Creating Sparks and Sentences - and Happily Ever Afters

Seasoned Love I think I've just referred to love as a piece of food, but we all know that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?  Wrong! Seriously though, this month, October 2026, my husband and I celebrate our Ruby Anniversary! It seems impossible, and yet it is real! (That's forty years in case you weren't sure). The only advice I feel experienced enough to give, is to have the difficult conversations. Don't shy away from those awkward chats because then you are shying away from growth and progress.  The other piece of advice I would offer is to not lose yourself, AKA your identity, in a relationship. Try to maintain your interests and joys, because...  a happy you equals a happy two.  That's it, that's my 'secret' to success in a long-term relationship. Disclaimer: I am not a qualified couples therapist.  All opinions are my own, based on personal experience If you're after more specific ideas, like getting lost in a virtual...

And Successful Okay now that I have begrudgingly (but successfully) transitioned into autumn, I have something wonderful to share! Back in those balmy summer days - so very long ago now - (sigh), I had one of those life-changing, and I mean LITERALLY life-changing, epiphanies that these gorgeous hot sunshiny days were not going to last forever. Go figure, but it is something a lot of us take for granted. So I did what any sun loving creature would do - I decided to train for a triathlon! Now I was the kid in the swimming comp who would be spluttering and coming last while the coach would be walking alongside me at the edge of the pool clapping and cheering me on, bringing ALL THE ATTENTION to my drowning self. 💦 🏊‍♀️ 💦 But here we are. In an open water canal swimming lengths to train for a triathlon, sans the cheering coach thankfully because the canal is lined on both sides with rows of homes fully occupied with retirees just gazing out their windows for some entertainment. Well th...