Jennifer Hansen's Blog, page 3

The Hardest Goodbye…

It’s hard to believe I took a break from Blogging more than a year ago to finish my book and now it seems timely to re-start the engine. While I do have some good news about my book, I’m going to save that for another day.

Instead, I want to pay tribute to my dear friend Rochelle, who we farewelled with a special service yesterday. The hardest goodbye of all…

To Rochelle’s family, to Russell – her partner of 19 years – and to all her friends, my sincerest sympathies. We all feel her loss so deeply.

Many subscribers to this Blog will remember Rochelle as the beautiful model who posed for any Fashion Posts we covered and I have so many happy memories of those times we spent together. I was also glad to have so many lovely photos of her that we could use for the service to remind everyone of her stunning smile that could light up any room in a flash.

Rochelle modelling evening wear

Order of Service

 

Hundreds turned out yesterday for Rochelle’s farewell that was held at Brighton’s Baptist Church. So many people came that the church was overflowing with crowds spilling on to the street. She would have loved that.

Inside the Order of Service, Rochelle’s partner of 19 years, Russell, told of how much he loved Rochelle and how much he will miss her.

Russell’s tribute and speakers

The words below are from the tribute I read at the church. Along with several dear friends, we stood side by side to talk of our love for Rochy, shared stories, tears and many hugs.

And finally said Goodbye….

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Writing is something Rochelle and I both loved. Telling stories and finding the right words to express ourselves. Which also meant lots of swearing and being outrageous. We even started our own writing workshop. A couple of other writers joined us. Some came, some went but we were the two main-stayers.

Which is why I have to apologise to Rochelle that this tribute I’ve written isn’t really up to scratch. That’s because I haven’t spent enough time on it. I had the time on the weekend. I could have spent hours. But I kept putting it off. And I know why. Because to write a farewell tribute to your dearest friend means they really have gone and that finality is something I still find so terribly hard to accept. Rochelle IS irreplaceable.

Rochelle and me

SO many shared emails which I now treasure and have spent hours collating so I can still hear her voice. At writing classes, teachers bang on about how important it is to ‘find your own unique voice’ Rochy had that instantly. A writing style that was direct and heart-wrenching with her own unique cutting-edge, wicked sense of humour.

Rochy spent several years working on writing her own book. Titled AnonyMS – it was a play on words that also incorporated the letters MS, as a reference to that disease which she so hated.

I went to hospital with Rochelle for the first of her monthly transfusions and shared the journey when she was on the road to being diagnosed.

It was a very painful time for her and one she documents in her book. I hope one day I will be able to, with Russell’s blessing, help collate the chapters we have together and have her book published in some form or another.

It was not long after her diagnosis in 2009 that I told Rochy I’d be going to LA and Vegas for a trip marking a film launch – a project I’d been involved in for some time. After going through such a rough patch – learning she had MS – Rochelle spoke longingly of how she too would like to visit those places.

When I look back on our friendship and see how much Rochy bought to my life, I will be forever grateful I was able to do at least one thing in return. Thanks to film producer Bobby Galinsky, we were able to make arrangements to include Rochelle on this trip and by God, it was indeed the trip of a lifetime.

With friends Chris Veitor and Krista Vendy in LA

We were both convinced we were MUCH better looking in LA, so armed with that boosted confidence, we took the town by storm and wreaked havoc. We teamed up with our good friend Krista and called ourselves the Three Amigos. So many adventures and great memories. As soon as we came home, we promised each other we’d do it all again.

Lunch at The Ivy with Krista in LA

Rochelle even wrote a poem about it:

I know our trip was one from the vault

The parties and fun times

We had were a jolt

From reality of the every day shit

To living the high life with the filthy rich.

Not so different to where we are now

But our journey continues, to that I will vow

If I ever make it somewhere better than here

You’ll be at my side grinning ear to ear

Friends take each other from bottom to top

And I’m so glad we’ll be each others

I like that a lot xxx

There was so much we had in common that bound us together – as Rochelle described in an email, we were ‘besties’. Although another time, after seeing the musical, AVENUE Q, she described me as her BAD Ideas Bear, meaning I was the one who led her astray. Yeah, maybe, but I think she liked it.

Rochelle modelling for the Blog

Our common interests included a love of Rose gold jewellery and clothing, fully-oaked chardonnay, movies, Oscars, music, writing, books, karaoke, singing and champagne. It was Rochelle who named our favourite bubbly Moet and Hansen in my honour. I will forever call it that.

Rochelle was my biggest supporter of anything I did. She was one of only a few friends who’ve read the book I’ve written. She also came to Women Of Letters in the audience to support me when I delivered a challenging speech last year. She even presented me with a hand-written letter on the day, where she described me as ‘the bravest girl in the room.’

Not so brave today…. But how wonderful to have a friend who gives such positive and unconditional love and support.

Other friends of mine who met Rochelle – who are here today – like Sam, Julie and my sister Jill – also loved getting to know Rochelle – each saying the same thing – because she’s such a genuine person and doesn’t judge people.

Rochelle was so talented on so many levels. Her writing and her sharp wit for starters. Beautiful too – inside and out. She was a regular model for my Blog and shone in all the photographs – some of which you will see in the photo tribute shortly. What a smile and so photogenic.

She was a superb singer – the only one in the room when we had a karaoke night that people would actually stop talking for and listen to her sing – she was brilliant.

I saw the movie PAN on Sunday with my daughter. Peter’s mother leaves baby Pan on the doorstep of the orphanage with a note telling Peter to never lose faith, that she will see him again ‘In this world or another’

Rochy WILL always be in my thoughts in this world and I know later, when it’s my time, we’ll see each other in that OTHER world – wherever it is – a land where they only serve charonnay; where Tim Curry is singing at a Vegas-style party amid cats and laughter.

In one of her recent emails to me Rochelle finished up with saying ‘Love you dear friend of mine, till the end of time.’ Ditto my darling.

 

ANYONE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION OR NEEDS HELP FOR A LOVED ONE SHOULD CALL LIFELINE ON 13 11 14

Get me to the Greek Islands

Given my last Blog post was so very sad and I’m still feeling blue, I decided to cheer myself up by re-visiting one of the happiest times I’ve spent this year – when Fletch and I visited the Greek Islands in late June.

We’d planned this holiday for about two years.  A trip to the Greek Islands to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. I’d been trying to get back ever since my time there was cut short more than 25 years ago (more on that later…) and this time around I wanted to make sure the adventure would be perfect.

Heading out to dinner in Mykonos

Naturally, I was concerned when we began hearing about the terrible crisis facing the Greek economy about a month before we were due to leave.

Protests over the economic crisis in Athens

 

Those fears heightened in the last few weeks with friends and relatives warning us – ‘Ooh, you’d better take heaps of cash. You could get stuck if you can’t use the banks.’

 

 

‘Make sure you watch your wallets. There’ll be a spike in petty crime if people can’t get their hands on money!’

‘What if the country can’t afford fuel and the planes stop flying?’

But while the problems caused by the Greek economy on a global scale are enormous, from a tourist’s perspective, there’s little to be concerned about. Taking extra cash isn’t difficult. Being cautious about personal security isn’t too much of an effort. And while I doubted international airlines would ever stop flying, if they DID, I couldn’t think of anything better than being stranded on a Greek Island!

So we packed our bags and jetted off. We landed as the Greek parliament was facing the tough decision about whether to accept new austerity measures or leave the Euro. When we arrived on the island of Santorini, it was a hot topic of discussion on the streets and dominated the BBC news, which I watched in our hotel room.

Santorini sunset

Outside, the island remained largely unaffected. A huge number of cruise ships visiting the islands helped buffer the impact of the banks being closed with hundreds of passengers disembarking with pockets full of cash to spend on shops in Fira and Oia. One jewellery store owner confessed they were also lucky to enjoy tax free breaks from the government that meant during the peak holiday season they were literally ‘raking it in.’

One smaller store – where I bought some locally made silver earrings – asked for cash instead of credit card, saying they knew cash flow would be an on-going problem, so wanted to build up their reserves.

Rallies in Athens were building and long debates were thrashed out in parliament as the tourist islands maintained a ‘business as usual’ attitude. The only indications of concern about the diminishing cash flow came from the increasing number of shops putting up ‘sale’ signs, with most traders also telling customers they’d do a ‘special price’ if they paid in cash rather than with a credit card.

Fletch climbing to the top of a mountain to see the ancient city of Thira

We did the usual ‘touristy’ things – climbed hundreds of steps up a hill to the ancient city of Thira: visited beach clubs with black sand: explored the ancient ruins of Akrotiri and indulged in a cocktail or two…

Perhaps the only side effect for locals was that there were slightly less tourists staying on Santorini, which for us, meant queues at tourist attractions were shorter.

 

 

Fletch was happy as there weren’t too many tourists to get in the way of his shots – photography being his passion.

Fletch taking photos

And we definitely had no problems booking a ride on a sailing ship which took us took us to a volcanic island, hot springs and dinner on board as we drifted into a stunning sunset.

View from the Thalasa sailing ship

Some restaurants and bars let us know they weren’t able to get the same type of fresh produce they’d normally stock because of cash flow issues. They said some suppliers wouldn’t sell fresh food and veggies unless they were paid on the spot.

Again, not a major problem. Although it did create one embarrassing situation for me when I ordered a cocktail. No pineapple juice they said, so you can’t have a pineapple daiquiri.

‘That’s fine,’ I said. ‘What else would you recommend?’

The waiter muttered something then returned with a delicious passionfruit flavored concoction.

‘How lovely!’ I said to Alan. ‘It’s called ‘Born a Star.’

He laughed out loud. ‘No, you heard wrong,’ he said. ‘It starts with a ‘P’!’

Ah right, I stood corrected. PORN STAR was the name of my cocktail… And a mighty fine choice it was.

Drinking my Porn Star cocktail

A week later we took the ferry over to Mykonos where again, even as the situation in Athens intensified, all appeared to be smooth sailing for the tourism industry.

We spent says by the pool at the beautiful Cavo Tagoo Hotel and the days passed all to quickly.

The infinity pool at Cavo Tagoo

We arrived in Athens a day before a major rally was being held in front of the country’s Parliament House and again, the Greek economy was the hot topic of conversation. Overall, the locals we spoke with supported the government’s position of staying with the Euro – feeling that to be on their own would only lead to disaster. Others were weary of talking, merely shrugging their shoulders and saying ‘It can’t get much worse than it is now.’

Dinner on Mykonos

Everywhere we went, café and hotel workers greeted us with overwhelming enthusiasm. They were delighted that any tourist would turn up at a time of crisis to spend their cash in support of their coffers. I have never felt such a warm welcome in any country before.

At one point, there was talk I might do a live cross to a TV brekkie show and I was taken back to a time in the late ’80s where I was visiting Greece for the first time. As a keen young journo I’d given Channel Ten my itinerary, and sure enough, they called me in to report on a horrendous heat wave that claimed the lives of more than a thousand people. I got the call late at night just after I’d arrived on Mykonos and as a result, never even slept in my hotel bed. And I’d been trying to get back for a ‘proper’ holiday ever since.

Fletch getting arty with his camera…

So while I would have been happy to have reported on the financial crisis, part of me was also relieved that this time – more than TWENTY-FIVE years later – I could finally enjoy a holiday in Greece.

On a final note, I didn’t manage to get the time to hop on one of Athen’s tourist attractions that bought a smile to my face every time it rattled on by – the ATHENS HAPPY TRAIN. But it looked like a lot of fun and I think that right now, Athens needs all the tourists it can get. So hop on board folks!

The Athens Happy Train

 

 

 

Apologies, dear Readers…. a Blogging respite is required

Dear Reader,

Thank you for following my stories over the past couple of years – it’s been a hoot! And this is not really a farewell – rather an ‘au revoir’ – meaning ‘until later’.

Cracked by Clare Strachan

You see, last week I attended two book launches and was very proud to see these extremely talented women, who I am privileged to call friends, stand up and make speeches about their books.

And yes, you should buy and read both. The first I went to was for Clare Strachan, launching her book for young adults – CRACKED – and the second was for my step-sister Sian Prior, for her book – SHY – a memoir.

They are very different books, but both beautifully written and engaging. I am not going to attempt to give you a book review as much has already been written in the media that does the books better justice than I could.

Shy by Sian Prior

For Sian’s book, for example, see these links to read more:

Age (Saturday) review
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/sian-priors-brave-memoir-of-her-shy-life-20140519-zrff5.html

Sunday Age review
http://m.theage.com.au/video-entertainment/video-books/shy-by-sian-prior-book-review-20140520-zrha5.html

Readings review
http://www.readings.com.au/review/shy-a-memoir-by-sian-prior

Booktopia review
http://www.booktopia.com.au/shy-sian-prior/prod9781922182272.html

Struggling to write…

But at these book launches, it hit me like a tonne of bricks…. If I didn’t slow down and pay more attention to my OWN novel, it will never see the light of day.

I watched the movie ‘JOBS’ – about Steve Job’s life – the other day and one quote struck a chord and stayed with me:

‘Be as simple as you can be. You will be astonished to see how uncomplicated and happy your life will become.’

And so that is what I am going to do. You see, now that I’m working at smoothfm, on the Mike Perso More Music Breakfast Show, the time I spend on creative writing has become even more limited. And precious.

Hence something has to give. And it turns out the Blog is that thing.

So until I can’t help myself and HAVE to write to you about something, I am signing off until this book is finished. THEN I will really have something to write about!

AU REVOIR.