From City Walker to Granny-on-the-go

After six weeks in our new home, I’d say most things are good but some things not. I’ll deal with a few “not’s” today. In my effort to be open to new experiences, I joined my daughter’s fitness center. To my surprise, my husband joined too. Not a problem really, but yesterday we had our …

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Writing Essay at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival – 2016

I spent last week at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival taking a class in writing essay, using process pedagogy and taught by Nancy Barry. Look at it this way: the writer explores (writes into) a topic, several iterations, to find out what they really want to write about, and the writer also uses feedback to …

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The Move (7) — Leaving Five Places

Fifty years ago we moved to the Chicago area, and as I’m contemplating moving again next week, I’m skipping through the five places we’ve lived in my mind. It was a hot sultry summer in 1966 when we took up temporary residence in our Aunt Jennie’s basement bedroom on 57th Court in the western suburb …

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The Move (6) – You Are Where You Live / Setting as Character

As an on-again-off-again dieter, I know the meaning of “You are what you eat.” Depending on the era, I’m hot fudge sundae pudgy or Rye Crisp slim. Now, as an older gal in the process of moving away from my urban high-rise life, I’ve become hyperaware that “You are where you live.” It won’t be …

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Growing Older: The Move (5) – On the Run

Pace, pace, pace yourself. My mantra since accepting about a decade ago, finally, that I have fibromyalgia. Of course, I’d had it years before, but never wanted to acknowledge that the fatigue and  deep burning muscle pains needed my attention. But I learned at last and now know if I’m ignoring my body and listening …

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Growing Older: The Move (4) – Do I Look Dehydrated?

"Would you like some water?"  I have never been asked this question when doing business in Chicago. We've been here in Sioux Falls for three days and I've been asked if I'd like some water four times-- by our new homeowners insurance agent, our new banker, a salesperson in a furniture store, and the owner …

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