Midlife Lady Leisure Pursuits

One of the nicest surprises of being a midlife lady: eventually, you get to step away from the production-line approach to meal-planning and cooking and start cooking for yourself - JUST yourself again. From happily repetitive meal-planning to dishes we put a lot of thought and time into once and then enjoy for days, to charcuterie-for-dinner and more, this episode is all about the way we feed our...

Meagan recently returned from a two-week road trip across French Canada with 17-year-old Clara, where the two explored the places their ancestors once called home. In this episode, Sarah asks all the questions: What does an ancestry road trip actually look like? How do you prepare? What would you do differently next time? What moments felt surprisingly emotional, and what unexpected discoveries ha...

Grab your popcorn and join us for a journey back to the 90s, which we're re-living through a very special lens: the movies we watched and loved during this formative decade! In this episode, Meagan and Sarah revisit the 1990s one year at a time, looking at the top-grossing movies from each year of the decade. Along the way, we share our favorite films, memorable movie-going experiences, and al...

From solving song lyrics we’ve mis-sung for decades (Beauty School Dropout, anyone?) to amazing business ideas to wildly improbable disaster scenarios, midlife minds have a way of serving up the most… interesting thoughts at the least convenient time. In this episode, Sarah and Meagan are talking about the amusing, frustrating, occasionally profound and mostly-random “night thoughts” that keep us...

Buying clothes is one thing - but actually putting together an outfit for whatever the day brings? Not always so straightforward! In this episode Sarah shares her struggle in opting out of “living the sloppy life” as a style default, while Meagan shares the challenge of dressing for the many different facets of her life (does a girl really need 15 different versions of her chicken-chores outfit?)...

“I have a crazy idea.” Sarah has gotten used to hearing this particular phrase from her co-host over the years. In this episode the two use the brand-new book festival Meagan recently created from scratch to dissect what it looks like to bring a big idea to life, and how all the experience, skills, connections and confidence gained in early adulthood make midlife the perfect time to try something...

What's up with this shrinking ponytail? How do we deal with a bump in brassiness? Are bangs ever the answer to a style slump? In this episode, Meagan and Sarah talk all things midlife hair—where we're at now, what’s changed, and what’s surprised us along the way. From slow grow-outs to outgrown misconceptions about what "older lady" hair would look like, we get into the realities o...

Do things that feel special and give our lives texture and color have to cost a lot? In this episode, Meagan and Sarah talk about redefining comfort in a season of economic uncertainty. They each share some small, inexpensive, and sometimes completely free rituals that bring real satisfaction. The takeaway: layering simple pleasures, like a good drink, a phone call with a friend, or a slow evening...

Hot tub? Yes please. Cold plunge? Well ..... In this episode, Meagan and Sarah get surprisingly specific about using heat and cold to care for our midlife minds, bodies, and souls, starting with the relief that can come from cold water or ice packs (we’re not all-in on cold plunges yet!) From there we turn up the heat to discuss saunas, microwaveable wraps, Meagan’s long-standing bath ritual and S...

Just in time to use up that Easter surplus, Meagan and Sarah are talking all things eggs—from quick, no-fuss ways to enjoy hard-boiled extras to the recipes they swear they’ll make more often. Sarah shares her go-to snack of simply sliced whites (hold the yolks), plus a surprisingly easy baked egg casserole and her husband’s near-perfect weekend omelets, while Meagan admits she’s stuck in a scramb...

Sarah and Meagan both love secondhand finds—for different reasons. While Sarah’s thrifting pursuits are typically driven by practicality and sustainability, Meagan tends to follow a vibes-first approach to antiquing. In this episode, Meagan dives into her love of vintage housewares and the teacups, embroidered linens, and kitchen pieces that catch her eye at antique malls and thrift stores. She ta...

If you could choose, which would you rather do: take a really long guided walk or bike ride? Go on a pilgrimage? Escape into a creative retreat? Head out on a safari? Or take a river cruise? In this episode, Meagan and Sarah explore a handful of different types of midlife “fantasy trips” that we've watched the older people in our lives embark on, then discuss which ones appeal the most, which...

Paprika? Yes please. Smoked paprika? No, thank you. In this episode, Meagan and Sarah dig into the world of spices and seasonings including our preferences and purchasing habits. We dish about the flavorings we can’t live without, the jars we somehow keep over-buying (curse you, autoship!), and the go-to staples that always seem to be missing right when we need them. We talk about how we actually...

Hard cover or soft? Lined, grid, or blank? Felt-tip, roller-ball, or gel? When it comes to the tools we use to jot down everything from daily to-do lists and menu plans to our bigger-picture dreams, those writing utensils and vessels matter (and to us, they matter a lot .) In this episode, Sarah and Meagan geek out over the notebooks, journals, pens, and paper that make our creative and practical...

Each of the Ladies have had a different experience of yoga: Sarah was introduced as a way to support her body during years of professional dance and has sampled a variety of classes, while Meagan discovered the practice through a book of her mom’s as a little girl and has practiced regularly with the same studio for years. In this episode we both talk about the part yoga has played in our lives, h...

Why do some activities that are a lot of work feel so leisurely...and, conversely, why does "leisure" sometimes feel like a lot of work? In our first episode of 2026, Meagan and Sarah unpack the origins of this podcast, how freedom, agency, pace and choice play into how we perceive an activity, the difference between hobbies and leisure, and what the "midlife lady" in leisure pursu...

It’s cozy reading season, and Meagan and Sarah are swapping notes on the titles that have been making them laugh, cry, and think lately, from whodunits and magical realism to small-town cozies and at least one jaw-dropping expose. This episode - the last of 2025! - is the perfect inspiration as you plan your 2026 to-read list or choose a title or two to delve into over the holiday. Find an expande...

Is there a difference between a grain salad and a grain bowl ? And if so, who cares ? In this episode, Meagan and Sarah dive into the ultra-satisfying world of these nourishing, versatile, and delicious dishes defined by warm grains, with the ultra-necessary addition of sweet, savory, chewy and crunchy. We talk about our midlife discovery (or rediscovery) of these flexible, flavorful meals as week...

When it comes to making holiday gifts by hand, our spirits are willing, but time is short - and sometimes, our skills are weak. In this cozy early-December chat, Meagan and Sarah share our thoughts about handmade and DIY gifts - what we've made and given in the past, what we're hoping to make and give this year, and how we plan to keep it all organized. From edible treats to embroidered te...

Who says napping isn't a legitimate leisure pursuit? In this episode Sarah and Meagan share why they love naps, discuss their favorite napping circumstances, and the challenges to sneaking in those daytime Zzzzz's, ponder "caffeine naps" and nap attacks, and mine the data surrounding ideal nap length. Find an expanded episode story with photos and links at http://www.midlifeladylei...

While Meagan’s loved drinking tea for a long time, lately she’s gotten really, really - we mean, really into it. In this episode we uncover some surprising things you may not know about tea (what’s the actual difference between white, green, oolong, and black tea? How did it become such a popular drink in the Western world? Are herbal “teas” really tea?) while Meagan encourages people who think th...

Sarah takes a methodical approach to TV-watching and clocks an impressive number of series each year, while Meagan enjoys random docu-series and the occasional BBC binge - but, we both love television! In this episode we each unpack our watching habits, share some shows we’ve loved (and some we could have lived without), and discuss our television goals for 2026. Find an expanded episode story wit...

If you don't read every historic plaque you pass, are you even in midlife? (Related: have we both become our own mothers in this regard?) In this episode Sarah and Meagan share our penchant for a good, old-fashioned plaque perusal, and discuss visiting historical sites, monuments and museums more generally. Find an expanded episode story with photos and links at http://www.midlifeladyleisurepu...

For fun, for fitness, and just for getting around, we're big fans of getting places on our own two feet. In this episode Meagan and Sarah discuss the role of walking in our midlife leisure pursuits: where we walk, why we walk - and of course, how we feel about weighted vests. Find an expanded episode story with photos and links at http://www.midlifeladyleisurepursuits.substack.com.  Thank you...

From our go-to granola to Sarah's super-healthy grain bowl to Meagan's historic cooking deep-dives, recipes are an important source of information and inspiration in our midlife kitchens. In this episode we share where we look for recipes, how we use them, and what's cooking next. Find an expanded episode story with photos and links at http://www.midlifeladyleisurepursuits.substack.com...