Posted in Fiction

I must say I find television very educational….

Posted on by TravellinPenguin

…..The minute somebody turns it on, I go into the library and read a good book.

I can relate to that quite a bit but must say I enjoyed my binge of Netflix last week of the British crime drama “Fool Me Once’ with Joanna Lumley playing the matriarch of a drug company doing the wrong thing. It has so many twists and turns.

I am just about finished with Zadie Smith’s book The Fraud. I am enjoying it so much. I am doing a read listen of it and Smith reads it. She is so good at all the voices and accents. It takes place in England, Jamaica and Australia across the 19th century. Lots of characters but I find listening to all the voices while I read along the book helps keep them sorted.

2024- I am really looking forward to this year. I made one resolution. I will not have any major health problems this year. 2020 was one big benign ovarian tumour. Doctor said it was the size of a baby’s head. 2022 was loss of vision in one eye. 2023 was a heart attack, lucky not major. 2024 is going to be the healthiest year I ever had. Sometimes I laugh at how ridiculous it has all been. Add all that to my stroke I had 10 yrs ago and the MS I’ve had for 23 years. You have to laugh and just keep going. Move!!

The gym will remain in my life. I finished listening to a couple of travel writing books. I tend to begin one audible book, listen to half of it, then the mood changes and off I go into another. I end up with three or four half listened to books then go back and clean them all up to finish them.

Another little book I was gifted and have looked at for 2024 is The Little Frog’s Guide to Self Care. It is all about getting out and socialising, taking care of one’s mental health. Spending time with friends and happy self affirmations all discussed with a spunky, small frog.

I am really looking forward to our two book clubs beginning next and my two photo clubs starting activities again. We have an excursion in one club where we drive up to the midlands area of Tasmania and travel back roads taking photos of whatever we fancy. Probably quite a few old abandoned buildings, sheds, farm photos. n all meet for coffees and lunch.

I am rejoining the seniors group I belonged to also. I had stopped going due to being so upset to so many health problems but after a couple of years away I am looking forward to the evening meal once a month, the occasional speakers and a country lunch here and there every month. I enjoy the members of the group, many who are in their 80s and 90s and live vibrant, active lives. I think the older one gets the more socialising and reading becomes for one’s mind. Also get down on the floor everyday and practice getting up. Sounds silly but such a skill once you get over 65/70.😏😏😏

Photos on display in the gardens foyer of restaurant. Mine is top right.
The Japanese Gardens little red bridge.

I had good news when I entered a photo in the competition run by the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. The rule was we had to include a structure within the gardens. My photo came in second of about 80 entries that I could see. I missed out on the first place with a $300.00 prize but was very happy with the Highly Commended.

We are off and running into 2024 so stay tuned for the books coming up, the photographs, my sister’s month long visit in March. She lives in California. There will be road trips and day trips. There will be food.

And on a final note…each year, rather than a resolution being thought about I pick one word that I will attempt to live by. This year’s word is INTENTION. Each morning as I write a note in my diary I think of what intention I want to act on for the day. Gym, walk, read, be kind, do laundry, play with the dog, doesn’t matter, just get up and do something.

I hope the new year has kicked off for all of you cyber friends. All the best.

By the way, Penguin has a new friend this year too. Mr. Galah.

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Author:

I live a retired life in Tasmania, Australia. I love books, travel, animals, photography, motor biking and good friends. I indulge in all these activities with the little Travellin' Penguin who has now shared five continents with me. We love book shops, photography walks and time with friends as all our family is in USA and Canada. I enjoy visitors to my blog so hope you'll stop by.

23 thoughts on “I must say I find television very educational….”

  1. Congrats on your success in the Bot Gdns competition! I also choose a word for each year. Mine is Exercise, followed by 3 bullet points : body, mind and heart. Wishing you a splendid year, with excellent health.

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  2. Beautiful photo. How nice to have it displayed in a public space. Well done.
    I just started Fool Me Once yesterday evening. Every episode ended so you just must see the next one. When I realised there are 8 episodes, I did quite after the 4th, at midnight. Have to continue soon. Corban’s books and adaptations are always very good. Also a fan of Richard Armitage, although he is not so much present.

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      1. I can imagine. I forced myself to quit after 4th episode, when I realised there are 8 ones, and it was already midnight. Watched two more episodes until 1.30 this morning and will enjoy the last two tonight. Hopefully a little bit earlier.

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  3. Getting down on the floor every day is something I avoid. It takes me ages to get up. Over christmas there were babies everywhere and you just have to get down with them sometimes, then I just hope there’s a chair nearby so I can lever myself back up.

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  4. Congratulations!!! Coming in second is pretty dang awesome!!

    Sounds like you have an AMAZING year coming up and I look forward to following along on your journeys!

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  6. Congratulations on your success in the competition! That’s wonderful news.
    Good to hear that your plans put health first, life is so much more fun when you’re not traipsing off to the doctor every other day.
    Here’s a tip: do squats while you’re waiting for the hot water to come through for your shower. Half a dozen of those each day will get those muscles in trim and you don’t have to set aside any time to do it!

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  7. I had to try getting up off the floor without using my hands but until I learn to levitate a one handed standup will do just fine for this 71yo with a knee replacement. It is a good exercise to cultivate as the aging process and gravity collide! Love the cover of the little frogs guide to self care, gribbit. There’s something very charming about frogs. They seem full of Intention always ready to jump past the inertia of gravity.
    Looking forward to the trip down under!

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  8. I had to try getting up off the floor without using my hands but until I learn to levitate a one handed standup will do just fine for this 71yo. It is a good exercise to cultivate as the aging process and gravity collide! Love the cover of the little frogs guide to self care, gribbit. There’s something very charming about frogs. They seem full of Intention always ready to jump past the inertia of gravity.
    Looking forward to the trip down under!

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  10. Oh Pam, I remember most of those health challenges. You’ve been through a lot, so when I read “with an intention to complete that day” I read it as bring you intended each day to survive that day! But then I realised that you meant you plan to set a different intention each day.

    Congrats on the photo win and I love your positive plans for the year. BTW I am trying to do things like get up off the floor, no hands, etc. I’ve read its important too.

    Finally, woo Hoo, I’ve worked out a great note taking process with my Kindle App on my iPad and it’s largely through our conversation that I realised there was a solution. And since I think that the iPad is similar in size and weight to the Kindle you have, I feel I’m sorted for a while! So thanks!

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