Fifty Shades of Sharon

    Boo? Halloween Used to Be About Finding True Love                                                                    The New York Times   United States servicemen played Snap Apple with U.S.O. hostesses at a Halloween party in New York in 1943. Credit... Associated Press   The game in the above graphic is a great one for an adult Halloween party for singles. This game can also be perfect for couples that want to compete with other couples. Use only your teeth to bite an apple that is attached by a string or ribbon from the ceiling. Pass out the jello shots first!   F ind Your Next Lover on Halloween Night   Old English folklore about Halloween is full of superstition and fortune-telling that still lingers today, like bobbing for apples or avoiding black ...

  Mayflower Movers will be arriving tomorrow afternoon to move my household goods from Las Vegas, NV to Columbus, OH. As I looked around the home I shared with Harry for eight years, I was suddenly overwhelmed with a rush of mixed feelings. Seeing the front room filled with boxes of my personal belongings, I felt excited. The the next feeling was one of sorrow as I remembered the welcoming feeling of the front room where the conversation area and the dining area once stood. It was a warm and wonderful space for entertaining, but now it's gone. Walking through the room, I entered the kitchen and continued into our once cozy family room. I felt a pang of regret. There's no regret that the relationship has ended, but rather that the relationship didn't last until death do us part.  When I entered the master bedroom, I looked up at the far end of the vaulted ceiling, seeing the quote Harry and I placed above the bumped-out area. It reads "when your eyes say that you love m...

  As I began my search for a new job, I've come across a lot of tips and advice through various resources. I read quite a few articles posted on the internet. Truthfully, I think that some of these articles are full of worthless information. One such article related your negotiation for salary to bargaining for a slice of cake! A piece of cake is easy to get and it's unlikely that your pay check will come just as easily.  After reading the unworthy article, I decided to collect bits and pieces from many articles that I feel comfortable using for a job search.    Research the company that is hiring How long has the company been established? Take a look at the comments (if any) on the website for the Better Business Bureau in your state. Do they have a rating? Read comments from the company's customers, clients, and employees.  What type of benefits and/or perks does the company offer besides the most common? Most common benefits are: medical / dental / visi...

Mexican Train is by far my favorite strategic board games! As you can see from the picture below, it's a dominoes game. Each player is represented by a train and the first player to get rid of all of their dominoes is the winner of that round. It's a lot of fun as you build your train and try to hinder the other players from playing out their hand. I viewed several YouTube videos so that my blog readers could become familiar with the rules. I found  there are many variations of the game. The video link I've posted below is the closest I found to the rules my group plays by.  Click here for the YouTube video:  Mexican Train In the video, you'll notice the players stand their dominoes on the table's surface. My game group uses wooden racks to hold the dominoes. These can be bought in just about any store that sells games. Games can be held in your home or any coffee house that will host game players. My group has been hosted by Einstein Bros. Bagels, Panera Bread, Ik...

It was the morning of October 16, 2020 and the movers were scheduled to arrive. I awoke at 5:30AM, excited to finalize my big move. None of the boxes were sealed as I thought I may want to make some changes. I looked around, doubled checked closets and drawers. After feeling satisfied that I hadn't overlooked anything, I busied myself sealing the 21 boxes and 6 plastic tubs. My little red Jeep was ready for the road too. She had a full tank of gas, the netting on the doors were stuffed with masks, tissue, and more. I was ready for my long haul across the USA.  After all was said and done, I showered and dressed, anticipating the estimated time of arrival for the movers. Each time my phone rang, I expected it to be the moving company announcing "We're on our way!" During the wait, Harry and I decided to get pizza, and we tried Marco's for the first time.  Marco's Pizza is delicious! They are running a special right now, unlimited number of pizzas for $6.99 eac...

My blog's theme is about recreating yourself in the senior years of life.  These simple suggestions are easily enough performed in our everyday lives and can apply to any age or stage. I was so impressed by the contents of this article, that I chose to share it with all of you.  Please leave a comment, let me know what you think. You are the architect of your brain. It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks. Until recently, the conventional thinking was that our brains were hardwired at birth and therefore unchangeable. But the good news is that our brains are constantly being reshaped by our daily experiences. You can control improve how you think, act and behave if you choose your actions and experiences with care. Enter Neuroplasticity ...

My group had a going away party for me last night! The evening flew by as we enjoyed the music and food, played a game, conversed, and took a few pics.  Friends Trudy & Peter hosted in their beautiful home. Trudy's creative daughter came up with a game similar to "Pin the Tail on the Donkey".  While blindfolded with halloween themed scarfs, Trudy spun us around three times. At my age, this DOES cause dizziness! 🤣 On the wall was a map of OH. The object is to place your flagged pin in my city of destination, Columbus. Trudy's dear husband Peter was the only one to hit the city right on spot, pinning Columbus like a pro. As the party's host, he gracious declined being titled the winner. The lovely Karen was second closest and took home the prize. Good job Karen! Last night's time spent with my Vegas friends was bittersweet. Knowing that I may never be in the company of some of them again, I could feel a twinge of pain in my heart. Naturally, there was a mom...

Yesterday, my movers called to verify some pertinent information and to set-up an appointment for the finalizing of my inventory.  The time flew by as I spent my day taking measurements, labeling items, (move/don't move) and much more.  Moving is a great time to get better organized. I have spent many hours downsizing as well as sorting out what is staying behind (with my partner) and what I'm taking.  MOVING TIPS & HACKS 1. Downsize before you move! Get rid of things you no longer wear or use. Donate, give away, have a garage sale or yard sale. If you have the time, online sales are great outlets too. 2. Budget your move. Do your research and decide what you can afford. Some options are: Rent a U-Haul and buy packing materials such as boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape. U-Haul also rents out moving pads and blankets. Rent a trailer that you can pull with your own vehicle. You'll probably need the hitch too as that if often NOT included in the rental package. Porta...

Yesterday morning, I dropped off my Jeep at 4WP - "4 Wheel Parts" where she underwent an upgrade. I had rock rails installed just in time for next Tuesday's climb to the summit of Wheeler Pass. She'll be taking on rough terrain for the first time as we journey to the top of the mountain on narrow roads. My GoPro will be capturing the adventure and will be posted the next day. My friend, I'll refer to as G, met me at 4 Wheel Parts at 9AM and we had a great breakfast together at "Black Bear Diner" on Las Vegas Blvd South. This location beats the other Vegas locations by far. It's a much larger dining room and has an old fashioned jukebox that plays the tunes we loved in the 60's and 70's. Did I mention that the breakfast was very tasty, served timely, and there was plenty of it on our platters! Black Bear Diner is featuring a special this month. If you live in Las Vegas, visit their website to find out how you can get a free stack of pancakes: ...

How I'm Starting My New Life - 10/6/2020 Meet my new baby! She's a 2020 Jeep Wrangler Sport S. Her first journey will be to take me more than 2000 miles across the country to my new home.  She's truly road-worthy! My baby is Trail Rated, as are all these Jeeps. She'll climb rocks and take on 30" of water. Taking to the trails has become a life-style for me. It's exhilarating to climb to the summit as the Jeep takes on challenging trails, mounting huge rocks, passing through creeks, and riding the rim of a canyon. The wild horses and burros, blooming cactus, mountains and the desert are all breathtakingly beautiful. Today, I gifted my baby with a GoPro that will be capturing our cross-country trip. I'm new to GoPro. If you are a GoPro user, feel free to leave tips & tricks of the trade in the comment section.  My movers are scheduled for the 16th, my tiny apartment is ready, and I'm getting anxious to start my new phase of life. The new apartment is...

50 Shades of Sharon is All About Recreating Yourself at Any Age and More