It is snowing here, which I imagine is going on in much of the United States. It’s infrequent here to have snow more than once or twice per year.
But this year is kind of unprecedented due to what is being called a bomb cyclone, which I’d never heard of before.
Bomb cyclones, often occurring in the fall or winter, typically produce heavy rain or snow, coastal flooding and hurricane-force wind gusts.
So I ordered groceries before I really needed to through my local grocery store and had them delivered. The young man was kind enough to take the sacks of groceries to my kitchen counters for me. I gave him a perfect score on Shipt’s website.
My Daily Routine:
I’ll do what I do most everyday. Write this post and publish it. Then I’ll check my email account and maybe my bank account online.
Then I typically read The New York Times and the Washington Post online. Sometimes I read several other online newspapers to get a range of information.
I’m tucked up in my warm apartment, grateful to have it, and sad for those who don’t have a roof over their head. As well as the animals left out in the cold.
I work on this blog, which seems never ending.
You’re not supposed to just write a post and leave it, though I do much of the time. No, you’re supposed to keep reworking it to make it relevant and improve the search engine rankings.
Since I write about my life, I doubt that that’s as important for my blog as opposed to others who do many projects or recipes. If I did that, I would be a once or twice per week blogger. Because how fast can you churn those types of posts out?
However those types of posts gain more traction and typically make more money.
I don’t typically watch TV during the day. Sometimes I’ll watch a movie if I need to rest my hands.
What TV Show I’m Streaming:
Currently I’m streaming “Saving Grace” at night. The main character is Holly Hunter, who I read is just a year younger than me. But she looks a hell of a lot better. But then the original show was aired 2007 through 2010.
Did you know that Holly Hunter did not have children until she was 47 and had twin sons? Their names are Claude and Press.
Famous Women Having Babies Late In Life:
In October, Oscar winner Hilary Swank announced that she’s pregnant at 48. She was on a morning show promoting her show “Alaska Daily.” (Which I’ve watched, by the way, as one of you suggested it to me.)
Naomi Campbell welcomed her first baby at 50 years old. Halle Berry was pregnant again at 47.
Geena Davis had her first child at age 46, and then had twins at age 48. Janet Jackson was 50. Brigitte Nielsen was 54, but it wasn’t her first baby.
I would imagine we’re talking IVF in some cases.
I had my girls at 17 and 22. I was in my mid-30s when my oldest graduated high school.
Can you imagine having a baby at an advanced age? Of course men can be fathers at any age.
Having a baby at an older age increases the chances of having a child with autism, studies show.
First of all, I just love the photos accompanying this post! I had my son at 43, and thought that was old!
Yes yes. I couldn’t agree more.
To see all the hundreds and thousands of people at airports is nuts.
I’d never do such a mindless thing.
Who cares if you cannot get to the destination expected.
Wait a week then reschedule.
I just don’t understand 😕 ,,,,,, these days, people have zero common sense.
I totally agree!
Brenda… with your penchant and flair for decorating, have you ever tried doing a tiered tray? loads of pics of them on Pinterest… thought you might give it a go…unless you have already and I missed that post!
wishing you a lovely Christmas.
I have done that with a large tiered tray I had some years ago. I gave that to my younger daughter because she has a much bigger home and more places to put it.
I think that is one of the most beautiful pictures of Ivy I’ve ever seen! ❤
I was a young mom and grandma. I’m happy I had the energy to keep up with them.
This is some crazy weather the country is experiencing, isn’t it? I’m sure it will mess up a lot of families holiday and travel plans for sure. The important thing is to stay safe and warm.
I know people are going to try to drive in all this, but that just means more accidents.
Yes yes. I couldn’t agree more.
To see all the hundreds and thousands of people at airports is nuts.
I’d never do such a mindless thing.
Who cares if you cannot get to the destination expected.
Wait a week then reschedule.
I just don’t understand 😕 ,,,,,, these days, people have zero common sense.
I wanted to say the same – a gorgeous picture of Ivy!
I live in the California Bay Area and our house is right on the bay so we always get the wind and fog. We’ve been getting down to around 33-35 at night and 48-50 during the day for over a week now. We had frost 4 mornings in a row and my 9 yr old granddaughter loved it! She had to run through it every morning before going to school!. She had never seen frost before. I would like to take her to the mountains soon as she’s never seen snow. These cold temps are supposed to continue for at least 10 more days. I’m praying for everyone across the country during this cold and snowy weather! I have relatives in different states and I know how bad it can be! Everyone please stay safe and have a Merry Christmas!! ☃❄☃❄☃❄☃❄
I’m glad she got to experience it. Children have such a capacity to find joy in the simplest of things!
Well, we’re waiting for the snow to hit here in mid-Michigan, too. Supposed to start in the early morning hours and continue all day tomorrow. I was supposed to travel about an hour to my oldest daughter’s family for our Christmas tomorrow but that won’t happen. Maybe on Sat.; we’ll wait and see. Can’t be helped: Christmas will be whatever it will be.
I had my first daughter at age 33 and the doctor I first went to called me an “elderly primapara”! I was somewhat insulted! I didn’t get pregnant again for five years but lost or son to stillbirth. Then, just before I turned forty our second daughter was born. That was a harder, although normal, pregnancy energy-wise. But caring for my second daughter as a baby and young child was not too difficult and I had the help of her older sister sometimes early on. All in all it worked out fine and I don’t think I was ready to be a mother much before I became one. But I do have to say that I wouldn’t want to go through a pregnancy and the rigors of child care at fifty or sixty heaven forbid. I expect the actresses that choose to do so must have lots of help. Plus, I wish I were a younger, more energetic grandmother now that I have grandchildren. That’s one reason to start earlier if you can. But hindsight is 20/20, as they say!
Enjoy your cozy Christmas, Brenda!
I think lots of people’s holiday plans will be altered this year.
Blizzard conditions expected here in Michigan. It’s already begun.
When I had my first of three daughters in 1980, I was 33 years old. I quipped to a nurse, “Am I the grandma mommy on the floor due to my age?” She chuckled and replied, “No! Not by any means!” I was 38 for my last birth. While I never felt a loss of parenting energy, I now envy younger grandmas who are still providing the activities I did fifteen years ago. However, by the time I had my own children, I had good years of putting myself first. I was ready to do the total giving being a parent requires. My husband was established in his career, too, allowing me to be a stay at home mom. There’s benefits and negatives to having babies at both stages of life, I guess!
I love the picture of sweet Ivy contemplating the Christmas tree, undoubtedly waiting for mom to get busy elsewhere so she can rearrange the netting more to her liking! 🙂
I was too young to know what I was doing when I first gave birth. My daughters waited awhile before they had theirs, so I’m not exactly a young grandma. And I sure don’t have the energy I had then.
It is snowing here in northeast IL right now and the winds are whipping the snow all around. Brian works 3-11 PM today and he got to work safely, but I worry more about him driving home late at night in this kind of weather. I won’t be able to relax until he gets home. I also worry about the two feral cats in my neighborhood, especially the white kitty (Blanco) that shows up on my doorstep every day to be fed. Where do they go in this weather? I read online (and talked to my vet) about this and they usually have some good hiding places and shelters like old sheds, but in the bitter cold (like it is now), they can get frostbite on their ears, nose and paws.
I had both my children in my 20’s. Early 30’s would’ve been ok too, but I certainly wouldn’t want to be starting with babies in my 40’s. My first best friend who is my age (60) has a 14-year old. She had always wanted to be a mom and couldn’t get pregnant, so she finally chose adoption. She has loved being an older mom.
I imagine you are on pins and needles till Brian walks in the door in this kind of weather at night. Yes, I worry about the homeless animals out there too.
I live in an apartment complex and there are community cats here. Some are feral and I believe that some are abandoned. Working with a local trap, neuter & release program I have had some of these longtime visitors neutered. I have 3 of them who adopted me and they hang out in my entryway. I feed them twice a day. I also have made little shelters out of styrofoam coolers for them. I put heating pads in each of them with warm towels. I hope that it’s enough, but I always worry for them. If it weren’t for my diva cat who insists on being my only indoor cat I would certainly adopt one of them.
Today it is 46 and raining in WV. Tomorrow they’re predicting, with the windchill, it will be minus 32 with wind gusts 44 mph. I was 26 when I had my daughter and 35 when I had my son. I took care of my great grandson three days a week up until a few months ago. I am 75 and I couldn’t do it anymore. It darn near killed me!
I’m 65 and doubt I could do it!
I was the one who saw Alaska Daily and thought it was almost like your real life writing back years ago when you did a piece about a missing girl.
Hillary Swank played a tough role standing up to the men and I think once you become a mom you mellow out with kids. She’s always been a good actress. My energy level and patience has dropped since turning 70 so I am glad I was a grandma to young ones when I was younger cause it’s much nicer now that they are older and come help me around the house.
Have you heard weather her show has been renewed?
As of today, it has not formally been cancelled or formally renewed. It is filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, and all films and tv productions take a break till January so actors and producers and directors can go home to the US for Christmas. All other workers, including my son, live in or near Vancouver year round. It is really busy here (now known as “Hollywood North”!) from January to December with filming going on on approx 30 to 50 plus projects going on all the time.
Thanks Chris. I never knew this about Vancouver! I do see a lot of hallmark movies are made there but I didn’t know it was that busy an area. Very interesting to me to know this. Thanks for updating us on Hillary’s show. I hope they do more shows once she has her babies. It was great writing I thought with the story line.
Since you mentioned pets and COVID… I asked our vet about it, since Molly the Therapy Dog and I volunteer at hospitals. She said not to let Molly lick anyone’s mouth, that that was really the only risk of COVID and pets. I didn’t pursue whether that was because Molly could transmit from one person to another? Or Molly could get COVID? Molly isn’t a licker, so I don’t have to worry about her volunteering mask-less! When we were volunteering during the worst of the pandemic (after I was vaccinated), I did require that people/kids who wanted to pet Molly had to sanitize their hands first. That’s always been a requirement at the Children’s Hospital, so I just did that across all of Molly’s hospitals.
Here’s a link to the CDC article…https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/covid-19/pets.html
I could not imagine having a baby late in life. I am 65 and when hubby brought home a basset hound pup 6 months ago, I thought I would die! My activity level shot way up and it was all I could do to keep up with him! It was all worth it though… when he konks out and I get to hold my snuggly, sleepy baby.
We have been involved in dog rescue for so many years and I
Reiterated to the husband no more dogs, I am too old and decrepit! And just think, I don’t have to send Finn to school, help with homework or shuttle him around to after school activities, worry about grades, college and so on. Yikes! But the celebrities, remember, can hire Nannie’s, cooks and maids so it
Is easier for them. No snow here where I am, but Northern Virginia has issued driving advisory. Just rain for now, but tomorrow the temperature is going down to 12*. It is 40 now.
Getting the wood gathered for the wood stove and hoping we don’t loose power from icing. I too am very thankful for what I have, a home, heat, water and food. So many in this world don’t even have those basic things. Ivy is so pretty – does she bother the ornaments on the tree at all?
Oh, I love a new puppy or kitty! Ivy is not the type you can hold in your lap, unfortunately. She loves from afar. This year she messed with the white netting around the tree, trying to pull it out. But not the ornaments.
It’s a balmy minus 5 where I live and it’s almost noon. It was projected to get to minus 15 last night, although it may have been lower. Last year I had furnace trouble during winter and a cold spell, of course. It started prior to New Year’s. They were unable to come out, despite the fact that I had paid coverage for repair through my utility company, until the second week of January. It seems everyone was booked or there were not enough workers. Then they worked on it through the week, except for 1 day. It was not an old heater, in fact 6 years old and a long story. Seems the problem was that it had been installed incorrectly. Despite it being “fixed” I didn’t sleep well last night given the issues that we had. These issues can feel like a real burden given the financial strain and struggles that some people experience–me included.
I also tested positive for COVID prior to Thanksgiving. I didn’t feel good and didn’t feel much like eating. I’m certain I had it prior to being tested, but thought it was a sinus infection. I was sick for over two weeks. I’ve been feeling so overwhelmed trying to keep my head above water that I haven’t given Xmas and the holidays much thought and I haven’t done any decorations. All of the changes and upheavals in my life, layers of grief included, have had a huge emotional impact, so I’m not feeling too celebratory. I desire simple, peace and quiet. I do delight in the small things though, like the wildlife that visit my yard and I’m grateful for what I do have.
Sorry about the COVID. I’ve managed to steer clear of it so far being indoors so much. I read that you can actually give COVID to pets. Read that somewhere yesterday. But the risk of pets giving humans COVID is low. Ivy and I are lucky and lazy creatures. Warm and happy. One great thing about renting is that someone else fixes the heater.
Thanks Brenda. I managed to steer clear of COVID too until Thanksgiving and I’m very careful and got all of the shots too. I used to rent, so I know the pros and cons. Recently an acquaintance who rents told me that they didn’t want to request that things get updated and fixed, because they didn’t want them to raise their rent. I suppose if it wasn’t a critical fix one could adopt that attitude. I used to have a cat that resembled Ivy only the black fur was like a patch over one eye like a pirate.
I decided to look up older mothers and found articles about several women. At one time the oldest mom was a grandmother who already had 13 children. She was a 65-year-old German woman who gave birth to quadruplets,
Also a woman from India currently holds the record for being the oldest living mother at the age of 73 after conceiving through in-vitro fertilization. She delivered twin baby girls, making her also the oldest mother to give birth to twins.
I live in southeastern South Dakota. This morning when I got up it was 18 degrees below zero and 46 below zero windchill. I bundled up and fed my squirrels and birds and shoveled the sidewalk where it had drifted in. I wore double clothing and didn’t get cold except for that wind in my face. Did I ever need that cup of coffee when I came back in!
I can’t imagine being able to stand up long enough to shovel snow.
I am fortunate that even with heart issues and age 81, I can still do some things!
We are having a winter storm warning today. The winds will pick up creating a lot of issues with snow blowing and white out conditions. Welcome to winter in Illinois. The temps are going to go in the negative numbers too. Ugh! Enjoy Christmas weekend. Merry Christmas Brenda.
I don’t even want to think what it feels like outside in Chicago!
I also am blessed and thankful we have food and shelter. I am thankful for the volunteers who help others. Today we are getting rain and tomorrow maybe snow in the morning right before the temperature drops big time. They are not saying anything about it being icy but I can’t imagine how it wouldn’t be with all the rain all day today. Here it won’t get above freezing until the 26th. I hope we can make it to my Dads an hour North for Christmas. We will check the conditions that morning. My husband got up early to get his prescriptions and I hope he stops at the grocery store on his way home from his afternoon errand to pick up a few things. If not we are pretty well stocked up on everything. You were wise to do the same. Ivy looks so cute by the tree. I can’t imagine having a baby at an older age. The ones you mentioned have money and I am sure lots of help. With my son in law away for months at a time being in the service I see how hard it is for a daughter having to be a single mother. I feel for moms that struggle. Stay warm and have a good afternoon.
Oh, the weather! I feel so cozy inside with the snow outside. Ivy is asleep on the couch after many rounds of playing fetch this morning.
Well, when I was pregnant with my last child, my friend who was 10 yrs ahead of me, told me that since I was past 30, that one would really take it out of me. YEP…true. In your 20s seems you will recover well…but after 30 maybe not. Of course, she became very ill at 4 months so that was another thing. It was years until I got many uninterrupted nights of sleep. I simply cannot imagine having babies at age 40+.
Me either. And now I’m in my sixties, I wonder how I managed to raise children at all. Looking back, just the amount of energy it took and all the things you have to keep in your head (sign permissions lips, send cupcakes to school) just make me sigh with relief that it’s over!
The snow has started here too (Milwaukee). Right now it’s a perfect Christmas card look outside – the snow is softly falling, there is no wind to speak of, and the bare black branches and limbs of the trees are in stark contrast to a light gray sky. It’s very pretty. By tonight I understand the strong winds will start, and tomorrow will be cyclone winds all day long through some time on Saturday. The city salt trucks were already passing through the streets here yesterday afternoon, and I heard them come through twice this morning. I’ve been feeding the squirrels and the birds nearly continuously since sunrise, they seem to sense that bad weather is coming so they are stuffing themselves as much as possible as it will take a lot of energy to maintain their body heat as the temperature plunges below zero over the next few nights, plus whatever the wind chill is. It could drop to 40 below zero frostbite wise. I feel sorry for people trying to travel right now – the stress and frustration they may be experiencing, not to mention unexpected demands on their finances that they may not have anticipated. They may end up spending Christmas inside airports or camping out in hotel lobbies when all the rooms are rented out. Our local Salvation Army has stepped in during past such events to help people stranded at Mitchell International Airport, the train station and the bus depot – at least to provide them with hot meals and for some, warm clothing. Situations like this make me very grateful that I have a solid and warm roof over my head, plenty of food in the fridge, freezer and cabinets, and I don’t have to venture outside other than to clear a spot on the patio to put down food for my critters.
You are so good to your outdoor critters. To them you are Christmas every day.