BoomerGirl Diary

Fantastic fodder for Friday!

We're wrapping up our November giveaway and offering fresh stories and blogs on the site today. Read on for details and links to whatever you want to read.

Don't let fatigue rule your retirement plans

Dear Susan: I’m 59 and I want to retire. I’ve always liked my work as a nurse, but I’m just exhausted at the end of the day. Then there’s making supper, cleaning house, and I’m never caught up.

Bring nature’s wonders indoors

With a society obsessed in trimming the house from the eaves to the floorboards with good tidings, it’s easy to let our enthusiasm for the holidays make us overzealous in purchasing every little plastic, inflatable or glittery item. Pull in the reins, back away from the artificial, and embrace the natural beauty that Mother Nature has so aptly provided. It is right there, often outside your door and free for the taking, plus native gardening is on the upswing.

Web game helps feed the world

Freerice.com is this "great, addictive" Web site, said the e-mail from a friend and expatriate all the way from the United Arab Emirates.

Flashback of the Day

Flashback of the Day for Nov. 30.

Keep those grains light and fluffy

Unless, of course, you're making sushi.

Actress advocates for adoptions

Within days of Victoria Rowell's birth, her mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and Rowell was placed in foster care, separated from her two sisters. During the next 18 years, Rowell was raised and mentored by several nurturing women, each having profound influence on her life.

Christmas tress may be adding to your holiday sniffles

What's green and festive and makes you sneeze? It might be your Christmas tree.

The S word

Saying sorry can be healing, but also scary

The holidays can be stressful. Relatives get together, expectations of gaiety run high, and — almost invariably — words are spoken or events transpire that hurt someone.

Home sweet home

Gingerbread ‘subdivisions’ appear every holiday season in this household

Jodi Trast doesn’t build gingerbread houses. She builds entire subdivisions. For 10 years, the sweet smell of gingerbread has permeated the Trast house for the month leading up to Christmas.

Here's what's fresh this Friday

Wondering why your nose itches around your Christmas tree? Or how to make construction-ready gingerbread? Read on for quick links to those stories and more.

Midcareer sabbaticals are new antidote to burnout

Not long ago, workers considered mid-career sabbaticals perks for those who could afford time off to indulge in trips to Australia or backpacking through the Himalayas. But now that success is measured by who can log the most hours, the sabbatical is making a comeback as an antidote for burnout.

Flashback of the Day

Flashback of the Day for Nov. 28.

Gifts for a foodie: No, not a blender

Because cooking can be viewed as either a pleasant diversion or domestic drudgery, giving kitchen appliances as holiday gifts can brand you as either a hero or a heel.

Noodle kugel

What's happening this Wednesday

From gift ideas for the foodie in your life to the health benefits of ballroom dancing, we've got a varied line-up for you on the site today. Read on for previews and quick links.

Dance those calories away!

The schmaltzy strains of "Moon River" flow from the speakers as couples start to waltz in a studio in Santa Monica, Calif. Under a mirrored ball, they glide across the hardwood floor with perfect posture, silently mouthing the rhythm: one, two, three; one, two, three.

Good fences

Plantings, color help stick-straight structures blend into yard

We Americans love our fences. They allow us the freedom to let the kids and dogs outside without worrying they’ll wander off. They permit us the luxury of relaxing without feeling as though we’re on display to the neighbors and passers-by. They shield our view of eyesores and can provide a sense of coziness and comfort.

Clean stained ceramic tiles

For when abrasives just won't do.

Flashback of the Day

Flashback of the Day for Nov. 27

Protect yourself from 'superbug' infections

Experts are advising people to take the antibiotic-resistant "superbug" bacteria seriously and take steps to prevent its spread because it can be deadly, although it usually is not.

Check out our topics for Tuesday

From Barb's final facelift report (with photos!) to advice on how to protect yourself from the super bug to Pat Detmer's hilarious adieu to the year of the dress, we've got it for you today. Click through for links.

Barb's pre- & post-surgery pictures and wrap up

BoomerGirl beauty contributor Barbara Gerbasi follows up on her adventures in plastic surgery, with photos and all. A word of caution — the pictures at the bottom of the story might be a bit much for sensitive readers.

Hot pepper chicken

This season give yourself the gift of good skin

Once upon a time, primping for holiday parties was almost as much fun as the celebrations themselves: Shimmery, ruby lips; rosy, wind-kissed cheeks; clothes made of satin and velvet – the season practically begs for glamour. That is, until women enter their 40s, when the "decorations" start appearing on their faces more often than in their homes.

Strength in numbers

Utter the word "suicide" and people within earshot squirm. For me, the word comes up more than with most people.

100 years of the bra

One hundred years ago last month, Vogue coined the term "brassiere." Since then, it's been called plenty: The 18 Hour bra, the Cross Your Heart bra, the training bra, the padded bra, the sports bra, the front-close bra, the strapless bra, the backless bra ...

Couple creates Web site to coordinate funeral information

When a high school friend died last Thanksgiving Day, John and Kerry Kniepmann didn't know what to do.

Flashback of the Day

Flashback of the Day for Nov. 26.

Here's the line-up for Monday

We're singing a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday" to the bra today. Plus, we've got new stories on the Family, Business and Herspectives pages. Enjoy, everybody!

Flashback of the Day

Flashback of the Day for Nov. 25.

Company preserves families' treasured images

People still bring Betamax tapes to Gary Stennett. For those too young to remember, Betamax lost out to VHS in the videotape format war a couple of decades ago.

Do new curlers help create eye-catching look?

The trifecta of perfectly done-up eyes: mascara, eyeliner and an eyelash curler. We gals are willing to go to any length to make our eyes brighter, lashes longer. Three testers tried three new curlers - an improved version of the No. 1 selling brand, a newfangled one that curls sections at a time and a drugstore brand that sells for a bargain basement price. Did the gals bat newly lush lashes, or was the tryout a poke in the eye?

We love holiday weekends!

Put up those tired dogs and enjoy some relaxing reading today on BoomerGirl. You'll find recipes, food for thought about the "me" generation and a great gift idea for the guy in your life.

Hot soups: the cure for chilly weather

On a chilly evening or weekend afternoon, there’s no more fitting meal than a steamy soup made with seasonal ingredients. And if the soup is quick to prepare, so much the better. It just means you can return to curling up under your afghan with a book or a favorite TV show that much sooner.

They make it look so easy

Emily and Mitch Willey know how to blend candlelight and good food into memorable gatherings. As innkeepers of historic Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, Va., for more than 20 years, they have spent a career focused on gracious entertaining.

We're thankful for our readers!

Take a minute to relax this holiday and enjoy our new stories on the Entertain, Health, Retirement and Herspectives pages.

Adding more fiber to your diet has long-term health benefits

So you want to feel better, look better and be nicer? Eat more dietary fiber.

Gather around the computer to aid your retirement

Autumn in America marks our transition from summer to winter. Leaves change colors, temperatures drop, crops are harvested and nights get longer. For many baby boomers, this autumn season also signals a personal transition. In a few shorts months, they can move from the workforce into retirement.

Look at what's new this Wednesday!

We'll tell you which wine to serve with Thanksgiving dinner and a whole lot more on the site today. Click through for details and links to whatever interests you.

It pays to prepare for recession

If there's a lesson to be learned about the economy, it's that you can't fully steer your financial planning the way the winds are blowing because they can change direction in an instant.

Some gadgets can be tough on aging eyes

I had to buy a new pair of glasses last week. I would have preferred a new cell phone, but I can't find one I can read without glasses.

The right wine for you, and your bird

Thanksgiving is either the most difficult meal with which to pair wine or the easiest. Turkey and its trimmings go with everything and nothing at the same time.

Trim calories from the Thanksgiving feast

Estimates vary, but most experts peg the calorie count of a traditional Thanksgiving meal anywhere from 3,000 to 4,500 calories, depending on what the diner plops on their plate. An average-sized adult (who gets moderate daily exercise) should consume between 1,500 and 2,400 calories a day. And that's a whole DAY, not in one meal.

Flashback of the Day

Flashback of the Day for Nov. 20

Help for preventing holiday weight gain

Every year at this time people watching their weight and trying to stay fit start to panic. I’ve begun to get those emails saying ‘I really blew it on Thanksgiving and I don’t want the holidays to be a total disaster”. Most people ask me “what do you do to stay on track”

Autumn is most crucial season for charities

Jodi Scherl estimates she has received about a dozen invitations to charitable events in recent weeks.

Adjusting holiday plans in the face of loss

Dear Susan: My husband died 8 months ago and I have two kids, early teens. We’d planned to go to the former in-laws for Thanksgiving but we just got a call that they are ill and have to cancel. I think that maybe they just can’t face the holiday without Bill, but who knows.

Look what's happening on the site today

From tips on how to ward off holiday weight gain to advice on how to figure out if early retirement is for you, there's something for everyone on BoomerGirl today. Read on for direct links.

NYC rocks for day trip holiday shopping!

There’s still time — and great airfares — for you and your girlfriends to shop NYC! How fun would that be? Or make that shopping trip in January for after-Christmas bargains!

Parents paying for outside help to get students into choice colleges

The season of college admissions is upon us, and savvy parents know that what's at stake here is nothing less than their child's Entire Future.

Give taste buds a holiday gift — avoid the green-bean casserole

Holiday dinners are right around the corner and you know what that means ... Yes. The dreaded green bean-onion-cream-o'-mushroom-soup casserole.

10 things you gotta know about buying a pair of jeans

Aaahh, that denim dilemma. You walk into a store to buy a pair of jeans and are immediately overwhelmed with all the choices. It is quite possible that you could have more jeans than genes.

Flashback of the day

Girl, you know it's ... going to inspire a thousand jokes.

Puerto Rican-style chicken and rice

Here's to a marvelous Monday!

We're thinking about girls' shopping trips to New York, college admission coaches and alternatives to that green bean casserole today. Read on to get details and links to whatever lights your fire.

Ebony show celebrates 50 years of breaking barriers, launching careers

It happened 46 years ago, but she still feels the thrill. Shirley Jackson was 15, and she was going to the Ebony Fashion Fair.

Not so sweet on sweet potatoes

Unfortunately, it seems that sweet potatoes are never sweet enough. It's likely that we'll be dining on sweet potatoes dredged in brown sugar, soaked in syrup, topped with marshmallows and adorned with orange slices. I don't know if this is more about tradition, or that cooks simply don't know what else to do with them.

How do we design an entry into an L-shaped room?

Dear Mi-Ling: We recently moved into a house where the main entry door opens into the L-shaped living/dining room.

Welcome to the weekend!

We've got sweet ideas for your Thanksgiving table, great scoops on electronics deals, and more today! Click through for easy links to whatever catches your eye.

Time is ripe for home electronics deals

If you're in the market for a new television set or a home theater system, there will be plenty of deals between now and year-end, according to Robert Silva, a California-based electronics and home theater expert.

Fascinating, credible 'After Diana' paints portrait of Royal Family

When I read a biography, I turn to the book’s bibliography and sources pages. It seems to me that the longer the list of references, the more likely the book’s contents are credible.

Compassion must surpass love in lasting relationships

Do you ever question the love in your marriage? Do you ever feel that your children or friends don't really love you?

A heavenly date

"He doesn't respect my work," B.K. says to me about a man whose name she can't, actually, remember. Referred by a friend, he called B.K. to ask her out on a blind date. She was not available all weekend, she told him, because she had a project due on Monday and needed to work.

Here's what's fresh this Friday!

From dating over 50 to caring for a mother-in-law with compassion, the topics are thought provoking today on BoomerGirl. Click through for details and links to whatever you want to read.

Bacon-jalapeno corn chowder

Flashback of the day

Get out your handkerchiefs and the rice.

Setting the table for talk

Jan Yanehiro and her friends call them "kitchen table groups" - or KTGs - small gatherings of women who share stories, offer support, help each other over the big and small bumps of life.

The decorative power of lighting

Our dinner guests moved into the kitchen to read a book and a light bulb went off in my head: Our dining and living rooms were just too dim. Fortunately, a silver, beaded hanging light came to our rescue. New lighting improved the visibility and the decor of my home with just a small investment.

See what's new on the site this Thursday!

We've got Smoke Out day inspiration, lighting tips for your home and a blog from the front lines of the writer's strike today. Click through for previews and quick links.

If first you don't succeed, quit, quit again

Quitting smoking, they say, is the best single thing anyone can do for their health. Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory problems and can harm others who are exposed to the smoke. The first step is up to you.

Heritage turkeys offer food for the table and the Earth

Ah yes, it's nearly Thanksgiving, the annual showcase of a Dolly Partonesque turkey so blanderized by industrial-style production it can be like eating sawdust with butter.

Look what's new on the site this Wednesday

From the "Little Black Book" of fashion to an update on Barb's facelift, we've stirring the pot on BoomerGirl today. Click through for highlights and links to whatever piques your interest.

Post-face lift recovery

Day two after surgery I awoke tired and swollen. The post-surgery euphoria of the previous day had disappeared and my energy level was low. However, while there was some discomfort, there was little pain.

Peek into Nina Garcia's 'Little Black Book'

The first thing Nina Garcia wants you to know is that she is not as witchy as she sometimes appears on Bravo TV's "Project Runway."

Flashback of the day

Whoa-whoa-whoa feelings ...

On holiday, sailing the generational seas

I'm on this cruise ship sailing the Mediterranean - to ports such as Rhodes, Cypress, Ephesus, Cairo, Athens and Naples. And I'm struck by the youth of my shipmates.

Paper or plastic? Neither - I've got my own

I never expected to become a bag lady at this stage of my life. But in the debate over paper vs. plastic and which one really is best for the environment, I opted out years ago. I don't choose - I reuse.

Tidier times

Tools help organize autumn’s chores in the garden

With winter approaching, it’s tempting to huddle inside where it’s warm and forget all about the garden. But as leaves, acorns, pinecones and walnuts plummet from the trees and nestle into nooks and crannies in and around your flower beds, it’s time to grab the rake and get to work.

Here are your topics for Tuesday

From the garden to the grocery story to the "intergenerational seas," we've got something for everyone on the site today. Click through for quick links.

The 10 fundamentals

What are the essentials for an in-vogue wardrobe this season? To find out, we polled two stylish boutiques (ZouZou, Bella), two off-price stores (Marshalls, T.J. Maxx) and two upscale department stores (Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus).

Grandparents can give grandkids financial gifts that last

Many grandparents love to spoil grandchildren, but are they spoiling them in the wrong ways? A recent AARP survey found that the spoiling is likely to be driven by events, such as birthdays or holidays.

See what's fresh on the site this Monday

From a unique underwater travel adventure to the ten must-haves for your fall wardrobe, we've got you covered today. Read on for previews and direct links to the new stuff.

Stingray City is a must-see

The star a port of call in Grand Cayman

To remember your visit to Stingray City sandbar, you can buy a souvenir video for $55. The picture will be of you. You just won't hear your voice. "There is no sound in the video because we put music on it to cover up the screaming," explains a videographer. Screaming?

Straw bales decompose, boost garden

You may want to pick up wheat straw bales to keep for your vegetable garden next year.

Twist on pecan pie adds flair to tradition

Shockingly, just 12 days separate this column from Thanksgiving. For those who will be wearing the apron on Nov. 22, this means that a finely choreographed production is about to commence. Anyone who has been through this holiday ritual knows that organization and advanced preparation are key.

Paint can be fairly cheap when seeking perfect color

Dear Mi-Ling: I need your help. I recently redecorated a few rooms at work and my boss loved them. Now, she wants me to do her office. She's giving me free rein but she wants me to keep her tan drapes. They have a thick deep orange border.

Cheers to weekends!

We're celebrating the end of a great week with fresh stories on the Food, Garden and Home pages plus an update on the writers' strike by our Showbiz Kid.

Just how important to our relationships is this little conflict anyway?

In the final analysis, there really are more amusing conflicts than there are serious ones, when you stop to consider the actual impact on the relationship. Said another way, most conflicts are kind of silly and don't make that much difference.

Group therapy program treats sexual addictions

The women usually are the ones calling for help. The wives who suddenly don't understand the husbands in their beds — their physical demands, their sudden interest in another woman, the hours they spend on the Internet.

Barb gets a facelift

She did it! Our Beauty contributor Barb Gerbasi had plastic surgery yesterday, and she's sharing the details with BoomerGirl readers. Read her first-hand, post-op account of how it went and what happens next.

Look what's fresh this weekend!

From men with sex addictions to a first-hand account of a facelift, we've got intriguing fare on BoomerGirl today. Click through for highlights and quick links.

Cumin-chili crusted snapper

Clothes for her warmed my heart

The first thing you notice is her smile. It's joyful and open and makes you want to smile, too. Naturally, the 9-year-old has decorated her brown paper shopping bag with three smiley faces and two balloons, one red and one purple - her mother's favorite color.

Look what's new on the site this Thursday!

Enjoy an amazing story of renewal on the Spirituality page plus new stories on the Legacy and Friends pages, PLUS a new Pat Detmer blog. Read on for details and links.

Unusual Douglas fir brings renewal of faith

"This was clearly an answer to me," the Rev. Alan Casillas said. "God is still speaking to us, in ways that are sometimes ordinary and sometimes extraordinary. I think this is one of those extraordinary ways."

Relationships: Alone or lonely?

This is a story about aloneness, that inescapable human condition that thrills many of us and terrifies others. It's probably a good time to consider our individual comfort with being alone, because a growing number of experts in everything from technology to psychotherapy contend that the bigger our world gets, the "aloner" we feel. And live.

Get the most out of your herbs

Add the most zing to your food.

'Showbiz Kid' on front lines of writers' strike

BoomerGirl blogger Carol Starr Schneider is walking the picket lines in Hollywood as the writers' strike enters Day 4. Click below and listen to our interview with Carol, a strike captain for the Writers' Guild, about her experience.

Creamed chicken livers

Ready, set, surgery!

Well, my big day dawns this morning when a car will whisk me into NYC to the office of Scott B. Wells M.D. shortly after the sun rises. I didn't expect to be nervous, excited yes, but nervous. No, except that I am.

Some old recipes are treasures nearly lost to generations

Christopher Kimball and his America's Test Kitchen colleagues have been on a rescue mission. The goal: to preserve America's kitchen heritage.

We've got writers doing BIG things today on the site

From a Beauty writer whose face is about to go under the knife to our Showbiz Kid who's a "strike captain" for the Writer's Guild, we've got HOT topics to discuss today. Read on for links.

Shift your spending and make a difference

The Big Green Purse "One in a Million" Campaign is urging a million women to shift $1,000 of money they'd spend in a year anyway to green products and services that can help protect the environment.

Alice Sebold returns with another morbid plot, beautifully written

Alice Sebold finds ways to make her disturbing tales compelling to millions. She smiles as she ponders the question: How does she invest her dark stories with such beauty?

Here's a toast to Tuesdays!

From a great new campaign to make the world a greener place to the latest fashion advice for the mother of the bride, we've got it today on BoomerGirl. Read on for links to whatever interests you.

Diet-friendly vegetable lasagna

Turn it up and tune right in

Want to get your housework done? Turn off the phone and turn up the tunes.

Flashback of the day

The dawn of the tabloid talk show

What should bride's mom wear to winter wedding?

My daughter is getting married in January. I would like to know what style and length a mother of the bride should wear. What colors are appropriate for a winter wedding?

In seaport, diners connect with food

Many of us, often the urbanites among us, live lives disengaged from the source of our food.

The benefit of tea time

Could it be true that tea may contain natural chemicals that impact brain function and may help the mind's ability to focus? That would be nice.

Autumn bouquets

Season’s warm hues, textures at root of striking floral displays

I hope you’re not storing your vases, urns and pots away just yet. Autumn is a wonderfully creative time of year to mix and match some of nature’s most interesting items.

Kick off the week in style

Welcome to a new week on BoomerGirl. Pour yourself a cup of tea, arrange for some fall flowers and sit down to read the articles and the rock 'n' roll blog we have for you today. Click through for sneak peeks.

Tri-color roasted peppers with basil

7 easy steps to repot and refresh your houseplants

Some houseplants eventually become so large that the roots outgrow the pot. When that happens, growth can be stunted. Water may flow right past the roots before they have a chance to absorb it or to gather nutrients from fertilizer.

Careful planning prevents errors in picture hanging

Hanging pictures can be hard on your walls. You don't want to put a lot of unnecessary holes in your walls because you'll spend a lot of time filling the holes and repainting the walls.

5 things you didn't know about hot tubs

From what's in the water to possible therapeutic benefits, here are five things to know before your next dip.

Here's to weekend reading!

From the eight nutrients you must have for younger looking skin to the health benefits of hot tubs, our new stories run the gamut today. Read on for quick links to whatever you want to read right now.

Nutrients to improve the skin you're in

What can you change in your diet that will show results in your skin? I surveyed top skin and nutrition experts and asked them which sort of foods will to help you put your best face forward.

Studies: Women need to act early on firm's succession

Women and men are equally likely to have an idea about selling or closing their companies, or transferring ownership to a relative, but women are less likely to have concrete proposals.

It's a new month with a brand new giveaway!

We've got a new "You Deserve It" prize package and four new stories and blogs for this first Friday in November. Click through for details and quick links to whatever piques your interest.

Stuffed fish under wraps

How low can you go?

From decent to despicable, we rate 18 wines under $4

In the language of wine tasting, "rutabaga" is not a good thing. Neither are "Laffy Taffy" or "baby pool." But who doesn't love a bargain? And for a bargain-wine lover, these are intoxicating times.

Welcome to November!

Find out who won last month's "You Deserve It" giveaway and get a look at this month's new PRIZE plus get a preview on our fresh stories and blogs today. Click through and all will be revealed!

Goodbye, fruit flies

Eliminate them without using a spray.

Zucchini pie

10 gifts for the die-hard gardener

Last month, when my local plant nursery had its annual fall sale, the rain was pouring down nonstop, yet there they were, those wild gardeners shopping for plants ... outdoors. As if this was normal behavior! It’s a die-hard habit, so you may as well feed and nurture the dreamy, florally consumed mind of the horticulturally inclined.

Mother-daughter bond won't break with some stretching

Dear Susan, I’m having a difficult time letting go of my daughter. She and I have been very close for 23 years and have often called each other “my best friend.” She has recently moved into her own place and has not-so-gently hinted that she needs some space.