Not enough “quiet” alone time with too many “personalities” around me. I think this will be an issue for our new president who also seems to need quiet walks to reflect.

Without being involved with others stress the most stressful thing in my life the last 6 months has been having an addition built on my house. I wake up everyday to pounding………..saws……….loud voices of the workers. Disagreements with the contractor…………the mediator between the arguments between the Designer and the Contractor. My living room furniture is in the Patio………all my antiques and glassware is packed in boxes in my entry hall………….I feel like I’m living in a Warehouse. Oh well, it will be wonderful when it’s finished. I talked to the contractor today about building a ramp out my front door so I can use my electric wheel chair. I miss being able to take little walks in my neighbor hood. It will be nice to move myself by battery and get some fresh air everyday………………

I was hoping to retire in the near future, but my IRA has lost about 35% of its value, so I don’t think I’ll be able to for quite a while. I’m well past the usual “retirement age,” and I’ve been semi-retired for a couple of years (I have my own business), but I guess I’ll just have to keep working. Well, at least it keeps me off the streets.

More than just money, the entire economic collapse. I don’t think we’ve bottomed out yet. Unease about whether I or others even have a job, health care, a financial future after we have been extremely careful and prudent in our planning. Whenever the situation is totally out of our own control it is extremely stressful. I feel caught in this tornado of economic turmoil kind of like Dorothy on her way to Oz but I don’t think there will be a yellow brick road leading out.

It is very frightening to watch my small investment account dwindling by leaps and bounds. I wish I had just put it in CD’s. My husband still works but if anything were to happen to him I would be in very big trouble. I’m trying really hard to get all our “home improvement” debts paid off as soon as I can, letting my 401K “ride” as they continually tell us to do and keep the faith. We are leaving this morning for Colorado to check up on my 94 year old Dad who has recently been told that it is 911 urgent he wear oxygen 24/7 and take all the new pills given to him by his cardiologist. He is doing none of this. He doesn’t want to leave his wife, my stepmother, whose brain is pickled from drinking, and, at 79 she is physically and mentally older than him. Doesn’t compute - he keeps being driven to the doctor yet will not do anything they are telling him, in turn dying quicker than he should. So……a fun filled weekend trying to convince him to follow doctors’ advice yet he must feel he is remaining in charge. He has macular and also cannot hear so, although he says he isn’t done yet, he doesn’t have a whole lot going for him. I feel it may be our last visit with him. All we can do is remain faithful and remember where our strength comes from! I sure do enjoy my visits through the day with my WOW friends!!

I read these posts and I feel so grateful that, right now anyway, I’m safe and healthy and my life is so uncomplicated. I am worried about my older daughter. She’s going through some difficult personal things right now. I have enormous faith in her, but I don’t have any answers I’m grateful for this community, here at wowOwow. All my worries pale in comparison with some of the challenges the women I’ve met here have overcome. Dona Howlett…Suzanne…I admire you both so much, and raise you up in my thoughts more often than you know. And all you gals up there on the masthead. Thank you.

I wish Suzanna and Dona the best w/ their losses and Hazel I wish you the best in your travels and dealing with your Dad. I know it can be hard as I watched my Father and his siblings care for my Nana and now that she is gone our family is slowly tearing apart. GOD Bless to you all. Stay Safe