The one dream that all women (of a certain age) share

Are you a woman of a certain age? It seems we all share the same fantasy/dream, and it’s not what you think.

This is what a middle aged woman’s fantasy really looks like.

I believe the process of ageing can be measured in our dreams. The dreams we have as children, for example, are very different to those we have later in life.

When I was a kid my dream, along with many other Aussie kids, I believe - was to get stuck in the Cadbury chocolate factory in Tasmania overnight - and eat my bodyweight in Kit Kats.

Later, it was to marry Eric Faulkner from the Bay City Rollers and later still, as many of you know, the choice of groom changed to Colin Firth, who I still believe I am in with a chance with. Be quiet, it could still happen, not least because he is getting older, and cannot move as quickly as he once could.

Hello Colin Firth.

Now, as I have grown older, the dream I have most often involves getting upgraded to business or first class while on a flight, and getting a pair of those inflight, silk pyjamas. Or just some edible food, really.

But there is one dream/fantasy that I believe that all women of a certain age (the middle one) share. And you know what that dream is now, don’t you ladies? Owning a bookshop. Oh yes, as we get older, we no longer want to be seduced on a tropical island by a young man called Ricardo wearing some sort of towel - well we do, but only if we are not tired.

What we do want is to own a bookshop. Just a small one, in some sort of village. At least, that’s what my female friends want, judging by the many conversations we have that all go exactly the same way… “God, I’d love to own my own bookshop, somewhere…” “Oh me too, just a small one, nothing too big.” “Exactly, with a little reading corner.” “Oh yes, and a small cafe, nothing fancy.” “Oh definitely not, just a coffee machine and perhaps some cake.” “Mmm, and maybe some pastries, or a nice quiche, but that’s it.” “Absolutely, I don’t want to be cooking anything.” “You are so right, Gloria, just a very small coffee shop inside, and a lovely little corner where I can sit and chat to customers about books all day long.”

Women just want to read in peace with a coffee.

Do you hear that sound? That’s the sound of women I know who actually do own bookshops falling off their chairs from laughing. Or just exhaustion. That could be it too.

The reality of owning a bookstore, judging from what my friends tell me, is less curling up in a cosy armchair reading, and more chasing up suppliers, getting people to pay on time, worrying about rent and whether or not audio books are killing the market.

Even so, I still think I’d like it - in fact, my friend Andrea and I have taken this fantasy even further. We would like to buy and refurbish a van, fit it out with bookshelves and yes, a small coffee machine and travel around Australia in it.

We want to hit the road, just visiting small coastal towns, or beautiful hinterland villages, in our mobile book van and park.

To be clear, we don’t want to sell any of the books, no, we want to keep them all for ourselves, and also get away from our partners and children. So we can read in peace with a coffee. Now that’s a fantasy.

FRAN LOVES: Speaking of bookshops, we have so many wonderful ones in Queensland, including the charming Annie’s Books at the Sunshine Coast’s Peregian Beach. An Aladdin’s Cave for booklovers, it’s well worth a visit if you’re in town.