoy an active sex life as much as the younger ones

Hi BB
Good article from our Ita. 

Sydney Morning Herald - 25/2/2013

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'Not for ourselves alone' school reunion

Hi Babyboomers and in particular my former high school mates

School reunions are fun / confronting / interesting / but most of all, they make one realise how much time has passed.  I'm not going to mention it publicly as I am in denial, even though if you go to www.babyboomerconnections.com.au and read the 'Memoirs of a Babyboomer', you will get a fair idea. 

No-one mentioned the piano accordian
I was required to play at school functions.
Best forgotten perhaps!
What is the definition of a great accordian player?
Answer - One who is a great player of the accordian
but doesn't.

Enough time has passed to mould our lives into a rich and complex tapestry, with more than two generations  adding the colourful threads of their lives.  The two lunch tables of lovely women exchanged  details and empathy re those years, mainly about relationships, past work and present day retirement. 

I didn't count, but there seemed to be many of us who pursued the teaching path,(which by the way, has held me in good stead in rocky times and involves me still in the joy of relating to children).   My theory as to why I became a teacher, is because of the expectations of the girls' school we attended.  In those days, you were encouraged to be a teacher / nurse / secretary - going to University wasn't explored in depth.   If ever you strayed towards being less than compliant, the threat was that you wouldn't be eligible for a Teachers College Scholarship.  The teachers were good role models and at a time when the social fibre for women was changing, we were encouraged to achieve our best potential, even though it seemed to be limited at that stage. 

I took Home Economics as a subject, and I'm really thankful for the practical background it gave me.  To this day, I am an avid cook, was a competent dressmaker, and still use many of the basic principles I learnt then.  These are skills which are meaningful, useful, and fulfilling and I believe they are neglected today.

One of my memories, is of being late and having to go to the headmistress (can't remember her name but she was scary) who said to me, " Your hair is a very strange colour."  Which was unfortunate because it was actually my natural blonde colour!   I add here that, I made my own school uniform and had adjusted the design slightly to make it more alluring. 
Another, was of Miss ....., Help  - with severely dyed black hair, cut in a dramatic bob with short fringe - English teacher who acted out so many of our texts.  One in particular, was "We of the Never Never", where she acted out the scene where cup handles were threaded on her fingers as the character adjusted to colonial life.

I must have been going through a time where how I looked was important (possibly nothing has changed), when I was distracted from class by looking at my nails.  She said, "My nails, my nails, by beautiful nails, my interest in you never fails, I dream about you day and night and sometimes even take a bite."

They were good times and there was a good sound background.  We were lucky and to this day, I would recommend a single sex school.


I have been actively  working on what makes for a successful retirement through the blog, which documents day by day events and ideas.  What I have come up with beyond the need to keep active etc  is fairly simple - mainly that we need to work on this period of life and not just let it happen; to be interested and engaged in something which makes you want to get up in the morning; and social interaction beyond just the family. 

I would be interested in your thoughts.

I have posted the photos - a bit fuzzy for some reason, probably the lighting -  but that's OK.  I quite like 'fuzzy' these days!


Thanks for the memories     

Cheers Clara         

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Babyboomers have a rich memory bank of stars

Hi there babyboomers

Some wonderful photos from our decades. I know that every older generation is convinced that the sun is setting on a golden age, but you have to admit we experienced a giant share of charismatic 'stars', many of whom are still in the limelight.

Favourites among these have to be Elton, with Marilyn and JFK the winner for intrigue. Least favourite is George - he looks much better now.
Clara

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And flowers are a nice touch

Hi Babyboomers


Happy Valentine's Day to you all.

And from Sophocles - One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life; That word is love.

Oedipus at Colonus

Special message to the Guys
 I have to say that I empathise with you today knowing that it may not be easy to surprise and express love on this day of expectation.


Hugh Mackay on love - 'Love' must be the most flexible word in the English language..... So what kind of love do we desire? Romantic, erotic, altruistic, parental, sacrificial, familial, material, ethereal, companionate, divine?

Those and more. Love in all its varieties and manifestations, lights us up. Love has the power to enlarge the spirit; to bring out the best in us; to encourage a greater openness to others and to inspire us to perform acts of kindness. Love comforts us, reassures us and boosts our confidence in ourselves.

Thanks Hugh - I'm sure you won't disappoint your loved one. But for others out there, a couple of helpful hints from Clara.

• Whilst I know you don't fall for the commercialisaton of the day, and your loved one may have assured you that she doesn't want anything at all, it is a brave man who heeds that request -
  
• Having said the above, what women want more than anything else is to feel that they are special, and this doesn't necessarily mean material trappings. To just take time out of your day to turn off the TV, hold her hand, look into her eyes and tell her how you feel about her should do the trick.
• Yes G, this may mean not playing Squash tonight
• and flowers are a nice touch.
  Love Clara - By the way, I am giving G a card with the promise of a massage.
  ps - a few romantic food hints for the occasion on http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com/
  
  
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   or visit my website at http://www.babyboomerconnections.com.au/

The Creative Spirit is Forever Young

Tree Line / Snow Angel / My Valentine Flowers

"The heart is what matters most of all."
Kris Kristofferson

Hi Renotta
You are amazing! These pieces are beautiful as is the photography. I'm worried that you will wear yourself out. Perhaps you should stop for the weekends.

I would love to see a short description of the works ie process, material etc.

Thanks so much for your cogging - most of my friends think I'm a little crazy!
I looked up cognition - good word - "the process or act of knowing - perception" - it has an anagram - "incognito". Can you use it in a sentence? I haven't been able to yet. It has relevance to the creative process, which is what I believe keeps us young in spirit. The body may age but the spirit is forever young when you are creating.


Happy Valentines Day - my lovely husband gave me these beautiful Lizzies this morning.
A little philosophy, for the occasion, from Chuck Close, known for his photorealism technique of breaking photographs into a grid and enlarging the contents by hand. I would rather like to have a go at that sometime. Like you, I love my camera - I dabble in photoshop, and have also been known to use that lil ol' healin' tool.


Chuck says " A person's face is a kind of road map of the life they have led" Not so sure I like that part (Photoshop) but his perceptions on marriage are interesting - "Damned if I know what makes a marriage work. I have been married for forty years, and it's not one marriage. By then you've had four or five totally different marriages. You hope you evolve in similar ways, have compatible ways, and that you now have a new reason to be with somebody. But they're going to be different from the previous reasons to be with them."


I admire people who have been married for that long and who have evolved together. Nothing wrong with his creative spirit either. He is wheelchair bound now but still paints with a paintbrush strapped to his hand.

Happy creating.

Love Clara