NO NOT MY HUSBAND BUT MY GIRLFRIENDS HUSBAND!

HERE IS A LITTLE INTERVIEW I DID WITH ANITA and PAUL about THAT RETIRED LIFESTYLE!

  MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW I HAVE BEEN DOWN WITH PNEUMONIA FOR A COUPLE WEEKS NOW!

 I HOPE TO DO A POST EXPLAINING MY SYMPTOMS AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE AT 62 years of age.

 I am still in RECOVERY but doing better today to move to the computer!

SO I WILL BE WORKING ON THAT NEXT!

  STAY TUNED!

  XXX

ANITA RECENTLY YOUR HUSBAND RETIRED.

HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOUR LIFE?
WHAT IS THE BEST MEDICINE YOU CAN SHARE?

Elizabeth, Paul retired just before covid lockdown in May 2020.  Covid impacted heavily on our lives, the same as everyone else’s worldwide.

We had just moved permanently to the country when this happened.

This was the first time we had ever been together everyday our entire 35 years of married life, except for a year we lived in Singapore.

Paul always worked in the off shore oil industry

on a 4 week rotation.  4 weeks work……4 weeks home.

Living on a big property with acres between us helps!!!!

I also encouraged Paul to join the local CFA (Country Fire Authority) and now he’s a volunteer wildfire fighter.

He’s met new people and this has helped his integration into village life.  I think its wonderful that he’s doing something

independently from me.  Paul brings home great chats after meetings and training sessions.

IS THERE LACK OF CONVERSATION AT THE DINNER TABLE?

We talk all day as there’s a lot to do here.

TV is ok at dinner time as we’ve covered the worlds problems by 8.00 a.m………..each day!

ARE THERE ANNOYING HABITS?

Yes!!!! But I have some too!!!  He dresses at the same time every day and keeps his day structured like he was still working.  He even takes morning and afternoon tea breaks.

DOES THIS RETIRED STATE REQUIRE MORE MEAL PREP FROM YOUR SIDE?

Initially yes.  It drove me crazy for a while until I showed him how to prepare sandwich fillings for lunch and  make some simple pasta dishes.

Paul never had to cook EVER as he worked on facilities where that was done for him.

He can now make a great tuna pasta for dinner and make a hamburger mix.

If I send him shopping for seafood………he brings home the best.

He can do a good take-away………he’s great at reading menus!!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO TOGETHER?

Probably working in the garden.

Travelling………we compliment each other.

Going for country drives…….even though we live in it!!!

IS THERE A ROUTINE IN THE HOUSE?

I have no routine.

Paul keeps strictly to his.

DO YOU FEEL THE NEED TO TELL HIM WHAT AND WHERE YOU ARE GOING?

Because we live in a remote location……..yes.

Often I spend a lot of time driving because the nearest big city is a distance.

DO YOU AGREE ON THE SAME TV SHOWS?

Yes!!! We love crime drama.

WHO GETS UP FIRST IN THE MORNING?

Paul does. In the winter he lights the fire as we live off grid………no main electricity, and then he makes us a cuppa.

He likes to read his emails and the newspaper online.

HOW MANY YEARS TOGETHER?

YOU WERE ALWAYS LIVING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AS A MARRIED COUPLE AS YOUR HUSBANDS WORK INVOLVED TRAVEL.
DO YOU THINK THAT WAS A POSITIVE NOTE ON THE RELATIONSHIP?

We have been together 40 years Elizabeth and I believe our marriage lasted the long haul as Paul worked away.

We always looked forward to seeing each other on his return.

ANITA please have PAUL answer the following questions after you have!

Let’s see how well he knows YOU!

1. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Blue……..

2.FAVORITE TIME OF DAY? Morning and 5 p.m……..wine time!!

3. FAVORITE VEGTABLE? Potatoes………love them.Tomatoes close second.

.4. FAVORITE FLOWER? Hard one.  Crazy about dahlias but I adore Geums………especially the tangerine ones.

5.WOULD YOU RATHER BE WITH PEOPLE OR ALONE IN YOUR DOWN TIME? Alone.

I’ve spent a lot of time on my own my entire adult life. I value quiet time.

PAUL’s ANSWERS NOW BELOW!

1. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Paul said he’s not sure but guessed BLUE

2. FAVORITE TIME OF DAY? Paul said Sunrise

3. FAVORITE VEGETABLE?  Paul said Parsnip which is a pretty good guess……I love them!!!

4. FAVORITE FLOWER?  Paul said DAHLIA .

5.WOULD YOU RATHER BE WITH PEOPLE OR ALONE IN YOUR DOWN TIME?

Paul said I like to be with people……..not really right Paul!!!

CAN HE DESCRIBE THE FIRST DATE FROM WHAT YOU WERE WEARING TO WHAT YOU DID OR ATE? We both remember that day Elizabeth.  I was on the handlebars on my friends push bike being ridden around.  I was wearing pink hotpants.  Groovy!!!  I can’t remember a first date Elizabeth as we were friends for 6 years before we got together.  As friends we ate a lot of cheese and drank a lot of red wine.

PAUL SAID THE SAME THING!!!

THEN PLEASE GIVE HIM A SCORE FROM 1 TO 10. TEN BEING THE BEST SCORE POSSIBLE!

We all have annoying habits, we all have faults ………. but I would give him a 10……….

sempre xx

(Paul scored pretty well……I think maybe an 8!!!!)

 YOU CAN FIND ANITA ON INSTAGRAM UNDER

DAHLIAVUE

(Sorry I can’t link it for some reason today!)

 SHE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY GARDENER AND CHEF AND LIVES IN AUSTRALIA.

A FEW OF YOU MIGHT RECALL I MET UP WITH HER AND PAUL IN LONDON ON MY LAST OVERSEAS TRIP!

 WHICH WAS FIVE YEARS AGO!

 These are BEAUTIFUL REAL PEOPLE AND YES WE MET ON INSTAGRAM!!

  XXX

  PLEASE ASK THEM QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION.

THEY ARE FANTASTIC GARDENERS AND ANITA CAN COOK!!!!!!!!!!

  THEY LIVE OUTSIDE MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

  ANITA & PAULS GARDENS ARE  ON A GARDEN TOUR THIS COMING WEEKEND AS WELL!

 THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEMSELVES AND ARE DYING FOR THE CONTESSA AND THE ITALIAN TO GO DOWN UNDER AND VISIT!

 I AM WORKING ON IT VERY HARD……..