Welcome to the Misadventures of Widowhood blog!

Welcome to my World---Woman, widow, senior citizen seeking to live out my days with a sense of whimsy as I search for inner peace and friendships. Jeez, that sounds like a profile on a dating app and I have zero interest in them, having lost my soul mate of 42 years. Life was good until it wasn't when my husband had a massive stroke and I spent the next 12 1/2 years as his caregiver. This blog has documented the pain and heartache of loss, my dark humor, my sweetest memories and, yes, even my pity parties and finally, moving past it all. And now I’m ready for a new start, in a new location---a continuum care campus in West Michigan, U.S.A. Some people say I have a quirky sense of humor that shows up from time to time in this blog. Others say I make some keen observations about life and growing older. Stick around, read a while. I'm sure we'll have things in common. Your comments are welcome and encouraged. Jean

Thursday, June 5, 2014

My Widow’s Week in 596 Words


My Red Hat Society chapter had a walk-about this week. We went to a neighborhood near downtown where a cluster of antique shops are located. They cater to young professionals and people looking for shabby chic and their stock was slightly different than what I’m used to seeing when I go antiquing. One store had a laundry basket full of faces from old pocket watches. It made me sad to think about all those past century pocket watches that were obviously melted down for their silver or gold, saving only the guts to sell to crafters. Those hundreds of tiny little roman numerals on ivory colored clock faces with ornate embellishments cried out to me. Needless to say I didn’t buy any of those $6.00 little gems. It would be like buying the bones of a once beautiful child. I have a dozen or so pocket watches slated to go up for auction on e-Bay and I came home wondering if I couldn’t somehow put them in a shadow box to display. But if I put everything in shadow boxes I’m having trouble parting with my walls would probably fall over from the extra weight.

Also in the same neighborhood was an old style deli where we ate lunch. The food was super flavorful and there was never a time while we were there that there wasn’t a line out the door. Dessert---Red Hatters never pass up dessert---was at an equally old style bakery. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve even seen a bakery and the cream puffs and éclairs shouted out: “Hey, I’ll look good on your hips!” The bakery had high shelves lining the walls with more antique cookie jars than I’ve ever seen in one place and I’ve seen a lot of cookie jar collections in my travels. I would never drive to this part of town alone which is probably a good thing because I’d be in that bakery way too often. I really do wish they’d outlaw sugar. If I had to buy sugary products under the cover of darkness I might have a chance of staying on a diet. I don’t like to drive after dark. My eye doctor, today, said I have the beginnings of cataracts and that’s what gives us old duffers the halo around street lights and headlights, making night driving so annoying. My cataracts are not big enough for him to start nagging me to let him remove them---his words, not mine---so I have a few move years of staying home after dark.

‘Old style’ seemed to be this week’s theme. At the senior luncheon I saw one of the best bands I’ve had the pleasure to see in a very long time. The music teachers who made up the band played six instruments between the three of them including a bass, fiddle, acoustical and regular style guitars, banjo, and a washboard. They played what they called “porch music” which was a blend of mountain music, prohibition era songs and stuff you could picture yourself singing if you were living in the book, The Grapes of Wrath, dirt poor and on the way to California to look for work. What made the show doubly good was in between the songs the teachers talked about the history of the genres they sang, their instruments and old time singers and song writers who influenced modern music. And all that for $6.00 including food.

It was a busy week but I’m starting to bore myself writing about it, so I’ll quit while I’m ahead. I want something big and exciting to happen it my life. Something bold and good that will cause me to wear the letters off my keyboard as I tell the world about it. Maybe next week.....maybe then I'll invent a 'years eraser' and I'll be twenty-two again and singing on stage with Taylor Swift. ©

9 comments:

  1. Jean,
    When we lived in Maryland, there was a market very close to us in Cape St. Claire called Graul's. It had a small bakery. They made the best brownies and éclairs I've ever eaten. It's a good thing we moved. I wouldn't fit through the door.

    I would have been one of your customers back in the day. We loved antique stores. It's kind of sad that so many things have been lost to the melt down. I guess they needed the money at the time.

    Now you have me wanting an éclair. Shame on you.


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    1. One day we were in a mall that had one of those traveling gold and silver buyers set up for the day. They had a line and next to their table as a huge bin where they'd throw all the jewelry, watches etc. I just hated seeing all the antique things so carelessly tossed in that had come down through a few generations. The younger people just don't place as much value on grandma's ring or grandpa's watch as past generations did. They'd rather have a new pair of jeans or a couple of C-Ds. I feel the same way about those garden totems they make from vintage glassware. I'm okay if they don't drill holes in them and just use glue but it breaks my heart to see cut glass, etc., ruined.

      I wish I could go back for an eclair. It was really good!

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  2. Even I want an eclair ... and I have no sweet tooth!

    It sounds like a GREAT week tome. I like lots of little wonderful things rather than one big one. Spreads out the joy a little longer. It's exciting that you are getting out and about almost every day of the week!

    Oregon is nice and warm and sunny, and I'm getting to meet other neighbors who live here. Winter weather sure cuts us off!

    Unless you go to Maui ....

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    1. I don't know if it's exciting getting out every day but it sure was tiring. LOL

      I'm glad you're not missing Maui too much.

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  3. Let me know when you get your patent for the Year's Eraser. I want to be 55 again!!

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  4. Oh heck--I'll take 65 again and be darn happy!

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  5. I would take 40, 50, 55 or 60. I guess I'd better get back down in the basement and work on my intention. LOL

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  6. Well, I just discovered your blog and I LOVE IT! You make even a "mundane" week sound fun. Wish we could hang out….we'd have some laughs, I'm sure. Keep writing!

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    1. Thank you and welcome, Donna! I can't wait to poke around in your blog. I love your title and tag line of: My View From Here. A woman in her 60s looking forward, looking back and being right where she is.

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