Over a year ago, I began the joyful task of collecting stories of  people in their 60’s and beyond. I wanted to discover how different people made sense of ageing and how their early life experiences shaped their lives as elders. I call this collection of stories 50 Faces 50…

A guiding principle of The Good Life is to have purpose, live fully and make each day count. Viva 70 was created to shine a spotlight on this idea for people over 50 and heading into their years of Elderhood. But what if you approach your later years living with…

I’m in Bali and I’ve found the person who will be my driver for my 2 week stay. The first trip is to a local shopping mall. As he skillfully navigates the insane traffic with an air of quiet and calm he is warm and friendly without being too familiar….

Series four of the spectacular series The Crown hit Netflix on Sunday and it’s wonderful! For non- Crown groupies, the series charts the course of the British Royal family with dramatic licence but based on a true story. We’re in the early Diana, soon to be Princess of Wales period…

For many of us the pandemic meant a new dress code.. Flannelette in winter, cotton in summer..Pj’s of course. Then there were the openings… ‘fridg door mainly and the ” esoteric” hairstyles..long and longer. But some creative people actually created amazing music, painting, writing. Bruce Springsteen looks like he spent…

Do you like a good thriller  for entertainment? I really like well written who – dun – it with a clever plot, well formed and intriguing characters and an outcome that you cannot predict. It’s a curious form of entertainment where goosebumps, flinching at knives being drawn and mild hyperventilation…

Hi Everyone! Viva 70 seems to be settling into a monthly format in this new Covid normal. How are you doing? I hope you are all safe and well. Those are big words in 2020! It’s 23 degrees today and I’m sitting here at my desk with minutes to spare…

I like houses to have names. Houses tell stories and have history, personality and character.  Perhaps it’s my love of narrative……..  or marketing….. but I like a house to express itself and not just be a page out of Home Beautiful.  Some houses are richly scented with history like my …

A tall tale arrived in my inbox this week…and fun to share………. A Scotsman (wearing his kilt and a bonnet) walks into offices of private bankers Coutts & Co in the Strand, London (Bankers to the Royal Family since 1820) and asks to speak to the manager. He informs him…

Another sensational article from Julia Richards, our dear friend who runs a herbal medicine practice  in Yorkshire. Thank you Julia…..Great article and a quiz to take as well! It’s a really good reminder that rest is more than sleep. Why you need seven types of rest With the ups and…

It’s the perfect storm for creating anxiety and fear, particularly here in Melbourne at this time, but also across the world. A summer of ” unprecedented” bushfires. Then an ” unprecedented” Covid-19 pandemic for which there is no cure. A predicted ” unprecedented” economic disaster and images of  Australians in…

Are you going stir-crazy? Run out of  crosswords? Sick of banana bread? I invite you to a lock-down party… When?  Now or now-ish Dress Code?   Fancy or not fancy Equipment?   You. The attached video clips Especially good when……. your energy/ mood is flagging Requirements… Just dance until the clips stop…hands…