Melbourne Cup Race Day

WEEK 6

Wudinna – Travel, Food and Fun

Each year on the first Tuesday of November, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia plays host to the Horse Race that stops a nation – 5th November was that day.  

It is the richest handicap race in the world and today they celebrated their 149th Melbourne Cup.  A magnificent day, with sunshine and blue skies above.   Flemington Racecourse was superbly groomed, with roses galore, every where the eyes roamed.   Congratulations to the Gardeners and groundsmen for such a perfect display . Fashions, both Ladies and Gents abounded in both color and style – always a highlight of this Carnival. Champagne flowing, with superb food, for those who chose to celebrate in style!

The winner was a horse from Gympie, a small Queensland country town, not far from where I live on the Sunshine Coast. So much excitement, with an Australian– bred horse winning this prestigious race.  The last Australian-bred to win was in 2009.

The horse’s name is ‘Vow and Declare’ and ‘no’ I did not place a bet on him!  Amazing how words have different meanings to each of us and ‘vow and declare’ was a saying that my Mother used regularly, especially if she was making an important point to us, generally reprimanding!

Particularly something quite special that crossed my path today is that Lexus are the major sponsors of this prestigious race.   It is quite powerful for me, as my DMP is quite clear that I have a Hybrid Hatchback Lexus, in the driveway of my new home. A few moments later on screen was an attractive girl, wearing a beautiful blue outfit – the same colour blue as my Lexus!

It took my breath away and the wonderment of my DMP was so very real!

Now I am really excited!

My First Blog Post

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

Week 22

My Little Piece of Paradise

Several weeks missed, so here’s a brief catchup!!

My Oz travels have taken me to mid-north coast of New South Wales, where I am house-sitting for very close friends, while they have their own travel journeys!   This is a fabulous part of the coastline and I have also been privileged to have worked and lived in this area a few years ago, managing a 600-acre property, with two Caravan and Camping Parks.   Both sited on the enticing edge of Smiths Lake, with an easy walk to Sandbar Beach.   Certainly, a highlight of my career in the Tourism Industry, having said that, all the holiday destination properties we managed were quite special.

Now I am in a beautiful home, on the other side of Smiths Lake, with magnificent water and bushland views.   There is such a natural beauty here and I have become more aware than ever of the milieu I am so privileged to share with Mother Nature.   At the end of each day, as the sun says, ‘bye until tomorrow’, there are different and varied sky patterns – drifting cloud shapes and sizes, a variety of colors and the sun disappears midst all of natures glory.  

Hordes of jet-black Bats flying through he dusky sky to their resting spots – birds heading for their favourite branches – the lake shimmering as day turns into night.  

My little piece of paradise – a major plus in my persistent quest for ‘True Health’!

Special Blog of Gratitude

May I please offer my very sincere appreciation, thanks and much gratitude to simply everyone – who may or may not read this blog– who have either made sympathetic comments,  generous donations or shown acts of care and kindness to my country and our people in Australia, over the last few weeks.

We have experienced intense damage to our fellow man, animals, properties and our vast land.

It is difficult in choosing the right words to you all – I know I speak for many and we are truly overwhelmed.   Please know there are bucket loads of gratitude heading your way for your thoughtfulness and kindness has not gone unnoticed.  

With my deepest respect and love to you all.

       Dorothy Boutwell      

Week 15

Amazing how my focus on colors and shapes were activated this week – when least expected – thank you my magnificent Universe: –

• Blue is my color – I have never seen so many shades of blue, well that’s how this week appeared for me
• I have been searching hard to find the right shade of blue for my DMP – Lexus Hatchback  
• During this week it appeared – on the car parked alongside of mine in the shopping centre car park. I even took a photo
• This soft, enticing shade of blue, has jumped out at me once, twice, thrice, in different places now – I’m excited, happy and relieved. I did not realise how much mental effort I had put into finding my right color ‘blue’ for my Lexus Hatchback
• Shapes – I have mainly searched for my blue rectangular shapes and have found several – now this shape and my blue color twirls and curls in and out of all kind of places. It connects to a great myriad, mysterious journey – interesting!

• One of my PPN’s is Liberty –

• Driving to my MLM training this morning, I observed the car in front of me with its model name ‘Liberty’ tagged on the back panel

• I have seen this make of car many times, yet this morning the word Liberty took me by surprise, as though this was the very 1^st time I had ever seen it

• As the Guest Speaker at my event, who is on a new journey of her own, said ‘Spring follows Winter every time’!   A real ‘aha’ moment for me – perhaps the change I have been waiting for from within, is working its way without and I am becoming more aware.   How I like and appreciate this

• These simple occurrences often have such an impact, don’t they?     Or is it just me?

Weeks 10,11,12

Situated on the West Coast of South Australia
Population 1,250

I am attempting creativity in combining these missed Blog weeks as required – it’s catch-up time!

Ill health blocked out my ability to focus as I should have, and I have been quite lost in following what has been required of me.   Obviously feeling a little guilty and not in control of one-self.  Sometimes life throws us curved balls, and this has been one of them.

So, what does one do to make up lost time?   Take a short-cut!  

Wudinna – I am almost obsessed in finding out more about my birthplace.  I have every intention of visiting on one of my less hectic trips to Adelaide, to visit family and friends.

I started searching, and was completely amazed to find this statue, standing tall within the township and I have chosen to adopt this as ‘my very own personal Buddha’

However here lies the truth – Farmer Sculpture
This impressive granite sculpture was designed and sculpted by Marijan Bekic as a symbolic representation of all Australian farmers. It was crafted from two pieces of local pink granite over a 17-year period. One side of the sculpture is male, and the other side is female

• More surprises, mining of gold is also a resource of this area!

I am super keen now to find a photo of the hospital where I was born.   Today Wudinna has a 23- bed hospital, with a resident Doctor in the town.   I was born many moons ago, no doubt this has changed considerably.  Bet there were not 23 beds then!

I feel a D & M looming with my 103-year-old Mother.

Marvellous MKE

MKE BLOG – Week 9

So now well into this incredible MKE training and what a journey it is –  provoking, changing thought patterns, quite emotional at times and quite amazed how my habits and everyday thinking are on a fantastic journey in releasing bad habits that I am pleased to see disappear.

I did not know what to expect, knew it was something that I needed to get out of the hole I have lived in for many moons.

So I’m on my way – yes a lot of work to do, but the end result will be just the beginning of an extraordinary version of djb!

Bushfires

Blog for Week 8 –

These past couple of weeks in Australia, particularly in New South Wales and Queensland, we have experienced horrific, damaging bushfires and they continue still. Smoke haze is constant.

Many people were evacuated from their homes.  Lives have been lost, homes and property burnt to the ground and quite sadly, stock and wildlife, including our treasured Koalas and Kangaroos have either been burnt severely or perished.

This has affected 1,000’s of people and has had an enormous impact on their day-to-day lives. It will take a long time for normality to return for them – so much to rebuild. 

 100’s of Firies (Firemen) were flown in from all over the country, leaving their families and work commitments behind them, to help those in need, all without concern for their own welfare.  We thank them sincerely, intensely and from the bottom of our hearts.  We are so very grateful for their personal commitment, giving to others.  They are the true heroes of this disaster and a great many of them are volunteers.   Let’s not forget the aircraft bombers, with dumping huge amounts of water constantly, as there has been no rain to help. More heroes!

In situations such as destruction, have you noticed how people come together and genuinely help each other – this is a wonderful thing, as we are all equal

  Giving, keep on giving!

Week 7

Short but very sweet – I was shopping on Monday in a well-presented Asian shop for a few items.   

The Australian lady in front of me at the checkout, had chosen 4 perfect brown pears, secured in the netting to protect them and 3 mangoes.   I had often wondered about these pears, their flavour, texture and more. So politely I asked her what they were like.  Her eyes lit up and she replied –  ‘beautiful, crispy and very juicy’ with quite a passion.  I was intrigued and made a mental note to buy one next time round.

As she finished her payment and was ready to leave, she turned to me, gave one of her pears and a warm hug to go with it.   I was truly surprised by her gesture and gratefully accepted the pear and her kindness.    Then she was gone.

I had spent the morning shopping, giving kind comments, smiles to shop staff and shoppers, with no effort – then I was given this beautiful pear in return!   This simple gesture from a total stranger made my day!

Give more – get more!  

WEEK 5 – A busy and quite intense week! Have really enjoyed working on my Press Release – amazing how it just came together! Marco Polo has been a little challenging – technology & lack of patience on my part, but for sure and certain I will win out with this Gremlin! Huge thanks to the Fab Davene – your patience with me is incredible and I am so very grateful!

My First Blog

This is Dorothy Boutwell from Sunshine Coast, Queensland.  Australia

Simply, I’m a single Mother and Grandmother of several beautiful grandchildren, all scattered across this amazing country.

I continue to be a working ‘girl’ to always keep the brain and body in movement in a direction that is specially laid out for me.   Finding the real me, is fascinating, exciting and very stimulating.

Big smiles from me to you!