Second Hand Shopping.

There is nothing more exciting than the thrill of second hand shopping at opportunity shops. I worked in the R.S.P.C.A.(Royal Society for the protection of animals) shop for over thirty years and enjoy going to other op shops to see what they have on offer and how it is displayed. My favourite shop is Salvos in Frankston, Victoria, as it is so well set out with many lovely displays. The secret of selling is how your stock is presented and this shop does it so well. I always find a great bargain whether it be books, shoes, clothes or handbags. The staff are always friendly and helpful and obviously work hard to keep their shop looking so nice.

I just love the way they present their jewellery. Set out on rustic wooden pallets it looks great and easy to see.

Up either a ramp or interesting looking stairs are the books, furniture and ceramic departments. An eclectic mix of bits and bobs to select from. Tables laden with plates and china pieces tempt the buyer and everything is colour coded. The books are cased along the back wall and shelved in groups as to their genre. 

 The clothing sizes are well displayed by clever signed silver trays, hung enticingly over each section.

Dressing tables are used to showcase items of interest and it just makes you want to dig around for a bargain.

Shoes and handbags are displayed on shelves so it is easy to see and select your purchase. It makes them look so tidy and colour coding is a great idea for these items.

 All in all, a fantastic op shop and well worth the visit. Thank you to all the staff who do such a great job.

More Oscar Photos.

We love our ginger man. He is extremely spoilt and spends most of the day with us, especially when we work at the dinning room table on the lap top. In summer he joins us on the table outside. He has his own little bed that we put on the table for him. Oscar's favourite occupation is eating and he never tires of it. 

Here are some more photos of our boy...

You can just see what a spoilt boy he is and we love him dearly.

Why I started a blog.

Why start a blog you ask? Why not, is my response. I love writing and now that I am retired I have more time. The idea came to me before I did the river Rhine cruise and it grew from there. What else was I going to do with all the fabulous photos that I took while I was away? So hence the name 'Grey and Away' came into being.

 I have two people to thank for this venture and the first is my daughter who has encouraged me all the way. When I floated the idea with her she was nothing but supportive. Not only has she helped me with suggestions but has done all the reading and editing of said project. Of course, me being older and not at all computer savvy, she has guided me with the uploading of photos and putting them into my blog and onto Instagram. She encouraged me to sit in the lounge on the boat as we travelled, or in bed at night to write in my travel journal so that I would have the material for my project.We have had a lot of fun in the process and it is her that I have to thank for my blog. Her encouragement has been greatly appreciated. 

The second person I have to thank for her inspiration is a lady named Margaret Manning from the website Sixty and Me. Please check out her web page, You Tube, Instagram, Pintrest and Facebook. Margaret is truly an inspiration to thousands of women out there, young and not so young. She has inspired me on a daily basis for her positive attitude and enthusiasm. I love watching her on You Tube and never miss a podcast. Thank you Margaret. Keep up the wonderful work that you do. 

I had planned to do the blog from the cruise boat but decided that it was a bit ambitious, as we were exhausted after sightseeing every day. We were also unwell most of the time so this really was our deciding factor. I got to work as soon as I recovered from the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process so much so that I have continued with it as a lifestyle blog, talking about my home, things I like like and what I do for fun. Days out also end up in the blog. I find writing very relaxing and a rewarding experience. There is so much to talk about and enjoy in life so why not blog about it and have some fun?

To anyone out there who is contemplating starting a blog all I have to say is go right ahead and enjoy the process. They are fun to set up and the scariest part is sending out that very first blog post. Pushing that button and letting it go is very exciting and rewarding. So go for it. What have you got to lose?

Why I Love Russia

Russia- What a vast and wonderful place and here are some of the things I love about it...

It's not only the cities, which are fascinating, but also the huge areas of forest that make this place so special. I visited Russia in 1977 and have not forgotten it. What really impressed me were the people, who were not only friendly but very helpful as well. I found them so nice and polite. I had an eye infection when I was in Russia and went to the outpatients at the hospital. I was treated very kindly and with concern. Was well looked after. To those people thank you, it was very much appreciated.

The architecture is amazing from the magnificent ornate palaces to the simple wooden houses in the villages. I saw horse drawn carts in use and large metal pails for milk. The whole place fascinated me and the history hits you in the face.

Yuri Gagarin (first man into space), is a particular favourite of mine, so I was thrilled to see his space ship mounted high above our heads, and  I thought about what his adventure must have been like. 

Russia is the place where I was literally caught with my pants down. It happened one moonlit night in the middle of nowhere, on the side of a field in the middle of the night. We were travelling by bus and a few of us needed to go to the toilet, of which there was not one for miles, so we asked the bus driver to stop, which he duly did. We climbed out of the bus and bared our bottoms to the moonlight. As we did a farmer ploughing his field in the middle of the night copped an eye full. I bet he is still telling the story as are we.

St Basil's Cathedral. How magnificent does this place look? I don't think that it would be possible to take a bad photo of this building.

Gum Store. I bought a fur hat here for my mother. It's a huge place and so impressive with lots to buy. I could spend hours there. 

Vodka. Always a good choice of drink and the Russian stuff is no exception. Drank my fair share when in Russia. Can't remember much!

Tchaikovski's Theater. Here I saw traditional Russian dancing in this beautiful theatre. Russian dancing never ceases to amaze me. The way the men leap into the air and do their crouching legs out, arms crossed movements in their boots is spellbinding. The women in their traditional outfits swirling around is a delight to witness.  

I have very fond memories of Russia. Keep reading Russia.

MyTop Ten Most Inspirational People.

People like to be inspired and I am no exception. There are certain people both dead and alive who have inspired me and my list looks like this. 

1. Gandhi. For the love of his people and country. Also trying to eliminate the caste system in India.

2. The Dalai Lama. For his compassion and getting his teachings and the plight of his people known around the world.

3. Ordinary everyday people who are kind to both animals and humans. These people inspire me greatly.

4. Jane Goodall. For her work with and love of chimpanzees.

5. Diane Fossey. For her work with and love of gorillas. 

6. Ann Frank and Miep Gies. Here I cheated a bit and added two but they do go hand in hand together. Anne being the person hidden away in an attic from the Nazis and Miep the woman who hid the Frank family in her attic from the Nazis.

David Attenborough. David said: Cherish the natural world because you're a part of it and you depend on it. His love of animals and his TV programs that have inspired generations of people.

Audrey Hepburn. For all the films of hers that I have enjoyed over the years and her work with Save the Children Fund.

Princess Diana. For her free spirit and her charity work. She brightened many peoples lives around the world. 

Aung San Suu Kyi. Democracy activist in Myanmar [Burma]. For her love for the Burmese people and her country.

Gerald Durrell. For his love of animals. I loved his book series.

Who would you have on your list of inspiring people?

On a closing note I found a quote from Hans F. Hanson.People inspire you or they drain you. Pick them wisely.

Off To The Movies

Victoria and Abdul.

Last week I went with my daughter to see the movie 'Victoria and Abdul.' This is the second time that Judi Dench has portrayed an older Queen Victoria and as usual she did not disappoint. A period drama is just the sort of movie that  I like and this was no exception. The costumes and settings were authentic and the movie took you right back to the time when in her later years Queen Victoria struck up a friendship with Abdul, who came to England from India. This friendship was a bit controversial, Abdul being a Hindu, especially amongst her family and household members. Queen Victoria being the loyal friend that she was stuck up for Abdul and fought for his right to remain her friend and remain at the palace. A very moving story and one of courage on both sides. An inspiring piece of work and one worth watching if you like these historical dramas. 

Some Thoughts on Happiness.

What is happiness and are we looking for it in the right places?Maybe we need to spend more time thinking about it and seeing what other people have to say and do about it. Is it so elusive?Here are some thought provoking ideas to do with happiness. For me it is quite simple. A good book in my hand, a cup of tea and a dog or cat [or both] by my side. Of course world peace would be up there but a bit more difficult to obtain.  For others it may also be more complex.

Voltaire said that: I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health.

Be yourself . Life is precious as it is. All the elements for your happiness are already here. There is no need to run, strive, search, or struggle.

The happiest people in life are the givers, not the getters.

The formulate for happiness is Gratitude. 

The secret of being happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of every day.

Now and then it is good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy. 

The Rules of Happiness by Emmanuel Kant

Something to do 

Something to love

Something to hope for.

Five things you can do to be happier. Meditation, smiling, exercise, help others and follow your passion. 

Happy people focus on what they have. Unhappy people focus on what's missing. 

One of the happiest moments in life is when you find the courage to let go of what you can't change.

Now on a lighter note.   

Happiness is wriggling into freshly laundered sheets at bedtime.

Happiness is starting a new book. 

Happiness is slowing down to smell the roses. 

The fastest way to being happy is to make other people happy-You go first.

I know how to tap into my inner happiness. I pull out the cork and pour it into a glass.

Well I hope this has given you some food for thought. I hope you find whatever it is that makes you happy in your life. 

Please comment in the comments section.

Jewellery. Part One. Earrings.

My father was a watchmaker and jeweller so I have always had a passion for jewellery. I worked in his shop as a teenager in the school holidays, enjoying the experience and making some money at the same time. Over the years my tastes have changed but I have always had fun experimenting with interesting pieces. At present I adore statement necklaces that brighten up a plain outfit and my all time favourite has always been silver. I am braver now that I am older and dare to try more adventurous things. Here is a sample of my eclectic taste both classic and out of the box.

Earrings.   I have both studs and hanging earrings.

My daughter got these for me in China.

Flower Collection.

Silver hoops.

Pearls

Coloured studs.

More Pearls

More studs

Animal studs

Love hearts.

Small bows.

Bali and Buddha earrings

Flower and butterfly collection 

Cute frogs. 

Jade balls

Fans bought at the market. 

Op Shop find

Bought in Bali