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Thanks for your patience, I know I've been threatening this post for awhile.
Here's the backstory on my FDS neighbour, "Angela" (in honour of Angela Lansbury).
She's in her 70's, has 10 siblings. Grew up poor.
Angela is tall, elegant and takes no shit from anyone. There's an odious lady in our building who met Angela in the elevator and said to her, "You sure go out a lot," hoping to have an argument. Angela's queen reply? "I guess I do". The horrible old lady was pissed Angela didn't defend herself by saying 'no, I don't' so the other lady could tell her she did.
Another time, Angela was wearing her vintage fur coat in the elevator, heading out (of course!) and the horrible old woman said to her, "You're wearing that out?!" in a rude tone. Angela's response was a cheerful, "Yup!" to which the old woman replied, "That's all you've got to say for yourself?" and Angela said, "guess so".
Why is Angela always going out? Well, she volunteers for the local hospice, goes out to trendy restaurants and bars with her friends, and travels. The other old lady stays home 99% of her time, dresses like shit and her kids hate her. Gee, I wonder why.
Angela has no kids, has lots of money and is very generous. Plus, she drives a luxury car and has rich fancy friends.
When I went travelling earlier this year, Angela loaned me her clothing, accessories and suitcase! And she cooked me dinner the night before so I didn't have to dirty my kitchen.
Angela is a good neighbour, fair, can spot BS a mile away, and she sticks up for people. She'll happily water plants, feed pets or do whatever is needed if someone is away. She cares about her community.
When it comes to men, Angela knows what's up. She tells her nieces (in their 20s) to avoid men because they offer nothing. She mocked a banker who was sitting next to her and a friend at the bar. She could hear the suit hitting on a woman, and Angela was laughing to me saying, "These guys were boring when I was young, they still are!" Loooooool. She never married and has no kids, but had a male companion for some time. He passed away years ago, but she kept her boundaries and never lived with him.
I'm so grateful to have someone like her as a role model I can learn from. She gives great advice, listens and is respectful. Total Queen package.
Pour one out for Angela. We salute you, Queen.
I don't want to shame women who have children. I support women in all their choices.
However, the women I know who have children are the least satisfied with life. They age rapidly, feel lonely and disenfranchised, and have little time for themselves. The exception are couples who can afford a nanny full time.
Then their husbands stop finding their wives youthful/beautiful/interesting and go screw around with young women.
The manosphere crowd wants to insist that only a woman with a full family is fulfilled and complete, and child free women are bitter cat owners. They don't mention the part where women having a full family makes men complete and fulfilled.
An FDS high priestess for certain! Her wit, confidence, and generosity are apparent. I can see these posts becoming a series as you learn more about her.
I’d love to know more about her as a younger woman. Did she have a career, or perhaps more than one? How did she go from the poor family of 11 children to her current luxurious life?
I’m working on myself, striving to be an Angela one day. At the very least, I already have the vintage fur coat and the sharp-tongued responses for anyone who dares make a snide remark about it, so that’s a start
Such a lovely read, thank you. It's so important to know life can still be a wonderful adventure in your 70s, especially on your own. This is the reason I make the best choices I can for my health every day while I have it. Because for those of us who haven't reached out biggest goals yet, it can always feel like we're so behind and running out of time. These thoughts start wayyy to young in our society too! Even better that she had no husband or kids and is still thriving, despite the manosphere wanting so desperately to make women feel bad about being "alone" aka choosing peace over settling for them.
Angela sounds amazing! Exactly the kind of old lady I’d like to be one day. And once again, the manosphere is wrong (in other news, water is wet): the single, supposed-to-be-sad woman is happy, fulfilled, and living her best life, while the one who got married and had kids (like she was “supposed to”) is miserable, alone, jealous of Angela, and her kids don’t even talk to her.
I am officially in love with this queen! So glad you have this kind of aspirational woman in your life.
a childfree queen living her best unbothered life! I strive to be like her and refuse to let people trigger me or standard shame me.
Thank you for sharing!
I love love love this!!
Perfect. Thank you for this
How did she find her groove?
What a queen! I aspire to be like her when I grow up!