WOOF: A WOOFer's Diary

photo by On The Green

A Wife's Diary:

Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn't say much.

I asked him what was wrong; He said, 'Nothing..' I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving. I can't explain his behavior. I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love you, too.'

When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep; I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

A Husband's Diary:

A five putt!

Who the hell five putts?!

(Thanks to Hoosier Hoopla for the laugh!)

Want more laughs?

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WOOF: Media Monday: Taming Your Alpha B****

Taming Your Alpha Bitch, by Rebecca Grado and Christy Whitman, reinforces what we've known for decades, ladies. Every advancement we've made, every step towards equality in the work force, in politics, even at home, have been hard-fought and well-earned; sometimes at the expense of our emotional and physical well-being.

All too often, our accomplishments leave us with that "glass half-empty" feeling, and we end up pushing too hard, along with assuming the Alpha Bitch mindset which, ironically, takes away our power rather than enriching it.

Enter Taming Your Alpha Bitch!

Whether you're a Forceful, Controlling, Competitive, or Disruptive Alpha, you'll find wonderfully detailed questions and answers to assist you in identifying your particular type in order to soften and improve your approach to life. Helpful Tips on dealing with work, home, or your partner are placed in each chapter along with easy-to-follow exercises.

You can even download a free meditation guide on the website:

If you find yourself barking up the wrong tree, Taming Your Alpha Bitch will teach you how to Wag more and bark less.

Rebecca Grado, MFT is a licensed intuitive psychotherapist, co-founder of the Goddess Retreat– a transformational weekend that awakens the radiance and power within women– and co-author of the upcoming book “Taming Your Alpha Bitch – How to be Fierce and Feminine (and get everything you want)”. A gifted writer, her work is featured with bestselling authors Dr. Wayne Dyer, Michael Beckwith, and Anthony Robbins.

She has been quoted in several news articles including self.com, aol.com, and momlogic.com Rebecca has studied metaphysics since 1985 and is a true visionary in her approach to energy work and healing. For over twenty-five years she has raised awareness on the planet through her books, seminars, and in her private practice. Skillfully blending her intuitive gift with traditional psychotherapy practices, she helps individuals transcend their limitations, discover their innate joy, and awaken their greatest potential.

Christy Whitman: Christy Whitman is an in-demand life coach, transformational leader, CEO and founder of the Quantum Success Coaching AcademyTM, a 12 month Law of Attraction coaching certification program. She has helped thousands of women and men around the world achieve their goals through her empowerment seminars, speeches, and coaching sessions and products. Christy’s life-changing message reaches over 100,000 people a month and she has been quoted in Seventeen, Woman’s World, Woman’s Day, Teen Vogue, The Star Ledger, and Knot Magazine.

As a certified Law of Attraction coach, her work has been promoted by and featured with best-selling authors like Marianne Williamson, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Marci Shimoff, Brian Tracy, Neal Donald Walsch, Abraham-Hicks and Louise Hay. She currently lives in Montreal with her husband, Frederic, and their two boys, Alexander and Maxim. Meet her at http://www.ChristyWhitman.com and http://www.7EssentialLaws.com.

Taming Your Alpha Bitch on Amazon

Video of the authors recent appearance on The Today Show!

For a light-hearted read: WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty on Amazon

WOOF: R U for Rent?

WOOF Wonders...Would YOU sign up to be someone's grandma? For money? 

If the idea piques your interest, here's a service that might just be your cup of tea!

Rent-A-Grandma

WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty!
Amazon

OmniLit

WOOF: Media Monday - Friendships Get Better With Age

A recent USA Today article stated that friendships
 get better with age.

Good friendships can spring up at any time in life, says clinical psychologist Samantha Litzinger, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y. She says women often form close relationships based on similar experiences or interests later in life, such as parenting, marriage struggles and hobbies.

Do you have long-lasting friendships, or have your close friends evolved through the years as your interests changed or you moved to a different location or state? Maybe, as empty nesters, you lost that common bond with other parents.

Leave a comment about a special friend relationship in your life - long-standing or recent.

Mary & Diana - the Younger Years!

Mary & Diana - The "Mature" years!

To read the entire article go to USA Today

To read more on friendships, don't forget to check out WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty!

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WOOF: Furry Friends Friday - Dog Tails

Is your dog the leader of the pack?

Or laid-back?

Either way, if you have a special dog, then you must have a Dog Tail to tell. Here's how.

Submission guidelines for:
"Dog Tails:
Stories About Women & Their Best Tail-Wagging Friends”

How to tell your story:
Whether your special canine buddy is still with you or not, we’re looking for nonfiction stories told in first person with action, dialogue and an emotional pivotal ending. Make readers laugh, cry, get chills!

How not to tell your story:
Stories should not be political in nature or preachy. We want original, unpublished stories that are 400 words or less.

How to submit your story:
A Word document e-mailed to GreatDames@WoofersClub.com

(Remember to save a copy for yourself!)

How to submit your picture:
Jpeg or Gif submitted to GreatDames@WoofersClub.com

WOOF: Media - Pulpwood Queens Book Club

WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty, is having a great year! First, co-authors, Diana Black and Mary Cunningham, were asked by founder, Kathy Patrick, to represent WOOF in January at Beauty & the Book's Girlfriends Weekend, an international gathering of  book clubs. Then, much to our delight, WOOF was chosen as a bonus selection for June!

Then,  to top it off, we were asked by Queen, Anita Buice to speak to the Pulpwood Queens Book Club Carrollton Chapter, and did we ever have a howlingly great time! Diana read a poem on the "joys" of menopaws and hot flashes called Covers, and Mary read a short memoir titled, My Grandmother's Hands.

The concensus was, that while our grandmothers appeared much older at age 50 than we do, they were still blessed with strength and resolve, and were a major influence in our lives.

Thanks, Queen Anita, hostess, Mary Jane, and all the fabulous PPQ Book Blub members for your hospitality! And, you might want to check out Beauty & the Book and start your own Pulpwood Queens Book Club!

And, don't forget to pick up your copy of WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty!

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WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty Amazon
WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty OmniLit

WOOF: Furry Friends Friday - Will Love For Food

 I Rescued A Human Today 

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.

I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage.
I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today.

Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.

Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.

I would promise to keep her safe.
I would promise to always be by her side.
I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

(Special thanks to WOOFer, Bubbles (Bev) for sharing)

For another Pawsitive story about dog rescues, read about Molly in WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty

Amazon

OmniLit

WOOF: Furry Friends Friday - Friendship

So, WOOF is shaking up Furry Friends Friday by showcasing Felines!

 

"Friendship isn't about who you have known the longest
It's about those who came and never left your side."

'Nough said...

Get another dose of friendship in WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty

Amazon 

OmniLit

WOOF: Media Monday - It's Only The Beginning!

Each year, the National Women’s History Project selects a theme that highlights achievements by distinguished women in specific fields, from medicine and the environment to art and politics. The 2011 theme, “Our History Is Our Strength,” emphasizes the importance of learning about women’s tenacity, courage and creativity throughout the centuries. It also pays tribute to the millions of women who helped create a better world for the times in which they lived as well as for future generations.

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women, which took place for the first time on March 8, 2011. Many countries around the world continue to observe the holiday on that date, often with demonstrations, educational initiatives and customs such as presenting women with gifts and flowers.

WOOF proudly supports WOOFers all over the world by saying, "What's with just one day? We know we're special 24/7 - 365 days a year!"

WOOF:Women Only Over Fifty Available at Amazon or OmniLit

WOOF: Furry Friends Friday - Hair Nightmare

Ever think you'd just like to throw away the hair color and go au naturale? You might want to think twice. If, however, you've taken the plunge, how did it work out?

Even if you're not quite ready to emBARK on a new hair style, we know you're feeling a sense of emotional freedom just allowing yourself to dream unfettered.

WOOF: Unleashed! Women freeing themselves from body images and/or belief systems that no longer serve. Or just out there doing something they have a passion for, that makes their heart sing. Or women still searching for answers who need a sisterhood to urge them to let go and let life!

Have an idea for a story or one you’d like to submit? Simply email GreatDames@WoofersClub.com!

For great non-fiction women's stories to inspire and bring a smile, BUY WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty!

WOOF: Media Monday: Pregnancy After Fifty???

YIKES!!!!!



More than 100 women over the age of 50 in England and Wales became mothers last year according to the Office of National Statistics.

This represents a 55 percent increase on 2008. 14 of the women were over 55.

All I can say is, glad I don't live in England or Wales!

What's your opinion? How would pregnancy/motherhood suit you after the age of fifty?

To read more, click on the link below:
More women over 50 becoming mothers

If you're an empty-nester, look for great stories in WOOF: Women Only Over 50!

Furry Friends Friday - Pet Boutiques

We all adore our pets, but how many of us shop the boutiques for those extra special items?

Here's one suggestion has everything you could ever want or need for your furry friends, with a special benefit.

Land of Paws also has an extra added feature. Molly's Paws, "an exclusive collection of one-of-a-kind pet products developed to honor our faithful friends who comfort us when we need it most."


Barbara Unell, founder of Back In The Swing, USA, inspired the collection when her West Highland Terrier, Molly, offered unconditional love during Barbara's recovery from breast cancer. Molly's Paws launches October 1, 2010.

You also might enjoy reading Finding the Good In Bad Hair Days; a story in WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty, about WOOFer friend, Gail, who dealt with losing her hair during chemo in her own special way.

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For Women Only Over Fifty thoughts & stories:

WOOF available through Amazon and Echelon Press!

Buy New WOOF Download Companion

Accentuate The Pawsitive!

Not So Hot Fans For Smokin' Hot WOOFers!

d.d. dawg & Milkbone use their Not So Hot Fans!

WOOF: Welcome to the WOOFers Club Blog. Please tell us a little about you and Not So Hot Fans! Are you WOOFers (Women Only Over Fifty)?

NSHF: We certainly are. As a matter of fact the reason we developed Not So Hot Fans is because we were both suffering from hot flashes, one of our shared symptoms of menopause. Mine ( Susan) began when I was 51, Linda’s much earlier. Linda and I are sisters, two years apart, and we have been very close all our lives . I am a nursery school teacher and my sister is a sales person in the city.

Linda has a son and we both live here on Long Island. We are very connected to our family. Our brother lives here on LI and our mother still lives in the house where we grew up. We still celebrate every birthday, holiday and life cycle event together.

WOOF: How wonderful that you two have remained so close. Will you tell our readers a little about your product? We're impressed with the little storage pouch!

NSHF: Not So Hot flash fans are incredibly efficient, nylon fans, that fold up, small enough to fit into a back pocket or evening bag. They are embellished with fashionable trims, and fold up to store in a flat, circular 3 inch nylon bag. Our intention was to create a new fashion accessory for women who need to cool off in a flash. Something they could carry discretely, use whenever they needed and have available at all times. Electric fans and other type folding fans take up too much room.

WOOF: So, what made you decide to jump into the business?

NSHF: It was New Year’s Day of 2009, I had my annual New Year’s Day open house party with about 70 guests. As always, my sister Linda and I were working side by side. As we were running around I had a hot flash, pulled my fan out of my back pocket, and began fanning myself. I waved it past Linda once or twice and she said, “wow that is a terrific fan, where did you get it? I want one.”

I said, “Yeah isn’t it great? Everyone who has hot flashes should have one.”

Linda designed trims for us and we made some samples. We customized an attractive convenient bag for it. The name of the company is a play on words from a silly conversation Linda and I had. We said that not so hot was not cool at all , and cool was good. But, that is no longer the case, because although we always want to be “cool” and “hot” now we also want to be “not so hot” too. We laughed so hard. We realized we had a great idea, a great product and a large market with a need for our product.

WOOF: I heard that you're also dog lovers. Please fill us in on your canine friends.

NSHF: Linda and I grew up with two black Labs, Ohmee and Ohmei, who made Marley look like a dream. You couldn’t leave your purse at their nose level because they loved leather so much they would start nibbling it. There was one time they ate my new boots and left only a zipper and the man made soles! They were known to break into the closet and eat canned goods by perforating the cans with their teeth and squeezing out the food. We had to have a lock on the refrigerator because Ohmee knew how to open it. My parents replaced the kitchen cabinets twice and the floor ( which they chewed) three times. The girls lived to a ripe old age of 14! My mother has the patience of a saint.

My first dog, as a married woman was Brandy, a golden retriever I adopted from North Shore Animal League. He was doll. He was so wonderful with people we applied for a pet therapy certificate. We went to Sun Harbor a senior citizen facility, and Long Island Alzheimer center for many years visiting residents. When Brandy got old, my father built a ramp for him to get into the car, because you couldn’t stop him from trying to get into the car to go to work! After he passed away I adopted Houston- the happiest dog in the world with a tongue to match, and Hunter a very sweet but shy boy.

WOOF: I'm sure everyone who reads about these great fans will want to know how they can purchase one. I know Diana and I love ours!

NSHF: Readers can visit us at our website: Not So Hot
or visit us at our Facebook page.

They can purchase fans on our site through pay pal or can print an order form and mail a check to our post office box . Our address is:

Not So Hot,
PO Box 563

Merrick, NY 11566

Linda, Cousin Jane & Susan

We sell both retail and wholesale accounts. Our fans make great gifts and

GREAT party favors!! We can also be reached via email at:

sales at not-so-hot dot com

Join us here each Monday for more

Accentuate the Pawsitive

revolutionary topics!

Leave a comment and you might win a FREE download of Accentuate the Pawsitive!

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50 Women Over 50: Billie Jean King

The list is endless. Women Only Over Fifty (WOOFers) who lead vibrant, meaningful lives and just seem to get younger every day.

Photo courtesy of Archive Photos, Inc.

I'll bet every WOOFer remembers the 1973 Battle of the Sexes: Billie Jean King against that male chauvinist, Bobby Riggs. What a doofus! Did he really think he could beat her - just because he was a man and she, a weak female??

Guess that question was answered in short order. King easily beat Riggs in a televised match in the Houston Astrodome.

But, on to more relevant information about one of the best tennis players, ever.

Billie Jean (Moffitt) King was born on November 22, 1943, in the southern California city of Long Beach. She developed an interest in tennis at age eleven and saved money to buy her first racket, winning her first championship at age fourteen.

In 1961 Billie Jean competed in her first Wimbledon tournament in England but was defeated in the women's singles. She teamed, however, with Karen Hautze to win the doubles (two-person team) title, and in 1965, won her first Wimbledon singles championship, then repeated in 1967. That same year she also won the U.S. Open singles title at Forest Hills, New York.

In 1968 King won both the women's singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon. In 1971 she became the first woman athlete to win more than one hundred thousand dollars.

The list goes on and on. To read more about this great tennis legend click on the Wikipedia Bio page.

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For more Women Only Over Fifty thoughts & stories:

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WOOF: 50 Women Over 50 - Meredith Vieira

The list is endless. Women Only Over Fifty (WOOFers) who lead vibrant, meaningful lives and just seem to get younger every day.

Since we can't cover everyone, WOOF decided to start with 50 and each week pay tribute to one of them.

Meredith Vieira was born in East Providence, Rhode Island, to first generation Portuguese-Americans. All four of Vieira’s grandparents came from the Azores, three from Faial Island, one of the nine islands in the archipelago. They all left for a better life in New England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries – settling around Providence, RI. She is the youngest of four children, with three older brothers.

She first gained national recognition as a CBS reporter based in their Chicago bureau from 1982 to 1984. She later became a correspondent for nationwide news-magazine shows including West 57th (1985–89) and 60 Minutes (1989–91).

Vieira served as the moderator and co-host of The View from its debut in 1997 through the spring of 2006. Her co-hosts gave her a roast to commemorate her final appearance.

Beginning SEP 13, 2006, she left The View to become co-host on The Today Show, and a contributing anchor for Dateline NBC. In addition, she had a brief stint on Broadway in Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2003, appearing in various scenes, A series of guest appearances including Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, and made a cameo appearance as a reporter in Madagascar: Escape From Africa.

Vieira married Emmy-award winning CBS News journalist Richard M. Cohen on June 14, 1986. They live with their three children in Westchester County, New York. Her husband has had multiple sclerosis since he was 25 years old. She's active in several charities, but says that the one closest to her heart is Multiple Sclerosis, because of her husband's illness.

"I do my best given the platform that I have to get the word out about this disease, to let other people know they're not alone, and that this illness is very much a family affair. Richard and I are often asked to speak about MS, and we believe we have an obligation to do so."

She also serves on the board of the New York chapter of the MS Society, and participates in the annual MS Walk.

I have a special place for Meredith (I call her by her first name because we're friends, ya know). When WOOFer Diana and I took a short trip to NYC for our birthdays a couple of years ago, we stood with our homemade sign, along with all the screaming zanies, outside The Today Show. During a commercial break, she walked over, congratulated us on our birthdays and gave us a big hug! So, back atcha, Meredith!

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For more Women Only Over Fifty thoughts & stories:

WOOF available through Amazon and Echelon Press!

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Land The Job You Love - Mary Eileen Williams

We're so happy to welcome one of our all-time favorite WOOFers, Mary Eileen Williams. Welcome to the WOOFers Club Blog, Eileen!

Aside from writing your blog and hosting your radio show, Feisty Side of Fifty, you’ve just written a book for jobseekers over 50. What led you to do this?

I feel so many people have been discouraged by the news—especially older jobseekers. I’ve been a job search specialist for twenty years and wanted to help. So I decided to write a book and disclose several insider tips and techniques that make a huge difference in getting a job.

Hopefully, Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50 will save people time, money, and lots of frustration.

What’s the #1 factor holding older applicants back?

We buy into the idea that, because we’re older, we’re no longer valuable or desirable in the workforce. Nothing could be further from the truth! We’ve got great experience, highly developed skills, a mature work ethic, and a substantial network of coworkers, clients, and customers. Besides that, a huge percentage of the workforce is over fifty and our ranks are rapidly growing. There’s absolutely no reason we should feel at a disadvantage because of our age.

What are some tips that will help older applicants?

• Market your skills—substantiate them with examples of you performing your work at its best.

• Use your network to your advantage. There are relatively easy ways to network your way into your targeted companies and get yourself in front of key decision makers.

• Present yourself well on paper: often a resume will be the first impression of you. There is a particular style that works best for older applicants in the book. Highlight your accomplishments in such a way they are readily apparent within a 30-second scan—that’s about how long most reviewers spend deciding whether or not they’ll read your resume.

• Know the interview process. Practice frequently asked questions and how to best respond to behavioral style questions. Create your own list of questions to ascertain the needs of the interviewer and the company. Prepare, prepare, prepare—this is showtime!

• Anticipate success: learn the best ways to market yourself and you’ll land a job you will love!

Mary Eileen Williams, M.A., NCC has twenty years’ combined experience as a job search specialist, career/life transition counselor, university instructor, and writer. She also has a popular blog and radio show called, Feisty Side of Fifty.

Buy Land The Job You Love on Amazon!

Hear fabulous interviews on Feisty Side of Fifty - Blog Talk Radio!

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For more Women Only Over Fifty thoughts & stories:

WOOF available through Amazon and Echelon Press!

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Merry Christmas From WOOF!

If I were ol' Santa, you know what I'd do...
I'd dump silly gifts that are given to you.
And deliver some things just inside your front door.
Things you have lost, but treasured before.

I'd give you back all your maidenly vigor,
And, to go along, a neat tiny figure.
Then restore the old color that once graced your hair
Before rinses and bleaches took residence there.

I'd bring back the shape with which you were gifted
So things now suspended need not be uplifted.
I'd draw in your tummy and smooth down your back
Till you'd be a dream in those tight fitting slacks.

I'd remove all your wrinkles. Leave only one chin
So you wouldn't spend hours rubbing grease on your skin.
You'd never have flashes or queer dizzy spells
And you wouldn't hear noises like ringing of bells.

You'd never have headaches, so no pills you'd take.
And no heating pad needed since your muscles won't ache.
Yes, if I were Santa, you'd never look stupid.
You'd be a cute chick with the romance of a cupid.

I'd give you a lift when those wolves start to whistle
And the joys of your heart would be light as a thistle.
But alas! I'm not Santa, but our wish is sincere...
Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year!

(courtesy of Maxine)

Like to laugh? You'll discover more funny women stories, limericks and poems when you...

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To Mammo or Not!

To mammo or not? As if we don't have enough unanswered questions at this stage of life!

I realize this is a "Women Only Over Fifty" site, but we also have a lot of women readers who are approaching this golden age. Not to mention that women over fifty may now have the option of getting mammograms every other year, if I read right.

So, what's it to be, WOOFers? How do you feel about the new guidelines? My first thought was, Yaaaaaay! The discomfort and anxiety of having my boobs squished every other year and and foregoing a, possibly, unnecessary x-ray, sounds like a win-win to me! But, since I'm "slightly" over fifty, I wanted to get an opinion from one of my not-yet-fifty friends, Chris.

"Thanks for asking me! It's such an important topic. Well, as you know I'm heading on 44 in a couple of months. For the past 4 years, my doctor has written a prescription for me to get a mammogram, but I've been putting it off. Not out of fear, but because our lifestyle over the past several years has been in and out of the country, so I haven't had a block of time to schedule and hold it (these appointments typically needing a couple of months).

I'm scheduled for my yearly visit in January and will ask her for another prescription, and I have a good feeling she'll give me one. This time, I will go. I have no idea if insurance covers this anymore given the new guidelines, but I feel it's an important part of women's health. I don't really understand the technology, and if the current technologies used are somehow antiquated, but every breast cancer survivor I see on television is upset about the new guidelines, and many doctors are openly calling for women to still get them. This is a good sign. But healthcare has been set back years."

What are your thoughts? We'd love to hear from all WOOFers and Pre-WOOFers.

As for me, my annual mammo is due in January, so I guess I'll call the doctor to see what her recommendations are. No sense in calling the mammography clinic because they have a "dog in the hunt." Think they're going to turn down my money? Ha!

Mary (Milkbone)

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Writing From An Empty Nest

Margot Finke is an Aussie transplant who writes mid-grade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books. For many years she has lived in Oregon with her husband and family.

Gardening, travel, and reading fill in the cracks between writing. Her husband is very supportive, though not interested in children's books . Their three children are now grown and doing very well.

Margot didn't begin serious writing until the day their youngest left for college. This late start drives her writing, and pushes her to work at it every day. Margot said, "I really envy those who began young, and managed to slip into writing mode between kid fights, diaper changes, household disasters, and outside jobs."

WOOF: Having put off your dream of writing for so many years, if you had it all to do over, would you begin writing at an earlier age?

Margot: As the Aussies say, "Too right I would, mate!" I would find a way to fit writing in-between kids, husband, cooking, gardening and breathing.

WOOF: What advice do you have for those empty nesters out there who believe it's too late to "follow your dreams?"

Margot: It's never too late. All you need is a bit of talent, a strong will, stick-with-it-ness, and LUCK. Sending the right book, at the right time, to the right publisher, is my idea of luck. Of course being a famous pop star helps. So does knowing someone who knows someone in publishing. Join SCBWI and go to all their conferences - network with other writers, join a critique group, and listen to the wisdom of visiting editors. Read children's books. Join a couple of great online writing lists, and eavesdrop on the vast amount of writing information that flows through them.

WOOF: How has writing for children benefited your life as a WOOFer?

Margot: One thing I have as a WOOFer is TIME to write. And these days, I not only write, I do a lot of professional Manuscript Critiques. Sometimes I am swamped with them, and it's like the old (pre -WOOFER ) days, only now it's not kids and husband gobbling my time, it is critique clients wanting their manuscripts returned. That old refrain, "will I ever find the time to write" still echoes through my head.

WOOF: Besides writing, what is your passion?

Margot: Two new and utterly delightful grandkids, gardening, and reading, reading, reading. Travel too, if we have the time.

WOOF: Passions many WOOFers share, Margot! Would you also mind sharing something funny you've noticed about yourself as a direct result of aging?

Margot: I find myself feeling closer to my mother - she has been gone for many years now, but her wisdom has begun to resonate loud and clear - like a drum beat! One of Mum's gems I have come to appreciate:

"If you get up in the morning dear, and feel really terrific, don't look in the mirror - it will spoil everything!"

Fairdinkum, mate, she was right!"

Margot's latest rhyming book is "Rattlesnake Jam" - Guardian Angel Publishing - Illustrated by award winner Kevin Scott Collier. Available in both soft cover and e-book format.

This fun romp follows Pa catching rattlers, and Gran, as she cooks up her yucky green rattlesnake jam. But Pa's longs for rattler pie. Can he get Gran to bake it for him? ** Reluctant reader friendly! See Trailer Here

She also writes "Musings" - Where children's writers can find great writing help. To read more about this author and her books, go to: Margot Finke Website

As an extra bonus, Margot will give away FREE AUDIOS reading from her "Wild and Wonderful" rhyming series, to 2 people who comment or ask questions, after reading this blog interview! So, make you comment, now!

Margot, you've been a complete delight! Thanks, so much for sharing your love for writing and the passion for persuing your dream.

Mary Cunningham - Milkbone

Mary Cunningham Books

You Bought A...WHAT???

Contributing WOOFer, Joann Dunn (no relation to Lucy Ricardo), is a wife, mother, writer and WOOFer with a wickedly humorous outlook on life.

Twenty years ago, I wouldn't have taken the machete incident with such - well. let's say equanimity." It's a good word and I like to think it applies to many things at this point in my life, although it probably doesn't. But back to the machete.

As I put my coffee cup and newspaper on the table on our screened-in porch, I noticed a largeish object, long and flat, cardboard encased. The printing on the packaging said "Machete. 24 inches." Now twenty years ago I would have screamed "A machete? You bought a machete? Are you crazy?" But I have matured, and I have learned a lot. For instance, if there is going to be an upheaval, you don't want your opposition to be able to answer "no" to the first volley. You want to start with a " yes." So you start off with something like, "Darling, is this a machete?" followed up by something equally innocuous as, "And is it your machete?" See, already you have two yes's." When you get to "And you are going to get rid of this machete, aren't you?" "yes" will be so much easier.

Anyway, twenty years ago I would have said something like "Are you crazy?" Oh, yes, right, I already said that. I would have followed that up with "Do you want the children to kill themselves?" See, totally wrong. Another "no" for an answer. He would have had to defend his machete and "machete" and "manhood" are both "m" words, along with "mother," and we can see where that argument is going.

So, to cut to the chase, the fact that I am over fifty substantially contributed to the peaceful resolution of the question of using a two foot machete to cut the weeds along the back fence, although there was a nasty exchange about Jose Ferrer playing Toulouse Lautrec while walking on his knees, but only those of you over fifty who have seen the old "Moulin Rouge" without the giddy whirling lights will know what I mean.

Joann Dunn Bio:

Joann Wasem Dunn was born and grew up in central Illinois. She graduated summa cum laude from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and received her juris doctor degree from Loyola University School of Law in Chicago where she later taught a number of subjects, including writing.

After moving to the Atlanta area she was a writing consultant to law firms and a portrait painter. In the last few years, she has turned to writing full time, concentrating on fiction. Her series, The Curtis Family Chronicles, set in the Midwest at the end of the 1800’s and the beginning of the twentieth century, consists of three volumes, and she is working on the fourth. She has also written mysteries and humor

She has been nominated for Georgia Author of the Year for 2008, by the Georgia Writer’s Association, for books two and three of the Curtis series, Fortune’s Road and Autumn’s Road. She lives in Marietta with her husband Kevin, a journalist. They have two grown children.


Joann Dunn

Due West Books

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