Bring On Lemons

Usually the end of March is a very sad time for me. March 24th marks the anniversary of my dad passing away. I was still a teenager when cancer took him from me and even now, nearly 30 years later, the cut is deep and raw. This March I had such conflicted feelings about him being gone. Even before the cancer, my dad had a compromised immune system, a chronic cough, and he was never really well. I'd like to add that he never complained. As I watch my mom struggle with not being able to hug her grandchildren during the Wisconsin #SafterAtHome Covid-19 social distancing, I just think about how I would feel if my dad WAS still here. I am protective of my mother but she's overall healthy for her age. I could probably still go visit and bring the kids, but it's not worth the risk. I don't want her to get sick and I certainly don't want to be the one who caused the problem. I worry constantly about whether she is doing alright physically and emotionally. How would I fe...

We are privileged to have back with us - Shirley Melis and her memoir Banged-Up Heart . Readers and listeners of this book have had so many wonderful things to say about this inspiring story - NOW AVAILABLE on  Audible  ! Banged-Up Heart: Dancing with Love and Loss  is an intimate and clear-eyed account of finding love late and losing it early—and of the strength it takes to fall deeply in love a second time, be forced to relinquish that love too soon, and yet choose to love again. When her husband of thirty years dies suddenly, Shirley Melis is convinced she will never find another man like Joe. Then she meets John, a younger man who tells her during their first conversation that he has lived for many years with a rare but manageable cancer. She is swept off her feet in a whirlwind courtship, and within months, made brave by the early death of a friend’s husband, she asks him to marry her! What follows is a year-long odyssey of travel and a growing erotic and crea...

Thank you to WOW! Women on Writing, Penny Harrison, and Mari from Artotems as well as Shirley Melis. Without these amazing friends this lovely post would not be possible! Hugs, ~Crystal Banged-Up Heart: Dancing with Love and Loss Review by Penny Harrison I thoroughly enjoyed Banged-Up Heart by Shirley Melis. This book is an autobiography that was, I'm sure, not easy to write. Shirley's life was filled with great love and great sadness which led to the "banged-up" state of her heart. Through the pages, you learn about the two great men that shaped her life. Both would be with her for a shorter time than she would have wanted, but both men left her with memories and a greater sense of who she was and what she wanted. Her voice is clear and inviting and helps you to experience her relationships with Joe and John until you know these men nearly as well as she had. Touching, inspiring and truthful, the story told is one of a life lived to the fullest. A li...

As part of her WOW!Women on Writing book blog tour, I had the privilege to interview Shirley Melis. Feel free to check out the entire interview here at the WOW!Women on Writing Blog, the Muffin. I love how Shirley answered this question in particular; it really speaks to her character. Her goal was to leave behind some help for the rest of us - that we can thrive into old age. That message certainly rings true in her touching memoir. Keep reading to find out more... Interview Question: You had a plan to write a book about women thriving into old age – that plan changed course, but what spurred your initial plan? Answer by Shirley: Knowing I’d be in my sixties when I retired and wanting to write, I thought there’d be a market for a book like this. People today, especially women, can expect to live longer and healthier lives than their parents. Some may need role models. I like reading about women who are thriving mentally, emotionally, and physically despite growing older. Of c...

Thank you to WOW! Women on Writing and Michelle DelPonte as well as Shirley Melis. Without these amazing friends this lovely post would not be possible! Hugs, ~Crystal Banged-Up Heart: Dancing with Love and Loss   Review by Michelle DelPonte I finished reading Shirley Melis’ Banged Up Heart a week ago and I still can’t get it out of my mind. It has changed my views on my work, faith, family, friends, and marriage. Shirley discusses her concerns with her husband’s medical treatment. As a healthcare worker, I failed to see the patients’ family’s view. I failed to see how scared they can be, as well as dependent. I never saw how their lives changed as their family member declined or passed on. I always feel that life is about quality, not quantity, but I see people suffer every day. Not a day has gone by that I have looked at any of my residents in the same light, no matter what they are going through. I have gained a better understanding and empathy for their fam...

Raining on the Inside If you're anything like me, you don't really enjoy crying in front of people. That means happy tears as well as those of pain and sadness. Such an outflow of emotion is something I feel comfortable doing in the shower, and on rare occasion, in front of my husband. This said, if you've seen me cry, I was likely incredible uncomfortable at that moment. If you've seen my cry more than once, you're probably a dear friend or family member (or a stalker with a stool who can see into my bathroom window). I have plenty of emotions, but I prefer to share the happy ones and leave the tears for private. This morning I logged into my social media accounts (since I own a business where I help businesses with social media, I get to call this "work") - so I started 'working' and my news feed was flooded. 1) The mayor's grandfather died 2) A dear friend described herself as "broken" after the death of yet another family...

Finding Clarity - a fictional lesson in communication. The scotch burnt his throat in a good way. He balanced the sail plan with the tiller lashed so the sailboat would rest quietly for the night. Her name was Clarity, written in lovely script across the bow. She was only 12 feet. Some might call her a dingy, but Jeremiah was in lust with her. Others questioned his sanity because he couldn’t swim a stroke. She was just what he needed when he dragged himself out of the office on rare occasions. Tonight was his night to sleep on the boat, several miles off shore. He was alone. He was lonely. As the last drop of the malt whiskey trickled down his throat, Jeremiah was reminded of the small red droplets on the living room carpet so long ago. He closed his eyes to block out their past; after all, exactly a decade had passed. He poured another glass. He had promised his sponsor that he wouldn’t let this anniversary shake his sobriety, and then he promised himself that just one glass...