Women's Issues Midlife And Beyond
Last week my story entry ended with my confusion about entering a new love relationship in midlife. Even though I adored my soon-to-be husband, letting go of my hard won independence was daunting. During my single-motherhood years I tested my strength and voice as a woman, and now I would once again be sharing decisions. Would it feel like I… Read More
Do you remember the first time some high school kid at the grocery store asked if you wanted paper or plastic, Ma’am? I do, and I was a little shocked. Menopause is a bit like that too. It sneaks up on you. Suddenly the world views you differently. Unfortunately, that means it can also affect how we see ourselves.After many… Read More
Big Foot trying on Nike running shoes. Aliens eating ice cream and waving from the window of a UFO. A cat obeying its human. These would be amazing photographs, right? However, those of us who love photography know the odds of actually having a camera in hand and ready to go when once-in-a- lifetime photo opportunities occur are rare. Very,… Read More
People mean well.  They do.  While my husband and I were on vacation recently I was asked by another couple if would take there picture.  They wanted me to get the horizon as well as their two smiling faces.  The woman handed me her smart phone and I obliged.  I think I even squatted to get the best angle and managed… Read More
Let’s see, where was I?  Oh yeah.  The reason I’m mentioning my history is because I had questions not only in my youth, but as I took a running jump towards menopause. The same wall of silence I ran into as a teenager was hitting me in early midlife. I always had irregular periods, but when I turned thirty-eight they… Read More
My husband and I returned from a three-week vacation…a week ago. There were ups and downs—everything from being pick-pocketed in London to meeting truly fascinating people—and memories made. Taken as a whole, even with the good, bad, and ugly, we would go on the trip again in a heartbeat. However, one of the souvenirs I brought back was a nasty… Read More
My mom, as I stated, was complex. She embodied innocence and wickedness in one package. Although Mom and Dad tried to hide it for many years, the undeniable fact that my oldest brother showed up six months after their wedding vows more than implied there was some canoodling before marriage. Not a socially welcomed outcome circa 1953. After the wedding,… Read More
As the calendar turns to May, my gardening urge gets restless and hungry. The irony is that by July I’ll be weary of lugging pail after pail of water to the container plants. I’ll feel guilty that I’m not doing a better job of harassing the weeds, and even more guilty that the green beans are starting to look like… Read More
Grandma was endlessly upset and intrigued with the topic of sex. She’d rant about how irresponsible my parents were in allowing us kids to see our farm animals mating. It was a sin! We shouldn’t be exposed to, to, that! In later years, after I was married, I remember a particular visit with Grandma at her house. She and I… Read More
My life seems to come in waves. I’ll spend a frenzied amount of time working on my scarves, then my cards, then my photography, then my gardens, then my                     . I’m always trying to attempt balance while swinging wildly from activity… Read More
