“Oh my! It’s fruitcake weather, Buddy.” ~ A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote Our house is unusually quiet today while Babe recovers from serious but incredibly successful surgery, one that saved his life. He sleeps a lot. After a certain age recovery is no walk in the park. Emotionally, I swing between an overwhelming feeling of relief th...Read More
While growing up my mothers closet had one powder blue dress with a bow on front. On her dresser was a tiny jewelry box which contained a set of costume earrings with a matching necklace. This outfit is remembered as the special occasion attire as she wore it to all of our sacraments, graduations, parties, and family events. It made me sad to thi...Read More
The over-the-river-and-through-the-woods trip to grandmother's house also is prime time to assess Mom and Dad's health before a crisis occurs, aging experts say. Counseling experts already are witnessing a 66% growth in calls this year from adult children seeking advice on complex medical, legal and financial quesions involving aging pare...Read More
You think you know the holidays? Well, here's the hardest, most meticulously researched, make-you-rush-to-Google … Oh, never mind. Just have fun! 1. What holiday song has sold the most copies (in single and album form) since 1940? A. “White Christmas”B. “Jingle Bell Rock”C. “Let It Snow”D. “Do Yo...Read More
While these can be our best years ever, the holiday season can stress even the most laid-back of After Fiftiers. Embrace these tips and turn that stress into celebration, enjoying a festive, fabulous Yuletide! 1. “Spruce” Applies to More than the Tree! Feel tired, worn-out – maybe even “old?” ‘Tis the season...Read More
Everyone seems to have a month of the year where there is a cluster of significant events. In my life, it’s November. In Novembers past, I have had: -� A sister-in-law I was very close to died in Nov. 2001-� I had a mastectomy for breast cancer in Nov. 2004-� The Gathering Inn bought its property and incorporated in Nov. 2007-� My Mom...Read More
For the first time ever in my memory, we had four generations sitting around our holiday table this year. In the picture to the left, you see the star of the show, our first (and only) grandchild, Daisy. Her dad, (my son) and his wife are pictured there along with me and my mother, who has the exalted role as a first-time great-grandmother. Missing...Read More