So I Broke Down and Tried Botox (please don’t judge me!)

I’m a squinter. Always have been. My Grandma used to caution me, “Quit doing that – your face will freeze that way!”

In my twenties, David would affectionately tease me about my “worry line.” He would always know when something was amiss, all he had to do was look between my eyes.

Fast forward thirty (or so) years and, still, I squint on. The squinting’s worst when I’m writing – I don’t even realized I’m doing it.

And Grandma was right, my face… CONTINUE READING >> 

I’m a squinter. Always have been. My Grandma used to caution me, “Quit doing that – your face will freeze that way!”

In my twenties, David would affectionately tease me about my “worry line.” He would always know when something was amiss, all he had to do was look between my eyes.

Fast forward thirty (or so) years and, still, I squint on. The squinting’s worst when I’m writing – I don’t even realized I’m doing it.

And Grandma was right, my face… CONTINUE READING >> 

Look Mom, I’m in North Korea!

Excited to introduce everyone to our daughter, Charli, AKA The Piglet!

For most parents, “Look Mom, I’m in North Korea!” is probably not a dream email to receive.

However, I obviously inherited a love of questionable activities in foreign countries from my parents, The GypsyNesters.

So when they received my weekly travel newsletter detailing my trip to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), not only… CONTINUE READING >>

Excited to introduce everyone to our daughter, Charli, AKA The Piglet!

For most parents, “Look Mom, I’m in North Korea!” is probably not a dream email to receive.

However, I obviously inherited a love of questionable activities in foreign countries from my parents, The GypsyNesters.

So when they received my weekly travel newsletter detailing my trip to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), not only… CONTINUE READING >>

Oh My Aching Feet! Cobblestones, Comfort & Flight-induced Cankles

Yup, it’s time for another women “of a certain age” post from me. So far I’ve overshared about stray hairs, arm flaps, botox, and mammograms – so why stop now, right?

This time it’s about my feet and cankles – yuck, I know, but it’s life and if I don’t overshare, who’s going to?

So here goes – some frank talk (but no gross pictures, promise), a little bit of whining and a solution or two… CONTINUE READING >>

Yup, it’s time for another women “of a certain age” post from me. So far I’ve overshared about stray hairs, arm flaps, botox, and mammograms – so why stop now, right?

This time it’s about my feet and cankles – yuck, I know, but it’s life and if I don’t overshare, who’s going to?

So here goes – some frank talk (but no gross pictures, promise), a little bit of whining and a solution or two… CONTINUE READING >>

Pompeii & Circumstances

Rome may not have been built in a day, but Pompeii was certainly destroyed in one.

Because of the unique nature of the calamity that buried the city, we have an incredibly well preserved peek into every day life two thousand years ago in The Roman Empire.

We had an amazing amount of history and emotion to absorb, making our day at Pompeii one of the most incredible… CONTINUE READING >>

Rome may not have been built in a day, but Pompeii was certainly destroyed in one.

Because of the unique nature of the calamity that buried the city, we have an incredibly well preserved peek into every day life two thousand years ago in The Roman Empire.

We had an amazing amount of history and emotion to absorb, making our day at Pompeii one of the most incredible… CONTINUE READING >>

If It Can Kill Me, It MUST Be Good

I like to flip through the channels when watching the evening news. The other night while practicing my thumb aerobics, I noticed that the exact same commercial was on two of the networks at the exact same time. That surprised me a bit.

What didn’t shock me was that it was an ad for a prescription drug.

So I decided to start paying attention. It seemed that at least half of the advertisements were for pharmaceuticals.

I also noticed that I must have at least half a dozen things seriously wrong with me and should be… CONTINUE READING >>

I like to flip through the channels when watching the evening news. The other night while practicing my thumb aerobics, I noticed that the exact same commercial was on two of the networks at the exact same time. That surprised me a bit.

What didn’t shock me was that it was an ad for a prescription drug.

So I decided to start paying attention. It seemed that at least half of the advertisements were for pharmaceuticals.

I also noticed that I must have at least half a dozen things seriously wrong with me and should be… CONTINUE READING >>

Boomerang “Kids”

A recent advice column I read was just plain disturbing.

It involved a mother who is a newly retired homeowner with an outstanding mortgage. Unless she was the CEO of a major publicly traded corporation, this lady is on a whopper of a fixed income.

Now get this – she has two sons, aged 22 and 24, living in her home and she has asked them to pitch in and pay $30 a week.

“Stressed-Out Mom” says that they are now “ranting and raving and calling her a bad… CONTINUE READING >>

A recent advice column I read was just plain disturbing.

It involved a mother who is a newly retired homeowner with an outstanding mortgage. Unless she was the CEO of a major publicly traded corporation, this lady is on a whopper of a fixed income.

Now get this – she has two sons, aged 22 and 24, living in her home and she has asked them to pitch in and pay $30 a week.

“Stressed-Out Mom” says that they are now “ranting and raving and calling her a bad… CONTINUE READING >>

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Ed(isto Island)

Our adventure through the Sea Islands continues with a mysterious “mound of mystery,” a secretive gathering of the world’s richest men and a home built by the Undersheriff of Herefordshire in 1743, basically out of trash. It still… CONTINUE READING >>
Our adventure through the Sea Islands continues with a mysterious “mound of mystery,” a secretive gathering of the world’s richest men and a home built by the Undersheriff of Herefordshire in 1743, basically out of trash. It still… CONTINUE READING >>

Why? Could it be the Cacti?

Everybody has to ask “Why?” from time to time. Our time came on the drive to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. On the northern edge of the park, along the only road going in, lies the miniscule town of Why, Arizona.

Wondering why, we figured we should ask around. The Why-Not Travel Store seemed a good place to inquire. Actually, it was the only place to inquire.

It seems there are two main stories as to how the town came to be named Why, one more likely true than the other.

Some folks say that… CONTINUE READING >>

Everybody has to ask “Why?” from time to time. Our time came on the drive to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. On the northern edge of the park, along the only road going in, lies the miniscule town of Why, Arizona.

Wondering why, we figured we should ask around. The Why-Not Travel Store seemed a good place to inquire. Actually, it was the only place to inquire.

It seems there are two main stories as to how the town came to be named Why, one more likely true than the other.

Some folks say that… CONTINUE READING >>