The Long and the Shorts of It All

When women get to be “of a certain age” questions of appropriateness inevitably rear their ugly heads. I think I have squarely hit that certain age. With a vengeance.

My questions of appropriateness have actually turned into a LIST of questions of appropriateness:

Should I stop wearing shorts?
What about sleeveless blouses?
Is my hair too long?
When should I stop dying it?
Should I do something about my wrinkles?… CONTINUE READING >>

When women get to be “of a certain age” questions of appropriateness inevitably rear their ugly heads. I think I have squarely hit that certain age. With a vengeance.

My questions of appropriateness have actually turned into a LIST of questions of appropriateness:

Should I stop wearing shorts?
What about sleeveless blouses?
Is my hair too long?
When should I stop dying it?
Should I do something about my wrinkles?… CONTINUE READING >>

A Little Talked About Sign of Aging

Here’s the thing. My best features come from my Romanian roots. I’ve always enjoyed having dark hair and blue eyes. I am psyched that my “gray” hair is silver, some people pay big bucks for that. Dracula was Romanian, and by most accounts was a particularly handsome man-thing.

That being said, we Romanians are a very hairy people. My beloved Grandpa not only had follicles growing out of his ears, but in his later years his lobes looked like small woodland creatures. My stunningly gorgeous mother had quite the collection of… CONTINUE READING >>

Here’s the thing. My best features come from my Romanian roots. I’ve always enjoyed having dark hair and blue eyes. I am psyched that my “gray” hair is silver, some people pay big bucks for that. Dracula was Romanian, and by most accounts was a particularly handsome man-thing.

That being said, we Romanians are a very hairy people. My beloved Grandpa not only had follicles growing out of his ears, but in his later years his lobes looked like small woodland creatures. My stunningly gorgeous mother had quite the collection of… CONTINUE READING >>

The Empty Nest Through a Husband’s Eyes

There is much more to beauty and allure than physical appearance. Years of shared experiences, and the comfort of complete compatibility, more than make up for any lost youth, no matter what these marketers splash across our screens.

As men, we see those images too, and have been persuaded — no, programmed — into thinking that we all want supermodels who think about nothing more than fun times and a lot of beer. Well, I have two things to say about that:

First… CONTINUE READING >>

There is much more to beauty and allure than physical appearance. Years of shared experiences, and the comfort of complete compatibility, more than make up for any lost youth, no matter what these marketers splash across our screens.

As men, we see those images too, and have been persuaded — no, programmed — into thinking that we all want supermodels who think about nothing more than fun times and a lot of beer. Well, I have two things to say about that:

First… CONTINUE READING >>

That Time I was Smote by God

On a blustery New York City morning, I executed my first face plant.

The sun had just peeked out after a torrential rain and began to form those bands of brilliant, glorious Jesus Rays streaming through the clouds.

Next thing I knew, I lay prostrated before a church in that special kind of pain that only landing square on one’s schnozz can bring, surrounded by scattered partyware glistening in the sun like a golden calf.

But I probably deserved it… CONTINUE READING

On a blustery New York City morning, I executed my first face plant.

The sun had just peeked out after a torrential rain and began to form those bands of brilliant, glorious Jesus Rays streaming through the clouds.

Next thing I knew, I lay prostrated before a church in that special kind of pain that only landing square on one’s schnozz can bring, surrounded by scattered partyware glistening in the sun like a golden calf.

But I probably deserved it… CONTINUE READING

We Ended Up in Jail in Heidelberg, Germany

How did we land ourselves in the pokey in one of Germany’s most charming towns? You’re going to have to read on to find out… CONTINUE READING >>

How did we land ourselves in the pokey in one of Germany’s most charming towns? You’re going to have to read on to find out… CONTINUE READING >>

Our Most Stupid/Funny Mistake: What Made Us Think We Could Ever Live in an RV?



We had just purchased our first motorhome, a beat-up old guy we named BAMF (as in Bad Ass MoFo), on eBay for $3,000. What could possibly go wrong? 

We found out on day one when David got into an uncomfortably sticky situation… CONTINUE READING >>



We had just purchased our first motorhome, a beat-up old guy we named BAMF (as in Bad Ass MoFo), on eBay for $3,000. What could possibly go wrong? 

We found out on day one when David got into an uncomfortably sticky situation… CONTINUE READING >>

That Time I was Called an Ugly American

I met the meanest woman in the world on cruise ship. 

David & I were sitting in a near-empty onboard restaurant after an afternoon cooking class, and had a jovial group of fellow classmates seated with us – new friends from all over the world.

Yes, we were a bit loud.

Yes, we were critiquing the food – we had prepared it, after all – and, I was being exceptionally… CONTINUE READING >>

I met the meanest woman in the world on cruise ship. 

David & I were sitting in a near-empty onboard restaurant after an afternoon cooking class, and had a jovial group of fellow classmates seated with us – new friends from all over the world.

Yes, we were a bit loud.

Yes, we were critiquing the food – we had prepared it, after all – and, I was being exceptionally… CONTINUE READING >>

Jousting with Middle Age

What is middle aged? I suppose we are implying the middle of our lifespan. So let’s say eighty years. That makes forty, give or take a few years, middle aged. Ninety is certainly a possibility, so, forty-five. Some of us might even live to be 100, so I can even go as high as fifty.

After that it gets a little curious. Fifty-five? Well, people have lived to 110, so let’s call the late fifties the absolute top side of middle age.

If someone sixty-plus is going around claiming to be middle aged, basically they are declaring… CONTINUE READING >>

What is middle aged? I suppose we are implying the middle of our lifespan. So let’s say eighty years. That makes forty, give or take a few years, middle aged. Ninety is certainly a possibility, so, forty-five. Some of us might even live to be 100, so I can even go as high as fifty.

After that it gets a little curious. Fifty-five? Well, people have lived to 110, so let’s call the late fifties the absolute top side of middle age.

If someone sixty-plus is going around claiming to be middle aged, basically they are declaring… CONTINUE READING >>