2/4/14

Around Agora, heated entry

Around Agora, heated entry by Julie70
Around Agora, heated entry, a photo by Julie70 on Flickr.
Instead of staying home, in my bed, reading, so much more interesting discovering new places, new usages and new people.

In Athens for a week, heating outside? for those wishing to sit at the restaurant out.

What it is not done to attract people!

2/1/14

Trips till I get 80

Already three projected trips this year, my 80th.

1. Tomorrow, I am going to Athens, for a week. I booked a hotel (cheaper) in Piraeus, Athens port.

Already two wonderful women photographers, from Flickr volunteered to show me their city. First meeting, Monday! When. I lived in or near Paris, photographers from all around the world come to a photo-walk  with me.

2. Mid May, a few days near Dublin for the Spring Toastmasters International Speech Conference.

We will participate to workshops and learn more od different aspects of speaking in public and new kind of leadership. Last years, in UK, and also coming back from Athens, I will organise such workshop in London. On How to prepare winning speech: using personal stories.

3. In July, going to Washington for a while (as I was when 70) to celebrate with family my 80th birthday. Again, a little apprehension as ten years ago. But looking back to the last ten years, I can see there well full. I have a lot of stories to write about here, soon

My son's family lives in London now, and my daughter's near Washington. I am proud to say: I have five wonderful grandchildren. Children, grand children are the most important accomplishment and joy in my life, even if creating and showcasing pictures and writing blogs, creating and delivering personal stories are nowadays my last's passions.

It seems a lot of travel, but those will be only a few days of travel only.

Most of my time, last weeks, I spend home, looking out from the warm apartment to rain and relative cold outside, thinking, reading and creating. And connecting through the web

There are days full of energy, at least, a few hours, like last Sunday in a workshop, then many other days I remain too much in the bed, reading my Kindle or my emails.

These days, there are so many different ways to stay in contact, to discover new people, to feel less alone by connecting.

Entering my 80th year, photo by Lilly
For example, Wednesday, went to a restaurant with my son, now 48 and my daughter-in-law, who took a photo of me with the server.

A Greek restaurant not far I did not know existed, he was looking Greek, but come to London from Venezuela.

As I begun to talk with him and told him I am going to Athens, he gave me a great advice:

"Be aware of the sun there!"

Always worth to speak with "strangers"! No more strangers, as one of groups I created on Flickr.

1/31/14

There is life after 70

Ten years ago, I entered my 70th year.

In 2004, anxious, I asked myself: is there life after 70? And begun a blog, in French answering yes, it is. The. Day by day, month by month, for ten years trying to prove it.

In a few month, I will be 80 and yes, I am again asking myself: what is ahead of me. But before going ahead, I decided to review the ups and downs of the last ten years. I hope, it will give confidence to all of you, weather you approach the seventies or not yet for a while. Perhaps, it will show also that we, oldies, are not so old inside and there is still a lot we can do and discover and change even.

We may have a knee that hurts, a leg that is not so good that the other, the eyes needing cataract operation and skin needing some surgeries. We may be looked at sometimes as, In my case 'a nice old lady' but we are also able to tell stories, shoot portraits, make others laugh: 'I am single? ready to mingle.'

5 years in Paris's suburb 5 years in London outskirts, I did live fully. Reviewing those years is the hope task goal of this blog.

Yes, there IS life after 70.