About Ella a/k/a unConfirmed Bachelorette

Ella (a/k/a unConfirmed Bachelorette), is a recovering lawyer who, after twenty-five years, left the practice of law for a full-time writing life. Single, never-married, and child free, Ella resides in Austin, Texas and Ontario, Canada with her four bad cats, Sadie, Sophie, Lucy, and Spotty. She enjoys bird watching, nature and wildlife photography, and hiking around Lake Superior. Recently (in her mid-fifties), Ella has taken up kayaking on Lake Superior, which has necessitated the embracement of cold-water swimming. She also enjoys the use of incomplete sentences.

You can contact Ella and her four bad cats at unconfirmedbachelorette@gmail.com.

77 comments

  • Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking a post. I didn’t read much during Nov and Dec so am a bit behind but just popped over here and read your “about” section. I have been touched by your writing. I felt a connection to you but we have come from family backgrounds about as opposite as they come so it puzzled me a bit. Then I read your “about” section and it could in many ways be me! Parents pushed the accounting degree- I would have been a completely incompetent accountant- went to law school, always loved to write, lived in Austin 12 years, run very slowly, had two rescue dogs, love coffee and wine. I wonder what our lives would be like had we been switched at birth! I admire your honest struggle in the midst of a family with so many challenges. Blessings.

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    • You’re very welcome. I quite enjoyed it. You were in Austin for 12 years–lucky you! Sometimes as I write, I think it all seems so over-the-top. After a while, it’s largely like water off a duck’s back. Perhaps I’m not accurately conveying how well I’m coping. But I suppose it’s all relative. 😉 Now if I had become an accountant (my major before I switched to general business), it might be a different story. Thanks for stopping by!

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  • I can’t begin to thank you enough for stopping over and following my humble blog-o-thing! I wish you the very best, be inspired and please take care.

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    • But of course! Thank you for stopping by mine! Been wanting to tell you, I would be super upset if aliens gave my cat a beard. And now, I’m off to do some dead bug. Perfect for my mood.

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  • Hello there, thank you for stopping by @ trashbus and liking my post “A Cat’s Perspective on Dubrovnik” – I am glad you liked it! It’s good that you turned to writing, especially since you have been going through difficult times. I wish you all the best and a lot of strength and fun with your cats and inspiration and nice people in your life!

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  • Hi from Toulouse, France, “old Europe”! 🙂 Glad to have come across your awesome blog… you live in Austin, TX? I do know Austin… Small world, indeed: I lived in Houston(NASA-area, Clear Lake) for 5 years! 🙂
    * * *
    Wish u my very best and have an optimistic year! friendly thoughts, Mélanie – cat lover, etc… 🙂

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    • Thank you so much for stopping in, Melanie, and for your kind words. I spent a lot of time in my formative years in the NASA/Clear Lake area. My dad had his sailboat at Watergate and I spent most weekends downs there. And now you are in Toulouse! Lucky girl! I shall go and explore your blog. Always wonderful to connect with a fellow cat lover.

      Ella

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  • Hi Ella, great to come across your blog. Today is a very significant day in our family. Coco, also a rescue, was the splitting image of Sophie. We lost her five years ago today. We still miss her terribly. But today is also Belle’s birthday – she’s a three year old lab x dalmatian, another rescue who was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia at seven months. We had her one hip operated on and now she’s running beautifully. Belle is my daughter’s dog and they have such a special relationship. Just like Coco and I. 🙂

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    • I’m so sorry for your sad anniversary. I gave Sophie extra pets and cuddles in Coco’s honor. Wonderful healing for Belle. Such a happy picture you painted. Thank you so much for stopping by, Claire.

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  • can you email me? I have an idea to run by you and can’t see a contact address here. you can use the email linked to this comment, thanks so much.

    Hugs, G

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  • Hi, I happened to stumble upon your blog because I searching for Abilify withdrawal success stories. I have been on Abilify for almost a year and gained about 20 lbs. I have slowly tapered off over the last three weeks and never even realized that my hair loss was related to Abilify. I loved it but didn’t want to be dependent on something that could cause so many health issues. Your writing is refreshing and I loved reading your blog on your experience with the Abilify withdrawal. It gives me hope. I am from Texas and went to UT so I feel a draw to your blog in many ways. Thanks for sharing your life stories and being so successful in that you do. You are an inspiration! Thanks so much!

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    • Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m glad to know my story was helpful. Abilify was the worst of all the “mood” drugs I tried. The hair loss was really bad. It’s all grown back in now, thank goodness. I finally came to the conclusion that I was going to stop all the drugs and do what I could on my own to manage things: eating whole, organic foods, getting outdoor exercise, meditation, regular sleep schedule, kitty therapy. I’ve been off the drugs for about a year and a half, and I think I’m no worse without them, and in many ways, better. Best of luck to you!

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  • If I wasn’t sold by the beautiful kitties, love of dark coffee, being a lawyer, (I always have fun with lawyers, with my liberal arts background) It is the fact that you have a tomato knife! I am very proud of my knife collection and each has a specific purpose. Heaven help you if you use the wrong knife and feel free to slam the door on your way out if you put them in the dishwasher. 🙂
    Nice to meet you.
    Tom

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    • Very pleased to meet you, Tom. I agree with you about refraining from using the wrong knife. People always seem to want to cut bread with my tomato knife and find my reproaches amusing. I’m so happy to meet someone who gets it. Admittedly, I do put them in the dishwasher from time to time, but I have a Miele with a special cutlery tray that holds each piece separately, and it dries without an intense heat source–it just uses the residual heat from the water. Yes, I am somewhat neurotic about a few things. And now I’m headed to the kitchen to top off my cup of dark coffee.

      Cheers! Ella

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  • Hi Ella

    I like your candid and upfront description on the about page. Very sorry about your family but happy that the cats give you some solace. Many men are idiots anyway (not me of course). I am also a wanted to be writer who now enjoys blogging and has found his part time retirement job for no pay.

    Unlike you my parents didn’t push me anywhere so I wound up wasting 32 years as a largely overpaid peon in the financial services industry. My bullshitting and writing skills allowed me to stay employed in an industry I hate long enough to learn how to invest. After finally getting found out my last company must have discovered they can get more for less pay from someone 20 years younger than me so here I am about to have my wife join me an an early retirement experiment

    Thanks for finding, liking and following our blog. I wish you the best of everything

    Cheers
    Rob and Diane

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    • Thanks, Rob (and Diane). Your blog is an inspiration. I’m trying to cool my jets long enough to take a bit more of their money before I run. The key is to not stay too long. I fear I will over-save, and waste more precious time doing a job I hate than is necessary. I have a feeling, following your and Diane’s adventures will help make sure that doesn’t happen.

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  • Ella! That’s way better than addressing you as “UB” 🙂 Thank you for your writings and also for your comments to me on mine. Your support is genuinely appreciated. BTW, I have seven cats and all are rescues. They are my biggest fans! haha
    xoxo hils

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    • I’m edging closer to getting off the fence, at which point you can call me CB. You are very welcome, Hils. Seven cats. Wonderful! I need a bigger home so I can have more fans. 😉

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  • You are an angel having THREE black cats! Awesome. I hadn’t really thought about BLACK cats and their troubles. I always thought they were cool. Then when I was looking at adopting a cat someone said something like, “well, there are problems with adopting black cats.” And my look encouraged her to explain that people don’t like them. Some people are afraid so black cats have a very low adoption rate. Awww. My heart was sad. I had never thought of that. So, that you have THREE is awesome. Thank you for helping the black cats of the world.

    I clicked on your avatar because it was a cat.

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    • I was a bit surprised about the black-cat adoption rates, too. When the shelter told me this, I ended up taking two home. 🙂 And then when a third, matching black cat showed up on my doorstep years later, I of course took her in. I now have a deep fondness for fluffy black cats and expect to rescue more in the years to come. My avatar is Sadie, my CKD kitty. I’m happy you clicked on her image, Terre!

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  • You know, you should really change the subtitle to “Proudly living with cats.” Lose them, and you’re really alone.

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  • I’ve been blogging on WP for about six weeks, and this is the first blog that caught my eye. You have a lovely writing style that has a nice flow. Its a tough subject that is easy to read. Thank You

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  • I found your site and I am so very glad you did. You are an inspiration and have had me both laughing and crying. I’m still working through your posts but also look forward to hearing more.

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  • Just discovered your blog after my mom died, after years of her messing with parenteral nutrition. She was a woman who loved to cook. Early on, after she could no longer really eat, receiving nutrition through a port, she’d watch cooking shows. Call me buffaloed. Anyway, your command of details make your mom’s passing very real, your dealings with the grim reaper, as well. Keep writing. You’re good.

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    • Thank you so much for your kind words. Please accept my apologies for the delay. I took a bit of a hiatus after my mom died, and am now back at it.

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