I’m not about to deny the place in my heart reserved for football and pumpkin spice lattes, but they don’t seem to be enough to make Autumn feel significant. So simply put, I’m striving to give this glorious season a more befitting identity within my life. The downgrade seemed to have started during my years as a small business owner when it became a respite between the chaotic pace of summer entertaining and the exhausting demands of the holiday retail season. Typically, I dragged myself into September desperate to catch my breath and reclaim some semblance of a normal life if only for a few weeks. Not exactly lofty goals. Continue reading “Fall Should be More Than Football and Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Right?”
Cheers to Lake Hair, Tan Skin, and Months of Living in a Swimsuit!
How can you not love summer? The days are longer, the colors are brighter and life moves to the great outdoors. For many, summertime means the frantic pace of their everyday existence slows a bit; kids are out of school, people take vacations, traffic is lighter, and everything seems just a little easier. For me the opposite is true. Right about the time everyone else is taking that deep breath to welcome the summer respite, my life is speeding up. From May through August the pace is intense, my workload peaks and despite it all, or maybe, because of it all, I’m my happiest self. Continue reading “Cheers to Lake Hair, Tan Skin, and Months of Living in a Swimsuit!”
Oops! Did I Forget to Mention I Was Taking a Little Break?
It’s not usually my style to lead with an apology, but since a couple of you have contacted me this week expressing concern regarding my suddenly dormant blog, let me start by saying all is well. Better than well, great really. And I’m sorry for dropping out of sight without warning. I’ll confess, I was sort of surprised anyone even noticed. Continue reading “Oops! Did I Forget to Mention I Was Taking a Little Break?”
And So, The Countdown to the Summer of 2017 Officially Begins . . .
I always have mixed emotions with the arrival of spring. Don’t get me wrong; I love the longer days, the warmer weather, and the explosion of color that’s replacing more of the gray shades of winter each day. But spring is petal-to-metal busy around here. The next eight weeks is when Tim and I transition our home from a winter sanctuary to the welcoming lake house so many friends and family help us enjoy each summer. Continue reading “And So, The Countdown to the Summer of 2017 Officially Begins . . .”
Retirement Lessons from a Six-Year-Old
One of our local morning shows ran a segment providing tips for a fulfilling retirement. The life coach being interviewed gave the advice touted in hundreds of magazine articles and books; much of it centering around the familiar stopping to smell the roses and finding new purpose sort of themes. Having just spent a couple of days with my grandson, Caleb, it struck me that quite possibly the best role models for making the most of our senior years are young children.
Here are four lessons I learned this week from my six-year-old retirement mentor: Continue reading “Retirement Lessons from a Six-Year-Old”
The Blessing of a Fresh Start…Here’s to Chapter 3!
Life they say is a journey. I’ve always liked the sound of that; who wouldn’t want to go on a decades-long expedition collecting experiences and making connections that shape our existence. My problem with the word journey is that it sounds like a trip or a vacation, and I don’t know about you, but most of my life has been anything but. Looking back, I’d describe it as more of an uphill climb; it was real work. I’m sure there were some descents or at least a few plateaus along the way where I coasted a little, maybe caught my breath. But I honestly can’t remember them. Continue reading “The Blessing of a Fresh Start…Here’s to Chapter 3!”