To mark my 65th blog, I wanted to take out some time to thank my readers, my followers, including those who have left comments in the past weeks since I began this 50 Something Woman blog on April 8, 2009. You have given me much encouragement as I have traveled this road for the very first time.
Some of your comments that come to my mind bear repeating:
"We must take full advantage of this stage in your life. Circumstances can change in a heartbeat! Don't look back and say, 'I wish I had...'"
"Moving forward is a state of mind!"
"God gives different gifts and passions to each of us. It is up to us to use them."
"You are living with your heart wide open!"
As a 50 something woman, I realize more and more with each passing day that our life truly is a gift to be well-cared for. And that is why I begin this post by thanking the women in my life and I will end it by saying to these same women:
LET'S DO THE BEST WE CAN TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER!
The subsequent information comes to us from the
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. (www.komen.org)
Taking the following steps toward a healthier lifestyle can do wonders to lift the spirit, keep weight in check and most importantly, reduce your risk of breast cancer:
(1) MOVE AND GROOVE: If there is one thing breast cancer hates, it's an energetic, active lifestyle. The key to getting fit is doing something you love and doing it long enough to the all-important health benefits. Walking is something we all do every day anyway, so why not make it count? A mere 30 minute stroll at a brisk clip is a totally drama-free way to get fit. Bonus? Exercise lowers estrogen levels, fights obesity, lowers insulin levels and boosts the immune system.
(2) LIVE TO EAT WELL: A diet rich in fruits, veggies, and whole grains is the ideal way to nourish your body.
(3) STEADY ON: Maintaining your ideal weight isn't just for looking good in your skinny jeans. Keeping the number on the scale in the healthy range can mean a decreased risk of breast cancer after menopause.
(4) KEEP THE (INNER) PEACE: Diet and exercise alone aren't enough to keep your body and mind in top form. Take special care of your emotional health by maintaining close relationships with family and friends as well as engaging in the activities you cherish. Reading a book on a Sunday afternoon or catching a movie with a friend are effortless ways to carve out some stress-free "me" time.
(5) GET IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT: Don't make the mistake of riding shotgun when it comes to fighting breast cancer. Take control of your well-being by making sound diet and exercise choices, annual check-ups and recommended screenings.
While I have not had cancer myself, now that I am a 50 something woman, I have known many women that have gone through a personal cancer journey. Sadly, some of these precious women, including my own mother have not survived this dreadful disease. However, in every case that I am aware of, faith, friends, family, and loads of prayers have been a part of each one's difficult path. Sometimes the healing takes place this side of heaven and other times, it is a heavenly healing. In every case, COURAGE was evident and awe-inspiring.
So as we go through our days,
LET US DO OUR BEST TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER! AND LET US PASS THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF LOVING CARE ONTO OUR DAUGHTERS, OUR NIECES, AND THE OTHER YOUNG WOMEN IN OUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE!
Monday, June 22, 2009
SUMMER SOLSTICE
A Swedish Proverb goes like this:
"A life without love is like a year without summer."
Summer is upon us as Summer Solstice 2009 occurred last night, during the night of June 21, 2009 at 1:45 a.m. Sol + stice derives from a combination of Latin words meaning "sun" and "to stand still". As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky. Just one more phenomenon of nature that we can all stand in awe of!
Longtime friends joined us at Blue Ridge Lake over the weekend to celebrate LIFE, more specifically, my husband's birthday and Father's Day. The lake temperature was ideal, around 82 degrees and Scott, our daughter's friend landed his wakeboarding flip, a feat he had been working on for more than a year! My girlfriend's mama, Dorothy, age 78 , took a spin on a jetski. Summertime creates memories! Yes, the dog days of summer have officially started and what a fine way to begin it...with our children and their buddies, our friends from college, neighbors from our children's growing up days, and colleagues from work. In all, 27 of us feasted on fried chicken, grilled veggies, pasta and green salad, hash brown casserole, sweet tea and more! And by the way...in case all this sounds highly exhausting to you, I must share that as a 50 something woman, it is more important than ever to get everyone involved in the chores and the preparation!
We had kids packing coolers, cutting brownies, dropping biscuits onto a pan, and yes, even collecting trash and cleaning bathrooms before our final boatride of the weekend. Teamwork and delegating is imperative!
Let us..."Live in each season as it passes:
breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."
~Henry David Thoreau~
SUMMER IS HERE!
"A life without love is like a year without summer."
Summer is upon us as Summer Solstice 2009 occurred last night, during the night of June 21, 2009 at 1:45 a.m. Sol + stice derives from a combination of Latin words meaning "sun" and "to stand still". As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky. Just one more phenomenon of nature that we can all stand in awe of!
Longtime friends joined us at Blue Ridge Lake over the weekend to celebrate LIFE, more specifically, my husband's birthday and Father's Day. The lake temperature was ideal, around 82 degrees and Scott, our daughter's friend landed his wakeboarding flip, a feat he had been working on for more than a year! My girlfriend's mama, Dorothy, age 78 , took a spin on a jetski. Summertime creates memories! Yes, the dog days of summer have officially started and what a fine way to begin it...with our children and their buddies, our friends from college, neighbors from our children's growing up days, and colleagues from work. In all, 27 of us feasted on fried chicken, grilled veggies, pasta and green salad, hash brown casserole, sweet tea and more! And by the way...in case all this sounds highly exhausting to you, I must share that as a 50 something woman, it is more important than ever to get everyone involved in the chores and the preparation!
We had kids packing coolers, cutting brownies, dropping biscuits onto a pan, and yes, even collecting trash and cleaning bathrooms before our final boatride of the weekend. Teamwork and delegating is imperative!
Let us..."Live in each season as it passes:
breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."
~Henry David Thoreau~
SUMMER IS HERE!
Friday, June 19, 2009
MY BEST FRIEND
Yesterday, my best friend, my husband celebrated another birthday. We made merry on this day by feasting over a Mexican Fiesta with friends, family and a Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey homemade ice cream cake!
He has now lived 18,890 days since his birth on June 19, 1957! And I have just calculated that I have had the blessing to know this man for 11,190 of these days. We've been married for 9,730 days and 7,420 days have passed since he first became a father.
This makes me think of Frank Sinatra's quote about his loved one:
"May you live to be one hundred and may the last voice you hear be mine."
And one of my all-time favorite quotes comes to us from Abraham Lincoln:
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, buddy! And HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, too! You and I have certainly experienced the following unknown quote:
"Fathers carry snapshots in their wallets where their money used to be."
He has now lived 18,890 days since his birth on June 19, 1957! And I have just calculated that I have had the blessing to know this man for 11,190 of these days. We've been married for 9,730 days and 7,420 days have passed since he first became a father.
This makes me think of Frank Sinatra's quote about his loved one:
"May you live to be one hundred and may the last voice you hear be mine."
And one of my all-time favorite quotes comes to us from Abraham Lincoln:
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, buddy! And HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, too! You and I have certainly experienced the following unknown quote:
"Fathers carry snapshots in their wallets where their money used to be."
THE SWAN COACH HOUSE
Our book club, this past Thursday night, feasted on a menu item named SWAN'S FAVORITE, thanks to the efforts of our gracious host, Ann. Our dinner included the delicious signature chicken salad served over lettuce, creamy frozen fruit salad, cheese straws and a thirst-quenching sunshine punch. Delighting in this wonderful menu as we discussed our book THE SWAN HOUSE took me back to the countless times I have visited this historical landmark in Atlanta, Georgia.
I recall putting on my best dress, usually an Easter dress, and going to The Swan House with my mother and sisters. We did not go often, only on special occasions, but I remember these times with great joy. The fabric lined walls, the fresh roses on each table, the sweet tea, the female camaraderie. Since then, I have been there many times to honor a girlfriend on her fiftieth birthday or to celebrate an anticipated wedding or a new baby.
If you have never been to The Swan Coach House, you must put it on your list for your next visit to Atlanta! The Swan Coach House is located at 3130 Slaton Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305 and their contact number is 404-261-0636. Their website is:
www.swancoachhouse.com
This breathtaking estate was transformed into a thriving tearoom, gift shop and art gallery by a group of extraordinary women in 1965. Their group was called the Forward Arts Foundation. These distinguished art patrons, whose dynamic leadership was matched by their determination came together to bring about this charming place that is enjoyed by a myriad of folks today. This reminds me that you never know what might come about when a group of women put their minds on a task at hand!
I recall putting on my best dress, usually an Easter dress, and going to The Swan House with my mother and sisters. We did not go often, only on special occasions, but I remember these times with great joy. The fabric lined walls, the fresh roses on each table, the sweet tea, the female camaraderie. Since then, I have been there many times to honor a girlfriend on her fiftieth birthday or to celebrate an anticipated wedding or a new baby.
If you have never been to The Swan Coach House, you must put it on your list for your next visit to Atlanta! The Swan Coach House is located at 3130 Slaton Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305 and their contact number is 404-261-0636. Their website is:
www.swancoachhouse.com
This breathtaking estate was transformed into a thriving tearoom, gift shop and art gallery by a group of extraordinary women in 1965. Their group was called the Forward Arts Foundation. These distinguished art patrons, whose dynamic leadership was matched by their determination came together to bring about this charming place that is enjoyed by a myriad of folks today. This reminds me that you never know what might come about when a group of women put their minds on a task at hand!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
BOOKS!
Our monthly book club met last night and we discussed THE SWAN HOUSE, By, Elizabeth Musser. Thankfully, I finished reading this book just in time early yesterday afternoon. Set in Atlanta, in the year of 1962, we all agreed that the story was thought-provoking and the characters were well developed. We had a great discussion.
This is the first book club I have participated in and I have really enjoyed it! If you love to read, I strongly encourage you to find or start a club...
Thinking of book clubs and reading reminds me of Victor Hugo's quote:
"It is from books that wise men derive consolation in the troubles of life."
One phrase from THE SWAN HOUSE that keeps coming back to mind came from the mouth of Ella Mae Maddux, a compassionate, loving woman that helped take care of the Middleton Family in this historical fiction story. The racial unrest of that day could not be ignored, and yet, uneducated, African American Ella Mae was one of the wisest characters in the entire book. As she counseled 16 year old Mary Swan Middleton, it became apparent to me that Ella Mae had been around the block a time or two. Ella Mae, in her faith journey, had learned much more than the average woman, especially when you consider the time.
Ella said: "You's had some hard things happen in yore life, Mary Swan. And you's learnin'some hard lessons. But don't you stew over these things. Give 'em back to Him and let Him make something beautiful out of them. I guarantee He will. But it won't be nothin' to make you proud of yourself. It'll be some way where you'll jus'praise Him for what He's done. Now that you done asked Him to take ova'in yore life, and you got the Holy Ghost in ya, well, ya be listenin' ta Him, honey."
(page 398)
Don't you think it is tremendous the way a woman can literally lose herself in a good book!?! For the 50 something woman, as well as any age woman or man, books can be a fine part of any day. Kathleen Norris pondered this subject in her own way:
"Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting me at the end of a long day makes that day happier." I agree!
What extraordinary read will you pick up this upcoming summer weekend?
This is the first book club I have participated in and I have really enjoyed it! If you love to read, I strongly encourage you to find or start a club...
Thinking of book clubs and reading reminds me of Victor Hugo's quote:
"It is from books that wise men derive consolation in the troubles of life."
One phrase from THE SWAN HOUSE that keeps coming back to mind came from the mouth of Ella Mae Maddux, a compassionate, loving woman that helped take care of the Middleton Family in this historical fiction story. The racial unrest of that day could not be ignored, and yet, uneducated, African American Ella Mae was one of the wisest characters in the entire book. As she counseled 16 year old Mary Swan Middleton, it became apparent to me that Ella Mae had been around the block a time or two. Ella Mae, in her faith journey, had learned much more than the average woman, especially when you consider the time.
Ella said: "You's had some hard things happen in yore life, Mary Swan. And you's learnin'some hard lessons. But don't you stew over these things. Give 'em back to Him and let Him make something beautiful out of them. I guarantee He will. But it won't be nothin' to make you proud of yourself. It'll be some way where you'll jus'praise Him for what He's done. Now that you done asked Him to take ova'in yore life, and you got the Holy Ghost in ya, well, ya be listenin' ta Him, honey."
(page 398)
Don't you think it is tremendous the way a woman can literally lose herself in a good book!?! For the 50 something woman, as well as any age woman or man, books can be a fine part of any day. Kathleen Norris pondered this subject in her own way:
"Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting me at the end of a long day makes that day happier." I agree!
What extraordinary read will you pick up this upcoming summer weekend?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
AGE~IF YOU DON'T MIND, IT DOESN'T MATTER
Someone once said that life is made up of:
THE TENDER TEENS
THE TEACHABLE TWENTIES
THE TIRELESS THIRTIES
THE FIERY FORTIES
THE FRETFUL FIFTIES
THE SERIOUS SIXTIES
THE SACRED SEVENTIES
THE ACHING EIGHTIES
SHORTENING BREATH
DEATH. SOD. GOD.
Patricia Lorenz, a Daily Guideposts writer had the following to say about this humorous depiction of life.
"When I first heard this little version of the stages of life, I was in my late thirties, which hadn't been 'tireless' at all. In fact, with four young children and various part-time jobs, I'd been 'exhausted' most of the time.
Now that I'm in my 'fiery' forties, believe me, there are days I don't feel fiery at all. Most days, in fact.
What's 'fretful' about the fifties? None of my friends in their fifties are 'fretful'...'tireless', perhaps, and other times 'aching' with exhaustion from working and playing so hard. And a dear aunt in her sixties is 'seriously' enjoying life. A dear friend in her seventies, is quite 'teachable' as she takes one college course after another. The white haired octogenarian down the block who just retired is as 'fiery' as they come, actively involved in politics, especially issues concerning the elderly.
It's a fact to be accepted and treasured: We can all be exactly what we want to be at any stage in life."
"At 20 we worry about what others think of us. At 40 we don't care what others think of us. At 60 we discover they haven't been thinking about us at all." UNKNOWN
Bette Davis reminds us that..."Old age is not for sissies." So let us continue on this journey, chuckling as we go, bringing to mind the scripture reference..."Laughter is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22)
THE TENDER TEENS
THE TEACHABLE TWENTIES
THE TIRELESS THIRTIES
THE FIERY FORTIES
THE FRETFUL FIFTIES
THE SERIOUS SIXTIES
THE SACRED SEVENTIES
THE ACHING EIGHTIES
SHORTENING BREATH
DEATH. SOD. GOD.
Patricia Lorenz, a Daily Guideposts writer had the following to say about this humorous depiction of life.
"When I first heard this little version of the stages of life, I was in my late thirties, which hadn't been 'tireless' at all. In fact, with four young children and various part-time jobs, I'd been 'exhausted' most of the time.
Now that I'm in my 'fiery' forties, believe me, there are days I don't feel fiery at all. Most days, in fact.
What's 'fretful' about the fifties? None of my friends in their fifties are 'fretful'...'tireless', perhaps, and other times 'aching' with exhaustion from working and playing so hard. And a dear aunt in her sixties is 'seriously' enjoying life. A dear friend in her seventies, is quite 'teachable' as she takes one college course after another. The white haired octogenarian down the block who just retired is as 'fiery' as they come, actively involved in politics, especially issues concerning the elderly.
It's a fact to be accepted and treasured: We can all be exactly what we want to be at any stage in life."
"At 20 we worry about what others think of us. At 40 we don't care what others think of us. At 60 we discover they haven't been thinking about us at all." UNKNOWN
Bette Davis reminds us that..."Old age is not for sissies." So let us continue on this journey, chuckling as we go, bringing to mind the scripture reference..."Laughter is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22)
AGE~A MATTER OF THE MIND
Mark Twain once said:
"The issue of age is a matter of the mind. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!"
My Mama always expressed it this way: "I would never want to be any age but the age that I am today." Once again, I agree with my Mama.
As we age, it is critical that we continue to keep a favorable perspective about the aging process, after all, what choice do we really have!?! Just like the days, months, and years in our past, we can choose how we respond to our circumstances as we move forward in our lives. As we begin to notice more and more lines on our faces, we can consider the following quote by Thomas Bailey Aldrich: "To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent-that is to triumph over old age." Our inner beauty and our wisdom that has come with the longevity can begin to take over and shine.
Eleanor Roosevelt was quoted as saying: "Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art." and H. L. Mencken said it like this: "As the arteries grow hard, the heart grows soft."
And as the years go by, we begin to know more and more loved ones who have passed away and gone on ahead of us, many before their 50th birthday. As we remember these special people in our lives, this truth aids us in recognizing the gift that our life really is! An unknown author asserts: "Do not resent growing older-many are denied the privilege."
Soon, we will look at some humor related to this aging process.
"The issue of age is a matter of the mind. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!"
My Mama always expressed it this way: "I would never want to be any age but the age that I am today." Once again, I agree with my Mama.
As we age, it is critical that we continue to keep a favorable perspective about the aging process, after all, what choice do we really have!?! Just like the days, months, and years in our past, we can choose how we respond to our circumstances as we move forward in our lives. As we begin to notice more and more lines on our faces, we can consider the following quote by Thomas Bailey Aldrich: "To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent-that is to triumph over old age." Our inner beauty and our wisdom that has come with the longevity can begin to take over and shine.
Eleanor Roosevelt was quoted as saying: "Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art." and H. L. Mencken said it like this: "As the arteries grow hard, the heart grows soft."
And as the years go by, we begin to know more and more loved ones who have passed away and gone on ahead of us, many before their 50th birthday. As we remember these special people in our lives, this truth aids us in recognizing the gift that our life really is! An unknown author asserts: "Do not resent growing older-many are denied the privilege."
Soon, we will look at some humor related to this aging process.
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