“Summer Lovin’ had me a blast…”  IT’s officially summer, so let’s get into it!  How?  I have a recipe you’ll love…guaranteed to make your summer joy happen;

Ryan O’Neal with daughter Tatum circa 1975

Recently, dining out in a casual restaurant I observed a father and daughter sitting at the next table.  There was quiet conversation over a beer while they waited for their meal.  Shortly after the extra large pizza arrived, the daughter got up from the table with a shake of the head as though the pizza was making her suddenly ill.

The father in a flash was left sitting alone seemingly bewildered.

He explained to the kind waitress the pizza would now be ‘to go’.  As she carefully took the pizza from the table I discretely

Demi Moore in The Scarlett Letter

I’ve never felt so ostracized as I did post divorce.  I was the woman wearing the Scarlett Letter, it seemed.  It turns out you don’t need to be an adulterer to be shunned, especially if you are the one to end the marriage.

Can you return without the social stigma?  Is it true you can never go back?  Can you walk the same streets and feel like the same person?

If you have relocated after a difficult divorce, you may return one day and ask yourself these very questions.  I pondered these questions upon my return to a city my children still call home.

My favorite picture of my kids

Starting with the blue stick through to sticky glue, sticky fingers and sticky situations; motherhood has it all.  When we decide to have babies we think of it as a destination, a place we’ve come to or a decision we’ve made.   But motherhood defined, is a JOURNEY.   A beginning, middle and an end that hopefully never comes until it’s our turn to leave this world.

Abuse during divorce is more common than we realize.  When we take the step to end our marriage, we extricate ourselves from the marital turmoil only to find ourselves the target of even more abusive behaviors.  The ex can become aggressive, verbally abusive, threatening, and sometimes paranoid.  The truth is the bigger their ego, the more intensely they react to the end of the marriage or relationship. 

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges during divorce and in the initial stages of separation, is parenting. Parenting is a labour of love even in intact homes.  However, add divorce and it is  riddled with guilt, logistical obstacles, loneliness and tug of war.  If you’re experiencing any of this know you’re not alone.

Our favorite; Charlie Brown and his famous tree

One of the most difficult times of the year for divorced and broken families is undoubtedly the Christmas Season.  Especially the first couple of years when it is a time for re-building and transitioning the new family unit.