Nice to see you!

Three major events occurred for me last year (2010), all in the space of about 2 weeks. I turned 50. The following day I got married. Two weeks later, my oldest daughter became pregnant with her first child and my first grandchild.

Most middle-aged people will tell you that in their minds, they still feel 20 something. It's the same for me.

Wasn't it only yesterday that I was planning a night out with guys from the surf club? That gorgeous new perm. Flaired, cuffed denims and the red t-shirt with the off-the-shoulder frill. Corked platform wedgies. **sigh**

Suddenly I'm looking in the mirror and wondering how 30 years can flash by so damned quickly!

So here I am in cyberspace, sharing my genuine shock and horror with anyone who'll listen and maybe I'll even meet some other over 50s who find themselves in the same predicament!

Welcome to my dilemna!!

Saturday, July 18, 2026

Sleep Deprived

I stayed awake for most of last night watching the golf live.

Sleep took control from just after midnight until about 2.20am which is when I switched the golf back on for the rest of the morning. 

It was slow going, but I climbed out of bed at about 10.15am and took Harley out to play for about an hour.

I crumbed some prawns for my lunch and then plonked myself on the couch to watch a movie called “Roommates” with Sadie Sandler. It wasn’t bad.

It finished just in time for the football. I’ve tipped one game incorrectly so far, so I’m happy about that.

I made myself apricot chicken wings for “fend for yourself” dinner.

Understandably, I am feeling very weary tonight.

Mine and Adoring Husband’s AFL teams are playing each other tonight (Carlton and Collingwood) and Collingwood are currently in front by 8 points.

Bulldogs are annihilating Wests Tigers in the NRL.

The golf has already started.

So I have 3 channels to surf between, but I seriously believe that I’ll be asleep inside the next hour.

Dean Martin and Bob Newhart

Nite all.

Friday, July 17, 2026

Friday with a Flourish

The challenge has been set.

To try every coffee available in our area. 

That is Hervey Bay, Torbanlea, Howard, Burrum Heads, Craignish, Dundowran, Toogoom, Nikkenbah and Takura.

So far we’ve tried;

  • Burrum Heads Foodworks
  • Arkarra Tea Gardens
  • SIP in Torbanlea
  • Goodys in Toogoom
  • Cody’s Coffee Shack in Hervey Bay
  • Salt in Hervey Bay
  • Jam Jar Cafe in Hervey Bay
  • Coffee Club in Stocklands Hervey Bay
  • OCD on the esplanade Hervey Bay
  • Avenue Cafe Bar in Hervey Bay
  • Spotted Goat Hervey Bay
  • Aquavue Hervey Bay
  • Boat Club Hervey Bay
  • RSL Hervey Bay
  • 50s Diner Hervey Bay
There are probably more, but my memory fails me right now. 

There are probably 100 more to try in the areas that I’ve mentioned. 

So that is our challenge.

Today we did Goodys in Toogoom, with a pretty good view to accompany the caffeine.






We wandered through the gift shop that’s attached to the restaurant and I almost purchased a ceramic pitcher with an octopus wrapped around it, but I wouldn’t have a use for it and it would just sit in the cupboard with my fancy teapots.

We also admired the medieval helmets and gauntlet gloves similar to these …


But, you know, what the hell would we do with them? We don’t ever have visitors to even show them off to!

After we left the gift shop, we decided to get lost in Toogoom - actually, it wasn’t a conscious decision, it just happened. Toogoom is deceptively large and well spread out and once you take one wrong turn, it’s difficult to find your way out!

We eventually found our way into the Bay where we did minimal shopping, purchased our usual favourite juices and waited for the rain to ease so that we could drive home.

Lots of short, sharp, heavy rain squalls today.

I played with Harley this afternoon and reheated some of my home made sausage rolls for dinner. Adoring Husband made himself some prawn Tom yum goong soup. BGWLBH made a platter of fresh vegetables to dip into a dip.

Footy was on tonight and the golf.

Bloody Broncos defeated the top of the ladder Panthers last night and broke their 8 game losing streak - just because I didn’t tip them! At least I correctly tipped the next two games.

Now, I shall fall asleep to the sound of golf clubs smashing balls.




Nite all.

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Busy Days

Wednesday was a working day for BGWLBH, so I caught a lift with her and she dropped me off at Tinkerbells.



I purchased 2 Christmas gifts, 2 x rose quartz rings, a rose quartz bracelet, a turquoise and clear quartz pendant.

I also visited the nearby newsagent to update my lotto tickets and I found 3 beautiful bracelets there. A rose quartz and silver, a turquoise and a white howlite.


These shops are a mere 700 metres from The Gypsy’s unit, so after I visited one more crystal shop where I purchased a ‘golden healer’ crystal for a friend of mine, I walked to her place for a visit.

We had two hours to chat, drink licorice tea and eat a yummy home made pumpkin soup 🍜.

BGWLBH picked me up after work and we got our usual juices and drove home.

I then spent over an hour in the kitchen making sausage rolls for dinner.

It was an expensive, productive, delicious, enjoyable, long and tiring day so I slept very well that night!

Today was morning tea with the art girls and we all were invited to Klocka’s new house for a viewing.

She made teas and coffees and she had baked macarons for the occasion.

Her home is just lovely and with lots of construction going on around her in a brand new estate, she has created a lovely peaceful space.

After 3 hours, we decided to leave her in peace.

I had pedalled my trike, JJJ had driven Billie the MG, Stylish one had ridden her motor bike and the Happy Hippy drove her dark mysterious vehicle.

The weather was pretty gross with gale force winds that had a real chill to them and it was quite difficult, even with electric power, to ride into the wind.

I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to access my house because I’d left my keys behind! Thankfully, there was a door unlocked.

I started to make myself a late lunch and BGWLBH, who had driven into The Bay, arrived home with the fruit and vegetable shopping, so by the time I’d packed that away, my lunch was ready from the oven.

I sat down and watched the latest episode of Jet Lag The Game on YouTube while I ate. Straight after that I watched another Mayim Bialik interview which was incredibly interesting.

Dinner was reheated GF pies from the boutique bakery in the Bay. I made a wombok salad and a rocket salad to serve with the pies and I baked a potato for Adoring Husband who had been playing golf all afternoon.

Tonight, I’m alternating between golf and the football. I’m surprised at how close the football is because I expected the Panthers to annihilate the Broncos but with 18 minutes remaining, the score is 12-8 favouring Panthers.

Once again, I’m exhausted 🥱 and will sleep well tonight.


Nite all.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Just Out of Town

Air fresheners are a lie

On Monday, BGWLBH and I drove out to Torbanlea, where we savoured the coffee at the new SIP coffee shop and we wandered through the Op Shoppe that’s been open for about a month.

The coffee shop had a great atmosphere, was very busy and we sat in the corner in a pair of big old leather lounge chairs people watching for about an hour. It was very busy and I counted over 20 people at one point.

The shop’s decor is very dark, moody and quirky, but the large windows let in plenty of light. The artwork is modern and fun and I could have easily sat there for another hour.

There was nothing special about the coffee, but their gluten free macaron was delicious!

We drove into the Bay from there where BGWLBH ran some crafting errands and did some groceries. It was quite late when we arrived home and I cooked Weiner Schnitzels served with wombok salad, garden salad and buttered potatoes.

Today, I was going to accompany Adoring Husband into the Bay while he attended a dental appointment and run some errands, but I wasn’t feeling great this morning so I remained at home.

It was a restful day and after playing with Harley and toasting some crumpets for a late breakfast, I got comfy and watched a fluffy Netflix movie.

I was going to make up a batch of sausage rolls but time and motivation got away from me.

Tonight’s dinner was beef goulash with stir fried vegetables and buttered potatoes.

Now it’s after 11pm and I need to get up early in the morning to go visit The Gypsy. I plan on stopping in at Tinkerbells on the way.







Nite all.

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Restfully Me

I gifted myself this little suitcase of motivation about 6 months ago.

Ha Ha

In theory, I am very motivated and in my mind, I know exactly what I want to do - the problem is “in practice” because I can’t seem to take that first practical step.

Today, I opened the case and read some of the cards - so that puts me a step closer to achieving “something”.




Number one card tells where in the house to go and number two card tells you what to do when you get there. There are so many possible card combinations so you can’t ever predict what it will tell you and you won’t get bored!

Watch this space.

Today was a ZERO motivation day.

Harley got to play and I spent 30 minutes soaking up vitamin D during that time.

I made myself a HUGE brunch of crumbed steak, 2 x fried eggs, boiled potatoes from the garden, pickled tomato and cucumber and a piece of toasted sourdough. 

Of course I couldn’t eat it all and Adoring Husband hoovered up my leftovers - the toast, half of the potato, half of the pickled stuff and 1/4 of the meat.

After that, I retreated to the bedroom for the day. I watched a Netflix movie and the football was on all afternoon. Sadly, my tipping has not improved.

Spaghetti Sunday is easy.

I am now in bed and will sleep until 1am which is when the Wimbledon men’s final starts.

Tomorrow, BGWLBH and I hope to drive out to Torbanlea to check out the new cafe and the new op shoppe. It depends on whether she is feeling well enough because was a bit ‘off’ tonight.

That’s it.

Nite all.