I pinch myself every single day because I never believed it would happen to me. My marriage of more than 20 years ended. I was thrust into dating. I was overweight, jobless, and pushing the dreaded 50.
What to do? Well…drastic times call for drastic measures. I restarted my career at the lowest of basement levels. I starved. I had liposuction. I had lasik eye surgery and got rid of the glasses. It took awhile, but it worked. After 8 years of going steady with men who couldn’t get to the “I do”, I met the love of my life and remarried.
I will be sure to post ALL the gory details of those eight years in future posts.
Nowdays, as an officially married retired lady for over three years, I’ve taken to a life of doing nothing like a duck to water. I spend my summers participating in the Nothern Indiana flower wars. I am experimenting and trying to find a way to successfully garden without doing any weeding. I have piles of books to read. And a new art box filled with paints, pastels and pencils and watercolors. I really AM going to draw or paint something. Soon.
Our little farm includes two horses, two dogs and two cats. I adore them. But, they prefer my husband, DH, in a most insulting way.
Buster, the black lab/border collie mix, mournfully howls as DH leaves. He seems convinced DH is never to return as he paces and nervously cocks his head. He’s hoping he’ll hear DH’s Jeep motor noises. I try to get his attention, but Buster’s busy, he can’t spare me a glance. If I were to go outside or upstairs, Buster would be on the kitchen table in a heartbeat. That way he’d be high enough to look out the windows and see the drive. The cats are outside. Nobody is in the house to make being inside worthwhile. Only our good natured, sweet Abby dog dutifully lies at my feet. But, she’s listening.
Until the wheels of DH’s jeep hit our driveway. Then the dogs writhe with joy. They wag their tails so hard anything left where it shouldn’t be is knocked over. Skipper the white horse, whinnies across the barnyard. The cats poke their heads out from the sunflower plants beneath the birdfeeder and run for the backdoor.
I smile, too. DH is home. It’s all good.
10 comments
Comments feed for this article
June 12, 2007 at 8:55 am
abloodredbird
Glad to hear you can survive a marriage break-up I’m on a similar journey myself at the moment. By the way – the Rhubarb pie looks fantastic.
June 13, 2007 at 2:08 am
jolynna
I am sorry for your marriage break-up.
However, I will say that although it was not my idea, it changed my life for the better. I wouldn’t give up my life now for anything.
I wouldn’t have given up the single years or the relationships between marriages either.
June 16, 2007 at 12:28 pm
joannehaleyborodine
Hello! Thanks for your comment about my garden! Let’s just say you look WAY to young to be retired. Lucky you-I’ve still got some time to go…
Anyway, I’ll be keeping an eye on your book recommendations-I’ll be needing some for the vacations we’ll be taking!
June 18, 2007 at 11:42 pm
reutersramblings
I love cats. Have two of my own. Duma named from the Disney movie (great one!) and Mia. I will have to post some pictures of them. I would feel sorry for the cat to . My husbands parents live on a farm and have farm cats. They are so beautiful but sick looking. Everytime we go up there, I want to bring one home with me to help it get better but don’t. They are not fed well, and pass the destemper around because grandma doesn’t give them shots. loved reading your blog.
June 19, 2007 at 12:48 am
jolynna
Thanks…I am looking forward to seeing pictures of your cats!
June 26, 2007 at 11:35 pm
kellyd
Thanks for stopping by! Sounds like we are on similar life journeys although I don’t have the good fortune to be retired yet. 🙂
However, am enjoying my new life with kids, new love, new dog I always wanted, the antique house/barn I always wanted. Life begins at 50! 🙂
July 6, 2007 at 7:07 am
terra4incognita
Thank you for your comment on my flowers. Let me know if you find the way to successfully garden without doing any weeding.. 🙂 I’ve added your site to my blogroll and look forward to reading more from you.
July 8, 2007 at 12:03 am
chughes
i’ve perused your page and find it charming and lovely.
i hope to try some of the pie recipes.
Your life sounds lovely. i am a city girl transplanted in a small rural town in Oregon, which i love but am also still adjusting to.
i look forward to reading more of your posts and thanks for visiting my page.
~christine
July 12, 2007 at 3:26 am
jolynna
Welcome Kelly & Terraincognita and Chughes!
Kelly, I agree that life can be pretty great even after a “certain age”. Sorry, I am still having trouble choking the number out.
Terra, the non weeding was working until my husband added horse manure. It was over a year old. But had seeds. However the weeds come out a lot easier through a thick mulch. And there are less and less of them after each weeding.
Hi Chughes, I love living in the country. I think you will like living in a small town. But, it probably is an adjustment. I will have to keep checking to see how you are doing.
February 2, 2008 at 8:18 am
serega
pos yourgirls