Women of a certain age.

theolllady
theollady, I think you would like New Mexico. There seems to be an increasing trek to Albuquerque by A2Kers. Dys, Diane and I love it seeing them. Osso Buco and Pacco will soon join us.

Osso lives in Redwood country so we in Albuquerque have received an unusually high amount of rain in the Spring to green things up for her.

The JillyBean and her parents were here for a few days last week. We adore them and encourage their dream of moving from Austin to Albuquerque, where Shewolf's mom lives not far from us.

BBB

Clary, Colorado was devastated last year by forest fires. This past winter was one of the wettest in many years, so that should help.

There is a big danger of having so many reservists in the war because of the lack of fire fighters for the inevitable summer fires. There are such huge areas of empty land that is filled with trees, that fires are always hard to keep under control. Add to that dry climate, lightening strikes, strong winds and the ocassional idiot camper, forest fires are a certainty.

Sorry he was so negative about this beautiful country. It does take some getting used to if you are from a place that has plenty of rain and lots of greenery. For me, those lovely, green places with lots of trees and rolling hills, eventually make me feel claustrophbic. Nice to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there--goes for people from anywhere, regarding what they are familiar with.

De gustibus non disputandum, Diane! I like desert scenery, but have never lived with it. NZ is so green and fertile, he probably misses it.
Green Devon is beautiful just now but almost too cultivated, every square inch known, mapped, written about, and farmed for the last 1200 years.

I'm back here in north north, by a few hours.

On disasters, I am from LA, home of fire and mud and earthshakes and floods. I'm quite used to the short and long terms of disaster.

My disaster is certainly apt to be financial before environmental, due to the state of my precarious finances.

I closed a few loose ends on this trip (saw my accountant, who, bless him, laughed.)

Deadlines will only make me irritable, Clary, and irritability from myself just throws me off my feed. At this point I tapdance to my own time. What lies before me is pretty tricky to handle with a lot of objects, a lot of tasks, and low monies.

The difference is that as of this week I don't have a work week in the way.
I don't really need nagging re some date.

Not to sound crabby, that last sentence, but just to explain.

I am sort of an odd soul in that I have had a life - at least for the first half - of people telling me a lot of things, and me keeping my own counsel. I've always liked to control my own, er, matrix of possibilities - at least understand it - before I listen to "why the hell don't you just....".

I've loosened up a bit, in the second half, but I tend to talk about things slightly after I have clued into my own mind; I need to do that to be coherent. Thus... since I am sorta slow... I tend to wait a bit before I give in to my natural impulsivity.

osso, I was just gonna tell you....

"Why the hell don't you just....!" Nah, not I. For I feel very much like you these days when it comes to that natural impulsivity. I didn't realize just how much until I read your words though.

I did though, grab those bulls by the horns and make my own move from Santa Rosa to Oklahoma City. Before that "risky" venture, I cannot even begin to tell you when I actually stepped out of my own comfort zone, as boring and tedious as it was, I endured it for years.

You'll know when it just feels right. In spite of all the extenuating circumstances, if the move is truly what you want, it will happen.

Lady J, you and I have to meet and talk one of these days in the not too far distant future. Santa Rosa, cheese, that is where my dad was born...

but that is playing maudlin strings on my part. That was long ago. Just - though - a note to be followed up if we ever have an afternoon of talking.

Hey, join the club of NOT listening to people being terribly helpful and telling you what to do. Trouble is, you post a problem and people feel it needs fixing. Just listening, here! (Stopped posting problems, me!)

One of the difficulties of associating with witty, charming, highly competent people is that they tend to try to organize other witty, charming, highly competent people.

Yesterday Mr. Noddy was close to death as he leaned over the Dutch door and advised me how to accomplish my mulching project.

One of the reasons my daughter-in-law is so wonderful in times of family crisis is that she doesn't mind other people trying to organize her.

One of the pleasures of advancing years is that a Good Woman and True Lady can smile sweetly and coo, "I'm going to do it My Way."

Osso--

Stick to your guns. Hold your dominion.

Noddy, the epitome of a Good Woman and True Lady and a woman who holds her dominion. Doesn't get much better than that.

Advice givers can be incredibly irritating. Since I've grown into cronehood, I come right out and tell people like that that I can't do anything until I've had time to think it through by myself. Rude, maybe, but it is a lifesaving trait in the long run.

I reread this and see it sounds like I'm telling Clary not to ask me the date. Well, slightly, in a general way, but I was really referring to the bath of questions I've been getting in my California life this past couple of weeks.

Osso keeps tap dancing. Maybe tonight I'll go to the basement and give a stern overview to all those old landarch plans.... perhaps with a cold glass of something to foster my cleaning out spirit.

This came to me in an email from my sister. I thought I would share it here....


'I Hope You Dance... '

This was written by an 83-year-old woman to her friend. *The last line says it all. *

Dear Bertha,

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now

I'm not sure what others would've done had they known they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever their favorite food was.

I'm guessing; I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special.

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

If you received this, it is because someone cares for you. If you're too busy to take the few minutes that it takes right now to forward this, would it be the first time you didn't do the little thing that would make a difference in your relationships? I can tell you it certainly won't be the last.

Take a few minutes to send this to a few people you care about, just to let them know that you're thinking of them.

"People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there."

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Are you Dancing????

We need this thread again.

:-)

Right shewolf, there is so much for women to look forward to; but it is just as important to enjoy and experience each phase of our lives.

This is one of my favorite sayings about women...

"LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE WITH
THE INTENTION OF ARRIVING SAFELY IN A
PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED BODY....
BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SKID IN BROADSIDE,
THOROUGHLY USED UP,
TOTALLY WORN OUT, AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMING:
WOW.... WHAT A RIDE !!!"

Women of all ages have a special, almost psychic connection that can be counted on to acknowledge our feelings, support our decisions and honestly care about what happens to each other. It is something I have found to be one of the most important characteristics of my relationships with women. Love to all my women friends.

I have noticed in the last handfull of years that I prefer the company of older women.

Most , if not all of my newer friends are at least 10 years older then me.

I know that is because I want what they have...

that complete inner peace that only comes with age.
I admire that in women, and cant wait until that life gift comes to me.

shewolf


Most of my really close women friends were older than me. The downside is that we grew older, I've lost almost all of my dear friends. Several to breast cancer or other illnesses.

It's hard to be one of the last women standing among my circle of friends.

BBB

Girls, this thread is gold, pure gold.

My favorite thread on a2k bar none, please don't let it die.

bm

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