Dorinda Medley’s Long Beige Cardigan in The Berkshires

Real Housewives of New York Season 12 Episode 13 Fashion

There’s no questioning the fact that Dorinda Medley’s long beige cardigan on last night’s episode of The Real Housewives of New York was totally made to be worn in The Berkshires. I mean, it’s comfy, cozy and definitely the perfect piece for snuggling up in by the fireplace while reading a good book watching a catfight go down between your friends that’s even better than Broadway.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Naked Cashmere Cardigan in Many Colours

Info: @DorindaMedley

Originally posted at: Dorinda Medley’s Long Beige Cardigan

Retirement is a big deal and should be celebrated. After many years spent working, life now offers some free time to enjoy the pastimes and activities that we are passionate about.

Some try new hobbies and learn new skills during retirement. Others take off to explore the world traveling. While others enjoy spending more time at home with family.

Do you have a coworker, family member, or friend who is retiring? If they’re extra special, you probably want to send them out in style.

Here is a list of thoughtful retirement gift ideas that I have put together.

1,000 Places to See Before You Die (Deluxe Edition): The World as You’ve Never Seen It Before

There are hundreds of books that serve as guides to various travel destinations, but not one can compare with 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

Named a best gift book by various respected publications, it is sure to hit the right spot for the traveling retiree. Give them the opportunity to see these 1,000 amazing places the world has to offer. They’ll soon be making their lists of favorite places and booking their tickets to far-away destinations.

A Kindle Reader

Books can get heavy to lug around, but a Kindle reader can store thousands of pages and still weigh as much as a cell phone. Simply put, this device is the perfect gift for the on-the-go retiree. Help your friend enjoy their favorite books while they are out and about.

Online Photography Courses

Offer online photography classes to the one who loves to take photos. There’s always something new to learn, and your friend can up their photo skills with a few tips and techniques.

A Funny Retirement Apron

I couldn’t pass up on this funny apron. It’s perfect for the goofball retired friend who boasts a great sense of humor.

Monthly Magazine Subscription

Hand your colleague a monthly subscription to their favorite magazine. Choose from Good Housekeeping, National Geographic, TIME, Martha Stewart Living, and so many more.

Wine Subscription

What makes a perfect gift for the wine lover? Well, a wine subscription, of course! Have specially curated wines delivered to your retiring friend’s door. Because they have earned the right to day drink.

101 Fun Things to Do in Retirement

If your newly retired friend has a wicked sense of humor, get them a quirky book, like 101 Things to Do in Retirement. They will certainly have fun browsing the pages of this guide to life after work.

Experiences in a Box

If your retiring friend doesn’t care about stuff, offer them experiences instead. This unique gift idea comes in a nice box full of opportunities. Your friend will have to choose one activity from the available list and then dive in.

Needless to say, this will leave them with a ton of photos to remind them of this spectacular time in their life.

50 States, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do

If your friend has always dreamed to traverse the wide expanse of the USA, this beautiful book from National Geographic is sure to make them happy. It contains everything they need to know about the places they want to see in the USA.

Personalized Luggage Tags

Does your newly retired friend like to travel? Get them a personalized luggage tag. Shutterfly will let you add photos, logos, text, and anything else you need to create the perfect luggage tag for your retired friend.

A Picnic Backpack

Who doesn’t love a picnic? Get your friend or colleague a modern and practical picnic backpack so they can take their lunch to the park or anywhere else they please. No more eating in the company cafeteria!

Bluetooth Speaker-Stand

Does the retiree enjoy watching movies? This speaker/tablet stand is great for watching movies and videos from any location inside and outside of the home.

Do you know anyone who will be retiring soon? What do you think of my list of retirement gift ideas? Which one is your favorite and which one would you like to receive as a retirement gift? What retirement gifts did you receive when you left your full-time job? Were there any that you hated? Tell us about them. Let’s chat about retirement gift ideas.

Just between you and me, I’ve secretly been worried that my significant other and I will get on each other’s nerves after I retire. I wasn’t planning on sharing this with anyone until last week.

Last Saturday, while ordering a bite to eat at a local coffee shop, I happened to ask one of the co-owners, a woman in her early 70s, where her husband was. She said, “I sent him home because he was acting like a jerk… And if he ever points his finger at me again, I’m going to chop it off with a knife.”

A few days later, another woman about my age told me that after she and her husband retired, he got so irritable that she moved out for a month. I started to wonder if these experiences were more common than mere coincidence.

I began reading about changes that occur in relationships when people retire or get older. I’ll confess, I started doing a little research based on my own biased belief that males are more likely than females to become irritable after retirement.

The Source of the Problem?

Sure enough, I was able to find several articles on something called Irritable Male Syndrome that confirmed my bias. Apparently, this is a real condition that some doctors blame on a drop in testosterone.

Symptoms of Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) can include moodiness, irritability, depression, reduced energy, trouble sleeping, and bursts of anger.

Michael Gurian, author of The Wonder Aging: A New Approach to Embracing Life After Fifty, argues that a drop in testosterone is only part of the issue for men. He points to the challenges men face related to a loss of identity such as no longer being viewed as athletic or having a work-related title.

Armed with articles and studies about IMS, I decided that this issue was likely the primary cause of an argument my husband and I recently had.

I carefully shared that aging and retirement affects people in different ways. I then gently shared what I’d learned about what males experience. I told him what I had learned helped me realize I needed to be more understanding.

Who, Me?

At first, my husband didn’t say much. After a few minutes, he calmly acknowledged that retirement and aging do bring changes and unexpected challenges.

Because he retired several years ago, my husband expressed some anxiety about losing his ‘space’ and personal time in anticipation of my retirement in a few months.

At that point, I felt like we were having a needed conversation. I understood his concerns better and thought I had a better idea of how we could move forward together.

But then my husband shared an observation I hadn’t addressed. He said, “You know, you’ve been pretty stressed and intense lately. I don’t know if you’re aware of how anticipating retirement has affected you [and us] too.”

As soon as my husband shared his observations, I knew what he said was true. He wasn’t the first person to point out that I had been intense. In fact, one of my own students recently told me that I was rather intense.

Even though I felt positive about my pending retirement, I was also aware that I had some digestive problems which I tend to experience when I’m especially stressed.

I am one of those people who does a lot of preparation for any change, but I realized retirement meant I would still be losing something familiar including a built-in community, meaningful work, recognized accomplishments, and excellent health insurance that Medicare and supplemental insurance couldn’t completely replace.

As Michael Gurian and others noted, women also may experience irritability during major changes, but tend to express it differently than men. Women are more likely to fret more or talk more. Men may have a greater tendency to express their frustrations by yelling or getting angry.

What Can Help?

Recognizing how we express stress and how it affects others is an important first step in making positive changes in our personal lives and relationships.

Research does suggest that eating right, exercise, getting sufficient sleep, practicing relaxation techniques and limiting extra sugar and alcohol can help improve our overall mood. I am trying to get more exercise. So far, I think it is helping me with my stress level.

If we are able to recognize our own stress – or if someone kindly helps us recognize it – then we also have an opportunity to improve our relationships through communication.

Whether it is with a spouse, a friend, a roommate or a relative, each of us affects others. Important relationships take constant work because we are all constantly changing.

My significant other and I have had some additional conversations about how we both see our shared retirement lives. We talked about our ‘together’ goals and dreams and our ‘personal’ goals and dreams.

We also talked about how each of us needed our own space at times. It will be important for both of us to keep the lines of communication open as we face a new, sometimes uncertain, but exciting future together.

When I retire in five months, I will be starting a business as a retirement coach and would love to hear your insights. If you are retired, I’d like to hear how you managed the transition from work to retirement. If you are also in a relationship with someone else who has been affected by your retirement, I’d very much appreciate your insights into how you negotiated changes that no doubt affected both of you. I look forward to your thoughts!

Luann de Lesseps’ Lip Print Sweater in The Berkshires

Real Housewives of New York Season 12 Episode 13 Fashion

According to the previews for this week’s episode of The Real Housewives of New York, Luann de Lesseps appears to get very lippy during the annual cast trip to Bluestone Manor and not only during a showdown fight she has with Sonja Morgan — but also with her super cute lip print sweater. And when it comes to telling you who it’s by, needless to say like a housewife in the Berkshires Berserkshires you can expect our lips to be very much un-sealed.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Brodie Cashmere Sweater Sold Out

Originally posted at: Luann de Lesseps’ Lip Print Sweater