Blogs

Victory Tips

Personal Empowerment Articles


I created this blog for women in midlife. It’s jam-packed with practical advice, challenges, inspiration, and resources to help women dealing with aging parents, empty nests, new careers, starting over and other issues we encounter in our daily lives.

  • Happy November!

    Happy November!

    It was just about this time last year when Kay, the sister of one of my good friends, fell over a box of tomatoes she had just picked from her garden. Unfortunately, she was seriously injured. She was […]

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  • September is the Month of Transitions

    September is the Month of Transitions

    Happy Fall!! I always think of September as a transition month. Vacations are over and people seem to “get serious” again. The days are shorter, which (to me) feels like I have less time. The once-green landscapes transition into […]

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  • 2024 Girlfriend Gala Photo Gallery

    2024 Girlfriend Gala Photo Gallery

    Thanks so much for joining us for the annual Victorious Woman Celebration,The Girlfriend Gala WOW! What a good time we had! THANK YOU for being part of it – it was your presence and your energy that made […]

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  • Victorious Woman Month 2024 – 20th Anniversary

    Victorious Woman Month 2024 – 20th Anniversary

    Greetings and Happy Victorious Woman Month! Can it really be twenty years? YES!! Victorious Woman turns twenty this year!! I’m excited and I thank you for being with me in this success! BUT, do you know any of the backstory? The idea to […]

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  • Victorious Woman Of The Month Collection

    Victorious Woman Of The Month Collection

    A collection of honorees for Victorious Woman of the Month. These inspiring women share incredible stories.

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  • A Little Pocket Change to Ensure your Independence

    A Little Pocket Change to Ensure your Independence

    Greetings and Happy Women’s History Month! Last week I watched a segment on one of the morning shows that gave young single women tips for buying their first home.  I was happy to see it because real estate […]

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  • Am I Old?

    Am I Old?

    Greetings and Happy February!! I recently had a birthday. It wasn’t a “big” or milestone birthday, and it wasn’t exciting. In fact, I was nursing a very painful pinched nerve. So I was chair-bound, needed to be escorted […]

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The Five-Year Marriage®

Relationship Advice


I created this blog to dive further into the concepts proposed in the book, The Five-Year Marriage®. Topics range from relationship resets, communication advice, setting boundaries to negotiating agreements.

  • Happy New Year!

    Happy New Year!

    Have you been talking about New Year’s Resolutions in this new year of 2025? Isn’t it fun to think of the whole year being a blank slate – 12 fresh new months – all ahead of you? It’s a […]

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  • I’m a Newlywed – again!

    I’m a Newlywed – again!

    After months of discussions, negotiations, renegotiations, & agreements, Joseph & I ended Five-Year Marriage #7. Our plans to marry again didn’t go as expected.

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  • Relationship Coach Annmarie Kelly Announces the “Summer Romance Challenge” for Couples Who Want to Bring the Love Back

    Relationship Coach Annmarie Kelly Announces the “Summer Romance Challenge” for Couples Who Want to Bring the Love Back

    WEST CHESTER, Pa., Aug. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — August is Romance Awareness Month, and Relationship Coach Annmarie Kelly is helping couples reignite the love spark in their relationship with The Romance Challenge, which is designed to remind couples why they are together. Couples […]

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  • Summer Romance Challenge

    Summer Romance Challenge

    August is Romance Awareness Month and Relationship Coach Annmarie Kelly is helping couples reignite the love spark in their relationship with The Romance Challenge, which is designed to remind couples why they are together. Couples do one simple love-action […]

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  • I’m Not Married to the Same Man Anymore

    I’m Not Married to the Same Man Anymore

    Is covid over? Yes and no. A few weeks ago, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy joined the ladies of The View to talk about the emotional toll of covid. As part of the convo, host Sunny Hostin got very real […]

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  • Remembering Pink Think

    Remembering Pink Think

    Happy Women’s History Month! Sometimes I think we forget how women fought for greater equality, not just personally and at work, but also in marriage. As I’ve been watching Women’s History Month commercials and morning show segments highlighting […]

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The Maine Diaries

My Annual Adventures


I was captivated by the Maine Coast on my first trip there in the late 90’s. In the years since, I’ve traveled up and down the coast from Kittery to Calais but I spend most of my Maine time Downeast. I love the adventures I have and the chance to unwind from the world and reconnect with myself. I chronicle my experiences in The Maine Diaries.

  • Maine – My Way

    Maine – My Way

    Greetings! I’m glad you found The Maine Diaries! If you want to experience the joys of New England, and specifically the coast of Maine, this is a good guide.

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  • 2019 Epilogue 

    2019 Epilogue 

    Settling back into “real life” after a relaxing couple of weeks away. I was surprised when I got an email from Ollie at Windward Cottages. The subject line said “left in cottage.” Hmmm….Joseph and I always do a “last […]

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  •  Beating Dorian 

    All week I watched the path of hurricane Dorian. I wondered if we would get stuck in the hurricane – or it’s aftermath – on our way home. We didn’t. Leaving yesterday was smart. We had perfect weather from Bar Harbor all the way down […]

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  • Exchanging a “Last Hike” for Popovers

    Exchanging a “Last Hike” for Popovers

    Joseph and I thought about a “last hike” in the early morning but opted for Common Good, the soup kitchen in Southwest Harbor. The soup kitchen takes care of Mainers who need food, especially during the winter months. […]

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  • The Big One 

    The Big One 

    Today is our last full day in Maine. That means two things: The last hike and the “special” dinner.   For the hike we chose my favorite: The Jordan Pond. This one travels the entire 3.5 miles shoreline of the […]

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  • Green Eggs and Sam with George

    Green Eggs and Sam with George

    We’re starting to think about home – both sad to see our vacation ending and glad to be back in our own beds.  After yesterday’s long hike, we opted for a much shorter and easier trek to Compass […]

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  • Only a Few Days Left

    Only a Few Days Left

    I cannot believe it’s Tuesday of the 2nd week here. It’s going too fast! This morning I saw Ollie and asked about his openings before and after our two weeks – thinking maybe we can add another week in […]

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