WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR OCTOBER 2025

I counted. I have 72 books piled on top of the bookcases downstairs, then more in my bedroom. So yes I need more bookcases.

Annie in Delaware

Hello, my dears, from the cool dampness of an October morning in the Arkansas River Valley,

Just rambling this morning, nothing earth-shaking:

It was raining when Corey got up, which it often does up here on the hill while remaining dry at the valley floor, down in the big bend of the river where he works. Means I don't have to water today (yay!) to keep things alive for a little longer.

The fig tree has had tons of small figs on it for weeks, with no growth, but apparently likes the current cool nights, warm days, as they're finally getting bigger. Hopefully they'll finish growing before the first frost. It's a weird little tree, and has never really known what season it is since we planted it six years ago.

Not to get all woo-woo on ya, but I don't think I've ever felt this connected to the place I live. I really love watching things grow and fade and come back again in the spring. Egg, as you can see in yesterday's picture, just feels connected to me.

Part of that disconnect for me was knowing, always, that I was going to move again. The longest I ever lived anywhere was ages 6 to 17 in East Texas. Spent eight years in Montana, but that was a whole husband and a century ago - and Corey and I will mark eight years here in this house next July. Such an interesting difference in how your life works when you don't expect to leave.

Got my tests back, and my iron's great, but my thyroid is still slightly off. This doctor is very conservative, so he may well keep me on the current dose and test again in a month or two. We'll see. Ordered my Skyrizi injection this morning, and that dose is two weeks away. This is, on past performance, when things get a little weird. We'll see how we do.

Talked to my son at length yesterday. He's still adjusting to single life, contemplating his next move, which may be to Dallas and may be to Michigan. He's determined to finish out his one-year lease, and is doing well in school, and he sounds good. We are the only connection between him and his sister, and I hate that, but they're grown folks, and need to decide on their own who's important to them.

His agoraphobia is getting better, he says, but he's not seeing anyone for it, as the VA where he is has waiting lists that are six to eight months long. I didn't respond. Anyone who has that kind of issue has to want to get better, and I'm not sure he does. The VA will give him a community care referral for a local doctor of his choice, but he prefers not to. So 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I scrapped the one large project I was doing, didn't like how that was going at all… and got the feathers painted over that I'd painted on the side of the fridge. Second coat still to come. I have this vision of an archeologist digging up this refrigerator someday and marveling at how many layers of paint are on it. When I told Corey I was getting rid of the painting that was on there and putting something else there, he said, "You really hate that refrigerator, don't you!"

He thinks I'm funny.

Well, so do I most of the time. Without a sense of humor, life really IS hard.

Hope you're having a lovely day, however it is that you accomplish it.

Later,
Lisa in AR

Very,very, short night. Packing angst has kicked in. It usually improves once I actually start packing! I'm also suffering my usual post jabs mini flu. It only lasts half a day, but still ..… I am now feeling much better after a nap.

We have French Circle tonight, and I've rebelled against making early dinner. I've offered a wholegrain roll, with nice filling, and we can have more if we are hungry when we get back. I had a good, healthy, lunch. Strawberries for dessert when we get back. I'm just not feeling like cooking. Nor do I want to go out, but I know it's good for me.

Tomorrow we are meeting some old friends at The Regency for lunch. I feel singularly unenthusiastic about everything at the moment. My usual pre-holiday funk. It's at this stage that I decide I never want to go on any holiday, ever again. 🤣😜

Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx

Yes my eldest sister and I are close, but it has been only since 2011 when she divorced from her husband. Before, there was a disconnect, and it would take her awhile in a phone conversation before she would relax and not sound so stilted. Her husband was mentally manipulative, and she wasn't able to be herself. Now, we video chat and cry at each other if we need to😋🙃! She married the best of guys in 2018, after living together since 2011/12. Then he retired, but sadly passed away in 2022 from abdominal surgery. In 2020 they had moved to his childhood home/farm in Oregon. So living in a home seeped in his memory is hard. She didn't get all the time she wanted with him. Her home was built in 1875 which is so cool. So her farm is part of a co-op farming community that grows grass seed, or meadow foam. She isn't in charge of the farm part, just the part that the home sits on. His kids manage the farm part. The last time I was down, the co-op planted sweet corn for the neighborhood farms to just come pick. It was great! I think I had 2 ears nightly. We'd drive down in her gator and pick a couple.💖

zucchini tots are like tater tots made with potatoes into a bite sized fried blob, but its a zucchini mixture.

Rebecca Whidbey Wa

Just a thought- for Christmas, maybe you can find a copy of your dad's favorite dictionary on ebay so he can enjoy it and not worry about it falling apart. Keep the old one in case he prefers that one.

Yes, prices on pattern's are crazy. I remember paying like .79 for patterns but then again, I started buying them WWAAAYYY back when I was in about 6th grade-started sewing in 4th grade.
I have a huge box of patterns- stuck in the far corner of my sewing room- one day I will get that room cleaned up so I can use it again. It is on my to-do list

Dh is at the other house- have a plumber out putting in a full house water shut off valve. A requirement for the new insurance company. The old company wanted so many things done before they would possible renew- not doing that (to the tune of $30,000 for new roof which is less than 10yrs old, new paint, again,less than 10 yrs old, plus a list of other things.). The new company just wants this valve and pictures of a few things that are already there(security system and smoke detectors,etc)

So, I get a second day to myself here at home. Got half my to-do list done yesterday- two big things left-they arent that hard, just procrastinating a lot. Once I get started it should take me half hour or so for each one. Will be great when they are done.

Debbie
Napa Valley, Ca

Melanie- my sisters do not get along either. I am the middle one of us three girls and I am in the middle communication wise with them. I am also the most level headed of the three of us. So much so that in the trust, I am executor and if something happens to me, it doesn't go to either sister, it goes to MY husband-that shocked us when we read it and that was the one written years ago when dad and mom had it written up. She has a new one and still the same

Yes, very thankful mom hasn't gotten pulled over. Lucky for her she lives in a very small town and rarely goes anywhere- in to town three times a week to the church and at most once a week to go get chicken feed

Debbie
Napa Valley,Ca

I've had long conversations with my daughter, my sister, my best friend, my very good friend, and my son since Sunday. I have such amazing people in my life, people who love me and say so. These phone calls make my heart feel so full. My cup truly runneth over… sitting here typing this with my kitty in my lap, in a craft room that is my happy place, in a house I can finally call home.

This week will stay with me.

Oh - and my doctor is raising my thyroid dose again, will test again in December.

I think I'll go find a cheese stick and eat a cracker or two.

Love from Arkansas, where the sun has come out after a cloudy morning…
Lisa in AR

Feeling a lot better this evening now the post-jab lurgy has lifted. John remarked how much faster I was walking to the bus than I used to. Even though my knee was sore, my mobility was OK.

French Circle was interesting, but not riveting. I just like hearing French spoken. I did chat, haltingly, with an acquaintance.

On the way there, the Uber driver was talking about his marriage and the difficulties they faced, being from different branches of the same religion. He is a Coptic Christian from Sudan. The shop I often frequent near me had owners from the same community and I heard their stories and knew them well, especially their daughter. Just a couple of weeks ago it changed hands. So sad. The driver, it turned out, was a regular customer and a neighbour of theirs, but didn't know they had sold the shop. He was shocked! Such a small world!

Came home and had strawberries and cream. Yum.

Love to all, Heather UK xxxxxxxx

Well, it is 1:00 am now, the dishwasher is going, and Rose is snoring and tooting. I took Excedrin migraine after breakfast yesterday and then napped till noon. I played Scrabble on my phone, then decided to pack up my Mikasa glasses. I labeled it and set it in the living room. Then I packed my high school pictures and my mom's pictures. My son didn't cooperate with me on his cap and gown pictures. So, the only one I have of him in it, he looks drunk (he is not a morning person). I found some photos when I cleaned out one side of the hutch, and I also packed up DH's ordination certificate. Then I put the items I am donating at the front door, ready to load them into my car. I am finally letting go of my larger clothes. After my nap, I had energy, so I had lunch and watched my shows while wrapping my glassware and packing. Then I worked out (I haven't done that in a while), and then I cooked baked fish, and put together a salad. I made a Diet Coke cake and portioned it into serving sizes, then placed them in the freezer. Dh was not happy that I packed his stuff up, but I did label the contents of the box. We talked about the books, and we will donate some to the hospital. Most of my day was headache-free. I loved it.

When I was telling you all about how we spent our summers as kids, I said I would be at the pool with my friend Cheryl. Well, I decided to look her up. I found her! She lives in Morro Bay, California. We talked for a while, and it turns out that she is a DJ on a radio station called Coast. She always loved music. She never got married or had kids. She is happy and has traveled to Australia and New Zealand. She says that she loves where she lives. The pictures are beautiful out there. Next, I will call my friend Zaida and catch up with her. That is how I am going to say hello to 60 this month. Baby Suko is currently in Hawaii. As for DH, he got hired by ADT, but it doesn't seem like the right fit. King Koil isn't ready to go on the position until January. So, another company is interested in him and interviewed him yesterday.

Pip, I have something I want to send you for your Yogi corner. Can you DM your address? I promise not to stalk you.😂 I suppose I should send you a friend request first.

Barbie, how is Annie doing? Has she stopped tearing pillows?

Melanie, that sounds like a wonderful and busy Thanksgiving. I remember being so exhausted on all of the holidays. I was the one to make it special. I had to wrap the gifts, buy them, and hide them. I remember one year when I hid in the van for a long time, because while I was getting the gifts, I saw a mean-looking dog. DH called me and asked where I was. I told him about the mean dog. He looked and said to me that it was a deer grazing, not a dog. We laughed so hard. Thanksgiving, I looked awful from cooking all night, and I was exhausted. We had to eat at MIL's, and the kids preferred my cooking, so we ate at home too. Julia's friends would also come to eat.

Tracey, it looks like the time you spent with your mom was priceless. I am so happy for you that you got to go on this trip.

Michelle, if you are still experiencing coughing, you should see your doctor again. Don't let Denise talk to my kids. They will feel cheated. I was mad at my friend for raising her boys to $10.00 a tooth. I gave my kids a $1.00 bill. Grandkids, will not get $100.00 from me. That is wild. I hope they put it away for a college fund and give the baby a $1.00. (Maybe I am cheap)🤷‍♀️

Lisa, I am so glad you got to talk to your Framily and kids. (Friends are the family you choose.)I hope all is well with your daughter dealing with her ex.

Rebecca, how does DS feel about leaving the Navy?

Well, I'd better go to bed since Rose is moaning at me. Talk tomorrow.

XO,

Mo in Mississippi

Hi ,

It has been a crazy week. Productive at home..…productive at work....still way behind on work. SMH.

I learned on Sunday that Lowes has a plant clearance rack! I got 8 large mums for $50! Yes, they needed some TLC, but look great in the beds. I trimmed up iris leaves along with the tip of my finger. Oops. Washed well, antibiotics ointment, and butterfly for a couple more days. DH freaked out. I didn't chop it off just a little trim-lol! All is good.

Last night stopped at while foods to drop off Amazon return. DH waited in truck as I would only be a minute. When I came back out he asked me where the Chips ahoy were. Obviously he has never been in Whole Foods. So last night while doing laundry, I baked him chocolate chip cookies. As I was folding the sheets and things, he said they could wait until tomorrow as I hadnt sat down since we got home. I let him know it would only take about 10 mins and be done. Did he help fold- nope. All done though. Got inside plants brought in yesterday morning, laundry done, sheets changed, cookies baked. It was a cereal night for dinner. His with milk. Mine tossed in yogurt.

I love you ladies!

More to say but work is calling

❤️

Kylia in Ohio

My wishing well project