IWSG: Wednesday, March 2, 2016 Staring Down the Big 66!

It's the first Wednesday 
of the month ~ 
the day when members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and offer their encouragement
and support to other members.

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are stepping up to help IWSG founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are:
Lauren Hennessy, Lisa Buie-Collard, Lidy, Christine Rains, and Mary Aalgarrd.

I hope you have a chance to visit them and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate an encouraging comment!
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Happy March to all the IWSG members making the rounds today!
I really appreciate when you visit my blog.

On February's IWSG Day 
I posted about crashing and burning.
It was all downhill from there.

I flamed out in the following weeks,
disappearing completely from the Online World.
I hit a wall.

Not on the horizon, 
not approaching,
but very close
appeared a big 66!

The Big 66 Approaches

Wikimedia

I knew that I'd be turning 66 in March, no big deal;
but then I chanced to read in AARP 
that people turning 50 could anticipate living until 80.

Then it slammed me:
66 is more than half way to 80!

Down into the depths of depression I spiraled.
What on Earth was I thinking?
Who was I kidding?
Me, write a book?
I was practically in my grave!

No more happy talk.
No more Ms Tickety-Boo.
I was in a beat-me-up black place.

I wallowed for days,
and then I fought my way back
in a whirlwind of cleaning, pitching, and organizing
that went on for weeks.

I didn't write ~ heck, I didn't think.
I went through the motions of daily living
as I turned everything upside down and inside out.

And then a few days ago, I leg-pressed my personal best
at the end of some undulating sets of reps.
My trainer Julie slipped some extra pounds on the weights
without my noticing, and Bam!
I pressed 315 pounds four times.
When she told me, I jumped around the gym fist pumping.

She said not many women my size could do that.
I said, "You mean age."
She said, "No, I mean size; but definitely not your age either."

Well damn! I thought.  There's life in the Old Girl yet!
Goodbye black clouds of despair!
Hello sunny skies!

I stared down 66.
Back to writing again.
Back to blogging again.
Back to photography again.

Yesterday we flew from Denver, 
via Salt Lake City, to Honolulu.

Flying past Diamond Head 

Honohulu, Hawaii

March 1, 2016

We haven't been here 24 hours,
but Terry has already connected with 
the Diamond Head pickleball players.
He played for three hours, and now he's taking a nap.

Someone Wants to Play!

Diamond Head Pickleball Court

Honolulu, Hawaii

Meanwhile I walked for five miles 
reconnecting with favorite spots
and checking out a fabulous bakery 
with amazing cream cheese scones.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday ...
Terry will be pounding the pickball court and napping.
I'm going to have lots of time to write!

We're happily checked into the Royal Grove
for the next five weeks!

And for that big birthday racing toward me,
Terry's taking me to Waikiki's other pink hotel,
the Royal Hawaiian, for a birthday slice
of my favorite Pink Haupia Coconut Cake
washed down with ridiculously expensive mai tais
at The Original Mai Tai Bar.
I'm feeling much better mentally!

Happy writing to each of you!

 Sunset on Waikiki