Episode 8 of The Good Life YouTube Channel for over 55s is now available to view!

This is a great episode this month for those seniors wondering about how the latest cuts in the Federal Budget will affect their future aged care needs, and the feasibility of working until 70. Watch Toby Dawson, IRT Foundation Manager in discussion with Ian Day, CEO of Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW from about 5 minutes in.

Maggie Sydenham, meanwhile, shows us how it is done! In her early seventies, she continues to seek opportunities and extend her talents. She is speaking close to my heart when she talks of publishing her book, “Getting Older, Getting Better: Make Your Retirement a Time of Achievement and Fulfilment.” It is not only the sentiment expressed in the title that rings my bells, but her reminder that just writing a book is an achievement in itself. Many start, few see the project through to completion, and fewer still get to publication stage. Don’t you just love it when she asserts (and rightly so), “I’m not ordinary!”.

Also the charming story on the Bally’s Patch Community Garden (https://ballyspatch.wordpress.com/) may inspire others to kick off a similar enterprise!

And finally, resident chef Ben’s rich recipe for Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Risotto took me back to my days at Sunrice, when, under the banner of  the Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia we took out the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest serving of risotto weighing 7.51 tonnes (16.556.69 lb). . . . Step 1 . . . take delivery of 1600 kg of rice; Step 2 . . . assemble a swimming pool sized pan in which to cook it . . . 🙂

Enjoy!