If this is about a trial separation from your husband as opposed to reinventing the second half of your life, I'm reminded of an old Dear Abby column where she advised to ask yourself....are you better off with or without him/her? No marriage is smooth sailing and there were times I didnt think we'd make it....but I would ask myself the above question and I always came up with better off "with" and I just don't mean monitarily. He wasn't always the best husband, and I had to admit to myself I wasnt always the best wife either. He was/is a great dad, true blue, and worked hard to provide for us. Yes, when we became empty nesters, I think we both looked at each other and thought "who the heck are you and what was I thinking when I married you 30+ years ago?" Years of attention diverted to kids, finances, careers will do that to you. Like AWM, it's been a process but we are in a "happy place" now with the kids gone, more disposable income and looking to retire sooner than we had planned. Tish---when my kids were 12, 10, and 8 DH took a consultant job and was gone all week..I was a single mom Mon-Fri. Not all the time, but frequently enough that I remember, DH would take the kids out on weekends to give me a breather...even if it was just to a park for an hour or to a movie. Once or twice a year he would take them camping(which I dont like) for the weekend or some other little trip---I got a break and he got alone time with the kids. So, maybe start small and ask DH to take them to the park or to a movie...then build up to overnight trips. He needs that time with the kids after being gone all week and you need the break. And while we did not have two houses like Yayagal, we always maintained separate activities and were never joined at the hip constantly...this is so important. So go take a class on something that interests you, join a book club, take a part time job doing something you love even if it pays minimum wage, or volunteer/intern. This is a very freeing time with the kids gone and I sincerely hope you will figure out what will make these some of the best years of your life.

Wrong thing-took it out I don't think it's Patty Duke,but it sure looks like her! She is the youngest person to win an academy award? Is that it? Where are Mother Teresa, Indira Ghandi, Susan B. Anthony (I guess Staton is her replacement/represenative), Eva Peron, Joan of Arc, Sourjorner Truth... I could go on forever. Why Annie Oakley? I sure would have a different picture. At least Eleanor is in it. :) This post was edited by rob333 on Fri, Mar 8, 13 at 8:26

Secrets of an Organized Mother - Barbara Reich (which I should be, as we are off for a week to a thatched Cotswold cottage, taking thermals and umbrella. Play nicely, children, while I'm away)

Oh--my group also does the "must be available in paperback" rule although I think we've kind of relaxed that one as long as the library system carries the book. We also take turns in that the dozen or so of us hold a planning meeting at which we all bring several books, each member proposes their books, we vote on our favorite, assign the member a month in which they are responsible for preparing and leading the discussion for their book and end up having a schedule at least a year long. I think our "division of labor" as well as the variety of books chosen has served to keep our club together for five years--well, that and the fact that we meet in restaurants and really relax and enjoy ourselves, too. Who chooses the restaurant? The member whose turn it is to lead the discussion, of course.