Good afternoon to all from up here under the redwoods. Dotsie's recent, persuasive e-mails nudged me out of lurk mode and into the light of the BoomerWomenSpeak boards; now, I hope to gain from the appreciable wisdom so evident in these pages.

"Talk" to you soon ...

Xan.

Shalom and welcome, Xan. Thanks for taking Dotsie's nudging seriously and joining us. You'll find plenty of wisdom and fun, too.

Hi there! I'll be here, but I don't know how wise I'll be... Welcome!

Love your pic, are you an artist?

Kathy

Welcome, and please tell us about your Hershey Bar Theory of Life. I love those dang things, but can't have the ones with nuts at this stage of the game due to diverticulitis. It's hell getting old.

Hey Xan...howdy from the hot and humid state of Alabama where southern girls glisten (we don't sweat), can melt butter with our southern drawl and where front porches and swings are a requirement. So, have a seat on the BWS front porch and enjoy the fresh air that is within these forums.

Shalom Xanthippe from under the shadow of the cactus of SoCali. Notice how I said "under the shadow" and not "under the cacti" which would be pretty uncomfortable. I lurk, too, in between talking spells.

Good afternoon to you too Xan. Glad you stepped forward to join the crowd.

Thank you for the warm welcome, ladies!

Saundra - Wisdom plus fun is a winning combination; I look forward to lots of both on these boards.

Dancing Dolphin/Kathy - I've no doubt you're wise, and your smile is lovely. As to my pic, no, I'm not an artist; I've simply had that avatar a long time; she mirrors me in my less-than-civilized moods!

Dotsie - I shall post about my Hershey Bar 'theory' elsewhere, most likely on Laughter, The Best Medicine (although it's more amusing than funny). Yes, there's "a story", one of those oft-repeated family tales that survive in spite of themselves. Oh, and I'm sorry about your diverticulitis-related eating restrictions.

Dee - My beautiful mama (91 years young) is also a southern gal, born in Virginia and raised in North Carolina, so I know all about ladylike perspiration and porch sittin'. I'll bet you only wear white between Memorial Day and Labor Day, too!

meredithbead - Yes, under the cacti *would* be mighty uncomfortable; our redwoods, happily, allow ample room under which to lounge ... and no sticky spines! I note you're a woman of many talents. Are you published?

Edelweiss - Your screen name is evocative, taking me back to a time in Austria, where I hiked and grooved mightily on those sweet little flowers.

Good night, all. More from me anon.

Xanthippe, thank you! Yes, I have been published a bunch, poetry and essays, including on this site. Details are on my writing website (link under my signature here.)

Xan, welcome to this wonderful place!