F.C.U.K.

BETTY, 87

"Be grateful for what you have. Go to bed singing and get up singing, that's what I always like to say. Even when things don't go to plan, you have to remember the good things. After all, what's the use of getting cranky? Life's too short. I've always got a smile on my face because that's the ticket. I look back on my life and think, 'Oh, I've been lucky.' That's what has always got me through. "Have a place for everything, and have everything in a place. It sounds like a little thing, but it will save you so much time because you will never lose a thing. If anyone asked me where my purple hanky is I could go and get it straightaway."Do your hair, fix the bed and make sure you look alright for the day. It's what my mum always said because you just never know who might come to the door! I'm not showing off or anything, but I still make sure I do it. That's looking after yourself, none of this starving yourself, plastic surgery business."

IRIS, 83

"Keep your loved ones close to you. My husband and I had a wonderful marriage. When he was 52 he went to work one day - after I had made him breakfast, cut his lunch and said, 'See you later' - and he never came home. He had a bad heart that we didn't know about. It was terrible. I was very fragile for a long time. But you have to get over these things or else you would just sit in a corner for the rest of your life. My saving grace was my wonderful friends and my children. I've always tried to keep the people I love close to me. It's all you can do. "Follow your heart. I was only 18 when I got married, at the end of World War II. I knew I was young to make that choice, but I went with my instincts, like I always have. I don't know if that's the right thing to do, but I do believe you'll be happy with your choices if you put your heart before your head. Sometimes, I wish I'd continued with my education, but I never regret those years we had building a life together."

BETH, 88

"Travel as much as you can. I'm quite sure I was brought up in the wrong period. Before I was married, I worked in a legal office on NSW's Central Coast, but I wanted to spread my wings and move to Sydney. My parents were appalled and I didn't end up moving until I was engaged. But my late husband and I travelled every one of our 61 years together, even with six kids in tow. It's important for everyone to see more of the world. It broadens your perspective. Because, you know, if you live in the same little place you get very narrow-minded. "Stop worrying about what you look like. It's more important that you build a good life: have lots of friends and show kindness to everyone in your life. You might fret about what you look like now, but, let me tell you, when you get to my age you realise that you really had nothing to worry about."

LOMA, 81

"Never, ever think you can change a man. Don't even try. It just won't happen. When you first fall in love, you might think that he won't be like this or that later, but that is just foolishness. What does change is that level of excitement you feel at first. Try to choose a man with qualities that last: someone who is gentle, considerate, kind and generous. You couldn't marry an ungenerous man, could you?"

BEVERLEY, 72
"Always earn some money of your own. It doesn't do much for your self-esteem to be beholden to a man and his wallet if you want to go and have lunch with your girlfriends, or go on holiday, or buy a pair of shoes. I would hate to have to ask permission to spend money. I went back to work when my kids were old enough, and

I still work a little, just enough to let me do the things I love. It's great if a man can support you financially, but it is more important that he's supporting you emotionally."

JUDE, 66

"Be happy within yourself. These days expectations are so high, especially for women - they're pressured to juggle a career, have a family and the right house, car, or shoes. Achieve, achieve, achieve. But that much pressure can make you very unhappy. There's something to be said for accepting the ordinary. You don't have to have the world and a great big bank balance to be happy. There is nothing wrong with being yourself, even if you're not achieving what the lady next door is."

ATHENA, 70

"Marry the man who respects you. I used to tell my three daughters: marry for love. Sometimes, I think I should have said, 'Marry for money!' But actually, I think respect is the most important thing. Doesn't matter if he's Italian, or Greek, or any nationality. It's just the person. If you have love and respect, that's all you need. And a good time in the bedroom: because if you're not happy there, where will you be? "Anything you do with your husband - I don't say boyfriend because I don't believe in that - you should do it to make you both happy. And if it's making you happy, anything is acceptable. It's good to be naughty!"

ALISON, 74

"Enjoy life. You're only young once: just go for it. Don't worry about the future - it always sorts itself out. As long as you're not hurting anyone, and you're using your common sense, just go ahead and enjoy every single day. They go so quickly."

MASAKO, 96

"Never stop learning. You have to use your brain to keep it sharp. Lately, I forget things, but I still love to learn. Always eat slowly. Chew everything well. And don't eat too many sweets."

SHEILA, 81

"Pick your battles. My mother always used to say, 'Back teeth together,' when I complained about anything, and I always remember it. Don't waste your energy worrying about things you can't change. Learn to let a hard situation, or something you don't agree with, just wash over you. Because most of the time, it's not worth making a fuss about."

MARGIE, 77
"Take the bad with the good. Some people cruise through life and others can get damaged along the way, and I think it is those people who have the insights. Life can drag you down sometimes, but no matter how badly off you think you are, there's always someone in a worse situation."