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DuchessOmnium - Island to island
My electrics have, to use slang my New Zealand grandmother favoured, been giving me gyp lately. I replaced an alternator, disconnected the adverc, and ripped out the split diode thingy (and I barely know what any of this stuff is). Nevertheless the batteries complain. They reward my careful evening attention...
For many years a pair of swans has lived at Enslow, where my boat Pangolin is moored. The swans spend their days cruising along the canal and knocking at the sides of boats, begging for bread. They rarely stray farther than the quarter of a mile line of moored narrowboats except...
It is my mother’s birthday, and I haven’t spoken to her since I got back to England six weeks or so ago. I don’t have a landline anymore, and because it is awfully expensive to make or receive international calls on a cell phone, I bought a “phone card” this...
Actually I have never so much as seen a picture of a Persian bordello, let alone been inside such a place, but I fancy that I have decorated narrowboat Pangolin in what could have been a pre Ayatollah style. That’s my improbable excuse for the excess of colour, pattern and...
It’s half past ten and I’m violating a fairly strict boaty rule: no engine running after eight. You can hear the big diesel rumble several boat lengths away, but as there is no one on board either in front or behind me, I am hoping I can get away...
We were all running short of diesel, coal, gas and toilet fluid, because first Dusty was stuck in the ice at Duke’s Lock, and then he had to go north to reload his boat. So everyone was glad to get his text message the other day. Squirrels are searching out their...
Anali's Blogs
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Leap: To spring free from the ground into the air from one foot to the other. A light self-propelled movement upwards or forwards. A sudden and decisive increase. A photography blog born on Leap Day 2008....
A Proud Daddy's Girl who's made peace with her Mama, too! Embracing Life & Inviting U to share GREAT Luv stories ... that the media "misses";-)...
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Midlife Crisis Queen: It's never too late to find out who you might have been!
Does Fosamax cause femur fractures?
Here’s more about this recent controversy....
Will I ever feel passionate about my life again?
Often I am inspired by my coaching clients to write a post. Today I am thinking of one in particular when I say to you all, don’t ever give up on finding your passion and re-igniting that spark in your life! Life can most certainly take it’s toll on our mind,...
A Special Springtime Boomers Blog Carnival!
Spring will be back soon! It’s almost time for carnivale in Rio, New Orleans and Venice! Let’s celebrate with a blog carnival especially created for the elite among us….the BABY BOOMERS! Wes over at LifeTwo.com presents what marriage and family counselor Jed Diamond tells clients who want to know how to prevent an...
Generosity to all but our own…
Since the earthquake there, the American people have contributed at least one billion dollars worth of aid to Haiti. That is an amazing show of generosity to those with great and immediate needs. I think it’s wonderful when those who have, help those who are in dire need, and can...
Don’t miss this great “Bucket List” essay!
Are you all working on your “bucket list”? Well, Charlene Anderson sure is! Go read her great midlife essay over at the Boomer Cafe today. There she shares with you her own experience with pursuing her long-held dream to learn how to play the violin. I LOVE her conclusion: “The violin has taught...
Do you plan to move when you retire?
There’s an interesting report over at the Boomer Cafe today by Tom Brokaw on younger boomers and their apparent increasing willingness to move greater distances than previous generations during their retirement years. A 2009 AARP research project found that “only 79 percent of Baby Boomers want to stay in their current...
MenopauseMafia
It’s that time of the year—the official week to review your life— to be pissed about your dress size and vow to do something about it. I understand where you are coming from, I’m there too, but this year I’m going to do something a little different with my conclusions...
It’s Christmas time and during this month inevitably you will be invited to party after party, and some of them will be last minute. I cannot tell you how many times Captain Wentworth has dropped the “Darling, the Jones’s have invited us over for a drop of port tonight and I...
This is so fundamentally wrong! I love it! I know you guys love these books, but I just can’t take it seriously. Bad writing, weak characters and an overall plot that makes me want to beat someone about the head and neck with a baseball bat. The baseball bat they used...
How to make it through Thanksgiving!
My standard MO on any given holiday is to start drinking before my family arrives. I continue to drink while cooking and throughout dinner. This makes it much easier to tolerate the drama queens, pervy uncles, my mother’s boyfriend (Du Jour) and the gaggle of screaming children. So, in the...
You know it’s been a bad week when these are going through your head: Alone it’s a weapon but with a mitt and ball it’s a baseball bat, so be smart when you premeditate! Is is considered going postal if you don’t work at the post office or is there another term? The...
I recently heard a young friend of mine say something that I found disturbing. She was talking about who she wanted to date and stated “I’m only dating white boys from now on, they treat you better.” This of course freaked me out because I couldn’t see the correlation between...
Baby Boomer Going Like Sixty
Sunday Stealing: Merged Meme With Some Very Good Questions and Really Crappy Answers
The first eight questions were ripped from a blogger named Ian from the blog Team Ian 4ever. He does not say where he ripped this off. Questions 9 through 20 were stolen from Terence from the blog Long Ago and Not True Anyway. He states that he grabbed it from...
James Sikes, Corvette Owner, Can’t Handle Runaway Prius?
When I first saw the video of the SoCal Runaway- aka James Sikes’ Prius – I smelled a rat and told Nancy that something just wasn’t connecting with this guy’s story. My skeptic’s curse sometimes is a real blessing. It’s slowly coming out that James Sikes might have an angle. Wait! A...
If Life Hands You Lemons, Steal an Award
Allie gave me an award. Of course, she really didn’t because she is totally irresponsible and would never think of giving me an award. So I just took it. You should too. But only if you get shit done. Otherwise, she has another award that you should take. You might like these too...1998 Schmoozer AwardFurther...
My Weakness for Domain Names. It’sAllAbout.me
Montenegro is a new country, formed in 2006, declaring their independence from the former Yugoslavia. Their entire domestic gross national product is wrapped up in the Top Level Domain extension .me Most domain names end in .com or .net or .org…other countries have their own Top Level Domains. Canada is .ca Ireland is...
Be Careful When You Hire A Woman Who Hasn’t Worked in 20 Years
Nancy is a whiz on the keyboard. Actually faster in high school on the manual typewriter than she was the electric. We surmise it was because she kept hesitating when the electric would automatically return the carriage. I bet there were times her hand waved over the top of the...
Midlife's A Trip
A New Direction on My Midlife Trip
This is my last post here on Midlife’s A Trip. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been blogging here for several years now. Funny – when I started I was so green, a real “newbie” as they say online. But as I look back, I realize that not only did I...
50 Plus Woman Does a Disco Christmas
If you’re 50-something like me, you probably remember disco dancing. When I hear that music it brings back fun memories of my younger days. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to create this crazy disco, celebrate the holidays, celebrate my fifties video. I hope you enjoy it and the...
What Would I Do Without Sisters?
The story below was posted today on Facebook by “Irma” and it’s just the amazing kind of woman’s wisdom I like to share here on Midlife’s A Trip. Let me know how it resonates with you: “A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea...
Do you feel like you are the proverbial “fork in the road” these days – vulnerable, uncertain and not sure which way to turn next? With the current economic situation still so volatile, many people around the country are just plain afraid about the future and wondering: “Will I be...
As I continue on my path to green up my little piece of the planet as much as possible, I’ve made a firm commitment to bring my own bags when I go shopping – anywhere. I don’t need another plastic or paper bag in the house. And frankly, lots of...
Journalists: The New Endangered Species
Do you get news online these days or do you still read the newspaper? You know – that crinkly stuff with the black ink that rubs off on your fingers before you toss it in the trash like yesterday’s news. Oops – that’s exactly what it is. And that’s how...
Good & Plenty - Candelaria Silva's Blog
Is it so hard to spit out watermelon, grape or orange seeds? Is it really that difficult to make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich for your child or, better yet, teach them how to make one themselves?What’s so tough about rinsing and tearing lettuce to make your own salad?And...
Reading labels will make you rethink what you eat - including chocolate
Oh, oh, I've been reading labels again. Having read several places that dark chocolate in small amounts is good for our health because of the antioxidants it contains, I decided to get acquainted with chocolate bars in my quest to be a healthy eater. Like I do for all purchased foods...
Take Action for Boston Public Libraries
There are huge cuts proposed for the Boston Public Libraries at a time when the visits and usage of libraries has increased. You can take action! Go to http://www.bpl.org/general/budget/ Look at the budgets and the proposals to deal with the budget shortfalls, including closing several branches. The website allows you to leave...
In the past few weeks, I have found myself tossing empty spice containers into the dishpan for washing (to then be recycled). It struck me that for many years I rarely tossed out a spice container because I didn’t use most of them (other than garlic powder, pepper and salt). My...
Getting Brenda Told: frugality does not create wealth
While in a meeting today for one of my consulting projects, a very brief discussion came up about frugality and wealth. One of the people in the meeting said, "That's why they're rich, their frugal." Not, I thought. And then, I actually said, "People don't get rich because they are...
My friend, Jim, on his blog, Wrinkled Man, wrote the following short poem/thought on 2.05.2010: Love without money only goes so far. Money without love goes bad.It seems an appropriate poem to start this piece on affordable red-themed gifts for Valentine’s Day. I got to thinking about Valentine’s Day gifts because of the...
The New Old Age
A primer on choosing an assisted living facility....
New Federal Subsidies for Drug Purchases
More low-income Medicare recipients now qualify for federal assistance for prescription drug purchases....
Government agencies have long warned of the hazards of bed rails, but they are still used in many nursing homes....
Voluntary End-of-Life Measures Banned at Catholic Hospitals
A new directive may thwart advance directives regarding end-of-life care at Catholic-run hospitals and nursing homes....
Will Boomers Be Any Different?
Will baby boomers approach old age as their parents have?...
A new book tells the story of a family coming to terms with assisted suicide....
RetirementRevised
At HuffPo: Booting Part D insurer a good start
The Federal government ejected a big insurance company from the Medicare prescription drug program this week–an unprecedented move and a shot in the arm for health care reform advocates. My question: Why stop there? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said it booted New York-based Fox Insurance after it...
Chris Farrell sees a new frugality emerging for retirement
Chris Farrell is an optimist, so when he talks about the Great Recession he looks for the silver lining. The economics editor for public radio’s Marketplace Money, Farrell thinks the recession is ushering in some very healthy changes in our consumer behavior and personal financial habits. The debt-and-consumption driven 1990s are...
Brightscope shines a new light on 401(k) fees
No one is immune to the stock market’s ups and downs. But if you participate in United Airlines’ 401(k) plan, you’ve got a better shot at reaching your retirement goals than the workers at American Airlines. Programmers at Google have better odds than the cashiers at Whole Foods or Wal-Mart....
Medigap coverage is changing this year
Reprinted by permission of ElderLawAnswers Several changes are coming to Medigap plans, which supplement Medicare’s coverage. In June 2010, four current plans will be dropped and two new plans will be added, bringing the total number of available Medigap plans to 10. Between co-payments, deductibles, and coverage exclusions Medicare does not...
Encore.org offers free career seminar
Encore.org is offering a free telebriefing on encore careers this coming week, featuring experts who will offer tips on how to find an encore career that offers continued income doing work that offers personal fulfillment and social impact. The 45-minute call will take place on Wednesday, March 3, at 3:00 p.m....
Is a Roth conversion right for you?
2010 is the year of the Roth IRA conversion. But is a Roth right for you? A change in federal law has eliminated income limits for eligibility to convert traditional tax-deferred retirement savings to Roths. As a result, mutual funds and financial advisers are marketing conversions this year with gusto. Unlike a...
A Boomer in the Pew
Bible in a Year: Chosen by God as a Treasured Possession
I particularly loved this: "The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession..." I think I am going to stop right there, and dwell on these words throughout the day....
Bible in a Year: Moses Exhorts the Chosen at the Banks of the Jordan
We are witnessing the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. These chosen ones all came from Abraham's seed. Our task is to understand the infinite beauty of being chosen by God. Can there be any greater privilege?...
Bible in a Year: Moses Begins His Great Sermon to the People of Israel
The book of Deuteronomy is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It is essentially a series of sermons, and a restating of the Law by Moses to the people of Israel before they enter into their Promised Land....
In my mind, I try to image a million Israelites camped to the right of the river, set to make the city of Jericho their first confrontation. Before considering where we are going, I thought it important that we take a bird's eye view of where we have traveled...
Bible in a Year: Borders of the Promised Land Defined
The book of Deuteronomy stands before our view of Israel's entry of the Promised Land. Think of Mel Gibson, as William Wallace, riding his horse before the troops and giving them his famous speech before they attack their oppressors. That is exactly Moses and the book of Deuteronomy....
Bible in a Year: Coming to Grips With God's Righteous Vengeance
In coming chapters, we are going to see God utterly destroy whole civilizations, and we must make our first desire to understand God's character, rather than succumbing to our temptationto wag our self-righteous fingers in his face....
BeverlyM's Blogs
Divas in the D.A.R.K. (Diva Acts of Random Kindness)
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Favorite Baby Boomer Songs...
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Midlife Slices™
Good Things Come To Those Who Procrastinate
I knew if I waited long enough, my sister would post about our most recent ordeal. Tah dah! You can read about it here but then come back because I’ve got a little bit to add. *drumming fingers on the table* x x Back already? Wow, you’re a speed reader for sure....
It’s been so long since I’ve visited my own blog that even after reading the title of my last post, I had no clue what I’d written about. X I have an excuse. X I’ve been waiting on my sister to thaw out and write about the whole ordeal but she’s probably waiting on...
Boxers or Briefs, Mattress Dancing and Birthday Confusion
Exploding underwear! If I hear another word about exploding underwear, my head might explode. At least I didn’t say my underwear might explode. The other night HBL and I are trying out our new damn bed by watching a little television. The 10 p.m. news came on and all they...
I have a confession to make. I like to watch television and I’m easily hooked on a show even when it’s garbage. Hoarders is garbage. Literally. It’s like watching a train wreck and I can’t take my eyes off the screen nor turn it off or switch to another channel. ...
Life of Privilege posted a meme that I really liked and so I decided to steal it for myself so I could share 10 things that make me happy, with all of you. For the record, my husband, my children, grandchildren, family and great friends are and will always be...
Granny Sue's News and Reviews
Just for Fun: How many words can you make from March?
Someone landed on my blog by googling this very question, so now I'm curious too.Just how many words can you make from the letters in the word "March?" There can't be very many.Contest time to lighten up this rainy day! See how many words you can make from March and...
As I drove down our road this morning, I realized that I was seeing things again--spiderwebs in the heads of dried Queen Anne's Lace that lined the road, the slant of early morning sun through fog and trees, a rabbit hiding beneath a bush. I almost stopped to pull out...
While sorting through some old books, I found the following line on a worn bookmark:'Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.' J. M. BarrieInside the same book was a greeting card from 1978 with this poem:The beautiful in life...some talk of it in...
Photos from last year's gardens: grapes just setting on...roses and lamb's ears... tomatoes in bloom...gardens burgeoning...hills alive with sun and green... iris and weigela scenting the airand clematis sweetly climbing... herb garden overflowing...It will be here sooner than we think. And we'll be weeding, mowing, cutting, staking, planting so...
(No, the house isn't leaning backwards, the garden actually sloped downhill but the crazy woman holding the camera leveled the garden and tilted the house)Plowing the gardens reminded me of this photo, taken in late spring 1976. We moved to our land in August 1976, after almost a year...
Question: How can you tell Spring is coming?Answer: the lettuce bed is smoking! Larry burned the bed off Friday so when I came home there was little to see but the smoky remains of the brushpile. Burning the bed helps in several ways: it kills off weed seeds, warms the...
Average Jane
Average Jane Fails at Book Club
Right now I'm in three different book clubs, but I don't always attend all of the meetings. However, I saw last week that one was coming up on Sunday the 7th, so I glanced at the e-mail thread, procured the......
Velcro 1992 - 2010 She had a great day on Saturday. I took her to the vet to have her electrolyte balance checked and the vet even commented that she seemed to be doing surprisingly well. I had no plans......
Evil Dead The Musical was every bit as wonderful as I'd hoped. The Kansas City production was pretty homegrown (lots of the cast members listed shows at Worlds of Fun in their resumes), but it seemed fitting considering that the......
I'm writing today to demonstrate that there's more to my existence than cats. But if you're interested in how Velcro is doing, I can tell you that she does seem to be improving daily. So what else do I have......
This is mostly derived from my Facebook post on the same subject, but in case you were curious and you're not my Facebook friend for some reason (not that you couldn't be if you'd like to ask), here's what's up......
Average Jane's Poor Old Kitteh
I wondered why Velcro wasn't on her usual kitchen counter perch begging for food when I woke up this morning. I went upstairs to check my e-mail, read some blog feeds and play with Trillian and Dr. Jones until it......
Fiftyshift -
I love my students because they keep me kept up. A hat tip to Justin Gagnon, who passed along this very funny blog post from andiamnotlying.com about a list found on the floor of a third grade charter school classroom in Washington DC that details the 90 kinds of bitches. read...
Workshop for writers in Western Mass.
Want to learn more about writing as a career? Bay Path College in Longmeadow, Mass., will host its first writers day on April 17. This workshop sounds like a great opportunity if you are new to writing, or if you are looking for tips on how to get your work out...
Knitters' Mecca: A visit to WEBS of Northampton
By Jessica Carmichael read more...
I'm unplugging now. Or at least I'm trying.
Big topic of discussion lately: people turning off their Facebook accounts so they can get some work done. Need help disciplining your online time? Try this Firefox Add-on called LeechBlock, which shuts you off when you need it to. But before you log off, read Jackie's take. (And, if you like it,...
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Managing a midlife career with LinkedIn
If you haven't been on LinkedIn lately, you should really take a look at the new features on this professional social networking platform. (I'm posting about it here with links to some super posts over at CIO magazine.) LinkedIn is a professional Facebook, with job listings, forums and user groups that...
Boomer Diva Nation
Meet Featured Diva Livvie Matthews
What goals did you set for 2010? 1. “Take Action” is my theme for the year. A person can have all the knowledge but if we don’t “take action” and share that information with others, what benefit is the knowledge? 2. To develop credibility and become a thought leader in the...
Meet Featured Diva Sharon McMillian
What goals did you set for 2010? To successfully launch my brand new business for women like myself who have little time but life experience, energy, and interest in running an online business. My new company is a service offering affordable on-demand, 24-hour access to marketing and online business management...
Meet Featured Diva Sophie Zollmann
What goals did you set for 2010? Focus on growing my business to bring in more money and have more time for me. Take time for me and self-care as often as needed. Find a way to provide the services I don’t know. Are you carrying over any New Years...
Times Are Changing But Are You
Special Guest Post by: Edie Raether In this rapidly changing economic, political and social environment, you have a choice. You can “hold on” for dear life to what once was and will never return as we have known it, or you can grab onto the one thing that you...
Branding Your Business with Promotional Products
Guest Post by: Jennifer Lee Branding is one of the most important aspects for any business as it provides you with a winning edge against your competitors. Not only does a personal brand help you to stand out from the rest, it can also increase the loyal customer base of your business. Delivering...
5 Tips To Make Customers Come To You
1. Determine who your customers are and what their needs and wants are. Know how your product or service can satisfy that need or want. 2. Make sure you select the proper medium to carry out your message and choose the proper location within that medium. 3. Direct your message to where...