Conversations
Welcome to our Conversations section! We hope you’ll enjoy and benefit from the different topics we’re talking about and hope you’ll actively comment on them. Our website will keep conversations focused on what is positive and constructive.
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The importance of friendships in our empty nest years
What would we do without our friends, especially after our children leave home? Friends are built-in support for talking together about our empty nest experiences and so much more. We can take advantage of the extra time we have by doing things to strengthen existing friendships, or reaching out to make new friends. Organizing a book club, game night, taking a class together, and traveling as a group are some ways to stay connected and be together in an enjoyable setting. In my case, I’ve enjoyed friendships in a few great ways. For over 23 years I was part of a warm and supportive walking group of like-minded friends. While in recent years, we’ve become less available to walk regularly due to our travels or changes in health, we still walk when we can and we keep up a terrific tradition of sharing holiday and birthday lunches together. We have gone through our empty nest transition together and every life transition since then. Something else I’ve loved doing over the years is going with a group of women a couple of times a year for a getaway with friends to the Texas Hill Country, a few hours from where I […]
The subtleness of empty nest grief
"...With any grief, especially with empty nest, you’ll usually see 6-9 months of “floundering around”. A woman might come in worrying a lot about her age, with her menopause happening around that time, and she’s having a hard time with it. It’s almost like...
Sharing a tasty and simple weeknight fish recipe
I make this flavorful and healthy New York Times fish recipe often, especially in warmer months. My husband and I both enjoy it. Straight out of my oven you can see that it is a meal-in-one. One-Pan Roasted Fish with Cherry Tomatoes Ingredients: Yield: 4...
Couples and money
"I can’t emphasize enough the value of creating a shared financial vision with your spouse. Open and honest discussions about financial goals and challenges not only enhance mutual understanding, but they also contribute to a stronger, more aligned and harmonious...
Healthy snacks don’t have to be boring
As we age most of us start getting advice from our doctors to aim for healthier foods to keep weight and cholesterol in check and to control our sugar intake. Satisfying a snack urge with a few slices of fruit, dark chocolate, and almonds can be a healthier...
Adapting to an empty nest – we’re in this together
When a child leaves home and we enter what is often called the second half of life, many of us start to look for ways to fill the space in our lives that the child had occupied. Some of us rejoin the workforce, use the extra time to further a career, or start...
Is it really up to you to control every last thing in life?
"Allow yourself to relax your hold on the past, present and future. Recognize that it is not all up to you. You will be healthier for it." -Misha Laird, fitness expert Most of us test our ability to give up control when our grown children are about...
Sharing a great article on downsizing and decluttering
Most of us have a hard time whittling down the possessions we accumulated all throughout our childrearing years in our family home. My friend Pam Lamp has a terrific article about this topic on her website, whoimettoday.com. I appreciate the process Pam went through...
On aging – from an unstoppable octogenarian
“Clint Eastwood is known for saying ‘Don’t let the old man in’. My version of this is: Always be sure to walk a little faster than the old woman.” -Molly Boren Whitney Visit our Showcase section to read about the variety of wonderful ways that octogenarian...
Let’s talk about my interview with Mary Jo Rapini
I've been an empty nester for a while, yet when Mary Jo described the first year of an empty nest it took me right back to that time. To our too-quiet house and dinner table, and the huge shift in life that I felt after taking our younger son off to school. One of the...