Introducing Lea (Lori's Australian Mini-Me)

The Two lovely Old Farts, (or should that be the lovely Two Old Farts?) have invited me to do the odd post for them and of course I’ve accepted. While subject matter is open to negotiation at the minute – ranging from Hunk of the Week to a book review – we agree it needs to at least be romantical. Wish me luck!

I’ve decided to start with a little about how I met the ladies and a hunk that ties me to them.

Sébastien Izambard is one fourth of the popera group IL Divo, who without knowing it led me to Carolyn and Lori. Before I get to the gorgeous Mr Izambard, let me digress a little.

I was a little ‘late’ coming to the Divo party. They had been around for at least a year before I had even heard of them. I think I might have seen part of their “Regressa a Mi” film clip while channel surfing but didn’t think to stop long enough and see what it was about. If only I had known!

Anyways, it was through a colleague at work that I first listened to them. She had just bought the first couple of cds in and was passing them around the office. I noticed that they did a cover of ‘Unchained Melody’ so asked to borrow the cd. One listen through and I was hooked!

I didn’t understand half of what they were singing – some songs being in Italian, French and Spanish – but I didn’t care. I needed to hear more. Fast forward a little and I decided I needed to put faces to the voices. The covers gave me an idea but I wanted to find out a bit more. I eventually found my way to the official forum for the band and the rest is history.

It was via this forum that I started to read some of the fanfics and even learnt to share some of my own. It was also through reading the wonderful stories of Lori and Carolyn that we ended up friends. I’m not quite sure how it happened, it just seems to have evolved in to what it is now and I’m beyond grateful, for so many reasons.

Now, friends we may be, but our choice of favourite Divo differs here. The Old Farts are fond of Carlos in all his Spanishness whereas I am more partial to the Frenchness of Sébastien.

Truthfully, in the beginning, it might have just been a looks thing but over the years the reasons have changed. He has shown himself to be a happy, forgetful, playful and warm hearted man and the fact that he married an Aussie girl hasn’t hurt at all.

I have no doubts he has his faults and isn’t perfect at all, no-one is. I can only go from what I’ve seen, heard or read and I like it all for the most part. I have to admit I’m not fond of some of his choices in headwear but then I suppose I’m not a hat kind of person, unless it’s a military hat lol.

Since joining the official forum, I’ve written some stories – a couple of full length pieces and dozens of short pieces – and a good chunk of those have Sébastien as the hero. He is probably the complete opposite of how I portray him but then isn’t that what fiction is about – imagination and artistic licence? There is just something intrinsically decent and good about him that appeals to me more than the bad-boy, anti hero type. What can I say – despite Lori’s protestations to the contrary, I’m a good girl at heart :D

So, there you have it. A little about how I came to know the Old Farts and my first ‘hunk’ of the week. Hopefully I will be able to share some choices that appeal to others. Except Lori – I’ve already told her I’m not that much in to muscles.