This is the last issue of Fifty Five Plus for this year. It is our second year and our 17th issue. My sincere thanks to all our contributors and readers and at this point I would urge more people to send in their stories. It is becoming more and more important to record and hold […]

Eleanor Catton appears destined to become one of the preeminent authors of the 21st Century. This is only her second novel, following her debut with The Rehearsal in 2009. At age 32, New Zealand born Catton displays a mastery of plot, character development, intrigue and suspense well beyond her years. The Luminaries is written in […]

Remaking a classic film is surely one of the most daunting challenges confronting any filmmaker. Far From The Madding Crowd is no exception. The 1967 production of Far From The Madding Crowd, based upon the Thomas Hardy novel, remains one of the iconic films of British cinema. Starring Julie Christie as the headstrong Bathsheba Everdene, […]

Ahmed Kassim Saib has give us permission to reproduce his story about how he and his friends grew up.  I had a lot of fun reading this and indeed quite a bit rang true.  Photograph of Boys in the Billy Cart supplied by Ahmed. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1940’S, 50’s, 60’s […]

  I had never heard the phrase ‘doctor shopping’ until visiting a doctor in a local medical centre. When asked the question I was momentarily flummoxed and then I truthfully answered NO. However, this motivated me to think about doctors, who is right and for what purpose and who do I feel comfortable with. Having […]

  The plane touched down just 30 minutes late, which pleased us as November fog in London had resulted in plane cancellations and we had left London an hour behind schedule. However, I was not prepared for the length of the immigration queue (or line as they say in the US), nor that of customs. […]

Joe Cummins had a successful 40-year career in land management. On the weekends he helped spouse Heather with her Coffee House and Gallery in rustic Millthorpe, in Central Western NSW. A chance meeting led to a new direction in retirement. Joe shares his retirement story with Fifty Five Plus and the fulfilment he gets from […]

Stacey shares her inspirational story how as a mature woman she changed careers to suit her lifestyle and the modern era.  Her fashion blog is a credit to her creativity and determination.  Photographs supplied by Cocktail Revolution. As a young woman in my twenties, I was fortunate enough to have had a vivid imagination. There […]