Being a Rebel is Great Fun!

I did not follow the script that was meant for women my age, mainly because I have never thought that we all must look and act the same. The expectations of others for the roles we are supposed to play limit us, even as failing to meet the expectations of others tend to liberate us... Continue Reading →

Learning to Eat, Drink, and Share Much Laughter

One of the aspects of life in Portugal that I had to adjust to quickly and which I will try to retain in America is the slower pace of eating. Yes, there are McDonald's restaurants in Portugal, but they follow the culture, allowing patrons to sit and socialize, not expecting them to gobble down their... Continue Reading →

You Don’t Always Need to Flaunt It!

Culture matters, when it comes to just how much skin to show on the beach. Being an American, I tend to cover up quite a lot, until I am ready to get into the pool or romp on the beach. If there are topless beaches in America, I have never visited one. I assumed that... Continue Reading →

You Are Not Crazy: The Tide Will Eventually Turn

I was so glad to read this morning that Ryan Reynolds, the actor in Deadpool, admitted to having battled anxiety all of his life. I have been there and it is no fun. I struggled with it for years, never going to the doctor because I thought I was "crazy," and that I would be... Continue Reading →

Look Up and Be Safe

Like many people my age who spent their working lives employed by a telephone company, I am amazed at the technology that allows us to carry our phones in our hands. I would have never imagined that the old, black, dial-up phone connected to the wall would one day be the Swiss-knife of communications, with... Continue Reading →

God Has Been Good to Me: Psalm Wednesday

It would seem strange for a survivor of colon cancer to declare that God has been good, but the truth is that I would not be here to write this blog today if it had not been for the mercy and grace of God. Troubles come and it can seem as though we are alone... Continue Reading →

One Look Put An Abrupt End to Unwanted Behavior

Being a grandparent has its perks, especially when around children who are misbehaving. One of the aspects of my behavior that I used for my grandchildren was the "Granny Look." When they saw me looking at them a certain way, they knew to cease and desist with unwanted behavior, or suffer the consequences already mentioned.... Continue Reading →

Astonished to See the Past: Travel Photos from Faro, Portugal

  'What I love about being here in Portugal is the preservation of the past, which allows us to connect the past to today, and it will allow future generations to experience the beauty and engineering expertise of generations that lived long before them. In Faro, I was astonished to see the juxtaposition of modern and... Continue Reading →

Costing Less Bestows Equality of Access Across Social Status

I am experiencing what many people fear: needing a doctor in a foreign land where you cannot speak the language. But, praise God, the body is the same wherever you go, so you only have to point to what hurts. Or, as in my case, the doctor could see that I would not move my... Continue Reading →

A Most Authentic Tourist

We are in Seville, Spain! We arrived here yesterday and will leave tomorrow, going back to our Portugal apartment. Douglas is like a kid in a candy store, with his tourist maps and phone apps, finding all the places he wants to see. Today, we walked for nearly seven hours (I earned nearly 16,000 steps!),... Continue Reading →

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