Appreciation of good literature and writing ✍️

Describe something you learned in high school.

I would have to say that I learned a lot in high school.  The thing I remember most in high school was reading classics like  To Kill A Mockingbird,  Wuthering Heights, Romeo and Juliet, etc, as well as well known modern day Australian classics like Monkey Grip. It gave me an appreciation of good literature and made me want to be well read.

I also homed m y writing ✍️ skills in high school writing essays as well as learning how journalists write, in the inverted pyramid style,  where you write the most interesting details first and write the least interesting details last.  It is quite a skill to write in that style, and I enjoyed writing in that style.

Definitely, high school cemented my love of both reading and writing.  My memories of high school are fond, and I enjoyed the while learning experience.

Slowly declutter  my life

Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

One positive change I have recently made is a conscious decision to slowly declutter my life and surroundings.   I plan on moving to a smaller place in the not too distant future and trying to take a baby step every day towards decluttering in some way, recycling, or throwing away at least one thing a day.  In the past, I have been  hoarder, so it is no mean feat that I am undertaking.   I try not to beat myself up if I don’t always achieve my goal. Every effort is a step I the right direction.

Dancing and walking 🚶‍♀️ Lily.

What’s the most fun way to exercise?

My two favourite ways to exercise are to dance and to walk 🚶‍♀️ Lily.

I love dancing 🕺 as a means of creative expression and have the radio on in the background whenever I am at home during the day,gently swaying or moving to my favourite songs 🎵.

The other form of exercise that I love to do regularly is to take Lily for a walk 🚶‍♂️.   It is great to be out in the fresh, crisp morning air, and it really is a bonding experience for us both, as Lily loves ❤️ to be walked.  It is her favourite time of day, and I try to start the day with a walk for her, so she has a happy start to her day.

There are several books I could read over and over again

What book could you read over and over again?

I am finding it hard to limit it to one book that I can read over and over again.

I regularly reread my Cathy Kelly books, and there are a couple that stand out, those being   “The Year That Changed Everything,” “Past Secrets” and, Always And Forever  I could also reread  Little  Women and These Happy Golden Years.

As for I picture books, I have a vast collection of Graeme Base books and could look at the illustrations for hours.

CHERISHING HER MEMORY

I have been in a reflective mood today.  On the 27th of this month it will be the second anniversary of Susannas passing.  The time now has just flown by, and yet when she first passed over time just seemed to drag by slowly and the grief was excruciating.  I have learned to live with my grief and that is now easy to live with.

I cherish the fact that Susannas daughter Rebekah keeps in touch. I consider her a niece of mine because Susanna was definitely a sister to me.  I often think of her and cherish the many good times we shared, and I am very sentimental about the things Susanna gave me, the most significant being her love and gracious generosity.  Knowing her has made me a better person. She had a life well lived, and I intend to lead by her example in my own life. She taught me so much. I intend to put to use what she freely gives me. We are never apart because she remains in my ❤️ heart.

I would be Jessica Harrison or Andie Walsh

If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?

If I could be a character from a book or movie, I would love to be Jessica Harrison from the movie The Man From Snowy River.   Sigrid Thornton played that role as a young actress and she was beautiful and headstrong.   I loved the period costumes of that era and loved the character that Jessica was.  As it is one of my all-time favourite movies, I would’ve loved to be a part of it.

The other character I would’ve loved to have been is Andie Walsh, the role Molly Ringwald played in Pretty In Pink,  my favourite teenage movie.   I just 😍 loved Andies character and her opshop style.  Her clothes were amazing, and she got to kiss Andrew McCarthy, which certainly was an added bonus of the role.  They don’t make the movies like that anymore,  so I am a proud teenager of the 80s.

A biased dog lover

What animals make the best/worst pets?

When I read todays title I must admit I am a biased dog lover.  I have grown up with dogs.  Lily, my little cavoodle is the best thing in my life.  I am attracted to loving little dogs, like cavoodles, Maltese and King Charles cavaliers.  Different dogs suit different people.   There is a breed for everyone amongst 🐕 dogs. Remember that dog is God spelt backwards .   They definitely are Gods creatures.

I like cats but not enough to own one.  I definitely don’t like rats and could never see myself owning any.

There are no bad pets just different people have different likes when it comes to pets.  I do declare I am a very biased dog lover n

Writing is my main love.

What job would you do for free?

The job I would do for free is my many forms of writing ✍️,  in particular blogging.   I love writing my blog as a form of creativity but also to spread love, compassion, empathy, and joy to the world.   My blog has been wonderful for me to express myself to the 🌎 world,  but it also adds to my friendships and sense of community.   It has built my connections  in this world by connecting me with an audience and fellow bloggers.   I feel part of a global community of bloggers and enjoy reading the works of fellow bloggers with mutual beliefs and values.  It is actually so fulfilling and empowering to be a blogger.

READING DOGS IN SCHOOLS.

I have thought of another way to improve the community.  Here in Victoria some schools have like therapy dogs whose role it is to sit in the corner of the class and listen to the children read books.  This helps the children with their reading, and the 🐕 dogs’ presence is soothing and peaceful for the children. Dogs like Labradors and Golden Retrievers are used.  I would like every primary school to have these reading 📚 dogs, as I think the benefits of such would just be wonderful.   Imagine a world 🌎 where every school had their own therapy reading Dog. What bliss 😊.