How To Age GRACE-fully

I have big shoes to fill. Metaphorically, of course.

Have no fear, my feet are fairly normal sized.

My mother, GRACE, aged beautifully.

In her later years, her wide grin and laughter would fill a room with sunshine. 

Her wisdom was etched in each smile and worry line. 

Her arms were amazing. Where mine now look like two birds' wings flapping in the wind, hers were firm and and shapely.

Her legs were even better. Always. At eighteen, or at eighty, they were one of her most attractive features. Betty Grable legs, my dad always said. Mine are kind of knock-kneed, and yes, a little saggy and dimpled. 

She dressed appropriately, comfortably, and impeccably. 

But it's not her physical attributes that contributed to her aging GRACE-fully.

My mom was beautiful on the inside, as well.  Always a life-long learner, she never stopped growing intellectually.  

She was always reading, usually a historical biography  but sometimes a trashy romance novel. She kept her mind, her hands, and her body active with crossword puzzles, book clubs, crocheting, and walking.

She kept adding to her every growing circle of friends.

Her biggest fear in aging, was being a burden to her children. She worried that she would some how become incapacitated in one way or another, and become dependent on someone.

She treasured her independence. 

But I know after my dad passed, she missed a loving companion, and especially the camaraderie of a family.

And her family was the most important thing to her. She fiercely loved her children, sometimes to a fault.

Her extended family, as well. She had beloved grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And nieces and nephews. And cousins. And friends. Lots of friends!

To grow old as GRACE-fully and as lovingly as my mother did, would be one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.

And one that I truly hope I live up to.

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Dear Readers,
I am lucky to belong to an amazing Facebook group called Generation Fabulous, GenFab, or #GenFab, for short. And this week, I'm participating in this group's fifth blog hop on aging gracefully. Please read some of the heartfelt stories that they've shared!

And I'd love to hear your thoughts on aging gracefully in the comment section below!

My Not So Secret Crush on Alex Rodriguez

There were about seven of us girls at a local restaurant to celebrate my birthday, when in walked Alex Rodriguez, otherwise known as A-Rod. 

Yes, THE A-ROD!  The New York Yankees third baseman!

He came over to the table and said he heard it was my birthday and was it okay if he joined us.  He proceeded to explain that my friends had arranged this wonderful birthday surprise for me as they heard he was in town and they knew I was a big fan.  

I was wide-eyed and tongue-tied but Alex was gracious, smiling, witty, and charming. It was my best birthday dinner EVER!

A really bad photoshop of my picture over his former wife's face.
Sad. I know.
But my sister-in-law thought it was real when she saw it on facebook.
Original Source: Newscom

And then I woke up. 

Seriously.  I woke up. I was DREAMING!

Ever since Alex Rodriguez joined the Yankees I have been a big fan.  Much to my real-life husband’s chagrin, I refer to Alex as my “make-believe husband”.  

And I have stuck with him through all the media hoopla. The Madonna kabbalah (who would have thought he’d go for the older ladies-and do I have a chance?) the Cameron Diaz popcorn time, and all the carrying on with the adorable Kate Hudson.  

But if he leaves the Yankees I just might drop him like a hot potato.

Baseball fans are fickle like that you know!

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Dear Readers,
I am lucky to belong to an amazing Facebook group called Generation Fabulous, GenFab, or #GenFab, for short. And this week, I'm participating in this group's fourth blog hop on celebrity crushes. Please read some of the funny stories that they've shared!

And I'd love to hear about your celebrity crush in the comment section below!

Note: This GenFab bloghop was featured in the Huffington Post on 2-12-13. Click HERE to view their summary and slideshow. Yes. That's my Alex and a quote from yours truly on slide 14.

Bald Men Have the Prettiest Wives - or How I Met My Better Half

Dear Readers,
I am lucky to belong to an amazing Facebook group called Generation Fabulous, GenFab, or #GenFab, for short. And this week, I'm participating in this group's second blog hop! Our assignment is to write about how we met our spouse/significant other.
In addition to my post, you really do want to read the rest of the GenFab members' posts, which you’ll find listed at the bottom of this page.

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He was ON THE FLOOR in a BAR when I first spotted him. 

Kneeling.  (You sillies - what were you thinking!!!???)

He was KNEELING on the floor talking with two pretty girls who were sitting at a table in the country-western nightclub that I managed.  His long lanky legs stretched across the aisle that was the main thoroughfare of the club. A few waitresses had to walk around him, and some customers in the dark smoky bar nearly tripped over the long legs that were blocking most of the aisle.

It was my job to tell him to move.  He nodded good naturedly with that 'good ole boy' smile he has.

And then...he ignored my request. THE NERVE!  (Did I mention that the two girls were VERY pretty?)

Argh. IDIOT.  I went back over and told him to move his legs out of the way.  

Again, he smiled and nodded. And again, he brushed me off.

I went back over and told him he had to move. NOW. Or he was out. O*U*T - OUT.  Leave. His choice.

Smart boy.

    

He moved.

He started coming in regularly to listen to the country bands the club featured.  We started talking. He had moved up to CT as a teenager from his native Virginia. He pronounces his home state in a soft slow southern drawl, "Vah-JHIN-yuh."

I kind of liked the way he talked.  Yup. Me, a born and bred New England Swamp Yankee. 

I also kind of liked the way he was a true southern gentleman and never said anything bad about anyone.  And he was funny.  REALLY funny!  Quick witted and always making me laugh. One day, while a group of us were teasing him about the 'bald' head that he hid under his cowboy hat, he countered back that bald men have the prettiest wives.

For some reason I thought about that remark a lot.

Whenever he came in the club I made it a point to sit and talk with him for a while.  We became fast friends. And for some reason I start noticing that the bald men I saw around town actually did have REALLY pretty wives. Go figure.  

Eventually, one of the customers at the club started dating him.  I told her to be good to him and that I thought he was a really nice guy.  A keeper!  I told her not to screw this relationship up.  They go out a couple of times … but it never leads to anything serious.  

He continues to come in and we talk.  One night he asks me if I’d ever like to go out to dinner or something with him. Because I make it a habit not to date customers, I say: "Sure. As friends, right?"

He nods, but never sets a time or place.

A few months go by and some of my friends start saying that they think he likes me and that we should go out.  I laugh it off and say, "nah." But secretly I’m thinking, "hmmm, why not?" A few weeks later he goes away with some buddies for a short vacation.

I realize I miss him when he doesn't come in that week.  Really miss him.  And when he returns I tell him so. But kind of casually.  You know, like in a collective 'we' missed you this week.  I think he takes it in a friendly way.  But he does ask again a little later, "Would you like to go out to dinner sometime?" 

This time I'm quicker on my feet. I say:  "Yes. Thursday. Pick me up at seven."

We went out on that first date in September 1991 and got married five short months later in February 1992.  Poor boy.  He still doesn't know what hit him! 

You see, I simply decided I wanted to be one of those pretty wives.

And the moral of the story? Marrying my handsome husband automatically made me one.

Read how some other members of GenFabTM met some of the people who became their other halves below...

Enjoy!  

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