
Dee Charlton
I’m grateful to be one of the lucky, reunion re-connections that formed over the past 18 months with Annice, one of the co-founders of this wonderful blog Oops50.com. Our friendship goes back to 6th grade summer camp, and if my math is right, that’s 47 years ago. The camp was devised by the school district to facilitate kids from several grade-schools to meet and spend time together prior to the major transition into the adult world of 7th grade! We became fast friends. We were 12 years old.
October 23, 2011 – I turned 59. How strange it feels to be writing for this blog and and saying, I’m almost 60 !! How did that happen? The Bonnie Raitt song; “Nick of Time” keeps playing over and over in my head, especially the lyric; “… no matter how I tell myself – it’s what we all go through, those lines are pretty hard to take when they’re staring back at you..” In the Nick of Time You ain’t never lied sister Bonnie!
My husband, Scott and I have been traveling the country in our motor coach since April. We just returned to beautiful Sarasota, Florida Nov. 1st, and I’m sitting in front of the computer looking at our wedding photo taken in Italy.

Dee's wedding in Italy
Next to that is the photo we had taken last month in Las Vegas, it was our 5th anniversary – wow. What a life, what a journey this has been! I can’t say I remember what I wanted my life to be when I was younger except that I wanted to be independent and travel, and now I can say yes to both of those goals.
I’m also feeling how fortunate I’ve been to experience the wonder of this country – the canyons, the mountains, the Bad Lands, Death Valley, White Sands, Alaska and hot air balloon festivals. I’ve even jumped out of an airplane and para-glided off a mountain. I’m grateful for it all, and for Scott.

Next - Pilot's license
Back to my birthday – it was harder than I expected it to be. All day, I was fighting back tears. I know I’m not afraid of death, I’ve been faced with it on more than one occasion. So what was tearing me up? Aging? Vanity? Am I that vain? I guess I am, but is that worse than death??
I think it finally hit me when I texted Fran (my wonderful step-daughter) something my mother said to me on my birthday: “Welcome to the last year of your 50s!” Thanks Mom. Her stand-up routine could use a little refining, but I love her anyway. And thank you Fran for letting me cry on your long distance shoulder. For every year that passes me by, I come one more year closer to losing my Mom, and that hurts a lot.

Dee with Mom
Honestly, I’ve just gotten to know my mother well about seven years ago, and I cherish her as my real best friend. I am a lucky 59 year old woman in so many ways!
Born in Collinwood (Cleveland) OH, Dee’s family followed what she likes to refer to as the Italian Migratory Route from Little Italy in Cleveland to the ‘burbs where her mother still resides.
After graduating from high school, she struck out on her own in her first apartment, later to be hired by the same people who built, owned and managed the complex.
Her career in Property Management took her to New York, New Hampshire, and finally Florida, a place she wanted to stay. In the early 90’s, Dee was hired by a national company and traveled the country promoting motivational speakers to help people get rich quick – just like they did. It wasn’t unusual for her to come home with half a million dollars in her briefcase. Eventually, Dee settled down in Sarasota.where she met her husband, Scott, and married in Santa Maria di Castellabati, Italy, just south of the Amalfi coast. Today, they live in Sarasota during the winter months and travel the rest of the year in their motor coach.