Back In The Neighborhood
Got a problem? Just ask Grandma
Barbara ‘Cutie’ Cooper is an agony aunt in her mid-90s who gives advice online on her blog. Her new vocation has been a lifeline after losing Harry, her beloved husband of 73 years
https://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/sep/29/barbara-cutie-cooper-grandmother-blogger-advice
Continue reading “Cutie is featured in the Guardian newspaper, discovers she is an “agony aunt””
Hi Cutie pie,
I was dating a guy I met at my school, when he tells me he wants to be a Marine. We hadn’t been dating that long. A year later, through thick and thin, we’re still together. Then he went off to boot camp. Communicating is harder, but we make it through the four months and when he comes home everything is wonderful again.
But now that he is off to school, things have gotten really bad. There have been so many miscommunications because I went off to be an exchange student. The extra stress was too much, so we ended up fighting a lot and broke up.
Last weekend we started talking again, and it’s kind of like we never broke up. I’m wondering if you think that it is worth trying again? Or if we should wait? Or if all the work will even be worth it? (I love him.)
signed,
Steadily Lonely
Dear Steadily Lonely,
It sounds like you both put a great deal of effort into the relationship, but that the challenges of life got in the way. I want you to know that familiarity is not love. If it was so hard before, what is different now that will make it better? What has changed?
It is very difficult to become an adult and figure out who you are and deal with the sea of emotions that you feel. Sometimes it seems like a good idea to stay in a relationship rather than have to face yourself and all of that work to become the person you want to be. But I can tell from your message that in your gut you don’t think this relationship the right thing for you.
You still get to care about him and nothing can take away the important relationship that you shared, but it is time to move on. Get out there. Make mistakes. Live your life. You won’t regret it.
Who knows what is around the corner?
love,
Cutie
Continue reading “Ask Grandma Anything: Long Distance Heartbreak”
Dear friends,
What a thrill it is to share with you the exciting news that today, September 1st, my memoir of 73 years of marriage to Harry has been published in England!
My American friends will have to wait until Valentine’s Day to see it in their favorite bookshop, but should you be especially eager to read it, you can go right on over to the Amazon UK store and order a copy for airmail delivery today.
If you do read my book, please let me know what you think of it. I hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it with my grandchildren, and that you will be impressed by the beautiful design by the talented Tracy Sunrize Johnson. She made my life with Harry look like a very sophisticated fairy tale, and what a lovely way that is to remember.