Being a long distance grandmother has its compensations. Every morning since corona-lockdown, I’ve woken to images of my son and his young family managing their splendid self-isolation in northern NSW. There are five of them and they’re in this together: mother, father, toddler, newborn and Norman. (Norman is a greyhound but try convincing him.)
I have never been especially keen on the idea of being a grandmother. Periodically my children would threaten me with it just for fun. I’m way too young, I’d say. Turns out I’m not as young as I thought. Or as immune to the lure of a newborn: first born of my firstborn, unwitting trailblazer of […]
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed. Alexander Pope On October 6th, 1727, English poet Alexander Pope wrote these words in a letter to a friend. Almost 300 years later, his words sum up perfectly the attitude of many Melburnians after two months of stage four lockdown.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that prolonged periods of lockdown aren’t good for the human psyche. Being confined to our homes, our suburbs, even our state can be claustrophobic. We stare at our four walls but dream of faraway places.
It’s been over a year since I first wrote about the evolution of DIY Woman. I flagged a change in direction with less emphasis on separation and divorce, and more on the living-happily-ever-after. Or its real life equivalent. Whatever that is.
Australian women are amongst the most long-lived on the planet. Current statistics tell us we can expect to live to an average age of 85: twenty years beyond what used to be called retirement age. For some, the prospect of filling in those extra decades is daunting. For others – the late bloomers – it’s […]
What happens when shared memories are no longer shared? When – even as you are living a wonderful moment with a loved one – you know you will probably be the sole keeper of its memory? Lately I’ve been spending precious time with family at both ends of the age spectrum. The Christmas break has […]
I am not a gardener. I have written about tending friendships as you would your garden, but my DIY credentials in the actual gardening department are non-existent. My mother, however, is a Daisy Lady: a member of the Native Australian Daisy Study Group. For the past 40 years, she has met regularly with other Daisy […]
I’m sitting in a cafe in Montmartre. I’m taking time out from a hectic travel schedule. From my table at the window I look out at a Sunday market in the tiny Place Lino Ventura. A full length mirror is placed outside a clothes stall directly in my line of vision. A middle aged woman […]
What does the D•I•Y stand for? DARING • INTUITIVE • YOUNG@HEART Daring: Having the courage to take chances Intuitive: Sharing the wisdom gained from our time on earth Young@heart: Retaining the curiosity and optimism of youth DIYWOMAN is about connecting, supporting, gaining strength from others and navigating through life the best way we can. It’s […]