“Hey, Mom. You got a minute?” That’s how most of our conversations started. Maybe it was incredibly good timing all those years, but I never remember her saying she’d have to call me back. I always had the same mental image of her topping off her coffee and settling in at the kitchen table as she replied, “Of course I do, honey. I’m glad you called.” I can remember her words so precisely, but sadly I can no longer hear the sound of her voice saying them. I’m not sure when it happened, but my vivid memories have become a silent film and I’d give anything to hear her answer that phone one more time. Continue reading “A Mother’s Day Wish”
Does Your Personality Predict Which TV Shows You’ll Like?
One of those silly Facebook quizzes popped up on my news feed last night claiming it could predict my favorite TV show based on my personality. I had never given much thought to why I liked the shows I did, but it didn’t seem too far-fetched that personality could play a role. It also might explain why Tim and I have found so few shows that appeal to both of us. Continue reading “Does Your Personality Predict Which TV Shows You’ll Like?”
There’s No Shame in Saying No
We were having dinner with friends recently when the conversation got around to how much we had on our plates despite all of us being retired. A couple of us were excited to share the things we’ve been working on. For me launching this blog has been a lot of work, mostly because the twenty-somethings that write the descriptions for these blogging sites using terms like “easy set-up” and “intuitive formatting” did not grow up in an era when a significant technological advancement meant migrating from rotary dial to touch-tone phones. Continue reading “There’s No Shame in Saying No”
Most Dieters Focus on What They Hope to Lose…But the Real Surprise is in What Can Be Gained
For most of 2016 I ignored the pesky ten pounds I’d put on when I stopped my long-established routine of stepping onto the bathroom scale every morning. I can’t remember exactly why or when I abandoned the one weight-management habit that seemed to work; but I’m guessing the extra pounds were payback for the smug attitude I had developed when the same number flashed up at me every morning for years. Continue reading “Most Dieters Focus on What They Hope to Lose…But the Real Surprise is in What Can Be Gained”
World Down Syndrome Day: My Thirty Year Perspective
I did not invite Down syndrome into my life; it crashed my party. In that devastating moment when my hopes and dreams for my newborn daughter were ripped away, I couldn’t imagine anything could be worse. Fast forward thirty years, and hindsight, as it often does, has replaced the pain and fear I felt in those early days after Stephanie was born with appreciation for an amazing journey that with all its challenges and flaws has made us a stronger family and me a better person.
Today is World Down Syndrome Day and I suspect the average person woke up this morning not knowing that; I certainly had no idea. Continue reading “World Down Syndrome Day: My Thirty Year Perspective”
The Joy of a Sick Day
I’m in my third day of a head cold, and thus far my aggressive attempt to muscle through it hasn’t gotten me very far. Gallons of water, vitamin C and Echinacea – normally reliable remedies– have let me down. My energy level seems to have declined in direct proportion to the increase in sinus congestion. So, after a feeble attempt at working out I decided a long, hot shower might help clear my head and maybe even shake the chill that has been with me since the arctic blast blew through the south earlier this week. The shower did both . . . but only for about ten minutes. Continue reading “The Joy of a Sick Day”
The Hometown Where I’ve Never Lived
We’ve all been there, you plan a family beach vacation for spring break and ten days out you start compulsively checking the weather app on your phone because you know how iffy March can be for Carolina beaches. You watch with frustration as the forecast deteriorates each day from a pleasant 75° and sunny to a dreary 42° and rainy the night before you leave; at which point you frantically repack the suitcases removing all the shorts and t-shirts to make room for sweaters and long-pants. Continue reading “The Hometown Where I’ve Never Lived”
My Fitbit Sabotaged My Fitness
Like most relationships gone bad, we had our good times. Abby – yes, my Fitbit has a name – and I go way back; she’s been my trusted ally in my quest to stay fit for years. It’s no secret I’ve struggled to maintain the consistency I’d like in my exercise routine, so it made sense that daily monitoring of my activity level was a good strategy to keep me on track. And the added accountability to my “Fitbit friends” was even more incentive to get moving and hit my daily step goal.
Oh sure, Abby had her limitations; nobody’s perfect. Continue reading “My Fitbit Sabotaged My Fitness”
2017: The Year I Finally Bury The Hatchet With Exercise
A healthy lifestyle is an important cornerstone of my next chapter for one simple reason: good health provides the freedom to live life on my own terms. That said, staying fit and maintaining a healthy weight has challenged me for most of my life. When it’s my focus I do pretty well, but all too often I’ve let other people or things become my priority and have found myself out of shape and overweight. So, while I accept it as a key element of the life I envision for myself, I know from experience sustaining it is easier said than done. Continue reading “2017: The Year I Finally Bury The Hatchet With Exercise”
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!”