On Friendships

As time goes by, and we grow older, I believe friends become more important to us. I mean those soul-connected friends whom you may not even see very often, but when you meet, it’s like no time has passed at all.

You need to make the time to see these friends, because every day that passes is an opportunity lost to spend time with that person. Cliche though it may be, we’re not getting any younger. I was talking about this with my childhood friend, Laurel, not too long ago. Her parents and my parents were good friends and we literally grew up together. She’s a sister friend, and though she now lives in the US, we’re definitely going to make more time for each other.

I recently reconnected with another girlfriend from childhood, Dianne. We grew up together in the country just down the road from each other and grew up as close as sisters. We spent an inordinate amount of time together, always back and forth between one another’s homes, sharing clothes, double dating and getting ready to go out roller skating. Dianne is a sister friend and we now live only a few miles apart so we see each other often.

And then there’s Barb, my bosom buddy university friend; Monika, another sweet sister friend; Fran, my lovely work friend; and Lesley, my English friend. Where would we be without these wonderful people in our lives? They make time for us when we’re feeling low, and crack us up with their zany humor. Sharing, caring and loving…

Are you a Hooker? Or a Knit-Wit?

I must admit I’m more of a hooker, though I do a little of both. Yes, of course, I’m talking about crochet and knitting, These are such relaxing hobbies and I’ve always loved keeping my hands busy, whether with crafts such as these, or making jewelry (more about that later).

I’ve been busy while I’m here in Florida doing both. Had to go back to the basics with crochet as I’ve hadn’t “hooked” in a few years. But I think the results are worth the extra time I put in practicing. You be the judge (see below). I’m now making one in cream for my mother-in-law. Hope she likes it!

Crocheted Shrug

Crocheted Shrug

As far as knitting goes, I had to teach myself to knit right-handed (I’m a leftie). After a bit of practice, here’s the afghan I made, with a crocheted edge. I’m pretty pleased with the end result (see below). I’ve also knitted a multi-colour scarf for my son’s girlfriend for Christmas, as well as a scarf for my daughter.

Knitted Afghan with Crocheted Edge

Knitted Afghan with Crocheted Edge

Living the Good Life in Florida

Our Florida Sun Room

Our Florida Sun Room

My husband and I have been coming to Florida for the last 10 years to escape old man Winter. We’re both retired now and able to spend 3 1/2 to 4 months out of the cold. And this year, we got out of Ontario, Canada, just in time! After spending an early Christmas with family, we headed down here just before a big storm hit!

This winter, we’re particularly grateful to have missed the “winter from hell” up north. With snowstorms de rigueur every other week and sub-zero temps, every day here is a gift.

Whether relaxing, having dinner with friends or shopping, we’re all about “living the good life in Florida”.

The Mature Woman: In Style Fashion Looks

CW Wed

In one of my last posts I was moaning about the dearth of fashion advice and shops that cater to those of us who are aging gently.

Well, since then I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find I was wrong on both counts! While searching on the Net for age-appropriate jeans, I came across Vibrant Nation (www.vibrantnation.com) , a U.S. website that features fashion advice by like-minded women. And what’s more, the brands they comment on are mentioned too. They have done articles on “What to Wear After 50”, and “Best Jeans for Women Over 50”, amongst many others. And I love the name of the website, too, because it epitomizes how the mature woman wants to be seen. If any of you out there have your favourites websites, please let me know about them. I am sure there are many hidden treasures yet to be discovered. I’ll continue to search them out, too, and keep you posted.

Now, on to my favourite (local) shops! While driving around town the other week, I just about screeched to a halt when I noticed a Zacks store. They at one time had several outlets in my vicinity, but the economic downturn in the 1990″s forced some of them to close. I really thought all the branches had closed. so imagine my delight! Zacks is a local store that was established in 1921 – that’s a lot of years to be in business. Also in the same plaza is a Vivian Lee boutique, a Tweed & Hickory store (www.tweedandhickory.com). In Canada, that’s www.tweedandhickory.ca. In the same plaza, there’s an upscale shoe store named Lashbrook’s.

Onto on my shopping adventure! For my first foray into Zack’s, I purchased this neutral Conrad C blazer and Zack’s label brown patterned blouse. I already had a lovely orange scarf that toned with this outfit perfectly. The added bonus was a 25% discount on my next visit! And did I mention I got 25% off the jacket?

FallWardrobe2FallWardrobe1FallWardrobe3

Obviously I wanted to return and take advantage of that discount. I had my eye on a jacket and top I had spotted on my first visit. I purchased another Conrad C blazer and Tribal multi-coloured top. Again, I had a scarf that matched the outfit very well. And I got 25% off both items!Next I purchased these beautiful SAS black patent leather loafers with silver buckle detail. Easy to dress them up or down. I love classic pieces, but sometimes with a twist, like the chartreuse jacket

Needless to say, I was delighted with my purchases. You don’t need to spend the earth to look chic. The mature, vibrant woman is alive and well!

Age-Appropriate Makeup for the Mature Woman

As we age, our hair colour and skin tone change. The older woman often requires a brand new makeup palette,,,in softer, more flattering shades. Makeup application requires a lighter touch. This applies to both foundation and eye makeup. No harsh black eyeliner anymore! So how do we achieve the fresh, dewy look we all want?

Here are a couple of tips:

ALWAYS use primer as your first step. This is especially important for women with dry skin, like me. The primer will add a dewy look to the skin and allow you to achieve a flawless application of foundation or tinted moisturizer.

Next, use spot concealer to hide age spots or imperfections.

Instead of trying to combat wrinkles with heavier foundation (this will only make wrinkles appear deeper as the foundation sinks into the skin), apply it with a light touch, blending well.

All very well, you say, but what exactly does this mean for me?

Lucky for us, then, that internationally renowned UK makeup artist Lisa Eldridge has made a series of tutorial videos (that have gone viral, by the way), for different types of makeup application. Now we can all have fresh, flawless faces! Here is her tutorial on how to apply makeup on mature skin. Enjoy!

http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/25644/glowing-youthful-make-up-look-for-mature-skin/

The Mature Woman is Alive and Well!

Today I’ve added an important new category to my Blog: The Mature Woman, with sub-categories on Beauty & Makeup, and Style. For those women, like me “d’un certain age” (in their fifties, sixties and beyond), there seems to be a huge gap in the market for clothing (retailers: take note!), and articles on beauty and style.

A recent photo of me, in case you're interested.
A recent photo of me, in case you’re interested.

And, yes, just because we’re older, doesn’t mean we’ve given up the ghost. We still want to look chic and well put-together, with age-appropriate makeup.

Some posts I’ve already written, such as fit into these categories. And I’ll be writing more articles, and giving tips as we go along. I’ll repost any relevant articles I find by others. Very important to me is your Feedback. I want your take on these issues, suggestions where to shop, and your great tips.

The Mature Woman is indeed alive and well!

Genealogy Research – The Search Begins

NOTE: I originally posted this article in May 2013. Because I’m about to share my genealogy research, I felt this Post was important as background information. I intend to start with my birth family, the Schmetzers. I will follow it up with my adoptive families, the Williams’ and the Collinses.

Linwood , Ontario, is a small village deep in the heart of Mennonite country. It was a place settled  mainly by people of German extraction, and some of their descendants still live there today. So what does all this have to do with me, you ask?

This is the story of my journey to discover my roots – not so unusual in itself. What makes this story truly unique, however, is that as an adoptee, I sought not only my parents’ roots, but also those of my birth relatives.

Linwood CPR Railway Station

My grandfather Collins was Station Master & Telegrapher here before WWI.

My grandfather Collins was Station Master & Telegrapher here before WWI.

So imagine my surprise, then, when at the end of my search, all roads led back to Linwood, where both my parents, Ken Williams and Maureen Collins were born, as well as some of my birth relatives!

Here is how it all began.  When I began this search, it was in order to find my birth mother.  For that, I needed a vital piece of information: my original birth registration.  This took a lot of ingenuity on my part, as my parents would not let me see this document. This was back in the day when adoption was such a difficult process: first, you had to prove you were worthy to adopt a child, and once approved, wait for a baby to come along. So my parents were very insecure, sure that they’d lose me to a bunch of strangers.

As anyone who is adopted knows, this is totally ridiculous! You love the people who brought you up and provided you with unconditional love.

At a meeting of Adoptees, I got the tip I needed: tell the powers that be that I needed the original document for a Visa to the United States. This ruse worked like a charm. And bingo, just like that I was looking at my original birth name: Judith Anne Kuhl.

Next: The Schmetzer Family, Part I.