John Farnham - "Help" (LIVE with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) Reaction

This is one of the MANY MANY reactions to John Farnham singing “Help” with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, that I’ve watched. 

I never tire of hearing him sing this song. It gives me chills every single time and I love the reactions of people from all around the world who hear it for the first time.

His voice is like no other.

I am sitting up in bed watching golf … the Open, Round 3.

BGWLBH and I spent the day at the RSL Club in The Bay.

They have a big golden ticket promotion happening this year. Once a month, they have 5 golden ticket draws. If your name comes out, you get to pick an envelope which has a golden ticket valued at either $1000 x 4, $2000, $3000 or $5000 (I think that’s right) - THEN - in November, you get to come back with all of the winners and one person gets to choose from 100 envelopes, one of which contains $500,000. All the rest contain $10,000.

BGWLBH won a golden ticket 2 months ago, so she’ll be back in November. I tried to win today and four of the five winners had names that started with the same two letters as my name. Alas, my name was not drawn.

Luckily it’s “fend for yourself” night so I didn’t have to worry about cooking because we were quite late home.

Super Saturday football night. Most of us only have one wrong tip this week, with two more games remaining.

I just realised that it’s now after midnight! Best get some sleep!

Nite all.

Perfect Weather

I’m not always successful, but this is my aim …

"Silence is my new answer to any disrespect. 

I no longer react. I no longer argue, and I no longer dive into drama. I simply remove my presence."

There's a quiet strength found in choosing not to engage with negativity. 

For me, silence is now my clear answer to any disrespect. It's a powerful shift from the old ways. I no longer feel the need to react impulsively, to fall into arguments, or to get pulled into needless drama. Instead, when faced with words or actions that chip away at my peace, I simply remove my presence. 

This isn't about avoidance; it's a conscious act of protecting my inner world. It’s choosing peace over conflict, self-respect over pointless battles. In this silence, I find a calm that no argument could ever bring, and I honor my own worth by not allowing disrespect to steal my energy.

Mitra ➡ Tips That Change Your Life  ❤☀

The pool guy came today - 2 weeks late because he claimed that he couldn’t access the property when he came on the usual date. I call BS.

We had to purchase a new pool cleaner. It’s a Zodiac and they only last from 5-7 yrs. Our pool is 7 years old in September! So it’s an updated version and it was on sale. Happy about that.

Adoring Husband played golf today.

I had yet another day in The Bay. Well, we arrived home much earlier than usual, even though we did groceries, searched for a new shower caddy, visited Farmgate for fruit and veg, bought my seafood for “fend for yourself” night on Saturday.

I stopped to chat with the butcher about his big “boys night” that he’d planned on Wednesday night. He’d purchased the boxing match on pay per view between Paul Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams, had slow cooked some beef all day, planned an outdoor fire and to watch the match on the big outdoor screen and was very excited!

He didn’t realise that the fight started at 10pm, which is way past his bed time and he couldn’t stay awake for it! He’s all of 32 yrs old! So he cancelled the whole thing.

We got our usual juices and I added 3 pieces of lemon/lime cheesecake to the order, which we enjoyed after dinner.

I cooked barramundi in butter, garlic and lime juice and served it with fried rice.

AH and I watched the golf until the football came on. He then went to bed. Everybody tipped the winner of tonight’s game correctly.

Now it’s almost 10.30pm and I’m ready for sleep. I have a rear molar that has come very loose and is causing some pain. Not sure what I’m going to do about it yet.

Nite all.

Double Days

Forgive yourself

for what you had to do to survive.

Forgive yourself for who you were

before you knew better.

Forgive yourself

for being fallible, broken,

for being less than perfect.

Touch the earth

in your small humanness.

Feel the dirt beneath your feet,

between your fingers,

and how your tears water

the parched, cracked soil.

Forgive yourself

for not being more, 

for not knowing more,

for learning through experience,

or the hard way.

For what you did to survive life’s winters,

across life’s thin ice.

For your mistakes.

You survived.

You are here.

And in the forgiveness,

let your hands reach down

to soothe your own broken heart,

and from there, 

the broken hearts of others.

For we grow humble in our falls,

compassionate through our imperfection,

not our perfection.

Forgive yourself.

Let the weight of these lessons

hold you firmly

in their dark wisdom 

to the earth —

And from there,

like a sky of shining lanterns,

set your soul free.

( ✍️ Rachel Alana Falconer )

Tuesday was a no-go day for me. 

I didn’t attend meditation and spent the majority of my day in bed, having a long 3 hour nap right in the middle with Harley on the bed resting his head on my legs.

Dinner was leftover spaghetti bolognese sauce with fusilli pasta and salad.

I slept much earlier than usual and enjoyed a solid 8 hours.

This morning, I was feeling much better and BGWLBH and I decided to drive into The Bay where we updated our lotto, got some fresh bread, searched for metal Chinese coins, purchased Harley bones from the butcher and bought our usual juices from Su Jus.

Fried rice was the requested dinner, so that’s what I prepared and added some crumbed chicken strips for AH.

I headed straight for bed after dinner and watched the movie “Made of Honor”.

It’s almost 10pm and I’m ready for sleep.

Nite all.

End of Tournament

On Sunday night, I flicked through the channels to find the movie “The Adjustment Bureau” which I watched and it finished just in time for the tennis.

I watched the first set between Sinner and Alcatraz. The latter looked very much in control so I turned it off at the end of the first set believing that Alcatraz had it in the bag.

When I woke this morning to check the score, I was shocked to see that Sinner won the next three sets to win the trophy!

BGWLBH and I headed into The Bay today.

It was a glorious day.

We were home by 2.30pm and after the usual afternoon routine, I cooked spaghetti bolognese for dinner. We played trivia. Everyone went to bed except me. I watched 1% Club.

Now it’s time to sleep because it’s meditation day tomorrow.

Nite all.

Not Resting

It was Sunday, but not my day of rest.

I didn’t watch the tennis on Saturday night, but I still slept until after 8.30am this morning. I didn’t get out of bed until 9.30am.

I made my cup of tea and took Harley out to play. 

I took my dry clothes off the line, folded them and put them away.

I put another load of washing in the machine.

I made breakfast and ate it on the couch.

I hung out the washing and put on another load.

I cleaned my walk in robe.

I moved ‘stuff’ back into the rear bedroom. Stuff that I’d cleared from there so that Number One Son had space when he came to visit.

I cleaned Harley’s sleeping area - there was enough dog hair to make another two Harleys!

Adoring Husband and I watched the latest Ghost Buster movie (in between hanging more washing and putting more in the machine).

On the very last load, the washing machine broke again, coming up with the “vibration error” on the screen. Luckily, when the machine fixed itself last week, AH didn’t cancel the repair bloke, so he is still coming on Tuesday.

AH attended a golf barbecue at the Lions Park this afternoon.

I watched three games of football this afternoon and evening.

AH and I both had perfect tipping rounds this week!

I cooked chicken saltimbocca for dinner with boiled buttered potato, snow peas and green beans.

I’m not sure if I’ll stay up to watch the tennis tonight. I’m not really invested in Sinner or Alcaraz. If I wake up in the middle of the night to pee, I’ll turn on the TV to check the score and perhaps watch some of the match.

It’s going to be another chilly night.

Nite all.

Tennis Recovery

💬 JULIA ROBERTS SPEAKS OUT: A Wake-Up Call to Women Everywhere

The iconic Hollywood actress has shared a powerful and deeply personal message — not to promote a product or a film, but to urge women around the world to reconnect with what truly matters.

✨ “It’s Time to Take Off the Mask.”

“Perfection is a sickness that’s spreading across nations.

We bury our faces under layers of makeup.

We inject ourselves with toxins.

We starve to meet ‘ideal’ sizes.

We fix things that were never broken...

Meanwhile, the one thing that truly needs our attention is forgotten.”

That one thing?

Our soul.

“How can you expect someone to love you if you don’t love yourself?

Changing your appearance isn’t proof of confidence — it’s a mask.

But I’m done with masks.”

Julia continues:

“I know I have wrinkles. I want to see them — they’re mine.

I no longer want to wear a painted version of someone else’s face.

I want the world to see me as I really am — natural, whole, honest.”

In a world obsessed with filters, fillers, and facades, her words are a breath of truth.

She calls today’s beauty standards “a steroid-fueled virus” — artificial, unrealistic, and imprisoning us in illusions.

🔔 Her message is clear:

Stop.

Remember who you are.

Value your essence.

Let your soul shine louder than your lipstick.

“No one can ever fully meet society’s beauty criteria.

Outer appearance should be the last thing we care about.

What truly matters… is the soul.”

— Julia Roberts

It was approximately 12.45am when someone drove to the house across the road and took the dog away. By that time, it had howled 29 times in less than 2 hours. I hope he is ok.

I stayed awake until 4.30am watching the tennis. Alcaraz defeated Fritz in four sets. Djokovic was annihilated by Sinner in three quick sets.

It’s now 8.30pm and I feel incredibly weary.

I dragged myself out of bed at 9am, made tea, played with Harley and made myself a crab sandwich for breakfast.

I did four loads of washing, made a pineapple/mandarine/mango/passionfruit smoothie, played 3 games of “Sequence” with BGWLBH, watched the latest episode of Great Pottery Throw Down, watched a weird Australian Sci Fi movie with AH and then settled in for the footy.

My tipping is going very well this week. Three out of three correct and the fourth game is going my way (so far), but there is still 30 mins left of the game.

I think I shall fall asleep to the sound of football commentary.

Nite all.

Friendly Friday

Hard truths your parents should have taught you:

1. The world is not fair, and no one is coming to save you. Your success or failure is your responsibility alone.

2. Nobody is thinking about you. They are too busy thinking about themselves. Stop making life decisions based on their imaginary opinions.

3. The world rewards results, not effort. "Trying your best" is a participation trophy; real life only respects what you deliver.

4. Love is not enough to hold a relationship together. Respect, loyalty, and shared values are the foundation. Love is the decoration.

5.Your feelings are not facts. Learn to question them, or they will rule your life and lead you to ruin.

6. Your comfort zone is not a safe place. It is a gilded cage where your potential goes to die. All growth happens in the storm.

These truths aren't meant to make you cynical.

They are meant to make you strong.

I fell asleep early on Thursday night and woke to use the bathroom 4 hours later, immediately fell back asleep for another 6 hours! Needless to say, I woke feeling refreshed!

After Harley play, BGWLBH asked if we needed to go to town, so we made the decision to do it.

She needed a new battery in the car key - last time, she took it to the car dealer and it cost over $40. This time she took it to Allstrong Locksmiths and Security on Taylor Street and they replaced it for $9. Car dealers are a rip off.

While she was doing that and then purchasing a coffee from from OBC Original Bike Cafe, I walked around the corner to the paint shop to select a colour to paint the window frame on the outdoor pool kitchen.

I was surprised that a small tin cost $45. I don’t know why I was expecting about $15!

Adoring Husband painted the frame years ago with a horrible baby poo brown colour. I selected a blue, close to the pool colour in a photo on my phone - so hopefully, it’s close.

Then there was the supermarket, butcher, juice, seafood, newsagent, Farmgate, bakery and Heaps Discount.

Home to unpack the groceries, play with Harley, shell 3 sand crabs, watch some golf, watch Sharks defeat Dolphins (only AH and I selected them in the tipping comp) watch Collingwood get done by Gold Coast in AFL (much to AH’s dismay) and now watching Alcaraz play Fritz in the first men’s semi final at Wimbledon. Next up will be Djokovic vs Sinner.

There is a dog somewhere across the road howling through the night, so I’ve started logging the time and the number of howls. It really is getting out of control and we’ve heard neighbours yelling through the night, so no doubt the council will soon be called.

In the last hour, it has howled 13 times.

It’s quite chilly again tonight. Good for snuggling under the blankets to watch tennis.

Tomorrow will be a relaxing day and I might do some more of my art.

 Ha Ha Ha

Nite all

Deciding Origin

So here we are, Wednesday night, the State of Origin decider live from Sydney and just 20 minutes remaining with the score NSW 4 QLD 20.

It’s tense.

QLD have been in the lead in previous games and NSW have stolen the win from under them.

I am concerned.

Today, for reasons unknown to me, I decided to get ‘arty’.

When Number One Son visited us, he gifted me his very good quality polychromos coloured pencils wrapped in a lovely leather pouch.

I decided to put them to good use today.

I played for about 2 hours, but left everything out on the table so that I could pick up where I left off.

It was enjoyable but I felt quite drained after 2 hours. Obviously I need to get ‘art fit’!

Vegging in front of the TV was my choice of activity for the afternoon, until I crumbed some boneless chicken thighs for dinner and made a coleslaw and a garden salad.

There is now 7 minutes remaining of this State of Origin and QLD are still winning 20-6. I’d really like QLD to score one more time before the end!

Ha! Ask and ye shall receive!

QLD 24 NSW 6

Djokovic plays in the quarter finals of Wimbledon tonight. I might be tired tomorrow.

QUEENSLANDER!!!

Final score: QLD 24 NSW 12

The underdogs come through again!

Nite all.

Socially Accepted

It was difficult to get out of bed after only three hours of sleep.

The tennis was amazing and I really didn’t mind who won out of De Minaur and Djokovic. The match was tight and the final score 6-1 4-6 4-6 4-6 doesn’t indicate just how close it was, how well De Minaur played and how hard Djokovic had to fight for victory.

It was 3am when I fell asleep and my alarm was set for 6am to get ready for meditation.

I struggled and didn’t leave my bed until 7.10am!

Meditation had already started when I arrived. I was about 3 minutes late and it was a big class and a good class.

One of the girls cornered me after class and had my attention for about 20 minutes. I pedalled to the shops where the butcher was in for a long chat. I ran into another old acquaintance in the supermarket so hugs and another chat was in order.

From there I rode to the river where I ran into Klocca, so we chatted for about 30 minutes.

I found a quiet spot and sat in the shade taking in all the ‘goings on’ by the river and on the river…

On the way home I ran into the unelected Mayor, then two other acquaintances, one of whom used to attend my art classes and I chatted with them for about 15 minutes.

The final chatterbox was Mrs Bucket who took about 20 minutes of my time.

After 3 hours of sleep, I was pretty done in by the time I arrived home and chose to go to bed for a couple of hours to rest up.

Harley joined me.

I’m not sure if I’ll stay awake for tennis tonight. I think I need sleep.

So …

Nite all.