What I'm Reading

‘Christmas by the Book’ by Anne Marie Ryan: A Favorite Christmas Read

Reading only Christmas stories is a recent activity I had added to my Christmas traditions. Yes, I had read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, the story of the Nativity in the Bible, and other stories. However, I had never made it a point to keep my reading specific to the season until a couple of years ago.

I discovered a few favorites once I began to actively look for such stories. ‘Christmas by the Book‘ by Anne Marie Ryan is in my top five favorites. Is it a holiday rom-com full of spicy sex scenes? Absolutely not! Is it a holiday comedy? Nope! Is it a holiday mystery? Not even remotely. What it is is a story of hope, charity, and courage.

Nora and Simon own a small bookshop in a small village in the Cotswolds of the UK. Theirshop is struggling. The village is struggling. The people in the village are struggling. And its Christmas. How will they keep the Christmas Spirit alive when so many, including themselves, are desperately trying to just keep their heads above water?

 

After a random customer comes into the shop looking for a specific book for his very ill grandson, Nora and Simon are inspired to run a contest via the internet. Nominate someone you know is having a difficult time this Christmas. The bookstore will randomly choose six to send a book to. As Nora and Simon wait, they choose six books and wrap them up along with an invitation to their Christmas Eve party. And we, the readers, follow along with the intertwining stories of Nora, Simon and the recipients of the books.

Now, because I despise spoilers, I hope I have said enough to pique your interest. As stated above, ‘Christmas by the Book’ is in my top favorite Christmas reads. I highly recommend this book. Especially if you’re trying to rediscover the meaning of Christmas for yourself. I can almost guarantee everyone can relate to at least one character in the story.

 

Feeling Better Journey

How I Survived Menopause Naturally

I am not any kind of health professional. This blog post is simply about how I did a huge amount of research and found my own path through the three stages of menopause without HRTs or other medications. It is also about how I paid very close attention to my body and found the solutions that worked for me. Also, please note that I did discuss everything with my medical professional. I also talked with friends that had gone through or were going through menopause. I did not travel the menopause path alone and neither should you!

First, no two women are going to experience the three stages of menopause exactly the same. What worked for me may or may not work for you. And what works for you may or may not work for others. No two women will experience the exact same symptoms (hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, etc) in the exact same way. The very best thing you can do is pay attention and research, research, research solutions. Don’t be afraid to try something. The worse that could happen, that particular solution doesn’t work for you so you have to try something else.

My First Hot Flash

I had my very first hot flash at 45 years old. The problem was, no one ever told me that hot flashes could happen in your feet. That’s right, my feet felt like I had just stepped into a mound of red ants. While totally freaking out and trying to understand what was happening, I ran out onto the concrete balcony of my 17th floor apartment in 24 degree temps to cool my feet off. As I stood bare foot on the balcony shivering, I realized what was happening to me. That moment of understanding sent me into serious research mode regarding menopause and its many symptoms.

My Hot Flash Solution

After considerable research, I found that foods and drinks in my diet could trigger a hot flash. I also found several “hot flash relief” recipes I could make at home for instant relief. I made a peppermint essential oil and coconut oil recipe for relief and started paying very close attention to my body waiting for the next hot flash. It came 15 minutes after I had a glass of red wine with a friend. Luckily I was at home and had my homemade solution close at hand. The peppermint and coconut oil rubbed into my feet worked. Hot flash was over almost as soon as it began. I gave up red wine. My 3rd hot flash came after I had a bag of M&Ms. Once again, the homemade solution worked. I gave up M&Ms. I have never had another hot flash in the 10 years since that first one.

Insomnia and Night Sweats

While many women experience insomnia and night sweats, I did not. What I did experience was waking up earlier than usual because I couldn’t breathe easy due to my body temp being high. I did not wake up damp or drenched. Once again I dug into research on the subject, Imagine my surprise to find out that yes, some women don’t have insomnia or night sweats but do have trouble staying asleep due to high body temperatures. Was this caused by something in my diet? Was it my sleeping environment? I wasn’t sure what the trigger for this particular issue was, so all I could was experiment.

My Sleeping Hot Solution

I started with my environment. Setting the thermostat as low as my Hunny Bun could handle it helped, but it wasn’t a solution to the problem. Cooling scents via essential oils in a diffuser didn’t help because those scents are also energizing scents. Cooling tech fabrics were of no help at all. I was stuck and thought I’d surely have to ask my doctor for a drug which depressed me. Then I ran across an ad for a ChiliPad by Ooler (now SleepMe). After talking to my Hunny Bun and doing some research on it, we decided to spend the $600 and give it a try. They had a money back guarantee so what we could lose? It worked! Via the app on the phone, I can set a schedule that adjusts the temperature of the pad as I sleep. This allows me to sleep all night long and feel truly rested when I wake up.

Mood Swings

I can honestly say that I only had one major mood swing that sent my Hunny Bun running for safety. To be honest, I did not see anything in my research that helped me with avoiding mood swings except for outdoor exercise. Working out in a gym was not a good fit. Running, indoor or outside, is not a good fit for me. However, I live in one of the most walkable cities in the world. I started heading out on the Mount Vernon Trail that runs along the Potomac River daily. Walking from 3 – 10 miles a day and seeing the sun rise every morning is what I believe saved my sanity and prevented severe mood swings. I know not everyone can do that, but I do believe that just getting outside every day can’t hurt!

Conclusion

There are many symptoms of menopause and not all of us will experience all of them. I only experienced three, but you may experience more than three symptoms. We are all different, Even within families, we are all different. Both my sisters and my mom needed a little help from science. There is no shame in reaching out for help and/or advice from medical professionals. But I’m here to tell you there are natural solutions for each problem. All it takes is some research, paying attention to your body, and some trial and error. You can do this! You can make it thru menopause without ending up in a psych ward.

I have been post menopausal for five years and am in excellent physical and mental health. Paying attention to my body and continuing to research issues related to my age has made the difference. Getting out with Athena before the sun comes up for long walks, laughing at the silly things my Hunny Bun does, and playing with my grand kids all contribute to my physical and mental well being.

Have you gone through menopause? If so, what did you do to get through it? What advice would you give? Was your solution science or nature?

 

 

What I'm Doing Where I am

#SmallBusinessSaturday Shopping

In 2010,  American Express created campaign to support small businesses known as #SmallBusinessSaturday. Their idea was to encourage the average consumer to forego large retailers the weekend after Thanksgiving and spend their holiday budget at small retailers who were struggling. The movement took off and over the years, more and more consumers make it a point to shop at small local retailers the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

As an introvert, I prefer to avoid interacting with people in person. However, I will go out during the holiday season to support individual artisans, small businesses, and mom and pop restaurants. This year was no exception. I told my daughter last night that I would be going up to Main Street today for #SmallBusinessSaturday. She decided to go with me.

There were lot more people than I expected out shopping on Main Street. I was unexpectedly shocked, however, at how many store employees didn’t know about #SmallBusinessSaturday. I do not understand someone working in a retail establishment not knowing about #SmallBusinessSaturday? Especially when that establishment is not a nationwide chain and has fewer than 500 employees (the standard definition of a small business)?

One store, out of several, had employees that understood the value, and mindset, of the #SmallBusinessSaturday shopper. That is the one store I will visit again. I may or may not visit the others, but I will go out of my way to visit the one. Why? Because, as a consumer, I want, need, and expect the employees of any establishment I visit in person to understand I could have stayed home and ordered what I wanted instead. The employees of that one store got that! Small businesses rely on repeat customers. I will go to the small business that understands their customer over the one just wanting my money.

Do you go out of your way to support small businesses? If so, what do you expect from the employees when you visit?

What I'm Doing What I'm Reading Where I am

Christmas Is Officially Here: Let The Fun Begin

Christmas is officially here: Let the fun begin. I’ve patiently waited all year and I am ready for the magic! I love Christmas. Almost everything about the Christmas season brings a smile to my face.

I had Thanksgiving dinner with family at my mom’s house yesterday for the first time in 10 years. The turkey had its moment and then Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance. We usually wait a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving for Santa and Mrs. Claus, but due to personal issues it was better to do it today.

So, now that Thanksgiving is over for me, bring on Christmas books, music, and movies. From now until Christmas night I will only read Christmas books, listen to Christmas music, and watch Christmas movies.

Once again, I am starting my “Christmas Read-A-Thon” with Letters From Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien. I begin with this particular book every year because I love how Tolkien made time to give his children a little extra magic to believe in every year. My Christmas Reading List will include a wide variety of genres. Everything from children’s stories to Rom-Coms to ghost stories. And yes, I will be re-reading several Christmas books once again this year. 

Did you ask about Christmas music? I must say that I prefer the music from the 1930’s thru the 1960’s. With that being the case, I am a Gen Xer, so I do appreciate original Christmas music from the 80’s and 90’s. Chances are, anything after that is probably not going to do it for me.

Now let’s talk about Christmas movies. I prefer the original Miracle on 34th Street. Give me George C. Scott in a Christmas Carol, but I do like several other versions of the story as well. Christmas cartoons are always appropriate, and no one should ever leave The Polar Express out of their Christmas movie repertoire.

I honestly don’t have the time or inclination to list every book, song, or movie I will include in my Christmas entertainment lists. But you can be assured I will always prefer the classics over the modern. The point is simply that Christmas has officially begun for me and I will be in that mode until Christmas night. I have waited all year for the magic of the season and I am going to get every bit of magic out of it that I can.

Do you have a Christmas reading list? A playlist just for this time of year? Do you wait until after the turkey has its moment, or do you start right after Halloween? There is no right or wrong answer, just a personal preference.

What I'm Doing

Thankful Thoughts

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, This particular holiday encourages us all to stop and take moment to consider what we are thankful for. For me, Thanksgiving is the official beginning of “the holiday season”. Therefore, I do try to take time to give thanks for what and who I have in my life before I get too busy to stop and think about anything.

Family

My family is very important to me and I am very grateful that four of my five siblings are still alive. So I occasionally plan their demise. That’s what siblings do! We aggravate each other and come up with creative endings for whichever sibling is most irritating at the moment.

My daughter has always been a joy to me, and I am very blessed to have a strong relationship with her. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we have a very solid bond now. I appreciate that she has made good choices as an adult, but still needs me from time to time. I have also been blessed with a most    excellent son-in-law, and two of the most beautiful grandchildren ever.

Most of all, when it comes to family, I am extremely grateful that my parents are still with us. I acknowledge that I won’t have too many more years with them, and so what time we do have….I cherish more than I can possibly say.

Last, but certainly not least, I can not begin to tell you how thankful I am for my Hunny Bun. He makes it easy for me to be me. Does he irritate me beyond measure at times? Absolutely! However, he mostly makes me laugh out loud. And laughter is the greatest gift we can give and/or receive.

Friends

Let’s be completely honest with each other. I have TWO people I actually consider friends. As an introvert, friends are not a necessity for me. With that being said, I love these two women as sisters. One friend describes herself as “crunchy”, and she is. Smart, creative, loyal, loving, and  The other friend is loud, audacious, unapologetic, and always up for another adventure. She is my road trip/girls trip buddy and we have a lot of laughs together.

Health and Athena

There is absolutely no way I can leave without giving my most profound thanks for the good health I have. There is no small pharmacy in my medicine cabinet for a myriad of health issues. I count my blessings everyday for that one small fact of my life.

I couldn’t possibly forget Athena in my list of who and what I’m thankful for in 2025. Athena has brought Hunny Bun and I so much joy and laughter in the 4 years she’s been with us. The unconditional love and adoration I see in her eyes is worth every hair I sweep up.

Uncategorized

Social Media: The Death of Originality

A few weeks ago I started this blog for my own personal reasons. Are they good reasons? Maybe and maybe not! But the reasons are mine and the one thing I am refusing to do is follow the latest “social media trend” in order to accumulate followers. I have never been one to follow the latest trend or fad in any way, shape, or form. With that being said, I need to vent about the lack of originality on social media anymore.

As I stated in one of my very first posts here, I have had a love/hate relationship with the internet and technology since the very beginning. Anyone could say or be anything they wanted with complete anonymity. But then Zuckerberg and his ilk gave us social media. Now everyone wants to be “an influencer”. What I don’t understand is, how can you influence anyone if all you’re doing is the same things everyone else is doing?

THIS IS WHAT’S TRENDING ON…

It never fails that when I get ready to share anything on social media, I am first bombarded with one video tutorial after another. How many “make up tutorials”, “fitness tips”, “cooking tips”, “crafting tips”, etc., do we really need out there? Especially when they are all literally the same! What happened to being original and trying something  no one else has? Why must we all want to use the same white make up stick that changes color to match our own skin tone when we start blending? Does every have to lip sync the same damn lines to the same damn song? Come on, people! Do something different!

I AM GOING TO BE ME

As a 55 year old Gen Xer, I won’t be following the latest and greatest on social media. Why? Because chances are, I’ve already seen whatever it is you’re trying to convince me of, and I am probably already following that other person. I am not about to give up my skinny jeans for the latest fashion in jeans. Why? Because I have very thin ankles and have been blown down by the wind catching on wider leg pants (yes…that has actually happened to me multiple times!). I am not going to go for the latest tips for “frizz free” curly hair. I am not spending 2 hours and hundreds of dollars on a dozen different hair products (Thank You, Rodan and Fields for a simple 3 step hair care system that actually works to keep my hair frizz free). Do you see where I am going with this?

If you see me posting something that is “trending”, you can bet there is going to be a damn good reason for it. Good reasons would be: it looks silly and I like doing silly things, or it is raising money for a charity I actually believe in and want to support. What I am more likely to do is post things that actually appeal to myself. I don’t care if anyone else likes it. I don’t care if anyone else is doing it. I am at a stage in my life when I honestly do not care what anyone else thinks of me.

I WILL NOT CHANGE TO FOLLOW A FAD OR TREND

I am more interested in doing things I like to do. Things like continuing to check off items on my “Bucket List”. One thing I will do is continue rereading my favorite books. I will also continue to walk for fitness instead of jogging or whatever the latest fitness fad is. I may, or may not, change my hair because I want to and not to have the “latest style”. I know you all get where I am going with this. I do want to add that I will absolutely NOT be influenced by people on the internet doing what everyone else is doing!

If you read all the way thru this, thank you. If not, thank you. I just needed to vent about the lack of originality in society today thanks to “social media trends”.

 

What I'm Doing

Holidays Are For Family And Mayhem

It’s November 13, and Thanksgiving is a mere two weeks away. That means it’s the season for mischief and mayhem. And this year is going to be filled with plenty of mayhem for me.

Most of my family live in Georgia. But I moved to the Washington, DC area 10 years ago and don’t normally go home for Thanksgiving because I don’t want to have to deal with Atlanta Hartsfield airport madness during the busiest travel week of the year. I also don’t want to deal with holiday traffic getting in and out of DC by car or bus. But, if I want to go home, and I do this year, I can always take the train.

Now the train ride from DC to Atlanta takes 14 hours. That’s a long train ride. However, you don’t have the same hassles that you deal with when flying. For example, I can check two full size suitcases for free and not have to worry about my luggage getting lost. I am also allowed two carry-on items and a personal item. If I need to carry-on more than that, it’s a fee of $20 per extra item, that’s cheaper than checking a suitcase when flying. Also, the train is an overnight train. That means the train is schedule to leave at approximately 6:30 p.m. and arrive in Atlanta at approximately 8:43 a.m. the next day. For the return, departure is scheduled for 11:30 p.m. from Atlanta and arrives in DC the next day at approximately 1:47 p.m. If you’re not in a rush, and I’m not, it’s doable.

I’ve taken this train trip several times over the years. At first, I always booked a ticket for coach. Three or four train rides to Atlanta and back ago, I upgraded to booking a roomette. Why would I pay a lot more for a roomette? Because I’m an introvert wanting to avoid other people. In a roomette I can close and lock my door in order to cocoon myself from the rest of the world. It’s perfect! The two seats in a roomette fold down flat to create a bed, so I also get to sleep laying flat. Those two things alone make traveling home to visit family a much more pleasant experience for me. Another benefit of having a roomette and being able to shut and lock the door….I don’t need my earbuds to listen to music or a book. I am one of those people that can’t read or watch a movie while in motion. I will literally get motion sickness whenever I try.

When I come back from this Thanksgiving trip, I will dive into the mayhem of holiday cooking/baking. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, I can usually be found in my kitchen making peanut brittle, baking cookies, and cooking holiday meals. It’s constant chaos.

But wait….there’s something else in the mix this year. Hunny Bun and I will head back to Manhattan via the train for two nights. We’re going to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at the iconic Radio City Music Hall (we went two years ago and loved it so are going back to see them again). We will see Hamilton on Broadway. And I will check off another “bucket list” item….ice skating at Wollman Rink in Central Park. Two years ago I checked ice skating at Rockefeller Center off my “bucket list”.  And as time permits, we will see and do a couple of others things that are on our “Can Do Only In New York” list.

And thru all of that, I must have my Christmas music, Christmas movies, and Christmas books. Trust me, once Thanksgiving turkey has been consumed, it will be all Christmas all the time until the day after Christmas. Lucky for me that Hunny Bun doesn’t seem to mind. Our one disagreement is over whether the movie ‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas movie. Now before I get inundated with opinions on that subject….I honestly don’t care what anyone else’s opinion is on that.

So what you can expect over the next few weeks are blogs about my traveling experiences, the antics my family gets up to during the holidays, blogs about time spent with my two grandchildren, my adventures in holiday cooking/baking, and what I’m reading/listening to. I have jam packed holiday season ahead. What are your plans this holiday season? Let me know what you’re up to, I might want to add one of your holiday traditions/experiences to mine.

Feeling Better Journey

Getting Older Bites, But We Don’t Have To Let It Keep Biting!

When I was young I could do anything. Well, I thought I could. I didn’t think about nutrition and exercise and never thought I would. But then I got older and realized….bumps and bruises take longer to heal, recovery after a workout takes longer, and nutrition has a huge impact on how you feel.

I went through menopause rather early. By my 50th birthday I was officially post menopausal. Hooray! Let’s be honest with each other, having a monthly cycle is aggravating on many levels. But I’m done with that and rejoice in the fact every dang day! But with this joyous change, I needed to make some changes in my life if I was going to “feel good”.

First, it took a while for me to fully understand why my body stiffened if I sat too long. But, a friend of mine made some major changes in her nutrition. When she told me what she had changed and how she felt better, I decided I would do some research and see if the changes she made were right for me. Let me be clear, this is personal research. Neither one of us is a doctor, nurse, dietician, or any other medical personnel. After doing my research, I changed my diet. Did I do the exact same thing my friend did? Absolutely not! We are two different individuals and therefore needed to adjust our diets to our own personal needs.

Second, I was not sleeping well. It wasn’t night sweats or hot flashes (I didn’t have much of that at any stage during menopause), but I was HOT! This blew my mind since I am always cold. But at night, my body temperature would rise and I couldn’t sleep. So I researched what I could do and came across a solution I thought would work….the ChiliPad by SleepMe (formerly known as Ooler). It was a total game changer! I can literally set a schedule for the temperature that allows me to climb into a warm bed, then gradually cool down after I’ve fallen asleep to keep my body temp at a comfortable temperature, and then wake up to a gentle warming. I sleep soundly all night!

Last, I noticed I was lacking the energy I used to have. Now this was a combination of not enough quality sleep, poor diet, and lack of exercise. I solved the first two issues, but I am not one to go into a gym and left weights, take a yoga  or aerobics class, and I’m certainly not a jogger/runner. So what were my options? I live in one of the most walkable cities on the planet. I started walking. Then I got a dog and I started training/playing with the dog (training/playing with you dog(s) should most definitely be counted as exercise). And while Athena and I are out and about, we take breaks to stretch, drink more water, or maybe just sit and watch the world go by.

The end result is I feel better because I’m taking more care with my diet, sleep and exercise! My body doesn’t stiffen up quite so much, I’m getting a minimum of 7 hours of quality sleep every night, and I have more energy! WooHoo!!!! I’ve shared all of this with all of you, because I will be writing about all of this more in depth as we go along. Feeling good is a never ending journey and we’re all on that journey. We may take different paths, but we’re all headed in the same direction….feeling good. Getting older may bite, but we don’t have to let it keep biting us! So, what have you done, or are thinking about doing to feel better? Let me know.

What I'm Doing

I Have Been Left Unsupervised

My Hunny Bun works in IT, as I briefly described in a previous post. During the pandemic he was able to continue working from home. But after the pandemic and his offices were open again, he had to start going back into the office three days a week. Not a problem! We adjusted to his working from home full time during the pandemic, so adjusting to his having to go into a office three days a week was no big deal. It actually works out great for us.

On Monday, he came in from working at his office and informed me that he had to go out of town to his company’s second headquarters in Florida. He would be flying out the next night. OK, short notice but not a problem. My mind immediately went into….what do I need to do that would be easier while he is out of town for three days? Cull and organize while listening to an audiobook without needing earbuds!

So here I am, culling and organizing our small apartment. It’s time to donate items we don’t use or won’t use again to an organization that can make good use of them. It’s also time to trash items even charitable organizations wouldn’t take. Why is this time easier when he’s out of town? Because I won’t have to rush. And I won’t have to answer, “What are you doing with that?” I also won’t have to listen to, “But I use that”, or “But I wear that” when I know damn well that he doesn’t use or wear whatever item is in my hands.

I am not the only one who waits for times like these to cull and organize, am I? Come on, admit it! You also wait until the spouse or kids are going to be gone for a significant amount of time so you can cull and organize without rushing and/or listening to complaints and questions about what you’re doing. It’s ok, you can tell me. It’ll be our secret.

What I'm Reading

So Many Books, So Little Time

I spent many years as a single mom. This means I had little time and/or money for myself. As a result, one of my favorite things to do, reading, was way down on my “to do” list. Do I regret being a single mom and not having the time and/or money for just myself? Absolutely NOT! My daughter is my greatest blessing. But she’s grown and has kids of her own so….bring on the books, movies, and things I want to do just for myself.

Reading is my true love. And I am one of those people that can read a book multiple times, so I want to not only read them…I want to own them. I want to own books because I am someone that will reread books multiple times. And every time I open a book I’ve read before, it’s like visiting with old friends. The problem is, I don’t have the space to create a physical library in my home. But I do have plenty of space for a Kindle!

My Kindle has saved me from the disappointment of not having my own personal library. Thanks to it, I have a personal library that goes with me everywhere and I can revisit old friends in stories I’ve read dozens of times. And thanks to Amazon owning Audible, I now have the option of reading AND listening to a book. This is a huge help when I’m walking the dog, traveling, doing chores, or whatever because I don’t have to pause the story. I can switch between the ebook and the audiobook seamlessly. Hallelujah, and thank sweet baby Jesus in his manger!

I not only have the ability to purchase books, I have the ability to borrow books from my library via the Libby app and thru my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Borrowing digital books allows me to try out new authors, as well as established authors I didn’t have time to try out before. As a result, I am loading up my digital library every week!

As of this moment, my personal library has a little over 500 books in both ebook and audiobook formats. I own most of what is in my Kindle and Audible library and I’m adding to that as often as I can without bankrupting myself. My friends tell me I have a problem and threaten me with an intervention. I tell them I’m perfectly fine with my reading/listening addiction and don’t feel an intervention is necessary.

Over the course of writing this blog and sharing my daily adventures with you, I will be sharing my reading adventures via book reviews. I will share with you my thoughts on the book itself and the narration of the audio version of the book as well. Some reviews will be of older books because I’m just now getting around to having the time to read them. Some reviews will be of new releases just out. Either way, I hope you’ll hear me out and let me know if you read the book or not. And if you have, I hope you’ll let me know your thoughts. But please….do NOT send me a review. I just want to know if you like it or not, and why.