The death of Dolly Parton hit me hard, harder than I expected. I know I am not alone. She created a persona that was bigger than life, but she was all about a life well lived. A recent Poll I read said Dolly Parton was the most beloved and unifying public figure in America. Her mentee, Taylor Swift, holds the title for being the most visible and culturally dominant force in our country. One might wonder how someone who is a Boomer could be one of the Dollies and one of the

I was lucky enough to be invited to visit a dear friend who has moved to Ennis, Montana, and learned what “Big Sky Country” really is. Bluebird days are what perfect blue skies in Montana are called. Montana is worth a journey. Ennis, Montana, is having several moments in the spotlight. Season one, episode two, of The Madison, on Paramount+, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell, features the town of Ennis. Several scenes are filmed around Ennis. Ennis is in Madison Co

Recently, I spoke to someone close to me who told me about the experience of losing her son to brain cancer when he was eight years old. They did everything they could. How horrific was the journey to try to save their son that she shared! The memories are vivid and painful still and, in my opinion, may last her lifetime. I picked up The New York Times, and on the front page, Thursday, July 9, 2026, was an article about parents choosing to possibly lose a child, “As Parents

Kylie Kelce, the wife of Jason Kelce, and new sister-in-law of Taylor Swift, has what she calls the ultimate postpartum gift guide for baby showers, which I love. Yes, I am a grandmother of six where the youngest is eight years old. No matter, I watched Kylie Kelce’s podcast on Facebook on the best postpartum gift guide for baby showers for Moms to be. I am a real Kylie Kelcie fan. I never thought I would be, but she truly tells everything like it is and doesn’t pull any p

As we mature, and I say mature instead of age, because we begin taking multiple medications a lot earlier in our lives than I realized, multiple drugs mean multiple issues. It took me to the point of aging to realize that I had to pay attention to drug interactions and depletions of essential nutrients by taking drugs that we are told by our medical professionals are imperative to our health. I hope this blog post comes to you sooner than my realization came to me, so you c

Intimacy. Romance. Intimacy. Luxury. Intimacy. Location. Intimacy, Privacy. Intimacy, Memories. As a divorce lawyer and divorce judge for decades, I have lectured and written often that the first thing that goes in a relationship is intimacy. Life interferes with the intimate connection that brought a couple to the point of commitment to the relationship. Maintaining the intimate connection should be the primary intent of any relationship, it keeps it healthy and vibrant. I

My husband died a little more than three years ago. He had pancreatic cancer and lived for five years and two months. At the first appointment at Sloan Kettering, with outstanding oncologist Dr Eileen O’Reilly, he asked how much time he had. Dr. O’Reilly said six months to five years. At the five-year appointment, he said to Dr. O’Reilly, “it is now five years, so when do I die?” Not only was Dr. O’Reilly taken aback, but so was I. He died two months later. I now believe

Putting your faith in the stars has paved the way for “a lot of the innovations in science, social practice, and religion that still exist today,“ which include the 360° circle, and the use of computation as opposed to observation for predicting the movement of planets. “ This is according to the curator of an exhibit and professor of history and ancient science at the Free University of Berlin, Mathieu Ossendrijver, quoted in “Charting Astrology’s Origins in a Museum Show,“

I finally purchased a new Apple Watch for the security of knowing if I fall, and cannot respond, I have three emergency contacts and 911 it can call. It was a birthday gift to myself for peace of mind. What I didn’t anticipate was that the Apple Watch would control my life. I truly enjoy exercising and exercise eight hours a week, including yoga, Pilates, and physical therapy. The Apple Watch monitors your exercise. Of course, I now exercise more. It tells me to stand if

Many of my friends are new or fairly new grandparents. I keep telling them to select a category on the www.grandmother-blog.com home page that relates to their grandchild’s age group. I even have a category, New Parents and Parents to Be, which helps grandparents to be navigate pregnancy and a category, Parents of Grandchildren, which helps navigate when the grandchild is born. I decided to highlight my favorites in categories, including the most that friends seemed to need

My family and I just returned from nearly a week in magnificent Paris, on a skip generation vacation with myself and young adult grandchildren. Parents left home. Bertrand D’Aleman of My Private Paris was and is our private guide who, with charm, skill, and an enthusiastic entertaining style, can also maximize your time in and enjoyment of Paris, a very large and very crowded city. Ten years ago, we took our then thirteen year grandson to tour Paris with Bertrand for the f

My friends and I are using AI in ways we never thought possible. First, I had a thirty year old hinge that broke on a cabinet. My friend said to upload photographs of it on ChatGPT app and it will find it. Yes, the exact hinge was found on a vintage hinge website. In minutes! Another friend used ChatGPT to evaluate her wardrobe and clean out her closet. Here is her interactive chat for you to follow with ease: TAKE PHOTOS TO EVALUATE Photos of the clothes in the closet is

I have always heard about spring cleaning, and now that it is spring, I feel guilty not thinking about spring cleaning. Then, ‘death cleaning’ appeared in my radar, and the first thing I thought of is that it is a terrible title! But it is a real thing! You get to a certain age and you start to automatically read obituaries. It’s not that you’re anticipating death, it’s just that what those dead accomplished in their life becomes interesting. In the New York Times, Obi

All the news today is that “Women in Their 20s May Not Be Having Babies, but by 45 Most Probably Will," New York Times, April 9, 2026, by Claire Cain Miller. Statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics say that the fertility rate, the number of births per thousand women of childbearing age, dropped to 53.1 from 53.8 in 2024 and has been falling since 2007 “…. showing a rise in the fertility rate among women in their 30s and 40s. The fertility rate for women

Paris has always had wonderful beauty products and South Korea beauty products are up and coming and new. What a great unique Mother’s Day gift! I love beauty products from Paris and South Korea that are confirmed to be good from friends. I am so lucky to have a Parisian American friend, Coreen, for almost thirty years who lives part time in Florida with me, and knows all about Parisian beauty products, and a new Asian American friend, Cora, from San Francisco and East Hamp

I met Cora Wen at the memoir writers’ retreat in Guatemala. There was something about Cora that drew me to her. Maybe it was that both of us came from immigrant families. Her energy is addictive. Cora was my therapeutic yoga teacher as well. We met at 7 AM every morning and she helped heal my broken shoulder, the Eastern way, and its excellent healing surprised my Western doctor. East and West. Much better when our lives – and our health -- are intertwined. Cora wrote P

Spring has arrived, although in some areas, it seems just like a dream waiting to be realized. Keep this list (and the bonus surprise) so when outdoor time becomes a reality, you remember to appreciate nature and life renewed. Babies (0–12 months) 1. Outdoor blanket time: Lay a blanket on the grass and let them feel the breeze, watch leaves, and listen to birds. 2. Sensory nature basket: Fill a small basket with safe items like soft flowers, big leaves, or grass for to

Enjoy April Fools’ Day 2026 with simple, funny and harmless April Fools’ Day jokes . Here you are, parents and grandparents! They are divided by age group so the humor lands right and stays safe. The adult ones #3 and #5 work for all ages! See the BONUS one at the end! 3. The Endless Toilet Paper Roll Glue or tape the loose end of the toilet paper to the roll so it spins but doesn’t tear off. They’ll keep pulling… and pulling… but nothing separates. HAPPY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!

One of the worst moments in life is when the doctor advises to call hospice for you or your loved one. Inside, you panic. This is navigating a new unknown. The end is now close, and no one wants to contemplate this inevitable. Hospice care is supposed to be specialized, compassionate care for individuals with terminal illnesses (generally less than six months to live) that is supposed to prioritize quality of life, comfort, and dignity over curative treatment . Suppo

As a grandmother, I will do anything to make my grandchildren happy. I knew about MrBeast on YouTube because my then seven-year-old and 13 year-old grandchildren kept showing me all the contests where he was giving away ridiculously large amounts of cash. They were hooked on MrBeast, who has been on YouTube for thirteen years, longer than the ages of my grandchildren when they introduced me to him. When MrBeast announced that he was selling chocolate, of course they wanted th