golden girl

“I didn’t get this old by being stupid.” That’s one of my favorite lines from Sophia on the popular TV series “The Golden Girls.” The exploits of the four strong-willed, mature women sharing a home together in their golden years made us laugh and cry from 1985 to 1992 and today in reruns.

Now, I’m not saying that I’ll be a “golden girl” on my birthday this month but soon I’ll need a bigger cake to hold all the candles! And maybe a fire extinguisher!

My age has never really bothered me. But some days reality sets in. I just learned that I have mild arthritis in my finger. Unbelievable how much that hurts. As the saying goes, getting old is not for sissies! Ugh.

At what age is a person considered “old” and entering their “golden years?” A 10-year-old thinks 30 is old. I see people my age and think they look old. To me, “old” is 20 years older than I am right now! Even my local senior center is changing their name because people over 50 don’t see themselves as a “senior” and would never go to a senior center. It’s all about perspective.

“The key to successful aging is to pay as little attention to it as possible.” Judith Regan

Instead of dwelling on my impending birthday I took time to get out and enjoy all that the Fall season has to offer. The trees have been spectacular in vibrant red and yellow. And there are fun Halloween decorations everywhere. I even went on a “scary forest” walk with my coworkers and a haunted chocolate factory tour with friends. The weather has been pleasant enough to enjoy a waterfront lunch and walk and a fast ferry ride to a nearby town. One day I wandered around the South Lake Union neighborhood, home to Amazon. Yes, that Amazon. Love ’em or hate ’em, Jeff Bezos and his mega-empire have transformed this once-neglected part of town. Did you know their campus is comprised of 40 buildings? Including the spheres and an Airstream trailer where they hand out free bananas to anyone!

“Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened.” Jennifer Yane

I do ask myself this almost every day! Age really is just a number and I do believe that staying active and having friends of all ages helps keep us young. To all my friends who had milestone birthdays this year, remember, love ya, and old lives matter!!

Here’s a few highlights of my October adventures and things that caught my attention….

golden leaves

fallen leaves

single leaf

pumpkins

a few bad apples

end of summer sunflower

dia de los muertos

don’t fence me in

giant skeleton

gory ghoul

hello, frank

scary clown

pumpkin on a stump

pile of pumpkins

pumpkins in a row

i hate spiders

someone lost their head

halloween is over

buoys or christmas ornaments?

picture perfect fall day

fabulous views from jack block park

moving at a snail’s pace

high noon in kingston

welcome to kingston

tiny skulls

counting crows

more pumpkins

straw hat

headless horseman

did i mention i love pumpkins??

iconic sign on amazon campus

amazon sphere

yes, we have no bananas

cruise season is over

catfish nuggets at legion

enough said

satisfied life

This quote showed up on my Facebook feed and it got me thinking. Some people equate success with money, good jobs, fancy cars, big houses. At one point in my life I thought the same thing. But, fast forward a bunch of years and I have none of those things! Life rarely always turn out as we expect. But, overall, I am quite satisfied with my life.

For years I did what I was “supposed” to do — went to college, had a good job (or two or three!), bought a house, paid my bills on time, bought a sportscar, took nice vacations. All this in spite of living with a chronic and unpredictable illness for 20 years. I was successful, by my definition. Then that chronic disease kicked my butt and changed everything. I couldn’t work for over a year, I had to rely on family and friends for help, I went on public assistance for food and health insurance. I was a hot mess. What’s successful or satisfying about that??

Now I had the time to listen to my heart, quiet my mind and do some soul searching. Did I want to go back to the same kind of job and same kind of life? Not really. Time for a leap of faith to try something new and different. Fast forward a few more years – I drive a 20-year-old Toyota, I work between six and nine months of the year, I split my time between the desert southwest and the Pacific Northwest. Do I have a satisfied and successful life? Absolutely!

As we turn the calendar page to October my thoughts turn to my dad. Hard to believe that later this month it will be twenty years since his passing. When my dad was in his early 40’s he took a huge leap of faith. He packed up his family, left the suburbs of a big midwestern city and moved to the middle of nowhere (that’s what it felt like to me) to run his own business. I was about to start high school and couldn’t imagine moving to the desert. But dad was excited and happy to start his satisfied and successful life. I guess it runs in the family.

Cheers to October and living our best life. And to cooler weather, sweaters, football, fall colors, pumpkins, Halloween.

I’ve been working too much and don’t have many new photos. So here’s a few of my previous favorites.

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  my motto

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  pumpkins big and small

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  white ghost pumpkins

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  scary!!

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  happy face

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  too long in the sun

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  two-faced

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  bumpy pumpkins

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  mini pumpkins

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  fresh fall fruit

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  caddy in the woods

stop the madness!

Congratulations! You made it to November! It’s been a challenge, to say the least. A country divided, a life-changing election, a deadly virus, killer hornets, hurricanes, an asteroid heading for earth, a full blue moon on Halloween, Daylight Saving Time…

It may be difficult to think of things to be grateful for as we approach Thanksgiving but if you made it this far in good mental and physical health, and you can pay your bills and put food on the table, count your blessings.

With so much negativity invading our thoughts every day, it can be hard to focus on the positive things. Remember, it’s the simple things that get us through the day…a call from a friend, a walk in the park, a delicious meal, finishing a project, internet access, a funny movie. I’m sure you can name five or six things that made you smile today.

At this time of year I look forward to visiting pumpkin patches and attending Day of the Dead celebrations. I was able to visit a fantastic farm stand and a small pumpkin patch. Ironic that over 229,000 Americans have been lost to coronavirus and Day of the Dead festivities have been canceled. If you lost someone this year, no matter the reason, mourn their passing but think of the positive ways they impacted your life and all they accomplished during their time on this earth.

We will soon know (hopefully) who will lead our country for the next four years. I believe Americans want the same things, like good jobs, an end to the virus, an end to racism and violence, and our rights protected. We just have different visions on how to reach these goals. Whatever your political belief, here’s hoping we have a return to our “normal” life very soon.

As we move toward shorter days, colder weather, the holiday season and the end of 2020, remember…

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Here’s a few things that made my October special.

As always, thanks for reading and sharing your comments. If you haven’t already, follow WanderBee Photography on Facebook and on Instagram @wanderbee60.