The Irreverent Widow

A summer love letter to Maine.

Sandi — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:13:17 +0000

It’s been 6 years since I moved here, and I’m ready to confess what I know you’ve been hoping to read: I think I’m in love.

With the coast of Maine.

Valentine’s Day is not for sissies.

Sandi — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:26:51 +0000

Day of love? Or satanic plot?

These are the days that try men’s souls. And women’s.

I speak not of our nation’s economic woes, nor of the mountains of snow threatening to collapse our roofs. No, ladies and gentlemen, I speak of the days leading up to Valentine’s Day.

Putting the sexy back in taxes.

Sandi — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:55:23 +0000

Recently, I reluctantly purchased something with accordion pleats, reinforced gussets, and elastic closures. No it was not, as one friend suggested, a corset. I bought folders. Legal sized folders. If you are over the age of 21 and own anything beyond a toothbrush, tickets to a Lady Gaga concert and perhaps a winter jacket, you know precisely the folders of which I speak.

The future.

Sandi — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:02:51 +0000

When your husband is going to die…you don’t believe it. Even when you hear the word terminal, you don’t believe it.

However, when your husband’s heart has just stopped beating and his mother is standing in your kitchen with her slacks down around her knees because, along with being emotionally numb at the loss of her child, she has the (as yet undiagnosed) beginnings of Alzheimer’s…. and your 4 year-old-son is skipping cheerily through the house proclaiming in a sing-songy voice, “Daddy’s dead!…Daddy’s dead!”…well, you begin to believe the nightmare you have just walked into.

Zero degrees of separation.

Sandi — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:14:53 +0000

The great (and disturbingly incestuous) state of Maine.

Most of us are familiar with the concept known as “six degrees of separation.” It’s the idea that all humans are within six steps of connectivity. That whole friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend thing.

Adieu!

Sandi — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 21:31:54 +0000

Happy World Menopause Day, Ladies!

Just when you thought there were no more holidays for Hallmark to cash in on…here you have it. A day for the world to celebrate the cessation of our menstrual cycles.

Evidence of evolution.

Sandi — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:02:59 +0000

One can only wonder what goes through the minds of boys when they not only do things like this, but also have the forethought to photograph themselves doing it.

This would be my driveway. I admit to purchasing the “sparklers,” and also admit that perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to go along with the suggestion that we purchase 4 multi-pack boxes of them.

Peek-a-boo!

Sandi — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:48:36 +0000

Another item to add to my always growing collection of flagrantly inappropriate religious artifacts.

One can only wonder…did someone design this with the sole intent of it one day finding its way to my IW blog? Because, really, why else would this exist in the world? Nothing against the Virgin Mary…but does she need to be housed in a …well…words just fail me at this point.

Cleaning house.

Sandi — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:10:47 +0000

I LOVE this card.

The fact that I have it taped to one of the glass panes of my kitchen door goes a long way in explaining why my house was not chosen for the celebrated “Cape Elizabeth Kitchen Tour” which will be taking place in a few short weeks.

Baby, I was born (not) to run.

Sandi — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:24:27 +0000

"Yo, Adrienne!"

(This weeks ”NO SUGAR ADDED” Column, in The Forecaster Newspapers)

I hate running.

My adversarial relationship with the sport began as a freshman in college. After a few too many Fritos, a friend suggested we form a running group. Before I knew what I was being sucked into – wham! – my alarm clock was rudely awakening me at 4:30 a.m. on a chilly autumn morning and I was propelling myself toward the iconic steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, just like Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky.”

The “Date-Us-Hate-Us.”

Sandi — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:52:31 +0000

A few months ago, I realized how much of my life force was being sucked out of me by dating the wrong men. And, sometimes, dating the SAME wrong men more than once! Shocking, I know, in light of my “Wash, Rinse, Repeat” dating story… but yes, dear reader, even I make errors in judgment. This realization led me to go on a “Dating Hiatus”….something I’ve done before, but have never really done wholeheartedly…and for the right reasons. Before, I’d say something like, “I should really stop dating and concentrate on my work and my children.” Of course, after 3 weeks of no dinners out (and, even more distressing, no kissing and/or sex)…I would always cave. Probably because I didn’t REALLY mean it when I said I should stop dating. In reality, I still had my heart set on finding the right man. Finding someone to fill the void left when I lost Drew. I still felt that the rest of my life wouldn’t make sense without that puzzle piece being replaced.

Read more on The “Date-Us-Hate-Us.”…

AARP(eeps).

Sandi — Fri, 28 May 2010 15:43:26 +0000

Earlier this week, I received a piece of mail that once again left me wondering about the state of our so called technologically advanced civilization. I walked into my kitchen and casually leafed through the unwanted pile of envelopes and useless flyers from a variety of stores I never shop in. And there I saw it….lurking beneath a circular. Four sinister letters, emblazoned upon the corner of an otherwise un-noteworthy white business envelope: AARP. The American Association of Retired Persons. Or People. Or Peeps. For those of you actually of retirement age, peeps is slang for “people”…I’m not making reference to those yellow marshmallow chicks served up at Easter. Although I think an assisted living development filled with marshmallow chicks playing Mahjong would be something to really look forward to in my later years.

WANTED: Soul mate…with throw-up bowl.

Sandi — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:16:01 +0000

There are two sounds that can simultaneously awaken me from a deep sleep…and strike fear into my heart. The first is the sound of a gargantuan pine tree falling onto my house (see my “Oh Tannenbaum” blog post from the end of February). The second is the sound of a child. Vomiting. IN MY BED.

Love, Marriage. Horse, Carriage.

Sandi — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:06:02 +0000

(I may have written this story a few years ago…but it continues to ring true, dear readers!)

After being involved in a variety of dating situations with a variety of men…and after experiencing a variety of levels of frustration…I eventually realized something that was rather disturbing. And very, very sad. Many men have been married…many men have ended up divorced…yet, many of these men have never really been in love. They got married, but they weren’t head-over-heels, madly and passionately in love. Never. Not even on their wedding day. This was shocking to me. Truly. I suppose I just always imagined that all people felt the way that Drew and I felt about one another when we tied the proverbial knot.

The sausage incident…revisited.

Sandi — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:22:52 +0000

Ok, so I wrote this story in the early summer of 2008. And I just had a repeat of the same incident. Except all three of my children were in attendance. I was still annoyed…but I didn’t end up throwing myself onto my bed and weeping. So I guess I’m making progress in the grieving/healing department. Phew!

Happy Birthday, sweetie.

Sandi — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:07:08 +0000

Today would have been Drew’s birthday. His 50th. Yikes. I always know I’ve come a long way in my grieving process when I’m awake for an hour or two before it dawns on me, “Today would have been _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .” (fill in the special occasion of your choice). In the early days, months and years….I’d live in dread of the upcoming holiday/ anniversary/birthday, etc. Eventually, I didn’t live in dread, but what would happen was almost worse. Because I’d be going along, living my life…aware that one of these special days was approaching, but not really focusing on it. Then…BAM! ZOWIE! it would suddenly be before me and I’d just fall apart.

Read more on Happy Birthday, sweetie….

Oh Tannenbaum.

Sandi — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:47:41 +0000

Dearest, most patient and forgiving reader: It feels like an eternity since I’ve penned my last blog post. Last night, however, brought an event so traumatic…so life-altering….so memorable… that I could barely keep my fingertips off of my keyboard when I finally got the chance to reflect upon it this evening.

Open Me

Sandi — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:47:12 +0000

Open Me from irreverentwidow on Vimeo.

Me

Sandi — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:46:40 +0000

Me from irreverentwidow on Vimeo.