HAPPY NEW YEAR

It's almost 2009. I have been neglecting you dear friends but will return with more stories and more ideas to find romance after 50. In the meantime you could read my book, "50 Ways to Find Romance after 50" which you can order by emailing me at romanceafter50@sbcglobal.net. The book sells for $19.95, but as a New Year's special I will send it to you for $15.00 including s&h. I really want you to find romance in the new year as it can be lots of fun. While I have had a most interesting life as a widow, Harry has enriched my life greatly. I vow this next year we will merge the cats and our lives.

Please let me know how you are and what are your questions. Have a laugh at the following cartoon. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith!



HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Finding Love at 80

Sometimes I get really annoyed that people over 50 are often portrayed by advertisers as looking gray, wrinkled, dull, totally consumed by a variety of diseases and sexless - unless they are taking Viagra, of course. Perhaps it's only because I am no spring chicken that I find many older people today are looking and acting vibrant and ageless.

In my last two posts I have brought you the new romances of two couples, both over 80. They are having a good time, love dining out, and traveling. They are intelligent, delightful people who are not constantly taking pills or spending their lives in a doctor's waiting room.

Well, here's another. A neighbor down the street, Susie Damore, who is something of a matchmaker, called to tell me about her latest success, a romance between Ed and Betty.

A career accountant for many of her 84 years and quite happy with her life, Betty has been a friend of Susie's for many years. Although she never married, she did have several romances which for a variety of reasons never quite worked out. "I always felt that I couldn't work and be married," explained Betty. "Also my brother lived with me for many years. He died three years ago."

Ed, 82, a real estate broker and builder, had been happily married since a young man.
When his wife died five years before, he became quite depressed. Shortly after Susie met him she told him, "I have just the gal for you." She told him about Betty.

He was impressed and called Betty. Then he drove over to her house. "When I saw him get out of the car, I thought he had a pleasant face." At first Ed froze when Betty opened her door. He explained to her that she looked a lot like his late wife. Even her laugh reminded him of his lost love. But they immediately clicked and they talked and talked for hours. They discovered they both loved dancing, especially polka dancing, they are animal lovers, and they enjoy music. "He's so sweet and he makes me laugh," she said. "It seemed as if I have known him for years."

That was in April. They were married in August, inspired by their Catholic faith. "I surprised everybody by getting married!" she smiled. They had a small chapel wedding with just his family and with Susie as their Matron of Honor. They decided to live in Betty's house which he likes, while his son continues to live in his.

As in any relationship there are compromises. Betty likes almost every kind of food while Ed is allergic to several of her favorite dishes. At times it seems as if she is cooking two different meals. But she feels that is a minor problem as they have such a wonderful marriage. She certainly doesn't regret merging her life with Ed's.

If you have any stories of romance in later life please share them with me and the other readers of this blog. As many of the couples in my book, "50 Ways to Find Romance after 50" told me, love can be even better when you believe it's too late to find it again. As these couples discovered, that's really true.

Age 80 is the New 50! Stay Healty.

My friend Ruthe has been widowed for several years. She was the sales director for my magazine GLORY and my co-author on research about romance in the 1970s. We found out through a scientifically designed study and interviews with over 350 people that the most important part of being in love was to be really good friends.

Anyway, Ruthe has always been involved in the art world. She and her husband owned an art gallery for awhile and she herself is an artist. After his death she began attending painting classes and met a very nice man there. She and he had many good times taking their paints and canvas out into interesting sites. While he was more serious about the relationship than she, they continued to date for about six years. Then he became a little forgetful. Eventually a guardian was appointed to take care of his affairs and he ended up in a retirement home. (The guardian proved to be a bad choice and it took legal action to remove him. Then another was appointed. This whole subject needs to be explored another time as in some states, guardians can take and have taken advantage of their position. There is little or no supervision for this job.) When Ruthe's friend began forgetting that she was visiting him, she decided it was time to back off.

Wouldn't you know it! Not too long ago she stopped at a gas station to fill up her tank and was confused as to how to use the gas pump. A distinguished gentleman who had also stopped offered to help her. And now they are dating. Only Ruthe who is now at least 80 and almost 6 feet tall would meet a new man at a gas station! And she wasn't even looking for romance. It must be that 80 is the new 50.

You just never know. I've known other women who would very much like to meet someone and nothing happens no matter how enthusiastically they look. I also have friends that would like to meet someone, but just don't feel up to the task. It does take energy and you almost always have to be upbeat about your search.

I have been in search of energy for several years and have discovered something that really seems to help. Another friend, Janet Bender, called me from Georgia to tell me about MonaVie, a fruit drink with more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients than several servings of whole fruit. It's so concentrated that you only have to take from 2 to 4 ounces daily. Then I read about it in a health letter by Susan Lark, M.D. Her "Women's Wellness Today" is the only health newsletter that I have continued to take over the years. She writes that this delicious fruit juice contains the benefits of red wine with none of the drawbacks and is effective for relieving chronic pain and stiffness. My daughter found a distributor in our town and I have tried it. For me it works. I must report that I feel better and have more energy than I have had in years. While I am taking other recommended supplements and plan to continue taking most of them, MonaVie gives me the extra boost that I needed. Unfortunately, it is not cheap. I will probably drop some of the supplements so I can continue with this fruit drink which includes 19 fruits in all with the acai berry from the Amazon its main ingredient. You can find more information on the internet or call 801-748-3100.

Well, that's my contribution to getting you up and out to find fun in your life. I can't believe how much I have accomplished since I began taking the juice. There are just so many fun and interesting ideas to explore that I want all the good health and energy I can find!

There is romance for almost everyone at almost any age. I won't pretend that it's the most important factor in a life, but it does make it more exciting and more fun to share the treasures around us with another such as my honey, Harry Borgman. By the way my friend M. is having a wonderful time in Florida. (I talked about her in the last post.)

That's it for now my friends. Keep a smile on your face and generosity in your heart.

Gloria