The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, peace, and goodwill. But for some of us, they can also be a source of stress, anxiety, and frustration. Whether it's the pressure of finding the perfect gifts, the hassle of traveling, the awkwardness of family gatherings, or the unrealistic expectations of social media, the… Continue reading Surviving Holiday Stress: A Guide for the Grinch in All of Us
Category: Empty Nest Life
The Magic of Ordinary Days
I've been in nesting mode. I get this way every year as Indian summer ebbs into fall. My thoughts meander. Maybe my real happy ending is falling in love with the simplest parts of life - savoring that first sip of morning decaf, losing myself in the stillness of an October sunrise, or smelling freshly… Continue reading The Magic of Ordinary Days
Destin 2024: They Joy Between Francine and Helene
Ah, traveling – the art of packing your life into a suitcase and hoping you didn't forget the charger. It's the universal quest for selfies in front of famous landmarks and the relentless pursuit of 'authentic experiences' that look great on Instagram. But what is the best thing about traveling? Is it the food, the… Continue reading Destin 2024: They Joy Between Francine and Helene
Ethical Life Hacks: Wise Advice for Better Relationships and Etiquette
A sage of silliness once proclaimed some wise advice not for fools. Here's some advice from wise women past and present (me), courtesy distilled and curated: Ringing someone's phone off the hook? If they don't answer by the third jingle, they're probably busy saving the world - or taking a really long nap. Stop calling.… Continue reading Ethical Life Hacks: Wise Advice for Better Relationships and Etiquette
Reflective Moments: A Poem of Profound Redemption and Friendship
Author Note: I originally wrote this poem in 2004 for a significant person that was in my life when I was in my early twenties. That relationship fundamentally impacted my life across the spectrum in profound ways. I learned of his passing last year as I was dealing with the beginning of my illness before… Continue reading Reflective Moments: A Poem of Profound Redemption and Friendship
The Crone Redefined: GenX Rebellion Against Aging Stereotypes
Generation X, currently facing empty nest and retirement, is redefining the three stages of womanhood - maiden, mother, and crone. They embrace each phase with resilience and independence, debunking stereotypes and embracing wisdom with a dash of sass. Embracing the term "crone" as a badge of honor, they continue to rock out at concerts and start new ventures, embodying a renaissance spirit.
Choosing Happiness Now: Embracing Life’s Journey
I have been guilty of mentally thinking of life will be better when throughout my life, in some phases more than others. There have been times when it seemed to me that life was about to start - real life. but there was always some obstacle in the way, some thing to be gotten through… Continue reading Choosing Happiness Now: Embracing Life’s Journey
One Year… I’m still here
Our scars can destroy us, even after the physical wounds have healed. But if we survive them, they can transform us. They can give us power to endure and strength to fight. The Batman The subtext of The Batman movie is not dissimilar to the cancer journey. In this case the sadistic killer is cancer.… Continue reading One Year… I’m still here
Milestone Reflection: Battling Breast Cancer and Setting Goals for the Future
Hello friends... Wow, what a year I have had. This past year my milestone age didn't really sink in with all of what that means. I've had a singularity of focus - battling breast cancer. On this last day of this year, I'm feeling like time is catching up with me. Usually when I hit… Continue reading Milestone Reflection: Battling Breast Cancer and Setting Goals for the Future
10 Reasons Why I Love Being Married to My Amazing Husband
I'm having a gratitude moment for my husband. He's my favorite person and partner on our humble road of life together. He's been a rockstar with the challenges we've faced this past year in handling everything in our lives and caring for me so that I only had to focus on getting through cancer treatment… Continue reading 10 Reasons Why I Love Being Married to My Amazing Husband
Curated Lives vs. Authenticity: Rediscovering Happiness in My Unique Story
Here I go again, comparing my life to someone else’s life. How easy it is to get lost in self-flagellation when comparing one’s life with the curated lives we see on social media. How easy it is to get lost in examining what we feel are our failures in those moments, in comparison to someone… Continue reading Curated Lives vs. Authenticity: Rediscovering Happiness in My Unique Story
happy mother’s day, peeps
...A few days late. It's been a taxing time. But I'm still here. I'm recovering from chemo and radiation. I'm three weeks back to work. I'm feeling exhausted, still have neuropathy, and chemo brain is challenging. I know it's going to take time. I hope all is well with all of you. Photo by George… Continue reading happy mother’s day, peeps
Revisiting Northern Exposure
For years I've wanted to re-watch Northern Exposure and finally it's on Amazon Prime Video. I loved that show and would reference it occasionally in conversation, as recent as six months ago. Happy dance it's back!! I finished the re-watch a couple of weeks ago. Through it I was thinking about my experience watching it… Continue reading Revisiting Northern Exposure
Mountain Lion in the Fridge
I read the following in an online support group and it describes this experience pretty accurately (sorry, I don't know who the original author is)... This still makes me cry every time I read it…I’m almost 3 weeks post chemo…but it is SO relatable and describes our journey pretty accurately. CANCER: THE MOUNTAIN LION IN… Continue reading Mountain Lion in the Fridge
Day 171, 10 Days Post Last Chemo, Stay Golden Ponyboy
Day 171 I'm in the mindset that it only gets better from here. I'm in the nadir of my last chemo cycle, so I'm feeling pretty down - exhausted, weak, and have neuropathy and chemo brain. But I feel better days are on the horizon. I just have to get through the next thing, radiation.… Continue reading Day 171, 10 Days Post Last Chemo, Stay Golden Ponyboy
How it feels to have cancer…
There's an unreal-ness to having the diagnosis, even now, nearly six months in, there's a separateness for me like it's not really real. I know it's real but maybe it's more of a lack of acceptance. I just keep doing the next thing but I'm aware of this otherness. It feels like all the beautiful… Continue reading How it feels to have cancer…
Does Anyone Celebrate the 12 Days & the Ephinay anymore?
For most of my life I had no idea that the Christmas carol I had fun memorizing as a child, The 12 Days of Christmas, was based on an ancient feast that ran for twelve days and that it ended with the Epiphany. I knew that the Epiphany was a holy day but not really… Continue reading Does Anyone Celebrate the 12 Days & the Ephinay anymore?
Bloganuary: Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
Daily writing promptDo you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?View all responses The great thing about reaching middle age and being an empty nester as a GenX’er in my mid 50s is that I’m very skilled at occupying myself with play/fun. And the great thing is that in my present life… Continue reading Bloganuary: Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
A New Year Missive
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a wonder time celebrating the end of 2023 and the start of 2024. As we enter a new year, we often make resolutions to improve ourselves and our lives. But sometimes, we also need to think about what to avoid in the new year. Here are some… Continue reading A New Year Missive
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year friends! I'm almost halfway through chemo and I'm looking forward to being on the other side of chemo and radiation hopefully by April. Be safe out there if you're joining the revelries tonight. I wish everyone a most excellent 2024.
Our Humble Road 