You’ve Got to Move It!

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Yesterday I was listening to GRUFFtalk, one of my favorite podcasts. It’s for those who want to age well and I’m certainly in that group.


Barbara Hannah Grufferman is the host of this great podcast. I love the topics she covers and the guests she has on her show.

Yesterday’s guest was 102 year old Gladys McGarey who is the mother of holistic medicine.

I love how she believes the same things I’ve come to believe in regarding aging.

You need to move your body. You can’t bank energy like vacation days. If you’re moving, your body will think you can move. The same is true if you don’t move. Your body will think you can’t. Dr. Glady’s new book came out yesterday, and I can’t wait to read it! I want to live until at least age 102 and, after listening to this podcast, I’m certain this book is loaded with more awesome information.

I have talked about the book Younger Next Year for Women before and I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s such a smart book and I wish I had written it!

In this book, author Chris Crowley talks about how once we’re 60 and beyond, we need to workout like it’s our job. We are swimming upstream against aging and in order to stay off the rocks, we need to exercise six days a week for the rest of your life. They have seven rules to live by to age well and exercise is rule number one.

Dr. Issac Newton said that “a body in motion remains in motion” and Dr. Gladys emphasizes this fact. If your body is in motion it will stay that way. I have believed this myself and I haven’t altered how I work out over the years. I continue to try new things because I find I go through phases of loving different ways of exercising.

Right now, I’m in my dancing and kettlebell phase but I have an ultra marathon (100 mile race) and the Senior Olympics on my horizon. Mainly because I’ve never done them.

I encourage you to move today! You don’t need to start by climbing a mountain or running a marathon. Just get out and walk in nature. it’s great for your body and great for your soul.

10 Months Sober!

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I haven’t had a drink in 10 months and no one is more impressed by that than I am.

I didn’t always drink. I would have a drink here and there to celebrate or when out to dinner but I never started drinking to relieve stress until we moved to Ghana.

Trying to get used to living in a country so different from ours was difficult for me. In addition to the general situation, we brought our little puppy, Frankie, along with us. He was a handful. And I’m being nice.

Every day, David would go off to work. I didn’t know anyone and would be stuck in the house with Frankie. It all seemed too much and suddenly, a nice refreshing Gin and Tonic seemed like a really great idea. After a couple, I could nap the afternoon away until David came home and we could go out and grab dinner. And Club beer.

When we started traveling overseas, checking out the local beers became a thing that David and I loved to do. i remember the first time was in Amsterdam. I loved how the city was set up and that on practically each corner you’d find a bakery, a cheese shop, a chocolate shop, and beer. Tables with umbrellas dotted the intersections. Heineken was the beer we’d drink there.

Eventually, we made a Top 5 list of our favorite beers:

  1. Club Beer – Accra, Ghana
  2. Belekin Beer – Belize City, Belize
  3. Fiji Gold – Suva City, Fiji
  4. Tiger Beer – Singapore
  5. Red Stripe – Strawberry Hill, Jamaica

After we returned from Ghana, I continued to enjoy beers with David almost every place we went but I wasn’t stress drinking until I became a REALTOR. As the real estate market got crazier and the deals got harder, I started drinking. Sometimes every day.

I hated that. My dad and grandpa were alcoholics. I could see that drinking out of stress was a slippery slope. I would beg God to help me stop drinking. I’d wake up with fresh resolve and then, at the end of the day, give in and drink. The more I couldn’t stop, the more I hated myself. I pleaded with God to please help me stop.

On July 2, 2022, we went out to dinner with a couple who were some of my very favorite clients. It had been a tough day. I was so looking forward to visiting with them and just relaxing. I proceeded to drink my face off. I HATED myself the next morning. I was so embarrassed.

David said I wasn’t obnoxious but I couldn’t get past the fact that I drank way more than I should have. I was so mortified and that was the last time I drank. God did a miracle and I haven’t even wanted to drink since then.

I could not have done it without Him. He is still in the miracle business and I’m so glad to have experienced one.

I fondly think of drinking beer on a street corner, with David, in another country but I don’t ever have a taste for alcohol and I’m glad. God is good. Thank you, Jesus!

Classic Ms Crawdad Days 2023!

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This past Saturday, I competed for the title of Classic Ms Crawdad Days. And I won!

I was SO excited. I did my first pageant in 1998 and, while I’ve had a lot of at-large titles, I’ve never won a pageant and had the crown placed on my head on stage.

It was awesome! But it went so fast. As soon as I digested the fact that they called my name, the lady beside me through a hug on me so big and so hard I almost fell off my heels. It was great. And a little te3rrifying.

The day was long. I didn’t need to be there for so long but I didn’t know that. In the end, I’m glad I was because I got to visit with the other contestants in my division and they are some pretty special women. To me, that’s been the very best part of pageantry and I’m still friends with girls I competed with in my first pageant.

What I was hoping to achieve at this pageant was to just have a good experience. To have fun and meet new friends. Last year, I competed in a pageant that wasn’t like that. It left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn’t want my last pageant experience to be a bad one. Because, after that weekend, I was never going to compete again. Last year, I was so stressed from work which compounded the bad feelings I took away from the weekend.

This time, I did things easy. I did my own hair and makeup. I love, love, love Jill and her talents are way up there but I didn’t want to bring her away from her business for the entire day. I thought I’d try it on my own for once. Boy did I miss her when it came time for the eyelashes! I did my own pedicure.

I did my own nails. You know, I got a package of glue on Nails for $6 at Walmart and they look fabulous! I did have to have David help me with the second hand after I stuck a finger to the other nail. But it took us about five minutes with no noxious fumes. And, if I can get them off (LOL) I’m hoping my nails aren’t destroyed for three months like they would be if I had gotten a gel manicure.

I did not diet. LOL! I’ve been trying to keep our food intake on the healthy side but, for the first time in my life, I do NOT want to be pageant skinny. I do not want to be a frail old lady who gets taken out when she falls and breaks a hip. I’m sturdy. It’s who I am. I’m going to start owning it.

The pageant was extremely well run. There were over 130 contestants from babies up to me. I was the oldest contestant in the pageant. It moved along smoothly and, while it seemed to take forever for our group to be on the stage, there were no holdups.

I am excited to hold the title and to reign, along with the other nine titleholders at the Crawdad Days Festival May 19-21. I hope to see you there!

Book Review: Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan

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Suresh and Lata were married for 30 years. They had met through an arranged marriage, and they had raised two children together. But over the years, they had grown apart. Suresh felt like Lata was no longer interested in him, and Lata felt like Suresh was taking her for granted.

Finally, they decided to get a divorce. The divorce left both of them feeling lonely and lost. Suresh was especially upset, because he had always thought that their marriage was strong.

Suresh and Lata are trying to navigate the modern American dating scene. It’s not easy for them, because they are still very much influenced by the Indian culture in which they were raised.

Meanwhile, their children are also facing their own challenges. Their daughter is having an affair with a married man, and their son’s girlfriend had a baby and they aren’t married. Neither of them feel they can tell their parents the truth about these situations.

It’s a difficult time for everyone involved, but Suresh and Lata are determined to find happiness. They know that it won’t be easy, but they are hopeful that they can find love again.

I enjoyed this book and loved the characters. I laughed in some places and felt sad in others. I highly recommend this book.

Book Review: Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu

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I really enjoyed this book and I was cheering for Soila through the whole book.

Soila is a girl from Kenya who comes to America to go to college. Her family is fairly well off in Kenya and the “big job” is everything to her mother. The trouble with that is that Soila falls in love with New York City. She falls in love with New York City and wants to photograph it professionally.

I loved watching Soila’s character grow and change. There are some topical issues that were interesting to read about.

Great book. I highly recommend it!

Face to Face Friday!

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The photo on the right popped up in my phone memories the other day. I remember that day. I was excited because I was able to wear a smaller size dress for my company photos. I was 10 days past completing the #75HardChallenge and had lost a bunch of weight.

The photo on the left was taken this week. I checked my weight log (yes I do that 🙈 although I don’t let the number on the scale control me anymore) and I weighed 1 pound more on the right than on the left.

Shocking, no?

Although I had refrained from drinking during #75Hard, as soon as the challenge was over, I rewarded myself with wine. Maybe a whole bottle. Clearly, it went right to my face.

The face on the right is the face of a deeply miserable alcohol drinker.

The face on the left is the face of a happy, well rested, non-drinker. It’s been 257 days since I had alcohol. Go, God!

Not drinking helped me get my happy back. It helped me sleep better, it allowed me to hope again.

I’m glad that photo popped up. It’s good to be reminded how far we’ve come even if it’s shocking!

Book Review: Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison

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I got an early copy of Hotel Laguna and I couldn’t put it down!

Nicola Harrison, one of my very favorite authors, always nails the balance of historical detail and page-turning plot, and this book is no exception. The characters are so well-developed and you can’t help but root for them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, or just a good story.

Book Review: Places We’ve Never Been by Kasie West

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Norah and Skyler were best friends, but they drifted apart when Skyler’s family moved away. Four years later, their moms surprise them with a road trip across the western United States. Norah is excited to reconnect with Skyler, but he seems distant and unfriendly. It turns out that Skyler is dealing with some personal issues, but with the help of Norah and his family, he starts to open up. Along the way, Norah and Skyler also rekindle their friendship and maybe even something more.

Places We’ve Never Been is a sweet and heartwarming story about friendship, family, and first love. It’s the perfect book for fans of Kasie West and anyone who loves a good summer road trip. I really enjoy Kasie West’s writing!

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent – Book Review

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I just finished Ann Jacobus’s second book, The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent, and I’d give it more than five stars if I could.

Author: Ann Jacobus

The topic matter is tough – suicide, alcoholism, cancer, death – but I truly love the way Ann writes and that kept me going until I was well and truly hooked.

Del is 18 and lives with her Aunt Fran in San Francisco. I’m glad I’ve been to San Francisco because I could picture every scene so easily. If you haven’t visited, it won’t matter because you will be able to see it clearly with your mind’s eye as you read.

As a recovering alcoholic who has attempted suicide, Del is trying to get her life on track, volunteering at the suicide prevention hotline, and preparing to enter college. Del’s mom has completed suicide and her dad has been moving around the world with his work. Del lived with him for awhile in London but it’s gloomy weather didn’t help her mental health challenges which is how she came to live with her aunt.

There’s a boy she likes who doesn’t appear to feel the same and then her aunt has a recurrence of cancer. Del tries to hold it together and it’s a struggle. You will love how she keeps trying even though it doesn’t go perfectly. You will be rooting for her. The poems in the book that were written by Aunt Fran add to how talented this author is.

I sat with my own mom in her finally month and I have never really been able to verbalize how incredibly hard but amazing the experience was. You will find that explained well in this book.

This book is really great and I can’t recommend it more. I’m super excited to see what this author writes next.

Oh My Aching Back!

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My back is sooo sore. Am I the victim of a new year/new me exercise program? I am not. I am a victim of my weighted blanket.

I’ve been sleeping with a 20 pound weighted blanket for around 2 years now. I wasn’t able to find a twin size so I have a double size. David doesn’t like sleeping under it so I try and keep it on my side of the bed and when I make the bed, it looks all lumpy.

The other day, I had a brilliant idea! I would double the blanket. Surely if 20 pounds is good, 40 would be better. Um, no. Absolutely, positively, no. I woke up yesterday and my hips and back were so sore. I went ahead and worked out which may have been a mistake because I kept getting sorer as the day wore on.

I hate taking pills. We usually have ibuprofen in the house that David will take sometimes when he’s done a heavy task outside. I broke down and started looking for it. There. Is. No. Ibuprofen. In. This. House.

There is, however, a ginormous bottle of Tylenol that is left over from my broken ankle (2018) and mostly full. I’ve taken it twice. I’ve used heat, ice, and stretching. My back is really, really sore.

The first five rules for being able to work out as you age are:

I’m super careful when I’m working out to use proper form and to be cautious when I’m hiking and doing things on an uneven surface. Who knew that a weighted blanket could do me in? My back feels like it did when I popped my SI joint deadlifting. At least my hips don’t hurt as much today.

Although I didn’t just start a workout program as I workout every day, this is really getting in the middle of what I want to do in life and I hate it. This is a big reminder why I want to stay healthy and flexible as I age. I don’t ever want to have to make a decision on which bathroom to use because the wall is closer to me and I can use it to pull myself up. I never want to need help to get out of the couch or off the floor.

I’m going to do these stretches every couple of hours. They really do help. And I’m going to put the weighted blanket away. Weaponized sleeping isn’t for me. LOL!