NETWORK SHEP 61 or those of you unfamiliar with my Saturday column in the Daily Post, I'm a streetwise, happening and hip thirty- something with long blonde hair with a figure to die for; for those that do read me keep shtum and swallow the cyanide capsule if questioned. Ok Ok, I lied. I'm a fifty- something granny of six with short, dyed red hair and a figure like a hundred weight of nutty slack but I'm still hip and happening and I wouldn't swap the wisdom of half a century for a waistline ten inches smaller and a wrinkle- free skin. Women are wonderful creatures with the strength and mental capacity to do whatever they choose and it's never too late. I was forty- eight before I did a job that wasn't taken to fit around the needs of my children. For ten years I worked behind the bar in the convalescent centre and would probably be there still had it not closed. I took a job as a chambermaid in a local hotel and hated it with a passion but I needed the money so had no choice. One day during my fifteen minute break I picked up a copy of the Sunday Times Magazineone of the guests had left and turning to the back page read about the privileged lifestyle of some famous person. Back making the beds I wondered what the public would make of an ordinary working class woman's life. I wrote the piece, sent it off and ended up on contract to them for seven years, travelling extensively. I've seen the sun rise in Delhi and the sun set over the Andes. I've watched tigers in the jungles of Rajasthan, walked with the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands and walked among the stars in L. A. for the Oscars. I've interviewed the weird and wonderful from the rock group Aerosmith to Dr Ballard who discovered the Titanic and visited most of the main cities in the USA. As part of the royal press pack I travelled with the Queen to South Africa where I stood next to her at a cocktail party and spoke to her. I come from a tiny village in west Wales where I lived in the wilds surrounded by woods and a river. We had no electricity until I was nine years old. When I was twelve, my mother died and my life was pretty miserable; in my wildest dreams I couldn't have imagined what life had in store for me. Women can do anything they put their minds to; the only stumbling block is self- belief. I no longer go travelling and though I remember all the trips with great fondness, my greatest achievement has nothing to do with travel or meeting extraordinary people. The highlight of my life is being the mother of three wonderful, funny, kind and loving children. When the time comes to shuffle off this mortal coil and I look back on my life, they will be by far my greatest achievement. byDorinda McCann F Anythingcan be achieved in life

horoscopes P 62NETWORK SHENETWORK Scorpio October 24th - November 22nd I can almost hear you sighing with relief once the holidays are over and done with for another year! This certainly isn't like you my sexy scorpians, but you are going to overdo it, so respite from the hectic social scene will do you the power of good come early 2009! Don't ignore niggles on your car that don't sound right as delay in sorting it, could be costly later on! The busy fesitve season will leave you feeling a little bit under the weather so make sure you look after yourself this month and prepare well. You'll need to be fighting fit for all the fantastic fun 2009 has to offer. Tip for 2009: Take care of all things mechanical and spiritual asap if either start coughing! Sagittarius November 23rd - December 21st It's all about the cash towards year end for you Sagittarian sweethearts and how it doesn't seem to stay with you for too long! That's about to change with fortune smiling on you for the whole of January, ( and possibly into early February). Your heart strings are being pulled too across the festive season, as well as your purse strings and your head is going to have to come into play sooner rather than later. Common sense should prevail soon, as we both know that the only thing beyond your amazing capabilities is the power to force someone to love you! Enough is enough as you won't realise what you never had, until much better comes along! Tip for 2009: Square pegs don't fit into round holes, despite the effort. Capricorn December 22nd - January 20th You've been dreaming for so long now, it may come as surprise for you to realise that the time is now for actually " doing"! Success won't be overnight but stick with it and by early in the New Year you'll be thinking you should have taken these steps years ago! Watch out for the small print on contracts towards year end – check for the actual interest rate you'll be repaying, rather than trusting the advert! If you can get by without having to sign anything legal until January, do so. February will be an even better month for comitting to long term arrangements, of the financial and emotional kind! Tip for 2009: Your dream is about to become a reality – enjoy every minute! Aquarius January 21st - February 19th You will need to factor some " me time" in for after the hectic holiday season ahead. At the moment though, you're feeling the need to gather your thoughts and plan ahead and rightly so! It's going to be a truly awesome 2009 for you and late January sees the start of the trend. Take this time to enjoy, reflect and decide where your life should be and the journey you will take towards your dream destination! Tip for 2009: Take advantage of the calm before the dream! Pisces February 20th - March 20th Be very careful not to spread your time and energy too thinly, my feisty fishes! Your care of others really should be re- directed towards yourself as everyone else is doing just fine – honest! Make sure you don't put off any check ups that are looming, as minor health niggles that are ignored don't usually have a habit of clearing up on their own! Don't get too hung up on the opinons of others this month. After all, they are more than entitled to it, but who says you have to agree with it? Respect can still flourish in the face of a difference of opinion. Tip for 2009: It's all about you! Aries March 21st - April 20th This last part of the year sees you anticipating a big career change and why not my lovely Aries ladies! You need to get out there and start " doing" rather than the vast amount of " thinking" you've been doing lately. Despite your feelings of going out there alone to conquer the big, wide, world of business, fear not, as offer of assistance will come from an unexpected source. Do not be put off by the fact that you may appear to be a " know it all" as that is just what you will need when the time arrives. It is just that you don't know it yet! Tip for 2009: Don't be too quick to say " no" when " perhaps" will leave the door ajar!