Well, that last year whipped by so quickly that it just about gave me whiplash!

It was a tough year. We had some personal health challenges and lost dear, close friends, both of whom were only in their late 40’s and early 50’s. One loss was quite unexpected and left us feeling bereft, reeling from the shock. (more…)

Okay, after acquainting myself painfully with a brick wall a few weeks ago and wallowing in self-pity for a while, I decided it was time to snap out of it. I hate feeling sorry for myself; it’s so boring and tedious – not only for myself but also for everyone who has to put up with me. (more…)

So last week I hit the proverbial brick wall – BAM. I’m still not sure what happened. One minute I felt fine, and the next I felt totally drained and “zoned out”. (more…)

Last week, I went to my hairdresser’s for a long overdue haircut. The first thing my hairdresser did was muss up my hair. The second thing she did was point out a large bald patch on my crown.

“I think you need to see your doctor right away because you may have alopecia”, she said. She went on to explain that alopecia is a condition where some or – in worst cases – all of your hair falls out. It could be due to menopause or stress or many other factors. But the gist of it was that I had that bald patch on my head. Oh joy. (more…)

I was in Boston last week for the Boston Book Festival and I had a lovely time. Books and Boston – my idea of a perfect combination!

Getting there and back, however, was not as much fun. I detest flying at the best of times, and having to drag myself out of bed at 4 in the morning to catch a four+-hour flight to Denver and then change planes for another two+-hour flight escalated my stress level. Even though Hubby had gone with me to Boston, he stayed on for a few days on business so I was on my own. (more…)

Our treadmill arrived last week, and Hubby and I have now settled into a routine. It’s working out very well so far but I still miss my yoga, so I decided to do some research to see if there are any types of yoga I could do that would not adversely affect my eyes.

Really, if I’d taken a bit of time to think about it, the solution would have been obvious. Glaucoma is caused by a dangerous escalation in the internal eye pressure that can often result in blindness if not treated. Research has shown that stress can play a significant part in increasing eye pressure, so it makes absolute sense that any form of exercise that helps to reduce and manage stress is the ideal solution. (more…)

In my last blog, I mentioned my resolution to attain a healthier lifestyle by changing my bad “binging” habits and improving my diet.

I realize, however, that it’s not all about diet when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle – exercise plays a large part too. (more…)

I’ve been on a health kick lately. It all started when I stepped on my bathroom scales a few weeks ago and stared down in horror at the reading – 115 lbs! Okay, maybe that doesn’t sound too bad but I’m just barely over 5’ tall (and that’s if I stretch my neck) and this is the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life. Even though I knew I had not only put on some weight but had also started to develop a tummy “pouch,” to actually see the evidence was shocking.

Something had to be done. (more…)

Many of my family and friends tease me that I’m a kid at heart. I still love reading children’s books and watching Disney movies. When my nieces and nephews were younger, we would have grand adventures together. I used to love playing dress-up with them – I had a whole trunk full of costumes they could choose from. They could be swashbuckling pirates, pretty-in-pink princesses, knights in shining armor, fairies…if I didn’t have the costume, we’d find a way to make it (although, as I recall, the knight was a bit of a challenge and we wasted an awful lot of aluminum foil)! I also had a puppet theatre and some puppets – my nieces and nephews still enjoy reminiscing about the elaborate puppet shows we used to put on…pure magic. (more…)

When it comes to technology, I’ll admit it – I’m a dinosaur.

But even I, reluctant adaptor to change, will admit that the Internet is a marvelous tool – when used properly and responsibly. And therein lies the problem… (more…)