Ann Anderson Evans

WHAT BOOKS I’M GIFTING THIS CHRISTMAS

A list of reading pleasures, suitable for the gift-giving/reading time of year.

WHAT I LEARNED, AND DIDN’T, SINGING IN A WOMEN’S PRISON

My women’s choir sang once at a women’s prison. The choir members were conservative, liberal, and apolitical, Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox, and atheist, old, young, gay and straight, yet they all felt they were contributing something meaningful to the inmates’ lives.

STAYING FIT OVER SIXTY

Finding a routine that can be sustained indefinitely, or changed every week, was a creative challenge, but we’re old enough to do what we like and not give a damn, right?

IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH: 64 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

friends Kit and Julian were married for 64 years. When Kit died after years of decline from Alzheimer’s, their friends wondered how Julian would manage. At her memorial service I couldn’t stop the tears when I embraced him, a prince of a man. Julian took care of Kit at home until it became too muchContinue reading “IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH: 64 YEARS OF MARRIAGE”

THANKSGIVING CAME EARLY THIS YEAR

Our friends from Austria visited New York recently and we invited them to Hoboken for dinner. We wanted to serve them something they would not eat in Austria and decided to treat them to a Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables, gravy, string beans, pumpkin pie, and apple pie. In Austria,Continue reading “THANKSGIVING CAME EARLY THIS YEAR”

IS SIXTY TOO OLD TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN?

When I was sixty, seven of us decided to climb Blue Mountain in the Adirondacks. I’d done it before and wasn’t too enthusiastic—climbing mountains does not bring me joy— but here was a challenge. Could I still do it? What better to do on that particular day? Our group assembled at the trailhead: four adults,Continue reading “IS SIXTY TOO OLD TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN?”

THE BENEFIT OF LIVING WITH A GROWN-UP

My husband Terry takes good care of me. I got my first chance to appreciate how precious that was a year into our marriage when I was on crutches after breaking a bone in my foot. I could I relax. I didn’t have to get back on my feet until I was ready. I wasContinue reading “THE BENEFIT OF LIVING WITH A GROWN-UP”

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE CHIVES ON MY BALCONY

Six years ago, I moved from a house in suburban Montclair into an 18th floor apartment in urban Hoboken. As a reminder of the garden I was giving up, I brought with me a nondescript chive plant in a cheap orange pot which was reminiscent of clay but was only plastic. I stuck it outContinue reading “WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE CHIVES ON MY BALCONY”

THREE RESTAURANTS IN BURGUNDY, FRANCE

AUX BERGES de THIL, Thil-sur-Arroux, Burgundy This is the co-owner, co-hostess, partner of the chef. It is a mom-and-pop restaurant (though they don’t have any children) which supports local farmers by serving their products. The chef trained in London and they both get along well in English. The food was inventive and served proudly. AContinue reading “THREE RESTAURANTS IN BURGUNDY, FRANCE”

News & Book Reviews — Page 9