Boomerang - 3rd Excerpt

                 

Continuing my “blog hopping” delight, here is the 3rd excerpt from Boomerang.  This one is from Chapter 8 when Bill’s mother admonishes him for making a fool of himself. 

Check out other writer’s excerpts at http://boomerlitfriday.blogspot.com

 

Bill’s parents had always liked Mary Jo.  His father had died 10 years before and left his widow very well off financially.  She was 85 now and told her son what a jackass she thought he was being.  Muriel and Tom Danson had owned apartment buildings all over Los Angeles, and after Tom’s death, Muriel liquidated and invested the proceeds wisely.  Her investments grew into quite a nest egg.  She was a millionaire many times over.

 “For God’s sake, Bill, you’re 62 years old, and you’re being seen around town with a child!,” Muriel screamed into the phone.  “There’s no fool like an old fool.”

 “Okay, Mother.  I’m sorry you don’t approve, but as you point out so genteelly,” he said sarcastically, “I’m not a child and am certainly capable of making my own decisions.  I know how much you love Mary Jo, but people change, Mother.  Mary Jo and I grew apart.”

 

Boomer Blog Hopping 2

     I’m continuing my participation in the Goodreads blog hopping experience.  With that in mind, this is a continuation of my book, "Girlfriends."  This excerpt comes from Chapter 7.   See excerpts from other authors at http://boomerlitfriday.blogspot.com

  

     Constance was the new civil litigator at Burns and Burns, specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice.  She was 32 and a slender 5’8” with silky black hair and alabaster skin.  Her cavernous black eyes and innocent face belied the pit bull that she was.  Everything about her was appealing.  From her long, soft eyelashes that swept her skin below the bottom lid to her slender fingers that sported a delicate gold ring on her pinky, Bill was smitten the first time he met her.  He invited her to lunch and offered himself as her personal go-to-person.  She found occasions to “go-to” him often.

     Bill was flattered.  He began to work out even more vigorously and when they went out together, people would smile and look on with envy.  He liked the idea of having this young thing on his arm and was possessive of her attentions.  She liked the idea of having a relationship with a partner in the firm.

     They spent romantic evenings at fashionable restaurants, not caring who saw them together, or drinking fine wine by the fire at Bill’s.   His “latter life” crisis was unlike the Bill everyone knew.

 

 

 

 

Boomer Lit Blog Hopping

     As a part of the ongoing Goodreads Boomer Lit group, I am joining the Friday Blog Hopping band of independent writers who will visit other’s blogs and post excerpts from their own works every Friday.  You can find the group  at  http://boomerlitfriday.blogspot.com/.  

     Following is an excerpt from my last book,  GIRLFRIENDS,  which is a compilation of three novellas: Boomerang, Change of Life and Silver Lining.  The premise of the trilogy is the unconditional love and support among three women and the twists and turns they encounter as they grow into the third phase of their lives.  Here is an extract from the first novella in the trilogy, “Boomerang.”

 

Today Mary Jo believes in miracles.  Sitting in her posh office, surrounded by beautiful artwork and lush plants, she quietly reflects on what a difference three years can make.  Cloaked in peaceful tranquility, Mary Jo has a whole new perspective that comes from an awareness of the weaknesses and frailties that kept her lacking in confidence for most of her life.

 In 2007, all within the span of 30 days, Mary Jo lost her husband, her mother and her job.  It was the rainy season in Southern California, and, after seven straight days of rain, it had dampened her already soggy spirit.  From her apartment window Mary Jo could see the verdant hills covered in misty clouds that hung so low you could almost reach out and touch them.  Her mood mirrored the scene before her.  

Taking Care of Aging Parents

     As baby boomers age, we are often responsible for taking care of parents who may need assistance in areas, such as bathing, nutrition, medication, finances, living conditions, transportation, etc.  Adult children provide the majority of long term care for elderly parents.  Fortunately, new in-home services and programs allow today’s seniors to be more independent and stay in their own homes longer. 

      Modern technologies make it possible for adult children to have peace of mind by providing needed care through use of sensors, alerts, live images streaming, and GPS type tracking devices, which may be in the form of a pendant or wristband.

       Adult day care centers provide an avenue for seniors to interact with others, giving relief to the caregiver and providing a social outlet with peers.   Parents don’t want to feel as if they are a burden to their children and may not reveal their loneliness or their need for  help, so we need to be vigilant in our observations of elderly parents.   Another source of assistance is respite care, where a short-term, assisted- living facility is utilized, or a paid caregiver comes in while the family member takes a break.

      As informal caregivers, boomers need to have outlets for themselves and find outside help to prevent stress and burnout.  Seniors have access to more creative ways of taking care of themselves than ever before.  In addition to nursing homes, there are assisted living homes in retirement communities, shared living, neighborhood-based programs, professional geriatric care organizations and living with children.

      Our parents loved and cherished us in our formative years; we should do no less for them in their declining years.