Sliding Into a Summer Footwear Trend and Summer Shadows!

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Catherine

We’re “sliding” into that time of year!!  Barefoot driving.  No pantyhose (for me it’s an all-year round thing on that one).  Sneakers without socks or with those little sport socks.  Sandals. Flipflops.

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Barefootin’ time!!!!  

And…a new and cute trend.  Little wisps of footwear with bows.  Those adorable slides.  Have you seen them?

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Gucci is getting in on the trend.  $520 for these?  I got a bridge to sell ya honey!

If you haven’t, think back to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.  Remember the Adidas slides? Those somewhat clumsy looking ones that were practically a staple at the beach, pool and soccer games?

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I loved these slides. They were clumsy but comfy!!

Better yet, remember those clunky black slides with the stretchy fabric top from the 1990’s?  OMG. I freaking loved those slightly hideous things.

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Guilty as charged. I had these too. And I loved them. I’m sorry they were eventually thrown away!

Well, the slide has been streamlined.  The sole has gone on a diet and has thinned out and has a more girly appearance.  And they are decorated with bows!

RAYE Sandy Sandal in Red. - size 5.5 (also in 6,6.5,7,7.5,8,8.5,9,9.5,10)

Streamlined at $155!  Not much shoe for that price. These are by Raye.

Now, I saw some of these and the prices are all over the place. Let’s have a look—shall we?

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J. Crew Bow Slides. Sorry but at $130, these are still overpriced!

Wait. I take that back.  My summer sandal of choice is the Rondini sandal—but they still come in at a lower price point than your higher-end department store sandal.

 

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My Rondini Sandals.  They get better year after year!

But I’m talking about trendy stuff for now. And these slides seem to be pretty trendy.  I don’t believe in spending a ton of money on trends. 

Anyway, I happened to be in Walmart yesterday. I had to buy bags and ribbon for the cookies I made for “Bring-Your-Child-To-Work” day.

I purchased bags and company-colored ribbon.  I needed to do this so I wouldn’t dig in and eat the cookies. They were quite the hit with the kids!

And as I was perusing the aisles for bargains, I passed by the shoe department.  And I spotted cute, adorable slides with cute, adorable bows.For the price of $6.97!  Just my luck, the red and white gingham checked ones were out of stock in Size 8.  But fear not, I snagged a pair in black and was thrilled that I made the purchase.

A great Walmart find. I drove to work in them yesterday and they were so comfy!

The slides are vegan if you will.  There’s no leather in these babies!  At all. But I’ll tell you this—they are comfortable AF!  There is the slightest hint of a heel which adds to the comfort.

Compare these with the pricey ones.  These slides are pure vegan! i.e. man-made materials. 

And the cut is narrow.  So friendly for my narrow feet!  Now—I’m normally an 8 ½ in a shoe but there were no half sizes. I did try the 9 on and my foot slid right out of it.  The 8 is actually a perfect fit in every way.

A narrow cut so if your feet are like mine, these are great!

Rubber soles to make it safe if you are on an old slippery cobblestone street.  Excuse the dog hair.  It’s a part of life and we vacuumed two days ago!

I don’t know if these would be a great choice for someone who lacks in a high or medium instep. And I say this because my daughter, Oona, cannot wear super flat shoes.  She’s pretty-much flat-footed and is more comfortable in a heeled or wedged sandal (of which I can’t wear)

These inexpensive little goodies are a great, great summer find!  I give them an A+!!

But honestly, for the price point of less than seven dollars, these little slides are a great way to introduce yourself to a summer trend.  They are a bit dressier than your average flip flop and would look great on a casual dinner date or lunch date.  They are perfect for a barbeque. Heck, I’ll wear these to work!

I got makeup mail today.  I couldn’t help myself from buying the makings of another quad-palette from MAC.  This is going to be the last one for a while. They raised the price of the individual shadow refills from six bucks to seven. Not a fan of that sneaky jump in price!

Eyeshadow mail from MAC!  

But—my reasoning for this purchase is that I’ll stick it in my tote bag.  Summer weather has a strange way of sometimes melting the makeup right off the face. With a fake tan or a real tan, it isn’t that bad, but it is annoying when the eye makeup melts from the sweat and humidity.

It’s one of the reasons that I love a powder eye shadow.  And figured it would make sense to create a palette that I could have at the ready in case I need to freshen up for work purposes or if I’m meeting Bonaparte after work for dinner.  Right?

Naturally, I stuck with neutrals. But I have to tell you about a special shadow color.

Quarry. Quite possibly one of the greatest eyeshadows ever!

The color is “Quarry” and I know that I’ve mentioned it before but this taupe color takes on a hint of brown and perhaps a hint of lavender.  It looks absolutely great on the eyes.  It’s a matte but not chalky.  It’s an incredibly versatile color and this is the third Quarry that I have in a palette!

Image result for quarry eyeshadow macQuarry. It’s just a versatile color! Thank you Call it Beauty for this great photo!

The other colors in the palette are Charcoal Brown, a medium-toned brown, Wedge, a lighter warm brown and Tete-a-Tint, a pale tangerine/brown that will look great under the brow! All are matte, which I think is more user friendly in the extreme heat.  I love my shimmer shadows but when I sweat, matte is where it’s at!

My new MAC palette (that I made myself), Top left is Quarry, Top right is Charcol Brown. Bottom left is Wedge and Bottom right is Tete-A-Tint. All great shades for the summer!

There isn’t much that I need in the line of summer clothing.  Soon it’ll be time to take the packed-away summer dresses out and make the transition—but the weather has been so temperamental that I’m sticking to multiple-season clothing for now.

I’m wearing a wash of Quarry on my eyes today. I also wore a wool skirt. Go figure–May is next week!

What about you. Have you started the transition from winter clothing to warmer weather ensembles yet?

I’m not doing a song today because I want you to watch this YouTube video.  This is the woman who got me hooked on Quarry Eyeshadow.  Her channel is Aly Art and she’s a freaking great makeup artist. This video is great because she goes through her favorite makeup for the last 15 years and she uses the same stuff over and over. I think you’ll like her a lot!  Her channel is incredible!

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When the Weight Loss is a Weight Gain

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Catherine

Missing that Weight Watchers meeting on my birthday couldn’t be avoided.  I wanted to enjoy that special day to the fullest and the weekend leading up to it was a feast.

And I’ll be the first to admit that missing a meeting put me a bit off the wagon for the remaining plus week.  I got a bit lazy in the tracking department and took more advantage of the “free” in the WW Freestyle program than the “style” part.

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What I’ve learned–Raw Cookie Dough is NOT a Zero Point Food.  Zero Point Foods are not to be consumed in mass quantities!  

It could have been the sampling—a rather large sampling of the cookie dough that I prepared.

I take full responsibility. These nuggets of  epic delightfullness did NOT cause my weight gain. I caused my weight gain by eating this to fullness!

It could have been the many tastes of the Cognac, cream and Cranberry sauce that I made for Bonaparte while the Cornish Hens were roasting.

Did I mention that there was about two sticks of butter in the sauce.  Here the shallots are sweating in butter and broth.  THIS was before the cognac and cream were added!

It could have been the two Philadelphia Soft Pretzels that I chowed down on for Pretzel Day at work—after all, I want to be a stellar employee!

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Let it be known. The Philly Soft Pretzel IS a trigger food for me.  Slathered with “Zero Point” mustard does NOT make this a zero point food.  But I really didn’t want to pass them up because I want to be a star employee!!!

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I’m a good girl I am.  So please keep those pretzels away from me!

There are a great many “it-could-have’s”. And the thing is, I wasn’t responsible for my actions.

But—I’m not going to be so hard on myself and I’m not gonna beat myself over it.  What’s done is done.

Deep down I knew there was no way I lost weight during the week that I missed.  But I didn’t exactly expect to gain 1.2 pounds.

Numbers don’t lie.  I need to be accountable for my actions!

I literally picked myself up, dusted myself off (actually I dusted the flour off my pixie pants) and started all over again last night.

But I did and that’s it.  Time to move forward. And I did.  Today I wore a fitted tee shirt, and pants that I forgot I had along with a linen blend blazer and pointy-toed, toe clevage baring shoes.  I made myself look like a lost rather than gained!

Gray fitted tee–I think a fitted look is more flattering than an overly loose one..

Spring vibe pants (they were less than $20 from J. Crew last year–end of season)….

Toe cleavage ( the fake tan is spotty–it’s my crossed-eyes!)

….and my favorite spring scent made me feel great today!

And I think that’s some of the wisdom that comes with pro-aging.  Twenty or thirty years ago, I would have overreacted to that weight gain as though it was the worst thing that could happen while on a weight-loss journey.

I’ll be honest.  I would have taken out the Correctol or Colace.  And I did that when I was in my early thirties. It went on for a few years.  Binge and purge.  And it kept the weight down.  But it is extreme and it isn’t healthy and it isn’t conducive for healthier way to look at food.

During those disorderly days you know were you could find me!!!!

I overcame that disorder.

I’m still rather disorderly with my closets and drawers but no longer with my body.

At the age I am now, I’m ok with a weight gain for a week.  I’m ok with it because I’ll be slowly losing the 10 pounds I need to lose. And there will be “good” weeks and “bad” weeks.

And on the positive side, I won’t give up.  I’ll keep pushing and trying because trying is the best I can do.  I’m back to tracking..

My journal/tracker.  I bring it to work and it was ignored last week.  I will say, that luckily for me, I am so busy at work that I don’t even have time for a lunch break.  My day flies–and I love it like that!

Dinner was planned to be quick and healthier this evening.

1/2 Avacado mashed atop one slice of rye bread, topped with shrimp, a hard-boiled egg, and two baby artichokes filled me up this evening!

Hey.  Changing the subject here.  You know what happened at work today?  Well, I’ll tell you.

One of my co-workers had been cutting paper with a scissor.  I could hear the sound of the scissor very carefully cutting through the paper. It was a very even sound and it just made me feel so calm.  That sound was very mesmerizing.

I kid you not, the sound of the scissors cutting the paper had such an even and gentle cadence that I felt like I was on a fluffy pillow ready to fall asleep!

And when I told her how the sound of the scissor cutting paper made me feel, she “got” it.  She said that every so often when she’s speaking to a claimant on the phone, there voice will be so smooth and soothing that it puts her in a state of total calmness.

Do you know that feeling?  It’s like when you were a child and someone played with your hair.

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Oh yes..it’s THAT feeling!

What makes you feel like that?  Do you get very relaxed by certain sounds that you find utterly soothing?  Share please!

Anyway, I’m back on track. Hopefully I won’t have any large gains except financially!!!

And this song–it’s inspirational to dust yourself off… Ms. Diana Krall…

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Getting Back Into The Groovy of Things

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Catherine

It’s a sunny but cold Sunday.  The chill is still too close to the bones to go out and enjoy the “supposedly” spring weather.  The great indoors is still the stomping grounds.  So then, what’ll I do today?

I’m getting back into the groovy of things.

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It would also be quite groovy to look like an illustration. Don’t you think?

As I sit here, the contents of an inexpensive box of hair color is sitting on my head. The black hair dye is just too harsh for me at this stage, and although my thinning hair is leaning more to the loss side, I’m not ready to go gray with what remains.  Instead, I’m going for a lighter brown.  It makes me feel better about myself. It makes me feel rather groovy!

Hot damn!  The dye no longer hides the baldness. Time for a lighter version of Toppik!

And blow drying no longer works to make my coarse hair smooth!

fuggetaboutit–I’ll just plop on a wig!!!  

And after last night’s dinner of Cornish Hen, homemade bread, mushrooms in a cream sauce—and various tastings of the cognac/cranberry sauce I made for Bonaparte, I’m so ready to get back into my Weight Watchers groovy of things.

Healthier eating.  I made this 2-egg omelette last week and had tomato and artichoke on the side. A filling and delicious meal!

Notice—I’m using the term “groovy” rather than “groove”.  I think groovy is a happier word. It makes me think of the late 1960’s and the Paul Simon song.  A time of change but a time of peace overruling unrest.

I’m feeling rather groovy just hearing this!

The little guest room where I go to put my makeup on each day needs to be organized. It’s so odd but my time management skills in connection with putting stuff away after I use them needs to be worked on.  When I’m rushing out the door in the morning, I’m tired when I get back from the office and become lax—not with the home, but with my own little corner.  Does that ever happen to you?

 

Today is a great day to work on that because once the warmth arrives, more time will be spent out rather than indoors.

 

And I’m mulling over what to wear to an upcoming family reunion next Saturday.  Dress is casual but I want to be comfortable yet polished.  I’m not going out to “buy” an outfit.  I’ve a ton of stuff to chose from and I know it’ll be jeans and a blazer—but which ones?  And which hair?

LOL. As in “Which Navy Schoolboy blazer” will I wear???

The hair is my biggest question.  My family is huge. And with that will come at least one family member who has a bit too much to drink, thinks they are a comedian and pull my wig off—I fear wearing “good” hair in that it could get tossed around and ruined.  Perhaps I’ll wear inexpensive hair!  I guess it’s a blessing in disguise that I’m dying what’s left of my bio hair today “just in case”!

Seriously. I wanted to wear Violet but I love her too much to have someone’s grubby paws grab her from my head and toss her. 

You know, I don’t know why but I’m feeling a bit sad today. Sometimes it just happens. It isn’t that “Sunday afternoon” feeling where you dread the upcoming week.  Quite the contrary because I look forward to going to work.  It’s that “empty” feeling. That feeling you get of surrounding quiet save for the din of the heat kicking in and the outside wind hitting against the glass of the windows.

I’m not THAT kind of sad–it’s a more empty feeling!

That happens to me during the times when I miss having my kids around.  And I’ll be the first to admit that it is pure selfishness.  It makes me wonder if I was a better parent when my children were younger than being a better parent to adult children.  Was it a mistake to raise them to be more independent so that they are comfortable in moving away?  I gave them the gift of freedom but at times I want it back.

 

Oddly enough–it was those times that I miss–I had a purpose!

I’m a control freak on so many levels but raising kids—I guided them and didn’t control them because I wanted them to think freely without depending on me.

Maybe that was the groovy way to raise them and the groovy thing is that I appreciate them more when I see them.  Maybe I’m just being an empty nester!

And with that empty nester in mind, I went up to my little nest of a girly room and did some organizing.

After coloring my roots a lighter color, I tackled the little room and reorganized it.

Yes.  Rushing out the door in the morning does have it’s drawbacks. And THIS is why doors were invented. You can close them and forget the mess!

I threw stuff away.  Stuff I don’t use.  I organized the shelfs and my blazers and then some.

Now I can truly relax and know that the entire house is now as it should be–organized and neat.

And boy, does it ever feel great!

I made a video for my YouTube channel about things that annoy me.

And I put some thought as to what I’ll wear this coming week to work.  Despite the weather, I’m dying to wear a skirt with some bare legs—so I fake tanned.  As I write this, I added the second layer.  Why do I feel as though I’m frosting a cake?

Time to frost my legs with the second layer of fake tan!

That’s about it for today.  I have weigh in tomorrow and hopefully I haven’t gained weight—and I would not be surprised if I did.  But at least I’m back on track.

Here’s a sampling of what I wore this past week to work.  Keeping it casual!!

I wore this on Friday.  The shirt is great and I forgot I had it.  From my days at Nordstrom, an oversized white shirt by Free People. It’s going to get a lot of wear! Sorry but I was unable to show the hair I wore.  I’ll be doing a review soon from this new wig by Estetica Designs!

Thursday’s outfit photographed a lot more casual than it actually was. I’m wearing blue velvet pants, with blue suede shoes a plaid shirt and denim jacket. The lighting was too much to handle!

I loved Wednesday’s outfit.  Burgundy velvet pants matched my hair!  A hunter green sweater, denim jacket, heels and pearls. What’s not to love? I may wear this getup to the family reunion!

Tuesday was a brightly colorful day!  Hot pink cords, a blue sweater and a colorful infinity scarf to tie it all together!  My seven dolla thrift shoes–j. crew beauties. I love those shoes so much!

And of course, on Monday–my Birthday Suit!  The military jacket and hair from the husband!!!  XOXOXOXO!!!

Here’s the video I made earlier today.  Five (perhaps more) things that annoy me. Let me know what annoys you!!!!!!

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Baking From Scratch, Losing Weight And Saturday Randomness!

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Catherine

I woke up to an email from a reader of the blog today.  Our friend,  Simmy, happened to stumble upon a Momofuku Milk Bar Cookie mix at Target!

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At the price of $4.99 to make 12 cookies, this is less expensive than purchasing 12 of these babies at the Milk Bar Store, and considering everything that is in them, the price is pretty good.  If you want to try making these but don’t want to do it from scratch, this is a great idea!

A portion of the email read as follows:  ……..came across this https://www.target.com/p/milk-bar-compost-cookie-174-mix-16oz/-/A-16887648 tonight at Target  , I thought of you! Now, I have a thing about how ‘natural flavors’ are now in everything (like butter, which, should not need butter flavor in my opinion) …so I don’t know how you’ll feel about whatever they added to this mix but, it looked kind of good. 

And it got me to thinking….and I did reply that although I am not one for mixes, and even though Barefoot Contessa’s Outrageous Brownie recipe is the best from-scratch brownie recipe ever, there is one mix that shall always remain my favorite.

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Like mother, like daughter!  Oona is a fan of from-scratch baking and loves making Ina’s Outrageous Brownies–but she, also like me, adores Duncan Hines Brownie Mix!

Duncan Hines Brownie Mix.

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Duncan Hines. Best damned brownie mix of all time.  And that shiny top–be still my heart. I could (and I’m sure I have) eat all 12 brownies this mix makes.  Just gimme a large glass of cold milk and I’m in heaven!

I know.  I know!!!  There are brownie perfectionists who feel that the DH mix has an odd taste but, in all honesty, I love it.  This mix was always in my pantry when the kids were younger.  If their friends were over and there was no time to bake from scratch, this was the go-to brownie.

It was great because you could add nuts or more chips or peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips or even broken up pretzels for that zing of saltiness.  In fact, Oona and I had a conversation about this brownie mix just the other day. I can’t remember how we got on the topic but I think it was about baking.

Anyway, back to bake it from scratch or a mix.  For me, I enjoy the process of baking.  I usually have the ingredients on hand so it’s no big stretch or additional expense for me.  It takes more time, but on those days when time is not off the essence—it works!

And it works today.

We woke up on this Spring day in now-late April to frost on the car windows. It is now after the hour of noon and the temperature is a cool 55 degrees and the high of 57 degrees is expected.

Bonaparte went to have the brakes fixed on my car and is now doing grocery shopping with the list I gave him.  As for me, I’m spending this day pre-baking, baking and cooking.

I’m taking advantage of the coolness of the weather and instead of complaining about the cold, I’ll use it to my advantage of using the oven before the Spring suddenly turns into an unexpected early summer.  Because as much as I love to cook and bake, I distance myself during those warm months so that more time can be spent outside and lighter fare is prepared for meals.  I kind of put the kibosh on baking during those summer months as well.

And since this coming Thursday is “Bring Your Child To Work Day” I’ve prepared cookie dough.  Kids love chocolate chip cookies. Right?  And since I was a SAHM, and never had the opportunity to bring children to the office, I’m now going to enjoy this day.  None of the previous companies I worked for were particularly child-friendly and never “celebrated” BYCTW Day.  The company I now work for is very much into this.  And I decided to bring cookies since I’ve no kids to bring.

I’m going to bake these the night before I bring them to the office..

Here’s the recipe. From Milk Bar Life by Christina Tosi.  You can see that this is a well-used recipe because the page is a hot mess!

I made about 60 scoops of cookie dough.  After one of my sisters saw an IG photo, she immediately phoned me to ask, suggest, demand that I leave a dozen or so of the scoops and bring them to her home next weekend.  We have a family reunion to attend!  Naturally being the good sister, I’ll comply.

The scoops of cookie dough are now in Ziploc bags firmly nestled in the freezer!

Since my husband surprised me with the gift of hair for my birthday, I’m surprising him with “The Good Loaf”—the bread I make that I’ve held off on since rejoining Weight Watchers.

The dough is proofing and ready to rise!

And as we are running low on Gougères, I’m going to bake a couple of batches as soon as Bonaparte returns from the market with the cheese and milk.

Butter, milk, water and salt are awaiting the rest of the ingredients for the gougeres!

And at almost four in the afternoon, the baked gougeres are bagged and ready to be placed in the freezer alongside the cookie dough!

Granted.  Baking from scratch is time-consuming and, if you are like me, messy–but the end result is always a pleasing one so I do it with love!

Yeah. I’m all over the place with mess when I cook and bake. It’s hard for me to remain organized and not messy. Note the hair color. I’m doing my hair tomorrow. No more black. I’m going brown! Like Duncan Hines Brownies!

My J. Crew Pixie Pants are a flour-spotted mess. This is why I bake and cook in my pj’s!

 

Baby artichokes are simmering.  My healthy choice for eating.

After coming to a boil, I simmered them for an hour. Now nice and tender, I can pick on these Zero-pointers!

And the Cornish Game Hens are spatchcocked and ready to be dusted with fresh Rosemary and seasonings.

I have to season these guys!

Fresh Rosemary for the birds and the sauce!

What makes a great sauce?  Cognac, cream, butter and shallots..

…along with a little sweetness with dried cranberries soaked in more Cognac and drained cherries. Alas, this sauce is strictly for my husband.  I’ll be passing…

It’s difficult to be on a weight loss journey when you love food as much as I do.  But—I’m trying my best.  That’s why I’m so happy to be going to the  Weight Watchers meetings on Monday evenings.  Because I missed the meeting last Monday due to my Birthday, I’m looking even more forward to this Monday meeting.

And it is even more challenging as you age.  What I think is best for now is to face the reality that it will take a while to lose those last ten pounds and hopefully, the weather will warm up so that outdoor activity can resume!

Tonight, I shall not overindulge.  My dinner will be the white meat of the hen and baby artichokes.  I’m going to pass on the bread but will enjoy our aperitifs.

Overall, it’ll be a busy afternoon.

So, tell me—do you take advantage of the cooler weather to cook or bake more?  Are you a bake mix person or do you bake from scratch?  Thank you Simmy for inspiring me for a fun post to write!

And yes. I took my hair off to bake and cook!  It’ll go back on when we have our aperitifs! 

Here’s—or rather Hair’s the video review I did on the Chloe wig that my husband got me for my birthday.  There’s humor in it so I hope you enjoy (and subscribe)!

 

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Mascar-ee Me Back to Ol’ Virginny

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Catherine

That’s right because if I went back in time to old Virginny West Virginny I could use coal on my eyelashes and probably get the same effect on my lashes.

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This could be the new mascara!

It’s time to lash out again.  Another gripe about mascara.

I’m needing mascara to come through for me these days because I stopped wearing eyeliner on my lids for the time being.  I’m only tight lining the inside lid and between the lashes-it kind of opens the eyes a bit.  But it’s a worthless look if the lashes disappear or don’t look thick or longer.

See?  My lashes aren’t what they used to be.  Therefore, I depend on mascara to enhance the lashes I once had. (This photo was taken after having my makeup on over  12 hours today so it’s a bit messed up)

Forget wearing fake lashes to work because I’m at the computer all day and by the end of the day my eyes have had it.  Glue irritates my sensitive eyes and although I am a fan of the Ardell Magnetic Accents lashes, I wear them on the weekends!

And I’ll tell you, it isn’t so much the actual product (in some cases) in the mascara tube but it’s about the wands.

Let me show you. OK?

I’m a fan of the mascaras by Essence cosmetics.  They are dirt cheap—under five bucks and the product itself is fine.  It’s the wand on the “Get Big Lashes” mascara that drives me nuts.

Although the mascara is great, the wand it way too cumbersome!  It’s clumsy to use.  Way too thick and bristly!

Now—I would say anywhere from two to four decades ago, this wand would have been fine—but when you lose lashes due to menopause and aging, huge bristles on a brush are not your best friend.  Gone is the length that I once had and this huge monstrosity of a bristly wand is so cumbersome—especially when making an attempt to get mascara on those little lashes by where my tear duct is.  And also, at the other end of my eye.

My solution is using an old wand from an “I-have-no-idea-what-mascara-this-wand-came-from” old tube of mascara that had a great wand. It’s most likely elf or another drug-store brand.

I can’t remember what mascara this wand came from but it is great!  I also clean it on a regular basis. The plastic bristles are wonderful for separating the lashes too!

The Forbidden Volume mascara still comes in at number one for me because I like the thickness of the product and the brush isn’t all that bad.

The out-of-focus tube of Forbidden Volume mascara.  Why did I focus on the rug instead?

Forbidden Volume Mascara’s wand. Overall, this is the A+ mascara for me!

The Lash Paradise that everyone raves about?  I’m not a fan.  The first tube of Lash Paradise that I had dried out within two weeks.  It must’ve been a factory dud because the second tube (I purchased two at the same time) didn’t dry out.  However, the freaking wand is awful.  It’s another one of those overly fluffy cumbersome wands.  And…the mascara itself is like tar.  I’m telling you it is almost impossible to get this gunk off the lashes.  I use Albolene which is lard for the face. It takes everything off.  Everything except this mascara.

Check out the amount of mascara ON the tube. It’s disgusting.  This isn’t a cosmetic. It is TAR! Tar for you lashes and it doesn’t come off.  The wand..

Is an oversized mess. It doesn’t look that bad in this pic but it is just too big to work with shorter and sparse lashes!

I’m just not a fan of this.

Next up is elf 3-in-One mascara.  I use it on my bottom lashes for the wand. Actually, the mascara is good for bottom lashes because not a lot of product comes out.  What’s good for the bottom isn’t good for the top.

elf’s 3-in-One mascara.  The wand, which reminds me of the wand in Benefit’s “They’re Real”  (but should be renamed They’re Really Expensive) mascara.  Not only is this wand great for lower lashes but it’s also good to get at those tiny lashes near your tear ducts!

Don’t even get me started on Maybelline’s “The Falsies”. It used to be my favorite mascara.  The product was great before Maybelline decided to change the formula.  They reformulated this—I know they did because I used it faithfully and now the mascars is just awful.  The wand is actually floppy now.  And I’m not the only one who thinks this way.  It used to be Oona’s favorite mascara too.  I know false—ok?  False nails.  False tan.  False hair.  I want the old formula of The Falsies back with a sturdier wand!

The Falsies is not what it used to be. OMG–I’m so hungry that I thought the Hydrofuge on the packet read “HydroFUDGE”!

The shape of the wand WAS user-friendly before Maybelline went cheap-o and recreated it in a floppy and flimsy way. I guess with all the money Maybelline had to pay Gigi Hadid, they had to cut back on everything else.

NYC, New York Color has a great mascara for bottom lashes.  Sky Rise mascara.  The wand is excellent is the mascara. It lengthens my lower lashes like nobody’s business and I love this for special occasions!

NYC New York Color’s SkyRise mascara is the A+ for bottom lashes and this wand is fantastic!!!

Physicians Formula has a fiber mascara that isn’t bad—it’s just that the wand is so damn small and gets so chock full of the fibers that it’s almost impossible to get the fibers on the lashes.  The small wand really needs to be wiped down to get the full effect.  But lately, I’m just too lazy to be bothered.

Look how tiny the wand is. It’s ridiculous actually.  A small arm on the wand makes it difficult to apply the product!

This just in—reader Anne suggests Maybelline’s Lash Blast. I’m gonna try it because I’ll be it’s the old The Falsies formula!!! Wait. I think it’s CoverGirl Lash Blast!

Image result for lash blast mascara in pink tube

I shall try this–and the wand looks good too!

Note, if you will, that I buy only drug-store mascara.  I honestly do not think expensive mascaras are worth the money because mascara is one of those products that just doesn’t last too long if you wear it every day!! I’ve used pricey mascara in the past and the price-per-use just wasn’t worth it.

The other point I want to stress is that mascaras such as Lash Paradise that are more like tar aren’t good for our mature eyes.  To get the product off you need to rub and that can pull on your lashes.  We need a lighter formula, but one that’ll make the lashes look great and come off easy!

What are your thoughts?  I’m curious.

Oh. I was listening to The Best of Bill Withers in my car today and he sang this song that I never heard but it was so beautiful.  Grandma’s Hands

—it really made me think of my grandmother and how much I loved and miss her!!

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You’ll Never Guess What Bonaparte Gave Me For My Birthday!!

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Catherine

Oh..I’ll get to that in a minute.

But yesterday was a very uneventful day—and I’m not saying that in a bad way.  I was at work.  And when I think of it, being at work on my birthday was a great thing because after being unemployed for six months was no picnic!  The stress of not having medical benefits or putting money into my 401K was wearing on me.

LOL!  That’s me when I get home!!  But I’m very happy at work!

Quite honestly, I am fortunate to have a job to go to.  I swear I amso busy I don’t even have time to pass gas!

And last night was quiet.  Since we had a grand dinner at Spring Mill Café on Saturday, and on Sunday I had my fill of Kir Royals, it was wonderful to get back to eating healthy and more in tune with my weight loss.

 

Our favorite restaurant –it really is “our” place!

So—let me tell you about what The Frenchman gave me.

I was sitting at my makeup table getting ready for work and he tiptoed in with a “’Eppy Birs-day Cassee!”

I’ll tell you that Frenchman o’mine even has great taste in cards!!!

I turned around and he was carrying a couple of boxes!

It was very surprising to me because believe it or not, I’m pretty low-key about birthday gifts.  I don’t want anything. Our dinner was fine for me.

Anyway, I opened the first box.  And….

He got me hair!!!  I got a new wig!!!

Bonaparte got me hair!!!  He ordered a wig for me!  And the best part is that he actually ordered a fantastic style wig.

So pretty and shiny and new and a beautiful color!

The wig, Chloe from Envy wigs is really a gorgeous, longer bob.  The wig has very subtle and loose waves making it look incredibly natural.  He actually picked a wig that I never noticed before!

Image result for chloe by envy

Here’s the stock photo and now that I think about it…

Image result for chloe by envy

Why did I pass this beauty by?  My husband has great hair taste!

The color, Chocolate Cherry, is very unusual.  It’s a dark brown base with quite bit of auburn/burgundy/red highlights.  The color brought me back to the days when I dyed my own hair auburn.  I love the wig.

A box of Chocolate Cherry hair has Zero WW Points a box of Chocolate Cherries is OFF the points charts!

The Frenchman loves the style but isn’t crazy about the color. I digress though.  It’s fine. I took the shine out of it and dirtied it up a bit with dry shampoo.

I took this photo when I was rushing out to work.  Trust me, Chloe looks tons better!  I’ll be reviewing on my YouTube channel over the weekend so you can get a better look!

Everyone at work loved my new hair!!  And they were even more impressed when I told them my husband gave the wig to me for my birthday!

Now for the other gift!  Remember about a month or so ago I wrote about the military jacket that Gap had in their offerings  ( THE BLOG POST )and it was impossible for me to find it?  Well, the husband came through!

I almost passed out when I opened it.  The jacket is gorgeous. The detailing is wonderful and I felt like a French soldier when I put it on.  It’s very Napoleonic. I’m going to bring it to Paris with me in November!

Just look at that detailing!  This jacket is so beautiful!

And that’s what I wore yesterday to work.  My new military jacket and my new hair!

This military look was so great!  I felt like Napoleon’s little sister!

My stepdaughter and step granddaughter gave me a gift certificate to…where else but J. Crew!

I can’t wait to use this!!!

In three weeks I leave to spend a weekend in Cincinnati with Oona and her boyfriend, Sam.  It’s Oona’s birthday gift to me.

Image result for cincinnati

Cincy is actually a very cool and hip little city!  I’m looking forward to my visit!!

And at the end of the day, it was a pleasure to receive birthday greetings and conversation with my two boys.

And I want to thank everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes!!  You guys rock so much—thank you!!

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!

I’m currently working on another rant about mascara—mascara is becoming one of my biggest annoyances!!! Stay tuned for this one!!

I leave you with one of my favorite songs by War–I can rock to this in my military jacket!!

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So About Last Night’s Dinner And More Weekend Stuff

Posted on April 15, 2018 by Catherine

When I left you yesterday, I was about to get ready for our Birthday Date Night.  By the time I got ready and dressed, I felt back to my normal self.

Yup!  I was feeling ok again!!!

I decided to wear a pair of pants that has been hanging in my closet since—late November or early December.  Navy brocade pants that I picked up for less than ten dollars on clearance at Old Navy.  They were extremely tight when I purchased them and after Christmas didn’t even fit me.

Two weeks on Weight Watchers and the pants now fit beautifully.

My look last night. Casual but simple elegance.  A J. Crew Tippi sweater with Navy and Black Brocade pants, black heels and a string of pearls.  I kept the makeup simple too. I’m really getting into no eyeliner on my lids and heavier mascara. Wig of choice?  Violet by Estetica Designs!

Into the car and protecting the wine, as is my duty when we drive to Spring Mill Café, we enjoyed our drive through the back roads of Wayne and Radnor.  I don’t know if you are aware, but BYO Wine is a “thing” in the Philly area. I was not aware of this until I moved here. It’s a great thing as it cuts down on the tab for the dinner.

Champagne, Creme de Cassis and this great red wine. It was my duty to protect the goods!

We arrived at the restaurant and sat at our usual table—in a little nook off the front.

Spring Mill Cafe is such a delightful restaurant–it’s like having dinner at someone’s country home in France!

It’s nice to see that SMC is very well established–40 years young!

Our favorite table awaits us!!

Now, let me make one thing clear.  I left my Weight Watchers Freestyle program train of thought at home last night.  I wasn’t going to go out to a great dinner to fret and worry about what I was eating.  And as I write this I’m back on track.  It’s not conducive to any weight loss program to deprive yourself.

Bonaparte is so serious as he reaches for the menu…but he orders the same thing every time. Filet Mignon!

We started with the pate tasting—we always order it.  In fact, I ordered gluten-free rolls and boy were they delicious!

No way was I passing any of this up.  Our favorite appetizer ever!

We both ordered the Steak Bordelaise –a beautiful filet mignon–served with a mash of celery root and potatoes which was heavenly.  My steak was cooked just the way I love it—blue –and Bonaparte had his steak very rare.

The serving size was perfect.  And so was the steak!!!!

There is a reason it is called red meat—it should be served red!

Dessert was split between us with me eating most of it. Crème Brulee!

I was definitely in the lead of the “clean plate club” last night. It was a great dinner!

The wine was so good and I drank too much of it (one glass.  One LARGE glass).  Wine makes me sleepy so as soon as I got home, I was in dream land.

And today my GERD is at an epic rate.  I’ve had heartburn all day.  Why does wine give me heartburn?

It’s so hard to pass up a wine that smells like dirt and tastes earthy and I drank it because it was soooooooooo gooooooooood. Now I have heartburn!

I’m so happy that the weather on Friday and Saturday was beautiful, sunny and warm because today it is windy, damp, and raining.

That Isla wig I washed yesterday?  Turned out even better than I expected.  The fibers dropped a bit adding just the slightest touch of length.  Isla was money well-spent.

If you notice, this Isla wig from Tony of Beverly, dropped a bit and I love it even more!  I’m glad I washed it!!!

Tomorrow being my birthday, I’m planning on attending my Weight Watcher’s meeting but I’m going to pass up being weighed.  It’s my treat to myself.  The meeting is needed for support and I’ll return to be weighed next week.

In the meantime, here’s what I wore this past week.  It’s so hard to choose what to wear during the transitional times.  The temperature rises one day and falls the next.  There has been absolutely no consistency with the weather.  I need to fake tan before taking out my warm-weather clothing because I refuse to wear panty hose and love bare legs—but not pasty white ones.

Yesterday morning I went for a mani-pedi and it was hot outside.  You will note that my pasty-fish-belly white legs are in dire need of a spray tan.  I had shorts on–it was that warm and I held Patsy Stone close to my heart!

Jeans Friday! In the morning, it was cool enough for a blazer. I wore this Chambray number from J. Crew that was purchased last year.  I am beginning to like the Modern Motif wig by Gabor more and more!

I wore heels with my favorite plaid pants on Thursday but gave an edgier look with a denim jacket.  One of my favorite bobs, April by Bobbi Boss wigs always makes me happy!

Black and Tan on Wednesday.  These pants were unzippable three weeks ago and now they are back to that perfect fit. I love black and tan together.  I wore Violet on my head–perfect for the black and tan outfit!

Tuesday’s look–ugh, the skirt didn’t photograph well but it’s a black and white and gray plaid that was tight on me and fits again.  I wore Jamison from Estetica Designs.  Notice the tights!!

And this was last Monday’s “Quick Change” outfit. I had to wear something that would allow me to change quickly into my WW clothes–and naturally Isla is the lightest wig I own!

Enjoy the rest of the day into evening.  I made two YouTube Videos today.  This one is my thoughts on turning 63.  It’s a bit long but if you have the chance, I hope you will watch it!  XOXOXOXO

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A Fishy Start To A Pre-Birthday Weekend!

Posted on April 14, 2018 by Catherine

It is now Saturday afternoon and I’m starting to feel a bit better.  Let me tell you about last night.

Yeah. Last night I wasn’t feeling too well!

Ok—so Friday evening is one of my favorite times during the week.  As much as I love and enjoy my job, there is something so relaxing and chill about leaving on Friday for home—especially in the nicer weather.

Yesterday was no different.  After a great day at the office, I welcomed the still-warm “after-five-o’clock” sunshine.  Earlier in the day, Bonaparte sent me a message asking if I wanted anything from Wegmans.  Since I’m watching what I eat—even though I’ll let loose on the weekends, I asked for 8 ounces of Monkfish.  Monkfish is my favorite fish ever and on Weight Watchers Freestyle, it is a bonus of Zero Points.

In fact, when we are in the South of France at where the Mediterranean Sea meets land, I have Monkfish, which is known as Lotte, several times a week.

My guess from the way this guy is dressed, that this isn’t the French Riviera!! However, that Monkfish looks fresh and delicious!

The fish caught from the Mediterranean is so spanking fresh AF that there is no scent in the apartment and the taste is heavenly.

There is a special place in my heart and stomach for this guy.  He may not be the most attractive species in the sea, but he sure tastes good going down!

You know where this is going—don’t you?

Now—mind you, Bonaparte passed on the fish because the only fish he will eat is Tilapia. OK?  He had a pork chop.

Our aperitifs were made with glee because we enjoyed them out on the deck—it was the first aperitif on the deck for 2018!  We also decided to have dinner outside to enjoy this glorious evening while it was still warm.

Tchin Tchinny Tchin Tninnny Tchin Tchin Tcheroo.  A Kir Royal is so yummy and so good for you!

The first red flag, so to speak, was that the fish was packaged in a Styrofoam tray covered with cling wrap. Though no fault of my husband’s, I got the impression that the fish may not have been to fresh.  The second red flag was when I unwrapped the fish the scent of “dirtylady” wafted the air.

 

Image result for smelly lady

I said more than “Oh Mercy”!!!

Still, I love Monkfish so much that I figured by poaching this filet in white wine, water and herbs would nonetheless bring back the freshness. The fish ended up tasting fine so I thought I was in the clear.

Until about three in the morning.  I woke up with horrible gas pains—you know, the ones that start off in your chest and hurt your back until the gas makes the journey downwards to your belly and intestines!

stomach ache GIF

My tummy was burning up with gas like a petro-filled car about to explode!

Without elaborating—let me just say anything I ate for the past seven days came out in full force—it still hurts when I sit.  Okay???

Everything was not coming up roses or hearts!  In fact nothing was coming UP!!

And now, I am ravenously hungry.  I ate a banana, of which gives me heartburn but I don’t care because I need the potassium.

A  Zero-point food that is rich in potassium–so why then, do bananas give me heartburn?

I’m drinking water too because this evening I shall feast upon a great meal at our favorite restaurant—Spring Mill Café of which I will report back tomorrow!

Image result for spring mill cafe

I’m so hungry that other diners need to be aware that I could possibly enter the restaurant and grab something off their plate before I sit down to order!

A new mani-pedi, along with a face wax also made me feel much better for tonight’s date night.

No makeup except for a bit of Chapstick and mascara which I have taken off to prepare for this evening!

My pre-pedicured feet.  Some stop to smell the roses. I stop to smell the new mulch!

The nails are all did up in OPI’s “Big Apple Red” The only color I use!

I washed my Isla wig for the first time. She’s hanging upside down for now until she dries!

I gave her a good soak..

AFTER I uncombed her with the wide-toothed comb that Chippy snacked on!

Is it the evil eye or a teeny weeny tittie?  Neither–it’s a shower curtain hook..

that my wig is drying upside down on!

Let it also be known that I am going to enjoy dinner to the fullest tonight.  I will throw caution to the wind and not count points.

I’ll also be figuring out which wig to wear tonight!  The Frenchman likes dark hair and he’s paying so………………I dunno. I think I’ll wear Violet, middle row left!  From top, L to R:  Modern Motif by Gabor,  April by Bobbi Boss, Violet by Estetica Designs, Joy by Model Model, Swami by Freetress Equal and Jamison by Estetica Designs!

And as a reward, I’ll go to my Weight Watcher’s meeting on Monday without the weekly weigh-in.  I won’t put myself through the stress on my birthday!

Have a great weekend and I’ll let you know all about dinner tomorrow!

That fish made me think of this bizarre song from the 1980’s–in which Bill Mumy, the childhood TV star was part of the due that sang this gem!

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Freestyling On to Week Three!

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Catherine

Well, after a weekend where I thought I may have indulged a bit too much on the Sauerkraut and Chicken—it wasn’t the meal—but I couldn’t stop picking at all day Sunday, I was pleasantly surprised.

Anyway, I got dressed in office attire that would lend itself well for a quick change at the end of the day.  I wore a button down shirt so that I wouldn’t shift my wig when I gently put my weigh-in clothing on!

Who know that the Isla wig would end up being the greatest head of weigh-in hair ever?  I was able to quickly change from this outfit into my cropped leggings and white tee. And I did bring flat shoes. I wasn’t going to weigh-in in a pair of heels!

Last night’s weigh-in had me at three pounds less!  When I tell you I was surprised, I’m not kidding.

Back to the 140’s just barely. These next nine pounds will be THE challenge! But I was so happy!

I have no idea what this gray line is but I cannot get rid of it.  I hate technology!But I thought about what I did that warranted a three-pounder of a loss over the week and it was simple.

I tracked what I ate every day.  It is to the point where that tracking journal is with me all day and all night.  The tracking journal is right up there with Saint Charles Borromeo, The Patron Saint of Dieting!

Image result for patron saint of dieting

I swear–leave it to the Catholics to come up with a Patron Saint of Dieting.  I wonder if he ate macaroni!!!!  There’s a Patron Saint of everything!!! I”m getting me one of these medals!

 

Another thing I did—I thought.  Trust me, I’m no deep thinker but I thought about what I ate.  When I got so hungry that I swear I could eat the bag of the Tostitos. I’m talking the cellophane bag!!  I don’t think there is any fat in the actual bag. I just diverted my attention to something else.

Yes. I THOUGHT!  And I did have an apple last week but I like the unsweetened apple sauce better!

Water. I drank lots of water.  I’m still drinking lots of water.  I have bottles of lemon-flavored water hidden in my cubicle at work.   And with that hidden water is a bag of those pre-peeled little carrots. I got the organic ones!

My big splurge at $1.99.  I’ve been drinking this like crazy.  And running to the bathroom like crazy!

There has been no dessert.  I can’t have the baked goods in the house right now. I’m giving it a rest. It won’t be forever, I just feel the need to do without for the time being.  I still have my bananas and unsweetened apple sauce!

friends dieting GIF

No souffles or tarts for a while. Oh to be a cartoon character and eat everything and not gain an ounce!

My new candy is…………the artichoke.  Wegmans had them on sale for four for a dollar last week.  I loaded up.  And when I went back this morning the artichokes were gone.  No big deal because I splurged on a dozen baby ones for $2.50!  Yum. Nature’s candy!

My new “candy”. The great thing about artichokes, both regular and baby is that it’s work to eat them. I’m sure eating artichokes counts as exercise!

I cooked up a batch tonight and they are now in the fridge so that I can snack on them.  I already had one and now have heartburn.

Weekend aperitifs continue to be enjoyed with my extra point allotment. I have 28 extra weekly points and a daily allotment of 4 rollover points if I go under my daily points goal of 23.  You can bet I’m eating under my daily points goal and saving those numbers for the weekend.

Funny story about this photo. It was the FIRST aperitif we enjoyed OUTSIDE in 2016 in April!  Ain’t gonna happen this freezing year.  But, I’m not giving this up!

It’s really about the portions and planning and just not eating the junk that I allowed myself all winter.  A plate laden with Tortilla chips, melted cheese and topped with jalapeño peppers is still heaven to me. But heaven can wait!

Image result for tostitos with melted cheese and jalapenos

Hey. I don’t need football season to want this. Take away the salsa (which happens to be the healthiest thing in this pic) and just give me the chips, cheese and peppers!  But not yet!

But I have to tell you what happened after the meeting last night.  Momcat, one of our Atypical60 friends, suggested a movie to me.

Her suggestion was based on the fact that I’m hooked on the Versailles series on Netflix. The movie is “A Little Chaos” and stars Kate Winslet as a “woman” gardener.  This takes place back in the day of Louis Quatorze and we all know there were no women gardeners.  The movie sounds great. Humor. A great cast.  A period costume movie.  And in France.

Image result for A little chaos

Better than Winslet is Alan Rickman (RIP) as Louis Quatorze and Stanley Tucci as Philippe duc d’Orleans

I was so excited to get home after the meeting that all I had for dinner was an egg salad sandwich (rye bread 2 points a slice. Egg salad, 6 points).  I didn’t cook because I wanted to watch the movie.

So, I get my pajamas on, take my makeup off and my hair off and brush my teeth and get into bed and I’m pumped because we are going to watch “A Little Chaos”.  We did the search thing and it didn’t come up.

In my PJ’s but not asleep because I’m gonna watch a movie–or am I?

Now I’m upset.  Bonaparte is asking me if I’m sure the movie is on Netflix.  He thinks I’m a bit looney when I say in a very loud voice “Momcat saw it on Netflix”.  He didn’t even question it.

He saw that look before—most notably when my laptop turned me into a monster! He picked up the phone and called Netflix customer service.  It seems that our Canadian and European friends who have Netflix have better choices than those of us do in the USA.

I will have to look for the movie in Blue Ray form!  Just my luck!

Yeah.  This is how I felt after NOT being able to watch the movie I REALLY wanted to see!

We watched an episode of Marseille instead. And we figured out how to watch it in French with English subtitles so all was not lost.

Image result for marseille season 2

The good thing is that we have the undubbed version back!

And that was my weigh-in night!

I forgot to tell you. I’m also eating two-egg omelettes!  Cooking them in a non-stick pan sprayed with a bit of Pam.  Bonaparte is getting into it too!

Since I have nine more pounds to go, the rest of the loss will be more of a challenge.  I won’t have another week like this one.  But the meetings are the force that’ll drive me because it’s a great group of people and they are so nice. And Jackie, the leader is also great!

I’m going upstairs in a little while. Work has been crazy-busy. I swear from the time I sit at my desk till the time I leave, I’m busy. But it’s such a wonderful busy that I have to pinch myself!!

I leave you with a song from one of my favorite Beach Boys albums. Vegetables.  The song is so great and has always made me happy. It’s inspiring for those zero point veggies!

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Weekend! A Whole Lot of Nuthin’!!!

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Catherine

And what a weekend.  Overall, it’s been a relaxing one. Yesterday, I concentrated on cooking and trying desperately not to “pick” while doing so.

I’m afraid to say, I failed.  I picked—but what I did pick was at the least, healthier choices than a party sized bag of Tostitos and a jar of Cheese Whiz.

Pick me a winner!!!  Unfortunately, I picked at high-calorie black olives and not a zero-point salad with no dressing!

I’m telling you, this Freestyle WW program is really very challenging to me.

Other than that, yesterday was one of those days where I didn’t want to do anything other than cook.

Dinner was great. I made one of my favorite meals. Chicken Breasts with Roma Tomatoes, Black Olives and Basil.  This time I did something different.  Normally, I dredge the chicken in rice flour before sautéing them. I skipped this step.  I sprayed the pan with Pam and then cooked the chicken and it turned out fine. Not dry at all.

The makings of  last night’s dinner.  Surprisingly I didn’t miss the bread.  And there was no added fat. Too keep things on the moist side, I added white wine and the juice from the canned olives!

 

I still made sure the table was properly set.  It’s even more important during a weight loss journey to have nicer place settings!

The finished product!  I swear this is one of my all time favorite meals. So easy and it’s the perfect dish when you really don’t know what to make!

I also slow-cooked a dish that one of the women in the Weight Watcher’s group I belong to created. I call it “Ruth Frazier’s Chicken and Sauerkraut”.  Take a pack of chicken breasts.  Take three cans of sauerkraut.  Dump everything into the crock pot and cook ten hours.  It’s like German-style barbeque!  I seasoned with the “Everything But The Bagel” from Trader Joe’s. No added salt, but I added tarragon and black pepper.  This. Is. Great!!  And I’m petrified to weigh in tomorrow evening because I picked at this on Saturday and today.

Take a pack of chicken breasts….

Open three cans of sauerkraut…

Put it all into the crock pot, season, turn it on low and forgetaboutit for ten hours.

This is supposed to be a zero-point meal, but the way I attacked it in picking, there’s points!

And while I thought I would be baking the two-ingredient, three-point bagels, I passed on it this weekend.  There is a chance that I’m losing my craving for carbs right now.  We’ll see.

The Carrie wig that I received from Uniwigs didn’t fare too well after I washed it—and I ruined it further by cutting it in hopes it would look better after snipping the napped and dry ends.  Then I remembered seeing a few videos on reviving wigs with a steamer.  I found one at Walmart (where else?) for $19.48. I put it to the test and steamed the wig.  It turned out beautifully and I regretted every putting a scissor to her.  Lesson learned.

This inexpensive steamer is amazing–brought Carrie back to life!  I’m thrilled!

Less than twenty bucks–if you wear a wig and see this steamer at Walmart, grab it!!!

I did, however, put a scissor to a few of our Poinsettia plants.  I want them to bloom next December and the process of cutting the plants down starts now, if need be.  Some of the stems were becoming “woody” so I cut them. New growth should appear in a few weeks—then at summer’s end, the plants will need total darkness for 10 hours a day.  It’s a lot of work but in the end, I’m hoping that I reap the rewards with more blooms. I love Poinsettias!

Bonaparte was extremely upset that I cut some of the poinsettias down.  He doesn’t believe they will grow back and rebloom.  I’m a Sunshine Pumper so I think they will!

So anyway, last night after dinner, I headed upstairs to see what Bonaparte was watching.  There’s a series on Netflix about Versailles titled “Versailles” and my Frenchman has been addicted to this.  Now—all I could think of was the cheesy Versailles series that aired on Ovation two years ago. OMG. I thought it was almost comical and I stopped watching after the third episode.

Related image

Louis Quatorze played by George Blagden and his bi-sexual, cross-dressing brother, Phillippe duc d’Orleans played wonderfully by Alexander Vlahos make this series worth watching.  The costumes and wigs are enough for me!  But it’s so juicy!!

This is that Ovation version. Netflix acquired it but I don’t know what happened because I got hooked on Season Two and I’m so glad that it’s been renewed for Season Three. It’s so juicy!  The series follows all the dirt on Louis Quatorze and his cross-dressing brother Phillipe, Duke of Orleans.  The wigs are right up my alley and so are the costumes.  I’m so glad I gave the series a second chance!!  Sometimes, second chances are so worth it!

How pathetic is it that Alexander Vlahos as Phillipe is prettier as a woman than I am?  That wig is to die for!!

This morning proved to be quite the frustrating one though.  My goal was to make a couple of YouTube videos for the three people following me.  But when I went to turn my laptop-from-Hell on, the camera wasn’t working.

I remained calm over my laptop issue.  I didn’t have a tantrum like last time. Remember THAT? 

Three hours later, I fixed the issue. Don’t even ask my how I did it, but it had something to do with the Logitech webcam needing updates.  And the videos were completed. I was very proud of myself for not losing it the way I did a couple of months ago?  In case you never saw the post “My Laptop Turned Me Into a Monster and I Am Not Ashamed!”

Then I went to check my Instagram.  I enjoy Instagram simply because I love looking at photos.  I noticed that quite a few people had unfollowed me and I went to the “unfollow” app that I have on my phone.  Wouldn’t you know it—I have been unfollowed by women of my own demographic who pontificate supporting each other.  Funny how that happens.  I couldn’t help but get my bitch on and simply unfollow them back.

I got my creativity on and made this meme!

I don’t unfollow anyone on Instagram unless they unfollow me—and boy, you would be surprised at the women who have unfollowed me!  I’ll end this here and now.

You know how much I am a fan of Wet n Wild cosmetics.  I love the brand’s Photofocus and Cushion foundations.   I also like their concealer and a few other products.  Anyway, last week I realized I was running low on my Hard Candy primer. When I went to Walmart to replace this particular primer, Walmart was sold out.

It was then I noticed the Dewy Lumineux Primer from Wet n Wild.  At $4.68, I thought the price was right.  Until I placed the tube in my hand.  There is only.84 oz. of primer in the tube…and it resembles an oversized sample size.

Regardless, I made the purchase—anything that says “dewy” on the packaging appeals to me.

I used the primer twice. Once during the workweek and today.  Today finalized my thoughts. It isn’t worth the money.  Here’s why.

The worst primer I’ve ever spent my money on.  It was just a total fail.  Totally drying to the point my fact felt taught.  Pass on this one ladies!

The amount in the tube really is miniscule but, quite a bit spurts out when you give the tube a gentle squeeze.  The primer is flesh colored, which isn’t a bad thing.  But when it goes on, it has more of a glittery sheen than a dewy finish.

In fact, I found this primer to be drying—which is so odd because I’ve never purchased a primer that was drying.

Overall, I give this an F.  I’m not kidding either. I love this brand but this product is an absolute fail for mature skin.  Honestly, if you see it, pass it by!

Still in cold-weather clothing at work—here’s a gander at what I wore this week.  I’m happy to report that my Steward plaid pants from J. Crew are fitting better these days!

On Tuesday, I revisited these pants from many, many years ago. I got ’em on final clearance at Old Navy for seven bucks and I’ve always been complimented on them. A true oldie but goodie!

Wednesday was a day for further revisiting of old items.  The cardigan?  It’s from ModCloth and is quite a few years old but I love it.  I paired it with a white tee, black leggings and reptile print ballet flats from Banana Republic that must be at least 8 years old! I am still on the fence with the Modern Motif wig but I love the color!

Can you believe it is still winter clothing weather?  The plaid pants did not zip up a month ago–and now they fit fine again.   This weather will allow me to wear plaid pants until June with the way the colder air is sticking around!

And for jeans Friday,  jeans, J. Crew suede flats, my J. Crew Navy Schoolboy blazer, and my favorite scarf that I scarfed from Oona!  I love this look!

Yesterday it was jeans and a plaid shirt.  I went darker with the Freetress Swami wig in the color PBCoffee. My husband likes the darker hair and this is a great compromise.  I’m also liking the no eyeliner look.

I’m so petrified to get weighed tomorrow…. here’s a look at one of the videos I made today. It’s focusing on Weight Watchers and my relationship with food and my weight loss issues.  I hope you get a better insight if you look at it!

 

So that’s it. I can’t wait to watch Versailles tonight!!!

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