A good life at any age
26 March 2021 | 50 Faces 50 Lives
This week I met a remarkable man. Let me set the scene. It’s my first interview in over a year for my Ageing Well book. For the past year a Covid world made meeting people a risky business. So today I’m as excited as a kid at Christmas as I source pastries for our morning tea and head off into unexplored bushland, forest and winding roads to meet Max Primmer. I’ve known OF Max over the years in this small community. His name and photos pop up all over the place, but this is our first chat.
A warm smile greets me as I step out into acres of sweet – smelling bushland and his lovely home. It’s raining lightly and the parched soil releases that deep earthy smell I love so much in early autumn. Max tells of the family of kangaroos who visit the land surrounding the house. The whole area is a conservation zone and wildlife abound.
Over a cuppa we start to share connections and weave the soft threads of conversation that establish how this will flow. It’s so easy. Max is a well – practised and natural storyteller and I nestle in the comfy chair as the words tumble out and I’m enthralled. This is SO lovely. It’s a gift to be able to spend time in someone else’s world. So who is Max Primmer and why is his story so important for understanding how older people can age well?
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This week I met a remarkable man. Let me set the scene. It’s my first interview in over a year for my Ageing Well book. For the past year a Covid world made meeting people a risky business. So today I’m as excited as a kid at Christmas as I…
26 March 2021 | 50 Faces 50 Lives
I published this article after an interview with Petrus Spronk in November 2019..it seems like light years ago! It was one of the highlights of the research for my book and I’ll never forget encountering the creative mind in all its purity and the outstanding talent of this great artist….
19 February 2021 | 50 Faces 50 Lives
In the series 50 Faces 50 Lives this article published in June last year generated a large number of comments and conversation in our Viva community. Old age can be tough when illness strikes. My story about David living with dementia touched a nerve and it will be an important…
19 February 2021 | 50 Faces 50 Lives
When Felicity Huffman received 2 weeks gaol time for illegally trying to secure a university place for her daughter, I yawned. A Hollywood actor behaving badly.. again. Two weeks penance? But last night I stumbled across a doco. on Netflix which more than grabbed my attention. Fifty people were indicted…
24 March 2021 | Arts
Robert has so far been Viva 70’s only poet contributor and his work was published in May 2019..a treasure. I’m hoping to persuade Robert to create more poems for us in the future. Thank you Robert on this Viva 70’s walk down memory lane……….Here’s the article and his thought –…
19 February 2021 | Arts
This was the very first article I ever wrote, two years ago for Viva 70. It took me a week of research and drafting, editing and angst to create this first piece of content. It was a magical moment. I felt very daring putting my writing out there, but as…
19 February 2021 | Arts
I need to attend a daily meeting for addicts. While I enjoy a glass or two of wine, this is not my demon. Instead I can be seen marauding around homewares stores, devouring every episode of Grand Designs and I have a cushion collection large enough to decorate Versailles. I…
24 March 2021 | Life-Style
Hi Everyone! After a well-earned rest we’re back and it’s our second birthday! Yey! Happy Birthday to all our readers, subscribers, contributors and dear friends. Two years ago, with a heart full of excitement and fear I pressed PUBLISH on my first article sending it out into the stratosphere, expecting…
19 February 2021 | Life-Style
Let’s travel! This article about a trip to China by Lesley was published in July 2019. It’s a lovely story of grandparenting, travel and having fun. Thank you lesley. More please..! Here’s the article…. This week it’s great to introduce another new writer to the Viva 70 team. I’ve been…
19 February 2021 | Life-Style
Let’s talk heart health. It is estimated that over 5% of the Australian population had a condition related to heart disease in 2017/18 (i.e. stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure.) There were more than 1.2m hospitalisations for coronary illness in 2017/18, that’s 11% of all hospitalisations. Indigenous Australians have heart…
24 March 2021 | Living Well
Julia Richards has travelled with me and Viva70’s story for nearly 2 years and I am so grateful to this dear friend for all her expertise and wisdom as a medicinal herbalist. Thank you Julia. You have been our most regular and much loved contributor and we couldn’t walk down…
19 February 2021 | Living Well
It’s moody, humid and overcast in the Central Highlands today. The sort of weather I associate with the pre-Christmas season. I like it. It doesn’t have the roar of summer sun and the battle to keep cool and keep new plants alive. Today is gentle. The perfect time to walk…
17 December 2020 | Living Well