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

As many of you may have experienced, when the first grandchild is born, you cannot wait to take them to the circus and other experiences. It is joyful to watch their eyes light up as they see things for the first time. And of course, you take them as soon as you can. We took our oldest grandchild when he was close to four. Please read the blog post, “ Of First Born Children and First Born Grandchildren: Benefits of Loving The First the Longest.” Especially those of you wai

As a former teacher who used to teach the Palmer Method to my elementary school children and as the mother of six grandchildren, it hurt my heart when in 2010 the U.S. education system removed cursive writing as a school curriculum requirement from the federal Common Core Standards. New Jersey has just become the 25th state, meaning, as of the beginning of 2026, we now have half of our states, again requiring cursive instruction in public schools. Half, or more than half o

My mother, a Holocaust survivor and daughter of a Kabbalist rabbi from a small town in pre World War II Poland, had a unique outlook on life. It is not unusual that looking back on my childhood and younger adulthood that I realize now her wisdom was rooted in Kabbalah. I just did not know then. I wrote a previous New Year’s blog about my mother and feelings of gratitude. Rereading it reminded me of the wonderful generational life lessons she instilled in me every day that she

French Chocolate Pie has been a gift from a dear friend, Patti, every Thanksgiving. She has known for too many years to mention that this was perfect for this chocoholic. Now she has finally given me permission to share her recipe. It is a make a day ahead pie, which needs to be refrigerated overnight, but joyfully is a literally just a chill pie. To make it the easiest, you can buy a ready made Oreo pie crust if you want all chocolate, my favorite. Or use a graham crust

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/fda-head-explains-decision-to-drop-black-box-warnings-from-menopause-hormone-treatment BRAND NEW FDA RELEASE! November 10, 2025! “FDA head Explains Decision to Drop ‘Black Box’ Warnings from Menopause Hormone Treatment.” Alleviate short term symptoms! Hot Flashes. Night Sweats. Mood Swings. Weight Gain. Gain long term benefits. Protect against heart disease, stroke, bone fractures, and dementia. Quoted: “In one study and circulation from two

Within the last several months, I have felt a sudden compulsion to address the Holocaust in my life and write a memoir of how the Holocaust impacted my family and me. Until this point, I could not see movies about the Holocaust, I could not read books about the Holocaust. I could not deal with the Holocaust as a child of Holocaust survivors. This turnabout has perplexed me. Because of this new compulsion, I just returned from a Jewish Heritage tour to Eastern Europe, visited

October 27, 2025, the Wall Street Journal, in “The Big Danger of Microplastics: the tiny bits of plastics that are polluting the globe and posting health risks,” by Simon Constable, joined the growing LOUDER VOICES of the BIG DANGER of microplastics and neoparticles or nanoplastics. I noted that I first started this blog post and collecting articles about microplastics and neoparticles in February, 2023. I am a Bill Maher fan. I saved, among dozens of articles, that, on his M

Whenever a couple near and dear to me tells me that they are entering into a committed relationship, getting engaged, or getting married, I first recommend premarital counseling, which I learned builds a strong foundation for the new committed relationship or marriage. There will be three entities, each person as an individual and as a separate entity, the committed or marital relationship. Combining the entities in a safe, expert setting eases the transition. Why not make g

All of a sudden, or not so sudden with the domination of social media, and everybody in a group sitting on their phones rather than talking to each other, studies about everything about friends and friendships are everywhere. But are they helpful? The Why I was raised by two Holocaust survivors who believed that friends were those who turned you over to the Nazis, and only family members were the people you could depend on and with whom you should surround yourself. Leaving o

His name was Jihad Al-Shamie. He was 35 years old and a British citizen of Syrian descent who entered the U.K. as a very young child, and...

The photograph is a 1904 depiction of an acquisitive and manipulative Standard Oil (founded by John D. Rockefeller) as an all-powerful...

I recently learned at age 78 that age 78 is the third critical age when the human body experiences a significant biological aging burst,...

Having teenage grandchildren is an education. Not necessarily an education that I expected nor that I desired. I did teach middle school...