Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.

My favourite pair of shoes were a comfortable pair of red leather sandals that only cost me $15 Australian from Big W.  They were so comfortable and I could wear them with any colour being red leather.

Unfortunately, I had a new puppy, an angelic little creature called Lily.  One day, she got into the bottom of my wardrobe and chewed one of the pair. They were ruined, and I think Lily chewed that shoe because it smelt like me being the shoes that I wore most often.  Ah, such is life when you have a puppy in your home.

Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.

As my regular readers would know in the past, I have written a lot about Susanna’s generosity towards me.

Today, I am writing about another gift 🎁 that means a lot to me sentimentally.  When I worked in mental health, I befriended a fellow peer support advocate called Michael Fleming.   Michael was an advocate at The Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council, and he was an artist whose works were growing in popularity.  Michael was like a father figure to me, and one year for my birthday, he gave me one of his framed landscapes as my present. To this day, I treasure this 🖼 painting. It means a lot to me. It reminds me of Michael, who is long passed over. My mother liked my painting so much that I purchased a similar landscape for her as her Christmas gift that year.  I miss Michael Fleming very much, and my painting means a lot to me sentimentally,  as it brings back beautiful memories of a true friend 🧡.

Write about your approach to budgeting.

As I live on a limited income, budgeting is important to me.  I always make sure my rent is paid on time,  sometimes a few days early.  I pay my bills in regular small instalments,  and often, because of that, my bills are often in credit. I have regular small transfers from my everyday bank account into my investment account. I put some money 💰 aside each week so I can afford to go to the hairdresser regularly and save up for the luxuries that make life good.  I save up for these things rather than get them on credit because the delayed gratification is just so satisfying more so than having a huge credit card debt.

My theory on budgeting is to take baby steps and save small amounts regularly and pay your bills off in instalments, and save for the things you really desire in life.

You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

If I received some amazing news, I would text Adrian, Liz, Russell,  Kathryn, and Lani with the great news because I know they would be interested.  I would also text Mum, Peter, and David.  I would play with Lily and cuddle her and tell her the news because she is my little best friend.

Are there any activities or hobbies you’ve outgrown or lost interest in over time?

There are a few things that I have lost interest in over time. Throughout my marriage, I used to make jewellery,  mainly earrings,  as a hobby to make me a little extra money 💰.  To begin with, I enjoyed this hobby, but I lost interest in it, around the time that I started to experience problems in my marriage.  I was working at the time, in a job, that circumstances forced me to resign.  I never had a supportive husband. He was furious with my decision, and then he started a relationship with someone else because he wasn’t happy with the direction our lives were heading in. To this day, I associate jewellery making with that time and sold all my beads several years ago.

Around that time, I started to go to Curves, the ladies’ gym, to work out. Unfortunately there is no Curves, where I live now, and I lament it’s demise in my life because it sure helped me to take out my frustrations over what happened in my marriage on a piece of gym equipment,  specifically designed for females. That is my only regret in life. It sure helped me when I most needed it. As for my marriage, that is long in the past, and I continue to make good choices with my life.

What’s your favorite candy?

My favourite candy 🍬 would have to be milk and dark chocolate 🍫 Lindt balls.  I love ❤️ both milk and dark varieties.  As I am diabetic I rarely get to have any. It is only when friends 🧡 give them to me as a  gift. I love sucking on them and savouring the silky soft centre. They truly are bliss and delightfully delicious.

Do you need a break? From what?

I need a break from the everyday routine.  Ultimately, it would entail a total digital detox for a couple of days. A beachside retreat where I can take Lily and get away from everything that makes up my life  No phone no computer etc for a couple of days of silent bliss,  with Lily being my focus. To not have to ring or text anyone for a weekend.  The beach will be a quiet paradise, and Lily will be happy and contented.  I am planning such a retreat in the not too distant future  . Oh, what bliss it would be.

The most important invention in your lifetime is…

I would have say that the most important invention in my lifetime would have to be the mobile phone 📴 📲. We literally have a hand-held personal computer.   I use my mobile phone for everything from keeping in touch with loved one’s, to send emails and write this blog.  I would be lost without it, as I constantly use it.