My Menopause Blog

Just in case you’ve ever wondered what we crazy Canucks do for a good time, I present Example A.

For the last two summers, I’ve camped on the shore of this lake. Each night around sunset, during relatively flat-water conditions, this barge would do an evening tour. Typically the occupants included one middle aged woman in a Muskoka chair (as shown) seated at the front, her husband, seated on the larger, rear throne aka drivers seat and their large, old dog who would stand in front of the toilet.

This version of the ’sold out’ Toilet Barge Tour was an anomaly but still worthy of photographing simply because of the toilet. My how my pals and I wondered its purpose. Beyond being kitschy, cottage humour that is.

As I continue down the peri-menopausal path, I’ve noticed a relationship between how badly I have to pee…. err…rather…. how overactive my bladder can get with how far I am from the proper facilities. The closer I am, the less urgent my need. The farther…. well, the more creative I have to get with my mode of relief.

Perhaps The Toilet Barge offers the menopausal occupants with the same comfort level. If push really came to shove, Mr. Toilet Barge could drive right into the tall weeds of the lakes swamp, the dog could stand guard and Mrs. Toilet Barge could…

Okay…. maybe not. But if this sleek vessel were mine, that sparkling throne would definitely get some action.

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, toilet barge, menopause relief, bladder control, information on menopause,menopause symptom, hormonal, wisdom, womens health news, incontinence, menopause symptoms .

Featured in More Magazine: 40+ and Loving It!

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, More Magazine, menopause relief, publicity, information on menopause,menopause symptom, hormonal, wisdom, womens health news, blog, menopause symptoms .

Please order a Breast of Canada calendar today. Find out what’s cooking in my town at Blog Guelph.

Return of the Blogger, originally uploaded by Sue Richards.

Despite being home, My Menopause has decided that lingering in vacation mode for a few more days is in order. After all, we did have an unexpected and somewhat unwanted guest arrive shortly after setting up the camp.

Yup Big Red decided to join us for a few long days and nights. She arrived empty handed, expected the royal treatment and left without so much as a see yah later.

Periods these days. Can’t live with them. Can’t seem to live without them.

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, mood swing, menopause relief, emotional, information on menopause,menopause symptom, hormonal, wisdom, womens health news, vacation, menopause symptoms .

Please order a Breast of Canada calendar today.And Blog Guelph. is looking pretty today.

Sue: Can you say, “I need a vacation”?

Sue: But….I’ve got so much to do….

Sue: And, can you say, “I need a break from ’so much to do’”?

Sue: A break….I don’t have time for a break.

Sue: Do you ever read what you write in this blog?

Sue: Whatayah mean? Hmmmm. Gee. Sounds like I’m loosing it doesn’t it?

Sue: Sooooo….you want to be a balanced voice on the subject of menopause but you can’t see when you’re off balance. That’s inspiring Sue! Sign me up for your flavour of meno-insanity.

Sue: Right. Good point. Okay then. I’ll…..take a vacation. Sit by a lake. Commune with nature. Get grounded again.

Sue: No blogging.

Sue: Argh……okay.

And I will return in a dozen days or so. While I’m gone, feel free to amuse yourself at Blog Guelph.

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, mood swing, menopause relief, emotional, information on menopause,menopause symptom, hormonal, wisdom, womens health news, self talk, menopause symptoms .

Please order a Breast of Canada calendar today. Find out what’s cooking in my town at Blog Guelph.

dying daisy, originally uploaded by nina turns 40.

“Daisy” was taken by Nina, one of my BlogHer companions and California adventurers. As soon as I saw the photograph I thought….Daisy is in menopause.

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, mood swing, menopause relief, emotional, information on menopause,menopause symptom, hormonal, wisdom, womens health news, daisy, menopause symptoms .

Please order a Breast of Canada calendar today. Find out what’s cooking in my town at Blog Guelph.

This morning I awoke feeling dizzy and poorly rested and filled with dread.

Yes and this morning I heard the breeze rustling the pine tree and the dove’s coo and the little girl cry for mama.

Yes and this morning my entire body ached and my heart felt dull and my energy seemed zapped.

Yes and the smell of coffee tickled my nostrils, teased my taste buds and reminded me of a cafe in Saigon City where we sat for hours soaking up the vibe.

Yes and as I leafed through the newspaper the bad news poured out and I wept for the wife of the dead soldier and I wondered how killing people helped bring peace.

Yes and the young black squirrel who didn’t see me carefully carried her walnut prize across my deck and tucked it carefully in the BBQ.

Yes and I threw-up and felt better and then got very, very sad.

Yes and now the breeze drifts in my window and the neighbourhood is quiet and I long for something else.

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, mood swing, menopause relief, emotional, information on menopause,menopause symptom, hormonal, wisdom, womens health news, yes and, menopause symptoms .

Please order a Breast of Canada calendar today. Find out what’s cooking in my town at Blog Guelph.

Last Friday morning I boarded my return home flight in LA, California. Like the rest of the Economy Class, I squeezed myself into my window seat nest. Then I arranged my possessions and set my mind on ‘fly mode’, the setting that allows me to remain calm and relaxed despite being cramped and claustrophobic.

Just before takeoff, the attendant came down the aisle for her routine check. As she scanned my face with a look of recognition, she stopped then asked.

“Are you from Guelph”?

Somewhat taken aback, I offered a single word answer.

“Yeeess”.

“Is your name Sue”, she added?

My mind raced through the poorly filed depths of old memory banks looking for something that would help me make sense of her question.

“Yeeess”, I repeated.

“Do you publish the Breast of Canada calendar”?

After a quick flurry of explanation I learned that she was from Guelph and had attended one of my calendar launches a few years back. Before she moved down the aisle she ended her exchange on this wonderful note.

“When I saw you board, I knew I knew you from somewhere. At first I thought, is she a movie star? But then I remembered the calendar launch.”

I will admit that being mistaken for a movie star turned my menopausal crank very nicely. I’ll also claim that having someone recognize me for my work, in such an obscure setting buzzed my ego just a tad.

Yesterday, while getting my seasonal hair trim, the salon gals were jibbing me about my ’silverback’ streaks and the ’still lots of blond’ look I sport. I stared hard at the increasingly graying image reflected in the mirror.

Then I saw her and smiled. My inner ‘movie star’ smiled back….gray hair and all.

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, grey hair, menopause relief, LA Airport, information on menopause,menopause symptom, menopause, blogher, bloghercon, Women, wisdom, womens health news, movie star, menopause symptoms .

Please order a Breast of Canada calendar today. Find out what’s cooking in my town at Blog Guelph.

Is this what we want to leave our children and grandchildren?

Sue Richards

Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Beth Kanter,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, wise woman, menopause relief, cancer, information on menopause,menopause symptom, menopause, blogher, bloghercon, Women, wisdom, womens health news, live blogging, menopause symptoms .

Please order a Breast of Canada calendar today. Find out what’s cooking in my town at Blog Guelph.