Saturday's Silly Question!

What do you do when you first get up?

a. make a beeline for the computer
b. make a beeline for the coffee
c. make a beeline for the shower

Fashionable Friday

Or NOT.

Okay, so today it's all about HAIR. The bane of my existence. My MANE.
I was actually born with one curl on top of my head. My mom says it looked like an ice-cream cone swirl. Those curls never quit coming, and the older I get (aka grayer) the coarser and wirier those curls become (even under the brown dye). Very resistant to any methods of taming- and very prone to damage so heat is not my friend.
So over the years I have tried everything on the store shelves (or so it seems). My bathroom closet is packed with half-full (or is it half-empty?) bottles of gels and shampoos and conditioners and mousses and sprays and silicones and... (my latest foray is Nexxus products).
My hair is also getting very long because I just don't really know what else to do with it! I have had it short, I have had it layered, I have had it long. Right now it is long, no layers- and still growing.
I've not had a haircut since, I think, January. I need one.
But I can't seem to find a stylist that really knows what to do with this mane of curls!! (in other words, that won't soak my hair down, comb it straight, and then cut it- completely ignoring the fact that I have CURLS).
I was cleaning out some areas of my desk the other day, and I came across a business card from a job I had several years ago- and on the back someone had written the name of a salon, the stylist's name, and her name as the referral. I totally forgot about this!!! I remember asking the person where she got her hair done, because when I see someone with fabulous curls, I ask!
So, very excited to have come across this as I am in DESPERATE need of a good stylist, I called.
SHE'S NO LONGER TAKING NEW CLIENTS!!!!
I am now on the waiting list....

Meanwhile, I continue my experiments. Tomorrow I plan to color my roots and then apply a clear gloss all over. Hopefully that will give back some shine and softness. I'll let you know!

Thumbs Up! Thursday

This week I am giving a BIG "thumbs up!" to Paula's Choice skincare and cosmetics.
I have been using these products for several years now. It all started about 14 years ago when I was really having trouble with my skin. YES! I was REALLY having trouble with my skin. Serious adult acne breakouts. AWFUL. I came across this book- Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal by Paula Begoun. In it, she outlined a very simple, yet logical plan for skincare and dealing with acne (having suffered with it for years herself). So I began to use that regiment- very cheap, very easy- and I noticed results right away. Not perfect, but definitely a HUGE improvement. I kept up with that routine, and I read new books she would write for a few years, and then she started her own skin care line- which I was so excited about!! I started using a few key products (mainly the Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion) and my skin absolutely revolutionized! I call BHA my "miracle". If I could sell this (she doesn't do direct sales) I would be RICH!! haha!

So, if you struggle with skin issues, this would definitely be a line to try out. I also feel it's pretty reasonable, because it lasts a long time, and really doesn't cost much more than what you can buy at the drugstore in the cosmetic lines. Her daily moisturizers and sunscreens are fantastic- and I know they won't break me out.

Here is her simple routine that I started out with:

• Wash face with Cetaphil Cleanser (I love this stuff!). I usually buy generic.


• Once a day or every few days (depending on skin sensitivity), use Baking Soda as a face scrub. Now- I still use this. It is the most fabulous physical exfoliant I have ever used on my face. Your face will feel so soft and smooth, and it's super gentle. I just keep an empty plastic spice shaker filled with it in my shower and use it nearly every morning. It's also great to rub over your lips to keep them soft.


• Use Hydrogen Peroxide as a toner. Just be very careful around hairline if you are a brunette, and also around eyebrows. It will bleach! I love this for spot treatment too- it really does combat the bacteria inside pimples and it helps bleach blackheads.


• As a mask, use Milk of Magnesia! Just sponge it on with a cotton ball and let dry. It is a great oil absorber. You can also use this as a spot treatment- just dab it on a pimple and let it dry and sleep with it. (It can be a little hard to rinse off sometimes.)

So there you have it! A great skincare routine for just pennies! (This is a great routine for teens, too!)

Here's an interesting video clip by Paula:

Whatever Wednesday!

Well we had a really great girls' night last night, and it was late when I got home- and I have to work today and running late as usual.. so I am not going to get my post up that I was planning to... however, if you stay tuned, I may get it up this evening after I get home, so you can possibly catch it then!!!

Keep your fingers crossed!!!

***********************

Later this same day...

GREAT NEWS UPDATE: My hubby, George, went in today for his one-month check-up after starting hormone therapy treatment for prostate cancer (visit My Life With George), and his PSA dropped from 20.4 to 7.86!!!! So far, no side effects from the drug. He got a 3 month dose shot today.

Okay- here's an interesting interaction. This is a little cat that has showed up around our house. Notice MY cat looking out the door? Look how sassy this little visitor is being to my poor, neutered, housebound kitty!!

On another note...

My hubby is really very handy (which comes in SO handy!). We live in a house that is about 120 years old, and it just doesn't have a lot in the way of really good lighting- not much overhead!! not very many outlets!! that sort of thing.. so, over the years, we have added a lot of new lighting options. This is our most recent, and one of our most exciting (in my humble opinion that is!). It is our- tahdah!- ENTRANCE LIGHT!!! Where there used to be no such thing, I now have a beautiful antique pendant hanging directly above my head when I step into my front door, that I can turn on and off at the switch which is right BY the door!!! Gracing it's beauty is a decorative ceiling medallion which I rub-n-buffed in antique gold. This isn't the greatest picture- but you get the idea.

Thanks, George!!

Travelin' Tuesday

This week I'm going to talk about Ireland since it was named as a "if you could go anywhere" vacation.

If you are ever lucky enough to visit Ireland- and I hope one day you are!- then here are a few pointers:

• May to October is the best time of year to visit Ireland.


• No visit would be complete without dining in a castle...but what in the world do you wear to dine in a castle?? Rule of thumb- dress as you would to a fine restaurant. The "little black dress" with pearls and a pashmina; a simple cocktail dress; dress slacks with a nice jacket... leave the shorts, jeans, tee shirts, and halter tops in the hotel room!
  
• Fresh oysters, organic lamb, local grass-fed beef, and super-fresh seafood (like salmon, trout, and mussles from the Atlantic) are all in abundance in Ireland. Also locally produced cheeses are exceptional. This is not the time to worry about any "diet"!!
  
• If you rent a car, they do drive on the left, so get an automatic (one less thing to think about).
  
• For general traveling information, visit http://www.discoverireland.ie/

What would YOU wear if dining in a castle?

(information gathered from Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide by Marybeth Bond)

M.O. Monday

Welcome to another week- and Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone is having a GREAT 3-day weekend!!




So, what does the week look like for you??
As for me...

• Monday- Clean 1st floor of my house; work on garden plot; Laundry Day!; make hubby finish installing porch light and entry light!!!!
  
• 
  

Here's my garden plot so far- I've removed most of the asphalt from the end of the driveway (I worked on this AFTER I had my nails done! haha! My nail tech loves me!) Stay tuned!

• Tuesday- work at antique store; "girls' night" afterwards


• Wednesday- work at antique store


• Thursday- work on garden plot some more!; that evening, drive our daughter and her son to the airport- they are off to Florida to spend some time with a friend


• Friday- work at antique store; PAYDAY! yay!!
  
• Saturday- probably work on my garden some more...
  
• Sunday- "Cancer Survivor" Riverboat dinner cruise with some friends!! We went last year and it was so fun. 7 years!! Here's a pic of us last year:

Simply Scrumptious Sunday!

Curry Chutney
2 room temp. cream cheese pkgs.
1 8 oz. sour cream
1 tsp. curry powder
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1 bottle of fruit chutney (your choice), or make your own.

1. Mix 1st 3 ingredients together well; then stir in next 2.
2. Spread evenly in low dish, cover with 1 bottle of chutney.
3. Combine 6 tbsp. grated coconut and 6 tbsp. sliced almonds- brown in 350 oven and sprinkle over chutney.
4. Serve with crackers! Delish and easy!!

P.S. If you'd like a recipe book full of great family and friend "old recipes"(for only $1.00!!)- and help a really great guy out while you're at it- click here!

Saturday's Survey

If you could go on a vacation anywhere in the world-

where would you go?

Fashionably Friday

Fridays are my "Fashionably Friday" days where I get to have fun posting about anything just plain pretty!

This week, I want to share with you my latest, greatest bargain from the antique store I work at part-time (ohhhh, it's SO HARD to work there- so many temptations!). If you think antique stores are just full of Grandma's old junk, well, you're right! However, Grandma had some pretty cool junk- and so much of it can be worked into today's more modern styles, giving such a cool, eclectic, and FASHIONABLE look to our decors. After all, how much cookie cutter Pottery Barn does everyone really want?? Be different! Be daring! Buy recycled!!

I am also on an "anti-China kick" and am trying sooo hard to not buy anything "made in China"- but I tell you what, that is nearly impossible these days!! Another reason why I love to shop resale. I love things made in France or England or Italy or Spain...or the good ol' USA! SO. For the price of what one would pay to buy a set of glasses made in China I bought these fabulously fashionable drinking glasses- a set of 8- for under $10!!! MADE IN FRANCE! (With the designer's label still attached to one, I might add!!)

Feast your eyes on this dinner table eye candy:


Oolala! Tres chic, n'est-ce pas?

(yeah, I have a thing for glassware...)

Thumbs-Up! Thursday

I've decided to make Thursdays "Thumbs-Up! Thursdays"- a day where I share something that I give the "thumbs up" to!

This week, I am giving "thumbs up" to my good friend, Ada Gonzalez. She is an amazing interior decorator in NYC. You can visit her website: http://adasdecoratingsolutions.com/ She offers a fabulous service online for newlyweds who are merging their homes into one. You can subscribe to her very fun, very hip, very helpful e-zine on her site as well!

I am also giving "thumbs up" to an author I recently discovered- Alexander McCall Smith. He has written a series of 5 books about a No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana, Africa. Now, maybe that idea doesn't grab you- but let me tell you, this series is SO delightful and charming and just plain great that you will be hooked right away. He is sort of the Botswana Jan Karon of the Mitford series.

I'd love to hear any "thumbs up" from any of you! Share away!

Whatever! Wednesday

I've decided to make Wednesdays "Whatever! Wednesday"- and just do whatever!
This week, I've chosen to share a couple photos with you!

My kitty, Buckwheat, on a chair just his size!



Shadow he'Art!! (Notice- hearts and roses!)

Travel Tuesday

Hello all! I've decided to name Tuesdays "Travel Tuesday"!
Because my husband and I are now partners in the travel business, I am going to use this day of the week to share tips, experiences, even great deals with you!
I recently signed on as an Independent Travel Agent for InteleTravel.com- and I am very excited! Traveling is a HUGE passion of mine and my husband's, and we look forward to getting to do it in abundance in the future- and helping others in the process.
My website is www.joyousescapes.com. It's an online booking site you can use to book travel with someone you know and love (aka MOI!) instead of those "other guys"-and the booking engine is the same one they use, only slightly more sophisticated because of the way we're set up! Same great rates- often times even better! woohoo! We recently rented a car to drive to Missouri, and *I* had the best rate going. So bookmark that site for the next time you need a hotel or a rental car or want to take a cruise! (And if you can't find what you're looking for on there, contact me and I'll see what I can find!)
So, there's my "big announcement"!! Tah-dahhhh!!!

M.O. Monday!

Welcome to my new location!
I have decided that bravenet really wasn't meeting my "needs" in the blog department, so I have decided to switch to this blog network and give it a whirl! I am hoping to get more of a "readership" through this forum.
Click here to visit my old blog and read past posts.

Anywho! New Order of Business..! I've noticed that a lot of bloggers have titles for each day (or specific days) in which they base a blog post around. I've decided to give that a whirl on this blog to try to stay more consistent with blogging. So- stay tuned this week as I introduce new daily themes!
Today is M.O. Monday! M.O.=Modus Operandi= "plan of attack"! Since Monday is the beginning of the week, and we're all looking ahead to it, this is the day to share what you have coming up this week- maybe even help you get that calendar organized!
As for me.. I work my usual days at the antique store- Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday. Saturday morning I get my nails done. I am hoping to do some online training classes this week and get some things done around the house. We have a lighting project that we need to resume and get finished up in our living room and on the front porch (a working porch light finally!! woohoo!). Today I need to do some juicing for George, and Monday is always laundry day for me. I also need to do some work in my yard this week.
How about you? What does your week look like??
1:44 p.m.
Later this same day....well! I seem to be having a real problem remembering things here lately! This morning I was supposed to take my cat to the vet at 10:00... did I remember?? NO!!! I don't have a very good calendar system b/c I juggle 3 different ones- so the important, personal things don't always make it to every calendar. Bad plan. I keep one in my office, a pocket planner in my purse, and a wall calendar on my fridge.
SO. I came across this interesting site: https://www.gottakeepup.com/ that just might be the ticket to help me remember- since the ONE thing I do consistently is check my email!!! So- this is my new M.O.!!