What’s a job you would like to do for just one day?

The job I would love to do for just one day would be to be the owner and manager of a specialist children’s literature bookshop.  That would be my dream to be surrounded by the children’s literature I absolutely love.  It would be like heaven on 🌎 earth for me .

What are your favorite brands and why?

Today’s blog topic is an interesting one and I am by no means a brand ambassador.   I really had to think and I found myself thinking of The Body Shop and its future.   I can recall hearing on the  radio news here in Australia that The Body Shop in the UK had gone into voluntary receivership and that the future of the whole business worldwide 🌐 was in jeopardy.

The Body Shop is my favourite toiletry and make up Shop. I love their range of products,  particularly their body butters, lip balms, fragrance, and make-up.   Their range contains a lot of natural products, and they don’t test on animals any of their products.  I like their commitment to the environment by providing refills of some of their products.  Their products always smell amazing.  I have a particular interest in The Body Shop here in Australia because Susannas daughter Rebekah manages one of The Body Shops here in suburban Melbourne.

I gurss I am writing this post to help there be an interest in The Body Shop, interest enough that my readers  might buy some of their products either by visiting a store or buying online.  I think The Body Shop deserves to survive and ultimately thrive because their products are great and their ethics are outstanding.

List the people you admire and look to for advice..

There are quite a few people I turn to for advice,  the most common being my Mum and my oldest brother Peter

Amongst my friends I trust and turn to for advice are Russell, Adrian and Liz.  They are long term friends who I trust implicitly.  Russell , in particular,  is a quiet , thoughtful person who is not reactionary,  meaning he thinks deeply before giving any response.   He is quite amazing, actually.

The other person I admire and  trust for advice is my psychiatrist, who is an absolutely brilliant man and speaks gentle words of wisdom.

I am blessed in my life with several people who I can look up too and turn to for advice

Do you vote in political elections?

Yes I do vote in political elections.  I live in a democracy here in Australia and see voting as someone I do towards keeping Australia the great nation that it is.

What gives you direction in life?

The main thing that gives me direction in my life is my faith in God and my life purpose. 🙏🏽. I believe that I have been put on this 🌎 earth to make people better understand mental health issues by being a good role model.  With every decision I make, I ask myself what answer will bring me closer to my life purpose and what alternative takes me further from my life purpose.   If I think this way, I normally find the most compassionate empathic answer to the decisions I make.  I also think of Lily when I am making life changing decisions and consider what will be the best option for her. So yes my faith in God is ultimately what gives me direction 🙏🏽 in my life.

Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?

The quote that I live by is the  quote “Life is what happens when we are busy making other plans “.

John Lennon made this quote and I believe it is a line from his song 🎵 “Beautiful Boy”.

How true is that quote.  Everything in life happens in Gods time,  regardless of what we plan.

What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

My favourite holiday was my cruise around New Zealand, seeing such things as Milford Sound, Akaroa, Wellington, and Auckland.   It is such a lovely genteel way to travel, and I like that food is included, one less thing to consider each day you travel. New Zealand is my favourite country, I love the countryside and the scenery and people.  It is such a peaceful quaint country, and the people are warm-hearted..

Have you ever been camping?

Yes I have been camping but not for a very long time.  When I was a teenager, the family used to go camping 🏕 at Jamieson up in the high country here in Victoria.   It is very quiet and picturesque there,  near where the movie The Man From Snowy River was filmed.

It my late 20s, I went on an interstate camping trip that took in Adelaide,  Alice Springs, and Uluru.  Uluru is particularly amazing, and I believe everyone should see it at least once in their lifetime. Alice Springs is so interesting and quaint. It was the last trip I took with both my parents as my dad sadly passed away a few months after it. It was the trip of a lifetime.

When do you feel most productive?

I feel the most productive in the morning after a good nights sleep,  a good breakfast,  a shower, and a walk with Lily.   I am happy,  alert, and contented and feel ready to deal with everything the day will bring.  It is my favourite time of day.

What are your favorite emojis?

My favourite emojis are the praying hands and the angel emoji of the smiley face with the halo.🙏🏽😇