Hello Wise Women   

       
Do I make you jealous with my new hat?

I hope you are all having a fantastic June!!!!  Boy it has been freezing here in Sydney, and the rain!!!!!

But hurray for a lovely sunny weekend which was especially good as we had a wedding to attend.  More on that later.

I have been extremely busy lately working on a new project, my real job and I am also spending a lot of time at the gym, hence my late blog!!! But keeping busy and active is what makes life exciting - isn't that what they say!!!  Well THEY do!

       LET’S GET FIT    

 
           Try riding a horse!

Well, how are you travelling with your fitness regime!  I have been going excellently I must brag!!! The more often I go to the gym, the more I want to - 'ain't' that the weirdest thing!. 

You see, three times helps with general fitness and maintenance – but do a cool five times plus and you move into another zone!!! Your body neeeeds to go then and if you don’t, you feel bad!  

That's just about the best motivation there is!

I can’t really put my finger on what prompted me to 'up the anti' but I think it was the idea that I thought I needed to add weights into the mix.  And I am loving PUMP! 

That’s right, lifting heavy weights can be done by us all but I wonder if my wrists and thumbs will prevent me from ever getting past 10 kilos!!!  OOOOhhh they don’t like it that much. 

As for slinging 30 kilograms over my head and onto my neck (like some other women) – I doubt I could lift if up off the floor in the first place.   And I cringe at the damage it might cause as I drop it behind my head onto the ‘meaty part of my shoulder’ – where I am sure it would miss and crunch onto my spinal column!!! Ouch!

Yes, being magnetised to do exercise without question or complaint,
to get dressed and get on with it with a joy,
means that every movement is prolonging your life! 

Well, hey - there are rewards all round 'cause you look better too!

Get to it ladies, no excuses please.....

BELLICON REBOUNDER

At the beginning of this year I trialled a new piece of equipment called a Bellicon. If I had a bigger house and did not enjoy the gym so much, I would definitely buy this product.
 

    It is a very pretty orange and black

It is fantastically made.  There are cheaper varieties around but you can be sure the German Bellicon comes with maximum durability that will have you jumping for your lifetime!! 

When I received the miniature trampoline I put it up in our small backroom and found jumping was a whole of fun.  The idea is that you are saving your joints scores bit points for me.  Used extensively for rehabilitation and physiotherapy benefits, it works every cell and all major muscle groups in the one workout.  That's right! 

Jump on this rebounder and you are getting the full deal. 

It is an amazing piece of engineering and if you want to exercise immediately and in the privacy of your own home – you have the perfect machine. 

 
Weeeeeeeeeeeee!

There are videos you can watch to bounce along to and honestly, I thought it was tremendous fun.  And you get an amazing workout - sweat drips let me tell you.

So if you want to know more check out
 http://www.reboundforlife.com.au

You could be doing yourself a huge favour. 

          MORGAN’S RUN        

Here I am with The Governor General's guards!

Wow Wow Wow.  What a talent!!!  I am in awe of this young composer, Gavin Lockley who not only wrote the music for Colleen McCullough’s libretto of her book, but starred in it as well.  The music is really something else and I can see Morgan’s Run being played on stages forever after.

I can’t really describe the music, only to say it was a moving, engaging, exciting and tugged on those strings in your heart when all the notes are put together with perfection.

 
The Hon. Marie Bashir and Gavin

Gavin played the lead role of Morgan, who is sent to the colonies for mucking around with someone else's girl!!!  On board ship, he had such admiral qualities that helped the others.  So he managed to get himself quite a wonderful reputation on the ship, not only with the convicts, but also with the crew and captain.  He eventually ended up in Norfolk Island.  Now that is about the most abridged version you will ever see!!

I will link you to see more about this wonderful musical/opera. 

I can't wait to see it in the Opera House.  Yes, I will be there that's for sure.

There were some memorable performances during the night but a  highlight was Roy Best's performance of the beautiful  'I believe in Him'.  I believe my hair stood on end. 

The night we were there, The Governor General of NSW Marie Bashir attended.  Other dignitaries also viewed this wonderful new work, and as Marie Bashir said during her impromptu speech afterwards, - that it was amoving and descriptive story of the beginning of our nation and how fantastic to have it recorded in such a way.

Congratulations Gavin.

http://www.gavinlockley.com     
 

MR LOCKLEY GETS MARRIED

 
       Renae and Gavin

What a year?  We had the absolute pleasure of attending Gavin's wedding to the very beautiful opera star Renae Martin.

We hopped on board the Pontoon, a very jazzy event cruise ship and sailed around Sydney Harbour for celebration. 

 
An Operatic sort of hat for an Operatic wedding!

The wedding ceremony was held on the top deck which did cause me a few problems.  It was very windy and a bit cold and the glorious fascinator my friends milliner daughter (www.fripperyhats.com.au) made for me took a bit of pinning down.  The trimmed ostrich feathers simply wanted to take flight!  But fascinator was absolutely stunning, I received lots of compliments and I loved wearing it. 

The bride looked divine, the groom looked smashing.  The celebration was held in style with an impeccably presented three course meal, great wines and yummy wedding cake.

To top off the evening, The Three Waiters entertained us in the most hilarious of operatic manner.  And I think nearly 'all' the tenors, who have ever been ' ozzie waiters' were there for a final singstar!

We ate, we laughed, we sang and a merry time was had by all.  The whole occasion was truly a joy to be part of, especially to see Gavin taking on a whole new role......I know he will star in this one too.

And I did personally meet the gorgeous opera singer Roy Best.

 
                     Oh la lah! 

OK, I threw myself at him and demanded a picture for Wise Women.  Well, how often do you get to cuddle a younger man!!! 

OK he wasn't the only younger man I had my arms around - I did dance with one of the stars of the evening, the charmer himself, Gavin, and my son The Pot who taught me some interesting dance manoeuvres.

And I made sure I had my arms around a very dapper Mr G!

 
    Avoiding the feathers up his nose!

What a terrific start to your marriage guys, I hope the wedding was the perfect start for a dream come true.

 
CHINA ESCAPADE 

Scenery on the grandest scale

My travels to the wonderful Province of Yunnan China is now up.  The places we travelled were exquisite and fast changing to become a sophisticated world. 

Take a look into an ancient world that is almost lost but you can see it right now, right here!!! 

Come with me on an adventure.  

MY TAKE ON THINGS:

What a Wonderful World

‘And I think to myself what a wonderful world’ – don’t you just love that song – Louis Armstrong at his best.  

But what are we doing to our wonderful world. 

We are crippling it day by day without us even realising it.  And I believe it is fighting back.  Think of all the natural disasters that are being thrown at us.  Are we getting it? 

Our large ageing planet is, I believe, is objecting to our messy impact on it. 

We simply fail ourselves, and future generations if we don’t question if we don't act.  It is most likely, I would say, that the past actions by civilizations have not really made much of a dint.  But it is the  last few hundred years that has caused the damage and with accelerating speed. 

There is so much talk about climate change and there are supporters and deniers.  Unfortunately the words ‘climate change’ were used to garner some sort of support for the gradual eroding of the world as we know it. 

Maybe we would be more inclined to think differently if the program was called:

Save the Planet or

Destruction Pullback

 
                  Let's Get together

I can’t imagine why there is any body protesting against looking or examining the preservation and future prevention of destruction – even if it does mean shelling out a few dollars.  

How can we rail road down this way of life – have you seen the movie ‘The Road’.  That folks is where we will end up.  (Even though that landscaped was based on a blast by an unnamed cataclysm that destroyed civilization and most life on earth).  We won't need the cataclysm, we are doing the damage ourselves.

Or it might be that future generations will look down from their ‘spaceship world' to planet earth – a smouldering wreck of a place hardly seen under a thick black haze of poisonous fumes and some one will surely say – why in the heck didn’t they see this coming…were they mad!

Are you making any attempt to change your ways so you save this planet of ours- carbon reduction is a small step in a long, long road – I hope we are up for it!

        HAPPY BIRTHDAY THE DOH

Family get togethers are so much fun..............

LANA’S WISEWEEK

Lana has been missing in action for ages but I guess she is soooooo busy she has not had time to get around to her wise week.  Well, that is what life is all about isn’t it…being busy.
 

    QUOTATION 

Well, weddings certainly do this - but you can anyway!!!!!!

'To change one's life: 

Start immediately. 

Do it flamboyantly.

No exceptions'  

W James

Go for it Ladies……

Until next time

Love