A Baby Boomer’s Look Back at 2017

An old friend, who sadly passed away, used to say: “Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.” Now that I’m getting older, I realize just how much truth there is in that statement! Can it possibly be true that another year has quickly slipped by?

Before moving on to 2018, why not savor our milestone events and, since we’re never too old to learn from our mistakes, look back at 2017 to gain a bit of wisdom?

With that goal in mind, my writerly pals and I are sharing our personal moments from last year in the Looking Back at 2017 Blog Hop. 

What was my happiest and saddest moment in 2017? Most embarrassing, most challenging, most fun? Read my answers below and share my year with me, then be sure and visit the other #GR8Blogs linked at the end of this post for more memorable moments.

I encourage all of you to answer these questions as well so you can reminisce, count your blessings, and remember what you learned along the way!

So, what were my most memorable moments from 2017?

Happiest Moment

Discovering my daughter-in-law, Johnni, was pregnant with our fourth grandchild. It’s been six years since we’ve had a baby in the family and we’re all excited! It’s a girl and is due in February 2018.

Saddest Moment

When it dawned on me I couldn’t share the happy news with my Mom. She died two years ago. Time may heal all wounds, but while the open, gaping wounds close up, the scar remains. No matter how old you are, sometimes you just want your Mommy. I love the quote by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a Swiss-American psychiatrist and author of On Death and Dying, who wisely said: “The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.”

Most Embarrassing Moment

At my overdue check-up, the doctor informed me that I’d gained 10 pounds since I last visited. “Weight can sneak up on you after menopause and start adding up fast,” he advised. Really? I never would have guessed. Actually, I wrote a whole blog, My Menopausal Middle, on this very subject. But, all right, all right. Then I got a mammogram – where I learned that my once dense breasts are deflated now that I’m post-menopausal. My ego deflated a bit along with my boobs.

Most Challenging Moment

After experiencing my most embarrassing moment as described above, I decided to tackle my weight. After years of stressful caregiving for my mother, I weighed a whopping 172 pounds and was edging toward the “obesity” category. Anyone over 50 can tell you what a challenge losing weight is as our metabolism slows down and muscle mass decreases. I’ve lost 11 pounds so far and am still on my journey. Of course, because I’m a writer, an eBook is in the works sharing all my secrets. Stay tuned.

Most Interesting Moment

Every once in awhile you get to enjoy perks from writing a blog. I was asked to do a book review of Bobby Rydell’s autobiography. This led to an interview, free tickets to his Golden Boys concert with Frankie Avalon and Fabian, and a backstage pass to meet Rydell in person. After listening to him sing a couple of my favorite songs, Volare and Sway, I may have swooned just a little bit!

Most Fun Moment

At a Billy Joel Concert, flashlights lit up like stars in the sky, and thousands swayed joyfully as Billy Joel belted out “Piano Man” at Dodger Stadium. I got goose bumps!  Thankfully, there were many fun moments in 2017. All the days spent at the beach, sailing, kayaking, watching the grandchildren catch sand crabs, and using our year-pass at Legoland were all joyful moments.

Most Romantic Moment

I have a great romantic husband and it’s a toss-up! We spent a weekend in Big Bear for our 39^th anniversary. We rode bikes, drove go-carts like kids, and drank wine by the lake. Lovely. In September, we found a delightful winery in Temecula where we had a relaxing lunch, strolled through the vineyards, and then topped the day off with a couple massage.

Most Successful Moment

Don’t get me wrong, I love writing and don’t have any regrets about making my passion my career. However, it’s one wild roller coaster ride full of ups and downs. So, I was so honored when this blog was selected by Feedspot panelists as one of the top 75 baby boomer blogs. Perks like that keep you going as a writer!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my most memorable moments. How was your 2017? If you’re so inclined, share your most memorable moments in the comment section below.

For more look-back moments, visit the #Gr8Blogs below:

Carmela Dutra

Rosie Russell

Sandra Bennett

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.