Trudy is joined by writer, editor and director Helen Metella for a conversation about dementia, caretaking and the roles women play. Trudy and Helen speak candidly about their own experiences caring for mothers with dementia — the strange, the funny and the challenging.

Helen Metella’s book Marika and the Auction will be published in April 2026.

• (00:32) - Introducing Helen Metella
• (20:52) - The lessons of dementia
• (28:22) - Finding laughter
• (37:40) - There is joy
• (43:58) - Learning about yourself
• (49:17) - Marika and the Auction

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--Credits--

Hosted by Trudy Callaghan and Lisa Austin

Produced by Odvod Media

Audio Engineering by Steve Glen

Original music by Darrin Hagen

It's been six weeks since Lisa's breast cancer diagnosis. In this episode, she and Trudy spend time talking about how the experience of living with cancer is an excellent teacher. Lisa explains how her perspective on life is being shaped and re-shaped every day. Trudy asks about the role her positive attitude plays as she moves toward surgery and treatment. It's an episode about gratitude, attitude, and platitudes.

• (05:40) - Bad things are good teachers
• (10:23) - Perspective is everything
• (17:57) - Things just happen
• (24:18) - The attitude factor
• (33:15) - Life is a thread
• (36:04) - Everyday joy

Read our blog at CroneCast.ca

Share your questions and comments at cronecast.ca/contact. We want to hear from you about all things crone.

We are joined once again by honorary crone Janelle Drisner for a challenging and illuminating conversation. We break down everything from divorce to the concept of personal death awareness to regret — and what valuable teachers these experiences can be.

Read our blog at CroneCast.ca

Share your questions and comments at cronecast.ca/contact. We want to hear from you about all things crone.

• (00:56) - Welcoming Janelle Drisner back to the show
• (13:03) - Post-divorce journeys
• (19:00) - Death illuminates life
• (27:12) - Rejecting mediocrity
• (35:16) - Is that all there is?
• (42:06) - Turning toward joy

--Credits--

Hosted by Trudy Callaghan and Lisa Austin

Produced by Odvod Media

Audio Engineering by Steve Glen

Original music by Darrin Hagen

Lisa shares her recent breast cancer diagnosis, her prognosis and the way cancer is shifting her perspective. Lisa and Trudy reflect how illness can change relationships, the way we view the world, and our ability to appreciate the beauty of everyday life.

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Share your questions and comments at cronecast.ca/contact. We want to hear from you about all things crone.

• (00:00) - Lisa is transparent about her diagnosis
• (04:47) - Spiky words & shattered invincibility
• (10:31) - Sifting
• (20:58) - Navigation

Hosted by Trudy Callaghan and Lisa Austin

Produced by Odvod Media

Audio Engineering by Steve Glen

Original music by Darrin Hagen

For the first podcast of 2026, Lisa opens the conversation with honesty about how she’s feeling. Who do we turn to when the events of the world feel heavy? How do we face uncertainty — in our lives and in the broader world?

Lisa and Trudy discuss their responsibilities as crones and the wisdom of age — crones don’t avert their eyes. They act on their intuition and face the world as it is. Tied with a knot.

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Share your questions and comments at cronecast.ca/contact. We want to hear from you about all things crone.

• (01:18) - Feeling heavy
• (08:22) - Everything seems big
• (15:13) - Hone your crone
• (20:24) - Everybody’s figuring it out
• (28:14) - Paying it forward
• (35:00) - Deep hope
• (36:36) - Knots

Hosted by Trudy Callaghan and Lisa Austin

Produced by Odvod Media

Audio Engineering by Steve Glen

Original music by Darrin Hagen

Trudy and Lisa look back on 2025 and talk about what they’ve learned from another year of CroneCast. As they look ahead to 2026, they reflect on the meaning of giving, their deep hopes, and what it takes to be fearless.

Read our blog: CroneCast.ca

Share your questions and comments at cronecast.ca/contact. We want to hear from you about all things crone.

• (02:12) - Wrapping up the year
• (09:28) - Reciprocity
• (18:00) - The pleasure of giving
• (26:18) - What did you learn this year?

--Credits--

Hosted by Trudy Callaghan and Lisa Austin

Produced by Odvod Media

Audio Engineering by Steve Glen

Original music by Darrin Hagen

How does making friends change over a lifetime? Does your comfort zone work against you? Lisa is back in the studio and joins Trudy for a conversation about friendship — making friends later in life, social scripts about friendship and lessons learned in Italy.

Read our blog: CroneCast.ca

Share your questions and comments at cronecast.ca/contact. We want to hear from you about all things crone.

• (01:30) - Making friends in your crone years
• (09:57) - Different life stages
• (20:02) - Reciprocity in relationships
• (27:16) - Common ground is a place where things begin
• (37:25) - Staying open

Hosted by Trudy Callaghan and Lisa Austin

Produced by Odvod Media

Audio Engineering by Steve Glen

Original music by Darrin Hagen

Lisa joins Trudy for one final episode from Italy to chat about the fraught nature of generational differences, the generosity and courtesy of Italian culture, and the problem of social media — plus their best tips for cutting onions.

Read our blog: CroneCast.ca

Share your questions and comments at cronecast.ca/contact. We want to hear from you about all things crone.

• (00:51) - Hello from Bologna
• (10:35) - Italian generosity and hospitality
• (15:29) - The generation gap
• (23:17) - Culture of entitlement
• (31:00) - There’s a place for our wisdom

Hosted by Trudy Callaghan and Lisa Austin

Produced by Odvod Media

Audio Engineering by Steve Glen

Original music by Darrin Hagen