In the August Presence – Upon Becoming a Septuagenarian: A Retrospect at the End of the Telescope Through Each Decade.

They say “70 is the new 50!” – that may be so. Today as I turn 70, I am compelled to write about the decades leading up to this auspicious age and in so doing, shed light on the wisdom gleaned through those ages and some of the milestones.

20’s – Two very wonderful highlights: first I became a mother and received my heart’s desire which was to have a daughter. My one & only: Amber Nichelle. Although I was a single mom she was received with love into my life and was a delight to the entire family being the first girl after 20 years of no babies in the family.

For six years I juggled the responsibility of a full-time career and motherhood until marrying at age 28.

30’s – Ten years of a whirlwind waltz through life. Amber and I adjusted to adding Joel Williams to our circle. As Joel moved up the ranks in his profession, we moved house 12 times covering 3 different states and 2 years of life in the United Kingdom. Amber tried on different hats during that decade, first as a snow bunny, then British overnight and lastly a surfing beach bum. At the end of that decade, we weathered the storm of parenting a prodigal child. We all worked hard and played hard.

40’s – Loosely coined“THE AMWAY YEARS” – Life in California put my engineer husband on a soul-searching trajectory. For a time he found his answer in us joining Amway. It was a wonderful experience, until it wasn’t. At the end of our 40’s and just before our 20th anniversary we were setting across from each other after a (4 month separation) in the chambers of a divorce judge.

50’s – GOD intervened and with renewed insight gained though counseling that armed us with valuable tools to reconnect – we entered into a new phase of our marriage. As empty nesters, we lived life to the fullest which included retirement and a move overseas, culminating to living on a cruise ship for 4 months.

60′s – My darling husband wrote a book with the title “You Must Do It Alone But Not By Yourself” that became my motto when I found myself unexpectedly widowed.

As The Kadeesh states:

Blessed, praised, and glorified, exalted, extolled and honored, magnified and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed is He, though He be high above all the blessings and songs, praises, and consolations which are uttered in the world, and say amen.

I am eternally grateful to those that have come alongside me and made this journey a bit less painful.

70’s – In the August Presence as I enter into this new decade, a sentence in the book “Weeds Like Us” by Janiva Magness, resonates with me. I am choosing to enter into this phase with “Moving Towards Love & Light”

CENTENARIAN

Wishing the Happiest of birthdays to Dick Van Dyke!

He represents some of my most joyous memories of loving movies and the sight of his beatific smile evokes strains of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” & “Supercalifragilisticexpialidociius” ringing through my head!

If I had a “Benjamin” for every time I’ve watched him in Coldplay’s “All My Love” – I might have amassed a small fortune.

There are few people in this world that I adore (having never met them) and Dick Van Dyke has that honor.

Well done – “old man!”

Attraversiamo!

What a lovely escape – watching the movie “Eat Pray Love” the film adaptation of the book by Elizabeth Gilbert and “yes” the scenes of Julia Roberts character walking the streets, taking in the sights & simply experiencing “Il bel far niente – the beauty of doing nothing” is a literal state of being achieved so easily in a country rich in history, delectable foods & resplendent people.

When Once I Was a Queen…..

Missed conversation

“The connections we share with one another – the ones that mean the most to us – are never truly severed. Not across time, nor distance, nor death, even. The heaviness in your chest, that ache you feel right now, I believe that the strength of that emotion extends outward to somewhere far beyond us, touching those we’re missing in some way … wherever they are”

Alison Huff: The Color of Gravity

It has been a number of years since I had that overwhelming urge to share something so special with just That One person that would get it!

Today is such a day 💔

Psalms 37:25

I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

A Quirky Adorable Girls Girl ðŸ’”

I did not know her personally, but she seemed one of those celebrities with the rare gift of making you believe that her essence shown through in each character she portrayed on screen.

Hollywood will celebrate her for her illustrious career – her family and friends will miss her with all the longing one misses their mom, sister, aunt and best friend.

“When he shall die take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of Heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun.” William Shakespeare

“The Pitt”

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Salute September – Leave tomorrow’s worries for tomorrow

This last day of September, I’ve decided to celebrate some of the things that make me happy.

On order for the day:

Feel good movies – The Greatest Showman & The Mexican.

Yummy, homemade Italian soup with a rich Shiraz and buttered sourdough bread.

An aromatic candle & a lush bouquet of flowers.

My Abode Wish List

L.M. Montgomery author of Anne of Green Gables – said it best: “After all,” Anne had said to Marilla once, “I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.’

My wants Are many but my needs are few!

For me & my little Familia, a safe cosy – clean place. Ideally 3 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms. Abundance of sunshine, gas stove, no carpet, small backyard with room to plant flowers & no goatheads (hello Southwest living)

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