Columns

Years ago, right after I began CoffeeTime Column, a friend suggested I write an article addressing ‘Dealing with your ex after the divorce.’Now, I don’t know much, but I do know that a writer is foolish to attempt to write about an unfamiliar subject.

SawubonaI learned a new word this week: Sawubona. It’s a Zulu word from South Africa and I’ll share its meaning in just a moment. But first I have a question for you.When was the last time you were really seen and listened to? How long has it been?

I remember one nice day in Oklahoma 75 years ago when I volunteering to drive my grandfather, Will W. Armstrong, down to Wister for a visit with his daughter. I was the only one handy that day and besides, being a teenager with a new driver’s license, I looked forward to the trip.

“Good friends are like quilts – they age with you, yet never lose their warmth.”I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Many of us over 40, WAY over 40 or hovering near 40 are quite confused about how we should present ourselves. We’re unsure about the kind of image we are projecting and whether or not we are correct as we try to conform to current fashions.

Two elderly sisters, one widowed and the other never married, were living together. They had decided the year before that because the oldest owned her house, the younger should leave a rented apartment and move into her sister’s second bedroom.

In a few weeks I will be officiating at the wedding of a long time friend. This has me thinking about marriage and, especially marital advice. When you want the dead level truth it’s always best to get it from children. Here’s what some kids had to say about marriage.

Dr. Glenn MolletteHate is a toxic emotion. Hate is a dark, negative, tumultuous, heavy, internal, disgusting, poisonous, vile feeling that that will hurt others and hurt you.Hate lashes out with ugliness spewing out words intended to cut deep into the soul of the intended target.

Imagine this:You’re a single mom, with two young children and no family in town and no real friends to lean on. You make it day by day, as long as nothing goes wrong. But your world tilts when you find out you need an extensive surgery requiring a week long stay in the hospital.

Is It Spring Yet?Well, it’s closer than you think. Daylight savings time starts this Sunday. Again. Not sure if I like that, but I am hard to please. Unlike one of my old customers who sincerely thought DST was burning up his garden — I am just lazy enough to dislike changing my clocks.