‘The subject matter herein is about our lives, how we have led them, what we are, what have we been; where are we now? How are we dealing with that which we have become? These pages contain the stories of many and varied lives. A good and diverse selection has been sought.

It was discerned quite early that it is illogical to inquire into an aged person’s sex life without ascertaining what has led to the present conditions and the existing thought pattern. It was necessary to determine the path, the road that has been travelled; the early life that is relevant to the present. We are what life has made us. We are, in old age, the result of our lives thus far lived.’ (pp viii et ix Preface).
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‘Elvie: It has been said that men find their emotional selves through sex. For women, it is through love. This is what we have to understand. Even if a man might intellectually know he loves you, because he is not an emotional being, he really needs ‘quickies’ to make him feel loving towards his lady. Whereas for a woman, it is quite different. She feels the love first, and the sex is an expression of the love. So we are almost opposite beings. You need a proportion of ‘quickies’ in your love/sex life. The woman doesn’t need to suffer, it doesn’t take much, say every third time. It is just a gift to the man. And the woman reaps so much from that in other ways, in the relationship, that it is worth it. It helps him get in touch with his heart. The problem arises, of course, when the man only wants to have ‘quickies’, or when the woman only wants to have quality sex! Or if the woman is too timid to explain this to him. This is where communication is so invaluable. I would think that one in three could be a ‘quickie’ ratio. Two out of three could be quality sex. That’s what I would say.

Evangeline: The ‘quickie’ would be a loving gift from the woman.

Elvie: But it would be a loving gift to herself as well. It achieves something for her as well. It allows the man to connect with her emotionally. It’s just the way men are geared hormonally. It’s not their fault, it’s just the way it is. Sometimes it takes a lifetime to learn this. It did in my case.’ (p. 228 ELVIE).

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One cannot help but admire Celeste. She is pure class ... despite her being well educated, she has a humility that is most endearing. She is aware of her shortcomings, but is perhaps oblivious to her great standards of excellence and integrity. Make no mistake, Celeste is an attractive woman. Her lips have not thinned with age, her skin remains fresh and her eyes are lively with her own animation. Celeste lives by the old adage: do not be so afraid of dying that you forget how to live.

Celeste: ‘ The hardest part of taking on a new man at my age was the baring of my body. I have always had big hips and a flabby tummy. Not enough Vitamin B when I was growing up? My legs have been great, as have been my breasts. They still are. I see myself in the mirror and groan at the white bulges, the cellulite thighs. I have tried getting a suntan, but I think it makes the situation worse, the contrast between the tanned legs and back and the rest!

My man, who is quite attractive and has a very boyish figure for his age, pleads with me to sleep in the nude! Sometimes I give him what he regards as a treat, and take my clothes off. He caresses me as if I were a youthful model, eyes full of longing and worship almost, telling me how beautiful is a woman’s body. I believe him. My backside is quite large, white and soft. Not the sort that looks good in shorts at all. The first time he asked me if I would like a massage, I was reluctant to have him concentrate on my aged, spreading, saggy body. But he just used his strong hands to squeeze and pummel me, shoulders, back, lower back and fat buttocks, thighs, calves and feet. I always want more massage of the neck and shoulders, and he obeys my whims. He starts on my back, then orders me to roll over, and he massages the front, loving it, it seems. Quite a ritual, which I consider I am lucky to enjoy. I tried giving him a rub, but my hands are not strong enough, so I often tickle his back. Long, swooping strokes, especially after we have made love, when he is still close to me. He loves it! He says it is almost as good as having another orgasm! If I don’t get one, an orgasm, I don’t worry, because the massage makes up for it. (pp. 57, 58 CELESTE).

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For a detailed description of my earlier book "Barefoot in Logan Village", see HERE ...