Bland, Blonde, and January’s Hibernation Period Has Begun!

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Catherine

The tea is very hot and comforting to me right now.  The snow’s reflection from the lawns and the rooftops across the street makes the house brighter during this mid-day.

This English Breakfast Tea warms my body because it is 64 degrees in my house and is 10 degrees outside.  I’m afraid to touch the thermostat!

All is quiet.  The Pita bread has been made and is resting easy until dinner tonight.  Dough is in the oven proofing for Bonaparte’s favorite weekend Pullman loaf.

Chef John’s Pita Recipe! Hands down, it’s the best!

Chippy is snuggled up on the cozy throw I placed on one of the sofas to protect it from any paw dirt.

This little nugget is freezing his doggie balls off! But he’s comfy!

As I look around,  I wonder where the holidays went.  Did we celebrate Christmas—or was it just a vivid dream?  Last night Oona and I pondered this while talking on the phone.

Good bye tree…it seemed like we just got you yesterday!

Oops!  Looks like a certain Frenchman is happy the tree is leaving!

Tea is my filler as I study all my Weight Watchers information from years past.  I’m not even going to bother with the new “Freestyle” program because Weight Watchers changes their plans as many times as a mother of a newborn baby changes diapers.

Screw it. I’m sticking to Old School Weight Watchers–this program from 2012!

I’ll stick with what works—looking up points and tracking what I eat.

If I bite it, I write it!  Words to live by!!!!

Though I won’t weigh myself for another few weeks, I feel reassured knowing my clothing still fits—albeit tight, but still fits!

Yeah. They are tight but still fit. A great time to revisit a diet!

It snowed yesterday. Here in the Philly ‘burbs, it wasn’t a blizzard, but it was enough of an accumulation that, with the temperatures in the low teens and single digits, the white blanket will stick around for a while.

It’s gonna be a while before we have drinks out here!!

The view from yesterday…

And my annual “Bare Foot In The Snow” photo!

And that’s what I kind of like about January.  The month always seems longer than it is.  It’s that 31-day span when you just want to live in nothing but pajamas, wrap a cozy throw blanket around your body, sit on a deeply cushioned sofa and sink into it—whether you are reading a book, a magazine, bingeing on Netflix shows or playing Candy Crush Saga on your iPhone.

And as soon as I finish this post and head to the grocery store, I’m coming back and getting into this!!!!

This is the month of hibernation. When the winter is at it’s most wicked.  The wind isn’t softly kissing your cheek—it’s blowing you a sucker punch when you leave the house.  Running in this weather—I’m sorry but the only thing running on me is my nose!

January is a month of planning, reassessing and looking forward to the coming months of summer. And while January is visiting, I make no effort to throw this yearly visitor out to pasture. I welcome her. Life is too short to complain about the baggage she brings.  While we are housebound we get to work on projects.  Perhaps hanging drapes or curtains.  Maybe some new houseplants.  New pillows for the sofas?  Dressing up the bed with a new and fluffier-than-a-cloud comforter?  This is when we can do things that we don’t have time to do during the rest of the year.  January is a respite from our busy lives—time to stop and think about the roses!

I’m writing recipes into my bullet planner–don’t even ask why!!!

And now that the needles from the tree have been vacuumed up, I am enjoying the blandness of the house.

The corner of the living room where the tree stood is back to normal…

And flowers are adding color to a neutral scheme.

But, I’m also enjoying my blondness!  Yesterday a new wig came in the mail.  It was one that I was coveting so badly.  After watching a few YouTube reviews on this perfect long bob, I knew that Swami had to be mine.  The only thing was that she was sold out in every color with the exception of the TSMocha color, a blonde/brown color with darker roots.  I took the chance and ordered it anyway.

As Gomer Pyle would say “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise”!  I’m blonding it!

Can you believe this new hair?  

Let me tell you something.  I dig me as a blonde.  I’m feeling so “Khloe Kardashian”.    The change is so much fun!  And that’s what a wig should be—fun!  At this point wearing wigs is just a part of getting dressed and I’m equating it with a different sweater or shirt, pair of jeans or shoes.

I’m certainly living a little with this small change!!!

With fake hair, I’m not giving my bio hair additional damage by dying it every color of the spectrum. I can plop a different colored wig on my head and that’s it.

It’s funny—as we get age, we should be open to change. It’s a blast to get out of our ruts every now and then.  We don’t need to fulfill everyone’s stereotypes that we should look like a fart waiting to escape our pants.

I feel so Khloe Kardashian. I just may wear this wig on my 63rd birthday this April–or to our Gorman Family Reunion!!!

Change is fun. Change is good.  And whether it is the smallest amount of change like adding an animal print belt to your wardrobe or a change of traveling solo—it’s all wonderful.

What say you?  Any little changes you’re making?  Think about it.  January is a great month for thinking about change—we can do a lot of changing while in hibernation mode!

I did a wig video today on this spectacular long bob.  Here it is if you would like to further see my change. And if you like it, head over and subscribe.  My “goal” is to try to make more videos this year.  “Try” is my motivational word for 2018!

Have a great weekend!!!! XOXOXOXO

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The Christmas Decorations Have Been Put Away—But I’ve Got Gifts That Will Keep On Giving!

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Catherine

When I was a child, my mother never took the Christmas decorations down before The Epiphany, or Little Christmas, or Three Kings Day, in remembrance of the three kings who visited Baby Jesus on Christmas.   That first Sunday of January was always a pretty big deal because it meant that the Christmas Season had officially ended.

Little Me.  Secretly hoping my mother kept the tree up way past Ephipany!

When my three kids were young, I followed that same tradition and actually took the tree down the Monday after, when the kids were in school.  And they came home to the house the way it was before the holidays.

Today I woke up early, enjoyed my morning coffee then hit the deck, so to speak, to dissemble the banisters of the greens, lights and ribbons.  Ornaments were taken off the tree as were the gold garland and lights.

Screw it. I didn’t even bother to get dressed. Once I decided to take the decorations down, that was it!

Until late next November or early December, this little cutie is going for a long nap!

Why does it take less than a half-hour to put UP the lights and about three hours to take the lights DOWN?  And that’s only off the tree!

Honestly, I can’t stand the way the banisters look when I take the decorations down.  That’s the one thing that bothers me. I love the embellished stairways!

Back to basics now.  No more greens and berries atop the cupboard.

The runner we purchased in France last summer is back on the chest.  That  Waterford vase was a wedding gift from my ex-husband and his girlfriend. Isn’t it pretty?  It found a permanent place!

All holiday pillows and throws are now in tubs.  Damn–it looks bland now!

 

Tables and beds were stripped of Holiday linens.  Every decoration was put away.  The large and extremely heavy leaf that rests in the dining room table was taken out—making the transition to the smaller, more intimate one where Bonaparte and I enjoy our evening meals.

The downstairs guest room is back to normal…

And all the Holiday pillows and throws that were downstairs are with their upstairs pillows in tubs for next Holiday Season!

I was on a roll.  The kitchen got the scrub down from me too.  All that holiday baking left its mark in my work space and needed to be a bare slate once again.  Floors were swept and scrubbed.

I also spent the day boiling and reboiling the snail shells from the escargots I made. White vinegar in boiling water.  Four times around does the job. Now they are drying!

The only signs of Christmas 2017 are the many Poinsettias that I can’t bring myself to get rid of.  I actually like to keep them around for as long as possible.  The Christmas tree is still standing.  It is as naked as a jay bird and I’m in a state of shock that the tree hasn’t dried out yet.  Oh, there are fallen needles but it isn’t that bad.  We’ll take the tree out later during the week when Bonaparte has time. But overall, the house is bare.

The plaid tablecloth has been replaced with a Provencal one!  The poinsettias–some of which have been here since Christmas 2016!  I can’t get rid of these.

I also moved some to the dining room table/my pretend office! Geez. When the kids were young the dining room table was the homework and crafting table. Now it’s my make believe office!

Our naked tree.  I’m shocked at how remarkably well this one held up!  The needles are still very much pliable!

The decorations are marked and packed in plastic tubs and I only had one close call. I lost my phone.  In fear that I packed it away and was getting all anxiety-ridden that I would have to go through all the tubs, I retraced my steps and checked a large trash bag on the counter.  Thankfully, it was there.  I was carrying so much garbage around that I inadvertently threw the damned iPhone in the trash!

And now that all is calm, I can enjoy a few gifts that keep on giving.

Oh.  We didn’t exchange gifts this Christmas.  It turned out to be a good thing too because everyone has what they want. There’s nothing we need.  All I wanted was to be with the kids and we had that precious time together. I

However—we did exchange stockings.  And they were filled with candies, little things like socks and playing cards, bottle openers, toiletries and Old Navy Pajama bottoms and tee shirts.

My stocking was not filled by Bonaparte, nor was it filled by Santa.  Oona had the pleasurable task of filling mine.  And it did not come with coal.  But rather, it was filled with a few items that would keep on giving—for a while.

One of the things that was in the stocking was a package of two makeup remover towels.  Fresh Face. Oh, dear God—I was shocked at how great these towels are.  Who thinks of this stuff anyway?  The towels are very soft.  One side a bit less soft and acts as an exfoliating scrubber for skin and makeup. The other, softer side is to clean.  At first, I was skeptical about these—there’s no way makeup can be removed with something this soft.  But wait.  I couldn’t believe how clean the towels get your face.  This is a great gift that’ll keep giving and giving!

The brand is “Fresh Face”

One black and one pink and let me tell you..

I swear I didn’t even need my Albolene to take this gunk off my face! This towel and warm water did it.  I’m still in shock!  These things work!

 

Another gift that will keep giving—and has managed to give every day since I received it, may be a bit taboo of a subject to talk about, but—it’s the greatest thing since hot and spicy tortilla chips!  Poo-Pourri! That’s right.  A little ounce of lemon,Bergamot and lemongrass.  You spray this delightful elixir into the toilet bowl before you go poo-poo!  Trust me. This stuff works like a charm!

Hey. It has the “Good Housekeeping” seal of approval. This works. Never be embarrassed again when you go to someone’s home to visit.  You’ll spend all day on your throne at home!

But what really fascinated me about receiving this little scented gem of a gift was why??  Why did Oona stuff this into my Christmas stocking?  This—from my child.  Mind you, when the kids were young, the door to the little alcove in my master bathroom that housed my throne was always opened.  Not by me either.  Either the dogs decided to follow me hoping for a fallen piece of toilet paper or whatever else they could snatch from me, or one of the kids came running in for money or some sort of crisis.  As if I could help them while sitting down depantsed.

Besides that, I thought anything that left my body came out smelling like a rose.

Apparently not—but this Poo-Pourri is so great that we will be purchasing more of this.

Facial masks and bath fizzies were also a part of the little gifts that’ll keep on giving.  Although I’m down to the last fizzie.

Oona knows what mommy likes!  I used the hydrating one today after I decided to look human again!

…and I’m down to my last bath fizzie thingy!

My stocking also contained this gift that’ll keep giving.  Bonaparte and I can play while enjoying our aperitifs!

And last night, Bonaparte handed me a wrapped box.  I reminded him that we promised no gifts.  But he assured me it was just a little something.  And when I opened it up, I was thrilled with that little something.

It’s a new bottle of my favorite winter scent.  Guerlain’s L’Instant.  This scent was the first gift Bonaparte ever gave me.  We were a “new” couple at the time and he had to go to Paris to take care of some family business.  He came home with L’Instant and I’ve been wearing it ever since I received it in 2004!

I have never, and I mean, never received so many compliments from strangers–especially strange men, when I’m wearing this.  It’s like a scent magnet!!!

I’m at the bottom of my present bottle and this is absolutely the gift that’ll keep giving over the next year!

Oh…and just before I contemplated getting dressed, the doorbell rang. The postman delivered some hair for me.  How could I not make myself presentable? It was a wig I purchased for $6.99!  $6.99—I’m telling you I can’t buy shampoo and hair conditioner for  that price!

I gave myself a gift that keeps giving.  Hair!  Hey, I cleaned up rather well, didn’t I–but I stayed in my pj’s all day!  Why, I look almost as good as the Bobbi Boss wig model!

Bathed and makeup and hair on, I felt like a million bucks.  But I ended up in my pajamas for the remainder of the day.  I do clean up rather well though!

New hair.  Holiday PJ’s–you do realize I’ll be wearing these PJ’s until they fall apart–don’t you?

So that was it.  The decorations are down. Goodbye Christmas 2017.  How’s about you?  Are your decorations still up?  Do you take them down at Epiphany or do you wait a bit longer?  Do you miss Christmas already or are you happy it is back to normal? I wanna know.

Here’s the last Christmas Carol of the year.  As I was putting this away, I had to listen to it and make snow……

Oh Holy Night. Such a beautiful Carol!

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Ummmm… 2018 Isn’t Starting Out As Planned

Posted on January 1, 2018 by Catherine

Happy 2018.  As usual, I’m late to the party.  There’s a reason.

Kinda not starting the way I planned but it’s all good!

Last night, after finishing my last blog post of the year, about my wigs, Bonaparte and I sat down to a couple of Kir Royals to toast the last evening of 2017 and to enjoy a nice dinner.

2017. The year I “Got Wiggy” with it!

After dinner, a quiet evening of watching TV to ring in 2018. Let me start off by saying that New Year’s Eve is not my favorite holiday.  I find it a bit sad and melancholy and there always seems to be a sense of forced celebration–you know, everyone has to be at a party or gathering.  I just wanna be home in my pajamas!!

Tchin Tchin!  A quiet way to celebrate the end of 2017 and the beginning of a new year!

Oh…and I made escargot.  Those snails–they are so delicious!

Besides that, the song “Auld Lang Syne” makes me cry.  Between Judy Garland singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in Meet Me in St. Louis and anyone who belts out Auld Lang Syne, I’m a human cannon spewing out tears and sobbing hysterically.

Happy New Year, from Bonaparte and I to you!!!!

Bonaparte suggested watching a new French series on Netflix.  The series, “La Mante” is a thriller starring Carole Bouquet as an imprisoned serial killer who has been asked to assist in a series of murders. This show is creepy AF!  It was so creepy that I woke up in the middle of the night after having a bad dream.  And that is how I welcomed the New Year!

Got Netflix?  Might I recommend La Mante if you aren’t the faint of heart!  Carole Bouquet is so creepy–the entire series is creepy.  I’m scared!

Moving on, my plan was to wake up early this morning and write a blog post to welcome the New Year. It was also my plan to work on organizing my planner and start to track my eating habits in my food journal.  And as I took the first sip of the first cup of coffee for this new year, Bonaparte gave me some news.

This is how far I got this morning..

 

My stepdaughter lost her car key.  That’s not so bad.  The bad thing is that she lost her key somewhere on the beach.  She and her husband and daughter welcomed the New Year at their new place down the shore. (Note—this is why I have always carried a spare key to my car in my wallet or purse at all times).

My blog post was delayed.  However, I did manage to take my diet journal and my planner with me so that I could do some journaling and planning in the car.

This is how far I got with the planner.  Maybe later this evening I’ll work on it some more!

Did I ever mention that when my husband drives he envisions himself as racing in the Grand Prix in Monaco?

Image result for jacques henri lartigue racer photo

Did Grandpere Jacques-Henri Lartigue have a premonition about his grandson’s driving prowess?  For the record, that is not Bonaparte and me–it’s some Lartigue French relative and friends.

I couldn’t write.  But I did nag.  I nagged him because he was driving way too fast.  Now, understand, I am a very compliant driver.  I follow the rules of the road. Driving is a privilege that I take seriously and I only go over the speed limit when I am fully aware that there are no cops on the road.

And about an hour-and-a-half into our drive down the shore, it seemed as though my car (Yes. He was driving my car) lifted off the road and was airborne.  The result of a super-sonic speed.

Then it happened.  A State Trooper was sitting off the road in his car and Bonaparte couldn’t slow down fast enough.  The lights went on, I started yelling and getting all drama-queen and Chippy rolled his eyes in the back seat. There is a good chance that the State Trooper heard my hysterics.  I was beside myself because I’ve never gotten a ticket in this car.  My car has a clean record and I actually forgot that it is the driver, not the car that gets the ticket.

I must admit, this State Trooper didn’t even look old enough to drive.  But it didn’t stop me from acting like a crazed lunatic.  On the verge of tears, I explained that my car had a clean record and my French husband had a memory lapse and thought he was back in France, actually, Monaco in the Grand Prix.

The Trooper was very kind and smiled as he told me to calm down and everything was ok.  Then he asked Bonaparte if her realized he was going over 90 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.  I interrupted, because I do that so well, and explained our situation.  Then I went on to say how much I respect officers because my own father was a NYC Police Officer and I whipped out my dad’s old PBA card.

This was one of the last things my dad gave to me before he died.  I think he knew I would need it. And it’s come in handy ever since 1992!

The conversation took a rather pleasant turn as Bonaparte did not receive a ticket. But that didn’t stop me from reminding my Frenchman that he needed to slow down—and I reminded him the remainder of the drive.

And as we drove off, I blessed myself and said a prayer of thanks to my father, I swear he was watching out for us.

My dad–and yes, I changed the words of  the “Our Father” prayer to “My Father”…hallowed be his name for getting us out of a ticket!

We arrived at the house, handed over the keys and didn’t stay long as Bonaparte wanted to get home. He’s not fond of the cold weather you know. I would have stayed all day…and overnight…perhaps until the weather warmed up!

The house is absolutely adorable….

But I just couldn’t understand why my step daughter insisted on showing ME the outdoor shower?  I think she’s afraid that I’ll spend hours in the bathroom getting ready!

The thing is, I’m glad we took the drive. I find the beach/shore very tranquil during the winter months when nobody is there.  I like the solitude.

A lonely wooden sailor stands alone outside a restaurant that is empty now but will be thriving come May..

The bay is like the frozen Tundra..

No signs of life…

..except for the person manning this toll booth and he didn’t seem to happy to be working today!

All is quiet and dormant.

Closer to home as the Philly skyline comes into view on this New Year’s Day!

So that’s why I’m late to the party.  It’s late afternoon on this New Year’s Day.  Tomorrow I’ll start taking the decorations down and once again, things will return to normal.

Ain’t gonna lie.  I miss the kids. I miss the activity but I’ve got lots to look forward to for this coming year.

And here’s what I wanted to say earlier:

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!

I’m late to the party but I wish everyone the best for 2018!

 There will be no resolutions because I always manage to break them.  There will be no goals because I never manage to reach them.  There will be no expectations because—well, just because!

But—I will try.  Because to try is the best I can strive for.  I will try to be a kinder person. I will try to focus. I will try my best to write. I will try, for my daughter, not to get all politically upset! I will try to be a better person because that’s all I can do for this new year.

And I thank each and every one of my Atypical60 friends for reading about my misadventures and my failures and successes.  Thank you for making me feel better when I’m not doing well. Thank you for your support and engagement.  Thank you for laughing with me and thank you for “listening” to my rants.  Also—thank you for enjoying my reviews and I will try to keep you entertained during 2018!

Best to all of you for a healthy, happy, and successful new year!

Here’s a nice song for you.  John Mayer’s 83.  It’s the year I became a mom and when I listen to it, I think of my oldest son!

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My Favorite Looks for 2017. The Wig Edition

Posted on December 31, 2017 by Catherine

As we close in on 2017 with but a few hours left, it dawned on me that this was the year that I could no longer go out in public with a topper or hair fibers to disguise my hair loss.  The worst part isn’t the hair loss itself, but the fact I can’t get to go to the salon to see Adam anymore.  I loved going to get my hair washed and blown out. It took me a lifetime to finally find a hair stylist who was the greatest then I lost too much hair.

My bio hair. Yeah. I’m lucky that I was born with a ridiculously thick mane. But the thinning is cause for self-consciousness and self-esteem issues.  The natural part is wider than Moses’ parting of the Red Sea.  You can see my scalp–even when I have my hair pulled back in a pony.  It’s not worth the mess of hair fibers. It is definitely NOT worth all those mumbo-jumbo products that *cough* *cough* “promise” regrowth. Nah. I’ll spend the money on wigs!

Oh well.

2017 was the year of the wig for me.  But it’s not a bad thing at all.  I mean, after all, I no longer have a bad hair day. I can also change the style depending on the weather or my mood. If I want a bob, I can have one without putting a scissor to the tresses.  If I want to go long, no problem—I’ll just go into my closet and pick a longer length wig.

Take your choice–straight, wavy bobbed?  Can’t change up bio hair like this on a daily rotation!

Lately I’ve been going a couple of shades lighter than my once, very black hair. And I like the color change.  Curly, straight, wavy, streaked—whatever.  It’s my hair because I paid for it!

Bonaparte has also put his two-cents worth in as well.  Upon his suggestion of a shorter, layered wig, I ended up taking a cue from him and now his suggestion is one of my faves!

Quite honestly, wigs should be a part of getting ready in the morning if you not only suffer hair loss, but also if you have aging hair.  I know. I know. Many women have hair that ages much better than others.  And if you’ve spent decades dying, blow drying, flat ironing, perming and performing other various forms of abuse on your locks, chances are in your fifties or sixties, your bio hair ain’t looking that great anymore.  Fuhgeddaboudit and get a wig!

Anyway, here are some of my favorites from 2017.  And a look at other wigs I’ve worn over the past year.  Let’s have a look, shall we?

I’m a huge fan of synthetic wigs.  Synthetic hair is affordable, versatile and washes well. It is low-maintenance for the most part.  And–not all synthetic wigs are created equal.  Some synthetics are better quality than others.  You find out through trial and error.  That’s one of the reasons I am literally addicted to inexpensive wigs.  They don’t cost more than a wash and blow-dry and last longer…anyway, read on, my girlfriends…read on…

THE NUMBER ONE FAVORITE WIG OF 2017–CARRIE LACE FRONT WIG BY LAVIVID!

I can’t say enough about this wig.  If I could afford to, I would have her in every color.  Carrie is the most expensive wig I have and at $188, she is still incredibly affordable compared to other brands.  The quality of the hair is stellar.  The cap construction is the best I’ve seen.  This wig does not tangle nor does she shed and she looks better and better with each wear.  The color is Number 5, Brown Spice. 

Details of Carrie.  On the left—check out the luster.  She’s not too shiny, which I love. She’s soft but not fine and the hair is dense.  On the right, check out that parting space. It’s life!!

NUMBER TWO FAVORITE WIG OF 2017: STORM U-CURVED LACE FRONT WIG BY MODEL MODEL

Storm by Model Model.  This is in Number 4, Brown.  I have four Storms and this is the lightest color.  At around $34.00 from both Sam’sBeauty and Divatress–she is a great value.

Let me tell you, Storm missed being the Number 1 wig by a small margin. That margin was the parting space.  The U-Curve design is supposed to lend itself well to various parting space but you have to “train” the wig if you want the part anywhere else but the right side. I love a left-side part and had to train this wig.  But even so, I wore a darker version all through France this past summer and the wig stood the test of wear.

NUMBER THREE FAVORITE WIG OF 2017-PERM YAKI 14″ BY OUTRE

A shorter-medium layered style wig, Outre’s Perm-Yaki 14″ had become a favorite because she is so darned natural looking and wears so well!  She retails for $24.95 on HairtoBeauty.com.   Other sites such as Divatress also sell this.

The number three Perm Yaki 14″ is the wig that Bonaparte suggested I try.  Since he was paying, I went for it and now I’m waiting for my 4th unit to come.  This is a great wig. I wore her a lot during the week that the kids were here.  Since there was a ton of activity, I wanted to wear a wig that would not tangle from the fabric on my sweaters.  She’s great. This is also a great wig for the mature woman who doesn’t want a lot of length but wants a youthful vibe.  Low maintenance, I comb through when I’m done, net her and place her back in the package.  She’s very natural looking too.  I’m glad the Frenchman saw this one!

OTHER WIGS OF 2017:

Clary by Sensationnel Empress.  On the site she looked less curly/wavy, but I like her.

Bonaparte likes this wig more than I do.  I’m really more of a straighter haired lover. It’s most likely due to the emotional trauma of growing up with naturally frizzy hair. I have issues.  Still, I like this wig.  She’s holding up well and was less than $20.00 when I made the purchase.

 

Jacoba by Model Model. I picked this up at a local beauty supply store. Wearing it pulled back helps to loosen the curls.

The wig above–I saw it in a local beauty supply store on a mannequin head.  The waves were so loose and beautiful–and I like Model Model wigs as a brand. They are well-made. I paid around $23 for this wig. When I got her home I almost cried. The curls were so ridiculously tight. That’s when I realized the wig in the store looked the way it did from being handled.  I wore Jacoba pulled back for an entire day and liked the way she looked. When I took the clip out, the waves were looser.  I’m still working on this one to make the waves even more loose.  She’s a decent wig though. No tangling and nice and dense!

 

Konis by It’s A Wig! Konis remains one of my favorites.  I love the style because it’s kind of a no style style.  Here she is in the color  TT99J/530.

Konis is one of my favorites. I have four of this wig.  In colors ranging from black to this burgundy color.  The length isn’t too long and it doesn’t shed.  Tangling is minimal and she wears well…

Here’s another look. And I just saw that WigTypes.com is having a sale price of $23.81. A great buy!

Kimmie by Freetress Equal.  She’s a gorgeous wig but….

Kimmie by Freetress Equal was a wig I couldn’t wait to get.  Reviews were great.  And she’s beautiful.  For the first few wears.  But this wig sheds so much to the point I thought it was my bio hair–and not in a good way.  Kimmie also tangles. A lot. And the ends frizz.  The frizzy ends can be fixed with a run-through of a flat iron.  But the time I’ve spent detangling this wig–well, I would not repurchase this. As pretty as she is, the maintenance is too much for lazy me!

Claudia by Bobbi Boss.  I’ve worn her quite a bit this winter..

Claudia by Bobbi Boss.  I saw reviews and decided to get this unit.  And when I first got this, I wasn’t crazy about her at all.  The left-side parting space didn’t look right on me.  But I took her back out, shifted the wig to a right-side part and now, I’m very happy with this one.  Not pin straight, and a bit more silky than heavy-yaki, I like this as an every day wig.  She retains her shape and is completely low-maintenance.  No shedding. Minimal tangling.

Perm Yaki 18″ by Outre.  This is another beauty.

You saw the Perm Yaki 14″ at the beginning of this post.  Bonaparte picked it out.  Well, here’s the longer version.  The Perm Yaki 18″.  That four inches makes such a difference. I love this wig so much that I have four of them.  But there’s also a downside to this longer version.  It doesn’t wear as well.  I’ve learned through trial and error that this can’t be worn with heavy textured sweaters or wooly scarfs because the tangling is horrific.  This is a wig that needs to be babied and handled with care.  That’s why I only wear this on special occasions such as date night.   This wig hits so close to home for me because it is just like my bio hair when I would give it a roller set. Big and very Long Island.  Although I’m well-aware of the maintenance, I will keep getting this one!

A newbie that’s sure to be a fast favorite!  Isis Brown Sugar BS 223 in the color Raisin.

At $35, this Isis Brown Sugar BS 223 wig was on the higher side of truly inexpensive.  This wig is a goodie.  Again, it’s my favorite kind of style, a no-style, style.  The hair is thick and lustrous.  The cap is comfortable. This raisin color is really, really nice. No shedding. No tangling!

Another wig from It’s A Wig. This is Justine and I love this one too!

It’s a Wig makes great wigs.  This–Justine is a bit longer than Konis but the two are very similar.  Are you getting an idea of the kinds of wigs I like–LOL!!!

The Bobs.

Truth be told, as much as I love the bob, it’s a struggle for me.  When I had my bio hair in a bob, the maintenance was ridiculous.  It looked fine in the winter, but once the spring hit, and any bit of humidity was in the air,  my hair would turn into a frizzed-out pyramid.  You would think that wigs would solve the problem.

Well, yes—and no.  I don’t think a bobbed wig is the easiest to wear. At times, they can look very wiggy–not necessarily from the front, but from the sides and back.  Don’t get me wrong.  I still love a good bob–but as wigs, they are a challenge to find.

Millie by Bobbi Boss.  This bob is very well-constructed and is one that I do wear often.

Millie by Bobbi Boss isn’t the perfect bob for me. It looks a bit “soccer mom”–and I was a baseball/basketball/fieldhockey/irishdance/football mom.  OK????  The hair’s density is wonderful.  It is large head friendly.  I love the yaki texture and the fact it isn’t shiny.  My biggest issue is that I find myself fussing with this thing because the “bob” doesn’t lay right all day.  As I am extremely lazy, I don’t like that!

The Wig–LH Nicky Bob.  Now THIS is a bob!

LH Nicky Bob by The Wig.  The photos above don’t do this wig justice.  The lighting made the wig look a bit shiny and it isn’t.  But I love this bobbed wig. Trust me, it was hard taking the photo of the back but it isn’t uneven. This is just one of those great bobs.  There isn’t much else to say!  This is a human hair blend and was just under $30.00

Can you find the pic of me in my natural hair state?  You got it–second from left in the bottom row.

These are just some of the wigs that have gotten me through the journey of my hair loss.  And it’s fun.  Not all wigs are created the same.  Not all wigs have ended up wearing as well as I thought they would.  But at least I always have a great hair day.

Let me add, there are a ton of online wig shops for you to make your purchases.  The ones that I purchase from and are my faves are:  HairsoFlyShop; Divatress.com; Hairtobeauty.com; Locobeauty.com; Elevatestyles.com; Wigtypes.com; Glamourtress.com

And don’t forget to research, research, research and check out reviews on YouTube!

And I hope that 2018 is an even better wig year!  Happy New Year’s Eve. Be Safe and Have fun.

Love for the New Year!!! And Thank You for being with me!!

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The End of Christmas and My Favorite Looks from 2017. The Clothing Edition

Posted on December 30, 2017 by Catherine

The house is now quiet.

The blanket of snow makes the outdoor noises quieter too!  Shhhhhhhh!!!  Nature is sleeping!

Gone are the familiar hums of background noise—you know the kind.  Songs from a son’s cell phone upstairs playing songs on Spotify.  Moans of anguish from downstairs as another son watches his favored football team fumble along with the dismal commentary from the announcers on TV.  The sounds from the dialogue of a Netflix series binge as the daughter and her boyfriend announce their shock and surprise at the twists and turns of the plot that completed the active symphony of life are no more.

It’s all quiet.  The sun room isn’t very sunny today. I think the entire house is a bit sad!

Earlier today, we drove through the snowfall into Center City to drop Oona and her boyfriend Sam off at the Megabus. They will be joining friends in DC for New Year’s Eve festivities and then returning home to Cincinnati.

The last of the kids are gone…it is certainly an empty nest today,,,,

Even Chippy is sad–he was getting very much used to being spoiled and petted on demand!

And just like that, Christmas 2017 is over.  In a bit over 24 hours the 2017 year will be over.

I lit the tree early today–just because I wanted some last-minute Christmas Spirit before it comes down.

It has certainly been a year of ups and downs, peaks and valleys, laughter and tears. And my best moment this past year was the marriage to my Frenchman!

Me and the handsome Bonaparte!

My worst moment was the realization that I packed on 15 pounds since losing my job in September.  I’m so disappointed in my failure.  But all is not lost because it’s back to Weight Watchers and eating healthy come the new year.  The great thing about the journey is that I’ll be able to write about it again—and my progresses and failures.  It’s all good. And I’m looking forward to sharing my further weight loss!

And that brings me to reflecting on the fun I have had over this year with my wardrobe. I got into posting many of the daily outfits on Instagram as well as on blog posts.

Now—if you are a regular reader of this blog, you are well-aware that there’s a certain way I dress.  This dates back to my days as a student in Catholic School when I wore uniforms.  Those uniforms, believe it or not, set the foundation for the way I prefer to dress as an adult.

True dat.  This woman, Sr. Mary Isabel, Sr. of Mercy, and principal of St. Patrick’s Grammar School, along with my mother, set the foundation of my personal style!

I’m not a flamboyant dresser nor am I what one would call trendy.  I may follow a few trends but in the long run, I’m pretty loyal in my style.  Classics.  Plaids.  Simplicity.  Nothing outrageous or fussy. Blazers. Jeans.  Ankle-length pants.  Lightweight sweaters.  Tee shirts.  Loafers.  My obsessive penchant for pointy-toed shoes baring toe cleavage.  That’s pretty much it.

Image result for the preppy handbook

My style is so simple that even Mrs. H’s mode of dress is just a tad too “too” for me!  Tone it down a bit honey–you’re trying too hard!

On the cusp of 63 years, I know, at this point in my life, what works and what doesn’t. I like ensembles—not costumes.  I like too look current—not outdated.  And I wear what I want to. I do not let age nor do I allow others to tell me how, in my 60’s I should be dressing.

So, with that said, come on with me.  Let’s go through some of my favorite looks from 2017—the Clothing Edition.  The Wig Edition will be my next post!

January 2017: (CAVEAT–the photos suck because I hadn’t gotten my new iPhone yet with the better camera!

I LOVE this look–it’s one of my all-time faves.  The tan suede mini shirt with black tights, black boots, black turtleneck and a nubby plaid scarf.  It’s so simple and classic. Black & Tan!  What’s not to love?

Another simple look–and those pants are much tighter on me a year later!  Plaid pants that hit above the ankle, pointy-toed, cleavage-bearing kitten heels and a simple sweater. Fake pearls. Leather Longchamp bag.  Non-fussy and basic.  J. Crew head to toe!

Another favorite look.  Black knit pixie pants.  Trench. Red turtleneck. Plaid scarf. Ballet flats.  Simple but not boring or dull.  Oh look–it’s my bio hair!

February 2017:

Classic Jeans and blazer look.  Ankle jeans from AG Jeans, Bass Weejuns, plaid shirt and J. Crew Schoolboy blazer. Honestly, THIS is one of my uniform looks.  It is comfortable and casually polished.

Another favorite.  Skinny jeans tucked into over-the-knee boots, a denim shirt, a striped sweater and a schoolboy blazer.  

February was my month for jeans!  The one trend that I absolutely am in love with is the tattered jean look.  Hey–who knew?  But I can’t help it.  Check out the toe cleavage on those Via Spigas!!!

March, 2017:

Back to St. Pat’s uniform look!  Plaid kilt, very much like the one I wore to school.  Over-the-knee boots and black turtleneck.  Doesn’t get more basic than this! I lost enough weight that the skirt’s waist was too big so I had to paper clip it.  Um..that ain’t happening now.

A pair of J. Crew Campbell pants. I love these patterned pants and I may wear them tomorrow because they got too big on me but I’m sure now they fit again.  A cozy sweater and loafers complete the look!

 

This look–I wore it on a Saturday and I could not believe the amount of compliments I received with this look.  Jeans, a simple J. Crew Tippi Sweater and a plaid Schoolboy blazer. It remains one of my best-loved looks from this past year!

More Black & Tan!  A Merino Wool turtleneck, black Pixie Pants and a good amount of costume jewelry, which I don’t wear so much at one time.  

A very casual Sunday look. We were in DC for the weekend and the weather was surprisingly warm for March.  I wore this to the National Gallery.  I love the jeans/loafers/striped shirt/blazer combo!

April, 2017:

April weather is getting warmer. Boy–I hadn’t realized how much I wore tattered jeans this past year.  I love this going-out-to-dinner look. The lady jacket and fancy heels with the torn jeans.  It’s a lovely contrast!

This striped skirt.  It’s a gazillion years old and I got it at Old Navy for five bucks on clearance.  This is why I don’t have a capsule wardrobe.  Clothes can make appearances after a few years.  My stripes match the striped socks of Bonaparte’s!

This was a try-on at J. Crew Factory. I made the purchase and I LOVE this dress. It’s a great casual dress and the sneakers give it a youthful and fun vibe.

Denim jackets!  I paired this with a fun pom-pom shirt and navy knit pants.  The scarf is Lilly Pulitzer for Target.  I love this look–it’s a fun springtime look and casual but not sloppy!

May 2017:

A fun suiting look that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  Navy blazer. Navy pants. Red heels and a Heels on Fire tee from J. Crew.  

A very pragmatic office look. Navy pencil skirt, flats, striped shirt.  It’s a comfortable look.

Black and red. A very ladylike but very simple look.  No frou-frou. No fuss. I like this!

June, 2017:

Looks like I got my new iPhone because the photos look better.  A lightweight pleated skirt, white sleeveless tee and a lightweight scarf are perfect for early June.  I must have had my shoes downstairs!

This chambray shift. Another oldie but goodie. It’s so simple but I love the cut of it.  It is and remains one of my favorites!

Another loose shift. I love simple dresses like this for summer dressing. One stop dressing–that’s it!

I call this my Bardot look–even though I look nothing like her.  The light cotton skirt and striped shirt remind me of St. Tropez. 

July 2017

This was my most-worn outfit of the summer. I wore it a lot when we were in France–at ten bucks it was the steal of the century.  This lightweight jersey dress is THE perfect travel dress. 

Another inexpensive but great travel dress that served me well in France. $16 at Primark and the beauty of it is that I was able to go braless!!!

I need a moment here. This skirt is so out of my usual comfort zone because I’m not big on animal print clothing but this skirt.  This. Skirt. It’s my favorite. Surprisingly it is incredibly versatile.  It can be worn all year and bringing it to a casual elegant look with heels and a denim jacket.  I dig this so much!

August 2017:

Another shorts look.  I’m guessing we went to a movie theater and the A/C had me wearing a blazer. I dunno but I like the way it looks.

DING. DING. DING!!!  I KNEW I WOULD FIND THIS PIC!  THIS IS MY ALL-TIME, FAVORITE LOOK OF 2017.  THAT FANTASTIC LEOPARD PRINT SKIRT BUT THIS TIME WITH A BALLET NECK TEE, PEARLS (FAKE, OF COURSE) AND POINTY-TOED HEELS.  It’s such a non fussy look but I really love it. It’s so classic and timeless!!

Another late-summer look.  Simple as pie. Ballet flats, pixie pants and a lightweight plaid swing top.  Nothing else except a stray bra strap! Other than the bra strap, this is another favorite look from the summer.

September, 2017:

White tee, Stewart plaid lady jacket, torn jeans and ballet flats. A classic autumn look.

For those September cooler days a lightweight scarf over a tee and comfy jeans with flats.  These flats. Let me tell you something.  They are the one item from J. Crew that was a complete fail. Gemma flats. The wear on these shoes was awful. After three wears they just looked awful and stretched out.  It’s a shame because they could have been great shoes! Regardless, I still love this look!

Another favorite and because I can go braless in this checked off-the-shoulder shirt, it’s even more of a favorite.  Ankle jeans and orange Repetto ballet flats give this incredibly simple look a fun turn!

A job interview look.  Very conservative but not bland.  It was for an Admin position at a recovery house. The funny thing is that the guy interviewing me was all pedantic in his speech and blabbing on an on how fair and wonderfully empathetic he was.  Yeah. He was so empathetic that he never even emailed me to let me know I did not get the job!

Back to basics–and a memory of uniform dressing.  Blazer, simple tee, pants and fun flats.  These Gemma flats are faring much better than the others from J. Crew!

Another casual October look.   I love a plaid shirt and a blazer. Don’t you?

November 2017:

More Black & Tan.  You know, I guess I really love this color combo. I wore these pants for Thanksgiving.  This must have been taken around that time because I started decorating for Christmas.  Boy. Time goes by quickly!

Some hi-lo fashion here.  J. Crew pants paired with an inexpensive lady jacket from Shein.  I love this jacket and this is a great look for work or meeting friends.

I can’t help myself.  I’m a complete basic. These two outfits personify my simple style. No embellishments.  The clothing is the focal point.  And these are favored looks of mine!  You don’t need a lot of fussy to dress well.

I’m plaiding it up big time but I love the burgundy shoes with these pants.

OK. So I’m on the edge of 63 but I love a plaid skirt, tights and sweater. Keeping a long line with tights that match the shoes is key.  

December 2017:

And here we are at the last month of this year.  I didn’t do a lot of fancy dressing this month because I was so focused on getting the house ready.  I’m very sad today but had a fun time going through all the outfits that I truly loved from this year.

A casual vibe while running errands.  I like wearing fake pearls because the white luster adds a bit of light to the face.

Boots, pixie pants, a sweater and scarf warm the December air.  Those boots.  They broke again. I swear do NOT ever spend your money on Tory Burch boots. They are so shoddy.  The money I’ve spent in repairing these things is ridiculous. I’m seriously thinking of returning them to Nordstrom. The frustrating thing is that they look so good though!

MY SECOND FAVORITE LOOK OF THE YEAR!  Honestly.  I am so in love with these FancyPants that I got for less than thirty dollars at Old Navy. I wore them for our special dinner that the kids gave for us.  The pants are just not me but then they are!  I love this look so much!

Berry Pink in December?  Sure. Why not?  I was feeling a bit wild so I wore a bright Tippi sweater!  I like the look!

Back to plaid!  The blazer, that is.  Jeans, a black sweater, black ballet flats and a white scarf make a casual classic pulled-together look polished for Christmas food shopping!

And to complete this circle of fashion, the same skirt and sweater that I started this post in–only different boots and a pineapple necklace. I wore this to the airport to pick up Oona.  #Saturdaysharelinkup

That’s it.  A year’s worth of my favorite looks. Many variations on a theme and proof that you can still dress basic without being dull and boring.

I’m giving myself the evening off from laundry and getting the house back in order. I’ll pull a Scarlett O’Hara and do it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day!

Here’s a little bit of snowy heaven. I filmed this after dropping Oona and Sam off at 30th Street to catch the Megabus to DC.  Enjoy!!

A snowy drive through Fairmount Park!

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Dysfunctional Mom’s Christmas Saga. Part Four. The Battle of the Philly Cheesesteaks!

Posted on December 29, 2017 by Catherine

Christmas turned out to be ridiculously dysfunctional and overly-dramatic—thanks to yours truly. And in the end, it managed to be one that will go down in Dysfunctional Mom’s history as one of the more “unforgettable” ones. But the Holiday Season is still upon us.

Christmas Day 2017 may have passed, but I’m still celebrating in my ever-present dysfunctional way!

The day after Christmas, Jake had to fly back to Los Angeles for work. Which, after being with Dysfunctional Mom for almost five days, I’m sure he was welcoming the flight back to the West Coast ,and being far from me in his new home across the country, with inner joy.

The house was still full of activity because Oona’s boyfriend, Sam, was arriving early in the morning.  His flight got into Philly at 8:00 AM.  I asked Oona if she wanted me to accompany her to the airport.  Still suffering the emotional trauma of her arrival at the same airport and the drama that Dysfunctional Mom caused, (See Part One)  she declined my generous offer.

 

This guy. Sam.  He fit right in!!!  

Our plan for the day was to drive to South Philly before dropping Jake off at the airport for his return to California.  The kids were on a mission and they asked me to come with them. The mission—to see which of the two-iconic popular Philly Cheese steak institutions was the better—Pat’s or Geno’s?

No!  We be Philly Cheese Steakin’!

Now at this point, not only had my muffin top of fat overflowed from the waist of my jeans, presently and officially making it a cake top, but the tightness had traveled down to my thighs.  I’m a human sausage stuffed into a casing of skinny denim—so I may as well gorge on a cheese steak or seven.

Bonaparte was working and my big choice was to either stay at home and pick through the leftover mac and cheese……..

Leftover cold mac & cheese. Why even bother to reheat it? It’s going straight to my belly, hips and thighs anyway..

Taki Fuego Chips, Flaming Hot Cheetos, rescue the biscotti that I hid from everyone, bake more cookies, stick my fingers into dip, lick the dip off and then follow it all up with an Alka-Seltzer chaser or accompany the kids into Cheese steak country.

Flaming Hot Cheetos?  Yayuh!!  With a glass of milk it’s just pure junk food heaven.  Weight Watchers starts January first!

I opted for the Cheese steak.

Since nobody is too fond of my driving prowess, Roman got behind the wheel.  He welcomed the chance since his mode of transport is the NYC Subway system and driving allows him the practice he needs—just in case he needs to rent a car any time soon or if he decides to follow Jake to L.A.

Street parking was a challenge, but not as much a challenge as being back in New York.  We found a spot a few blocks away from Geno’s and Pat’s and hoofed it in the sub-zero weather.

This is why I’m so happy to wear wigs!  In the winter, wigs are extra security to keep my head warm and toasty! The five of us, me, Jake, Roman, Oona and Sam ventured from the heat of the car and into the great outdoors of the row homes, wrought iron fences, concrete sidewalks and spectacular sunshine of this glorious day after Christmas. And not a power outage in sight made me even happier!  Ahhhhhh.  It was so good to walk the city streets!

Ahhh..the joys of fake hair!  It’s basically a wig hat and keeps that gray matter even more warm and protected than ever! BTW–I’m wearing what may quite possibly be the greatest true pink lip color of all time.  NYX Butter Gloss Number 4, Merengue. 

We arrived in front of Geno’s.  It was cold as balls.  Luckily our arrival was well-timed.  At just before the Noon crowds arrived, the lines at both establishments were not yet too long.

We split into teams.  Standing on the line at Geno’s were Roman, Oona and Sam.  Sam, might I add, has made the segue into the family very smoothly.  In other words, he fits right in.  Luckily for Oona, he was not traumatized or emotionally affected by my dysfunctional behavior of the past few days as he arrived but a few hours before we ventured into South Philly.

Jake and I were the other team and we headed across the street to Pat’s.

We arrived just in time.  The line, still short, was growing by the second.  Everyone coming to Philly wants a cheese steak! And they also want to text to the world that they ARE getting one!

The cold was the biting kind that hits you in the face and after a few moments of conversation, your chin becomes too numb to speak.  Your nose freezes and God forbid if it runs, you ain’t gonna be able to tell.  Thankfully, I didn’t have a cold so the only thing running was my mouth–which eventually ended up being to frozen to open and close.

Thankfully, before the deep freeze of the atmosphere completely numbed our mouths, we were able to discuss the kinds of cheese steaks we would order.  Since we were, for the most part, still “fooded out”, we went with “wit-out” (without onions) and cheese steaks with provolone and others with Cheese Whiz. (My personal favorite).

If I had any balls, I would have frozen them off.  But—I’m a trooper and Jake and I stood on the line at Pat’s, which was growing longer by the second, anticipating the joy that we would be experiencing when we finally had our warm and gooey cheese steaks in hand.

Jake, giving me the side eye because I’m taking a photo of him while he’s freezing his balls off! because he didn’t wear a heavy enough coat!  Only a dysfunctional mom can get away with that!

Ordering these logs of delight at Pat’s was akin to Seinfeld’s The Soup Nazi episode.

Yup. This is pretty-much how you order the cheese steaks. If you waste too much time, no cheese steak…….

A tongue-in-cheek sign was in place just before one approached the window to order the cheese steak.  And you order how you want your cheese steak.  No fussing around.  No special orders. No credit or debit cards.  Just cash. And cheese steak orders.  If you want soda or fries, you must order separately at a different window, which was just steps away.

For tourists and food snobs–read the sign. OK???

After placing and receiving our orders, Jake noticed that Roman, Oona, and Sam were across the street—but not at Geno’s.  They were loitering in front of a bar and they had their wrapped sandwiches in hand.  We kept motioning to them to come over but they refused.

Roman, Oona, and Sam. Loitering in front of the bar which proved to be a saving grace–just like church!

The outdoor seating gave me cause to want to run back to the car to eat.  But Sam saved the day.  He noticed a worker at the bar where they were now standing in front of.  Sam asked the guy if we could bring the cheese steaks into the bar if we order drinks.  Guess where we ate?

The crew is mighty happy now!  Cheese steaks and drinks and the warmth of a bar.  What could be better?  I’ll tell you what could be better.  If perhaps there were a few NY Giant’s jerseys hanging off the walls of this place!  Seriously–the bartender here was the greatest and she was adorable too!

Ensconced in the warmth of the bar, we attacked our sandwiches like a pack of wolves out in the wild—only we were indoors.  Drinks ordered, we sat down to discuss the nuances of each cheese steak.  It was decided that the best  was the Pat’s, wit-out and with Cheese Whiz.  It was also decided upon that the Geno’s bread fared better than Pat’s.

Pat’s–the winna of….

…our Cheese Steak Competition.  This is my cheese steak.  Oozing with the fake golden goodness of an overabundance of cheese wiz and wit-out the onions.  Trust me, if I had the onions, I would have ended up in the ER with a gallbladder attack!

Although, in all fairness, the kids voted that Geno’s had the best bread.  I still went with Pat’s on the bread though.

And both establishments had stellar paper for wrapping the cheese steaks.

Geno’s wrapping–cute and colorful..

..While Pat’s takes on a more pragmatic wrapping. But both wrappings are strong AF and nothing will leak through! Perhaps I may be able to use them as a Depends one day!

With full stomachs you would think we were finished with any further consumption of food for the day. Not so.   As we passed an Italian bakery next to Geno’s, we had no choice but to stop in for cookies and cannoli.  $36.00 worth of flavorful fat and sugar.

Cafe Crema Cannoli–because at this point, why the hell not??

It was at this moment that I started thinking about the Half-Yearly sale at Nordstrom because my bra  cup just went up a size from all the food that was ingested over the past five days.  I’m not kidding.  Just call me Hoover! My underwire cups runneth over.  And over.  And over!

Back in the car, we made a rather cozy group as we drove through Philly and upthe I-95 corridor back to the airport.  The Holiday crowd of travelers had subsided.  The make-believe airport police were nowhere to be found—especially on this freezing day.  The traffic was minimal to none.

Bye Frankie.  Bye Bobby.  Bye Fabian Forte. Watch over Pat’s for me. OK???

And just like that—Jake exited the car, with me after him to kiss him goodbye.  He picked up his luggage from the trunk and faded into the afternoon sun as he made his way to the terminal.

I may be a dysfunctional mom, and my drama knows no boundaries.  But my heart just gets a bit weepy when any of my kids leave me.  It’s like that empty Sunday night feeling—only this was a Tuesday. And I realized as I watched him walk into the terminal that I won’t see him for a long time.  And no matter how old your kids are, when they leave you, you still see them as they were when they were children.

It’s true. Jake may be 34 years old, but this is how I still see him…

Roman went back to New York yesterday and Oona and Sam leave tomorrow.  Yes. I’ll be sad, but when I want a dose of happiness, I’ll read this post because it was one fun adventure!

I can’t stop thinking of this song by John Lennon whenever my kids leave. “Watching The Wheels”.  It reminds me of life as a dysfunctional mother!

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Dysfunctional Mom’s Christmas Saga. Part Three. Christmas Eve Fun and A Christmas None of Us Will Ever Forget.

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Catherine

Saturday night’s dinner was beyond anything that Bonaparte and I could have expected.  It was the greatest way to bring the two immediate families together.

And Sunday, Christmas Eve, was very chill and subdued.   Dinner was to be a Greek themed one.  I spent a couple of hours in the morning making the Pita bread and doing a bit of prep work.

I woke up early to make the Pita bread for the evening’s dinner.

Bonaparte had to meet a client for a while and the kids and I decided to see a movie.

We all agreed on seeing “The Shape of Water” and the time of the movie lent itself well to our plans.  We drove into downtown Phoenixville to the Colonial Theatre.

Are you familiar with this theater?   If you’ve ever seen the B-movie, The Blob, then you’ve seen this theater!  It was made famous because the movie scene in The Blob was filmed at this very place!

Hmmmm. Fame seems to follow me—but never stops at me!

And every summer a three-day festival, Blobfest, takes place with showings of The Blob and other B horror movies.

Anyway, the Colonial has been refurbished and it was a pleasure to go to the movies in a bona-fide, old school movie theatre.  Movies. Just like when I was a kid!

The Shape of Water was a movie worth seeing.  A modern-day fairy tale, if you will.  I don’t want to give any spoilers but it was ethereal, a love story, a sci-fi movie, a monster movie, a murder movie all rolled up into one.  Ain’t gonna lie.  About 10 to 15 minutes could have been trimmed off of it, but still, it was very, very good—with great performances all around.  And at the price of a $7.00 matinee—I’ll be going to the Colonial Theater a lot more!
So here we are on a blustery Christmas Eve afternoon. Ready to enjoy the warmth of the Colonial movie theater and a magical modern-day fairy tale!

The Lobby is light and airy.  A modern touch, but you can still feel that old school vibe…

…especially when you spot a Baby Grand piano.  Seriously–how many modern multi-plex theaters have a piano like this in the lobby?

The elegant staircase is festooned with a bit of holiday embellishment!

The Colonial Theater also has THE classiest concession stand ever.  Wine and Beer.  Yeah. You read it right. Wine. And. Beer.  AND–the friendliest concession staff of all time!

I dig this movie ticket too.  Simple and elegant.  

…and the White Rabbit Theater?  Is this named after my favorite Jefferson Airplane song or the character in Alice’s land of wonder?

The little kiddles. Smiling because they love mommy–more like they are happy the lights will be shut off so I’ll sit down and watch the movie!

On Christmas Eve afternoon it was like having the theater to ourselves!

With a bit of a walk around downtown, after all, the food I had been consuming non-stop for the past few days, and to date hasn’t stopped, has added pounds to my frame, I felt a bit healthier to take on this lazy form of exercise.

Santa’s place in downtown Phoenixville.  Ol’ Santa can spot a great investment in real estate!

Back home to the warmth and the light of the Christmas tree, we sat down to a very casual and intimate Christmas Eve dinner.

The homemade Pita bread…

Homemade Gyro meat. Yes. I made this loaf of ground lamb, beef and spices and it tasted exactly like the gyro meat at Greek restaurants.. Home made Gyro Meat Recipe from Foodie With Family. This is the recipe I used but I halved the meat recipe and used the combo of beef/veal/pork instead of the ground beef. I kept the seasonings the same. This was stellar!

I also made Tzatziki sauce from Greek yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, dill and salt and pepper!

My tabbouleh salad was a huge hit. In fact, Bonaparte requested this entire meal be repeated as a regular Friday Night Dinner!  I have no problem in complying!

And when dinner was finished, and we later went to bed, we had no idea of the drama that was to be placed before us for Christmas day.

Waking up on Christmas morning was relaxed and relieved of any chaos.  Due to my present work situation (and it is still that way.  I’m not working) it was agreed on that none of us would exchange gifts this year. And to tell you the truth, the gifts were not missed.  At all.  I swear as we get older, the presents mean less and the presence of loved ones mean more.

It’s belated but seriously–I do want to wish everyone a Very Merry and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Day.  You’ll read why I didn’t get around to posting on the 25th of December….

It also meant there was no overabundance of wasteful wrapping paper and boxes.  It was good for the environment.

No wrapping paper this year, but there WAS a delightful over-abundance of flowers!

Cheery and bright.  Just what I would need during the later part of the day!

 

The kids slept late and I got a head start on the cooking.  Luckily, and in more ways than one, I had prepared most of the food in advance.

The Buche de Noel was stupendous.  The genoise cake thawed from the freezer to perfection.  The Chestnut filling was delicious and to top it off, a thin layer of chocolate buttercream topped by a thick layer of chocolate ganache.  Embellished with meringue mushrooms, chopped pistachios and on the “ground” chocolate crumb and graham cracker crumb to resemble dirt!

My Moulinex food mill assisted me in making perfect mashed potatoes..

Tons of butter, a bit of heavy cream and those potatoes were at the ready!

With everything seemingly under control, I enjoyed a few moments of relaxation and an additional cup of coffee.  And as everyone began to wake up they made their ways into the kitchen. The weather outside was more than blustery; the wind was kicking up a storm and it felt comfortable to be in the cozy home.

 

Nothing like a few moments of rest before returning to the job…

I pre-baked the macaroni and cheese.  The potatoes had been through the food mill and mashed.  The Brussels sprouts had been blanched, sautéed and placed in a baking dish to be warmed.  The meat, still in the fridge would be cooked after everything else had been warmed.

Table set.  Guests would be arriving at three.

Then, at about ten o’clock in the morning—it happened. The power went out.  On Christmas Day.  When I had to cook.

The oven went dead.  The fridge and freezer stopped doing their jobs.

Dead. My oven.  My stove. My clock.  I couldn’t even charge my iPhone. Oh the horror!

The Nougatine that was nestled in the freezer was now on the way to becoming twin shakes…

Let’s not even go near my Buche de Noel or anything else.  

To say I went crazy is an understatement!

I couldn’t.  I sent PECO the nastiest email–on Christmas Day no less. Did I mention that I demanded Bonaparte drive me around town so that I could find the PECO workers to give them a piece of my mind?  They were nowhere to be found..

My dysfunctionality went into high gear!

And the longer the timespan with no electricity, the more dysfunctional I became! The sad thing is, I couldn’t even be brought down to normalcy. I was over-the-top!

The worst part of it was that after the yelling and screaming and bellyaching.  I just got real quiet and wouldn’t even talk to anyone.  I was that upset.

Actually–it wasn’t good.  All I want is a picture-perfect Christmas. Like the kind you read about in OTHER people’s blogs.  I can’t win..or can I???

I had Bonaparte scour the neighborhood to see if the PECO workers were anywhere near.  Not a worker was to be found.

Apparently some 2,000 people were affected by this power outage. On Christmas Day.  There was an odd joy to the world in knowing that I wasn’t alone.  Misery loves company—especially when company was due at any moment and five hours later the power hadn’t been turned on.

Well, at least everyone else in the house didn’t panic.  And we did end up with a backup plan!

We needed a backup plan.  The plan was to leave the house at 4:00 and drive to Claire, my stepdaughter’s home.   Food was packed into cardboard moving totes.  Seasonings and everything else was packed.

And just as I exited my home, I noticed something on the house across the street.  The outdoor light was on.  Did they have a generator?  And then something else happened.  The lights in our home went on.  And so, all the food we packed was transported back upstairs.

The food was cooked and warmed to perfection—with one exception.  The meat.   I was so crazed by the events of the day that the beef tenderloin ended up cooked medium rare.  Although everyone else in the house was thrilled—they think I undercook red meat—I couldn’t eat it.  It was overcooked for my taste.

Other than that dinner went off without a hitch and we had a great time.

It was a Christmas that this dysfunctional mom will never forget.  Never. Forget!

In hindsight, I shouldn’t have gotten so upset but after almost a month of prep work, I had a hard time dealing with the fact that it could have all been for naught—no thanks to PECO!  But the good thing is that my family knows full-well of what a dysfunctional lunatic I am.  And I love them for that!

I hope everyone’s Christmas was a wonderful one.  And if you are like me, your Christmas had a few mishaps.  Things didn’t go perfectly.  It wasn’t that picture-perfect one you read about or see photos of.  It was just happily and gloriously dysfunctional—and that’s just fine with me!

Merry Belated Christmas All!  Sorry for the lack of pics but my phone died and my mind was elsewhere!  

I should have asked myself–WWBD?  What would Burl do?  He’d just have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

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Dysfunctional Mom’s Christmas Saga. Part Two. The Surprise Family Dinner.

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Catherine

Welcome back! It’s Saturday.  After yesterday’s stress and drama of the frustration at Philadelphia International Airport, we managed to have a great evening with a dinner of pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage and cheesecake for dessert.

Which brings me to this.  Oona told me that the kids were taking care of dinner for Saturday evening.  This was a nice little respite for me because it meant an evening off from cooking and less a chance I would manage to stain a new J. Crew tee.

Forget what I said about staining my new J. Crew Tee.  I did. But the stain came out!

Early in the morning, my daughter and I headed off to the nail salon for our manicures and my lip and chin wax.  And upon arriving home, Bonaparte pulled me aside and told me, in secret, that someone from our favorite restaurant, Spring Mill Café called him to confirm the reservation for eight people at seven o’clock that evening.

Bonaparte may have gotten all stressed from the Spring Mill Cafe phone call–but I sure wasn’t!!!

This time the drama was reserved for The Frenchman! Whereas my drama is screaming, yelling, and various stages of me making a complete fool of myself, Bonaparte’s drama lies in his ability to have everything run perfectly, smoothly, and properly.

Welcome to my dysfunctional mom drama. And YES. I actually DID this on the NYC subway system 33 years ago.  This is how I drama!

He asked me if I knew anything about the reservation at Spring Mill Café.  I answered honestly and told him that I didn’t, but that dinner at our favorite restaurant was a nice surprise.

I’m easy!  I’ll take any surprise at face value and won’t stress…

Now the story takes on a bit of a dramatic flair.  He asked me to check with the kids to see if they did, in fact, call the restaurant to make the reservations because the resos needed to be confirmed.

I’ll also add that I didn’t care WHERE we had dinner because I just wanted FOOD–and a free evening pass from cooking!

I ran downstairs to the kitchen and mentioned to Oona, what happened. Oona texted Claire, Bonaparte’s daughter, who will from hereon in will be referred to as Claire, my stepdaughter. I don’t like referring to her as Bonaparte’s daughter. We’re all family now.

When Claire spoke to the owner to make the reservations, she explained it was a surprise. She also gave the restaurant her phone number to confirm.  Apparently, someone at the restaurant was playing Candy Crush[1] Saga and didn’t pay too much attention to the instructions that my stepdaughter gave them!

Roman chimed in with “that’s why I don’t like surprises”.  Jake was watching a football game.

And now that the surprise was out of the bag, Bonaparte started fretting about “the right wine”.  I can’t even.  My mindset was still highly appreciative of the fact I got a free pass on cooking dinner for the evening!

My Frenchman.  Made sure we had the proper wine for our big surprise!

Once I explained to Bonaparte that all the kids wanted to do was just take us out to dinner and not make a fuss—it was smooth sailing.

Or was it?

I’m that selfish peasant Patsy talks about. I drink outta the bottle!

Lo and behold the surprise was on us as we entered the restaurant.  In the back room were Claire, her husband, Brian and my step-granddaughter Sophie.  The room was decorated and festive. They were waiting for our arrival!

Claire did a great job decorating the room.  We had the traditional French wedding cake, Croquembuche!

The surprise was our belated Wedding Dinner.  The kids all planned this and boy, if Bonaparte had not received that confirmation voice mail, it would have been the surprise of the century.  Still, it was a fabulous surprise and we had a blast.   Here’s how it rolled:

Sophie, channeling her inner ’80’s accessories.  Hey–is she a Madonna fan?

Everyone had a place setting.  Me and Bapa–which is what Sophie calls Bonaparte!

Our Growing Family! Our wonderful kids!

We started out with an assortment of appetizers, including my favorite baby octopus salad…

…and country pate!

Cassoulet. OK–so it isn’t Toulouse Cassoulet but it was pretty darn good. I order Cassoulet a lot during the winter months.  I also snapped this pic after a couple of drinks so it’s a bit fuzzy. I make no apologies!

Jake and Roman are serious diners…

…and I’m pretty sure Oona is describing our airport adventure here..

Brian and Roman in conversation while Jake has that enigmatic look about him..

I have absolutely no idea what Bonaparte is saying to me–I’m just happy and feeling pretty good after all that Champagne!

And guess who was watching over us during dinner?  None other than the spirit of Bonaparte’s grandfather, Jacques-Henri Lartigue in the form of a photograph he took turned poster!

It was a great, great evening and even though the surprise was let out of the bag–it was just wonderful!

I was feeling the love…

Sophie, our hostess, had her work cut out for her!

So, when all is said and done.  I’m blessed.  I may be a dysfunctional mom—but luckily the kids and my stepdaughter all did such a fantastic job with our dinner.  It was, one of those evenings that completely warmed my heart!

I wore my new holiday pants from Old Navy.  They were tight from all the food I ate–I won’t even attempt to wear them again until after the New Year.  Weight Watchers here I come.  Again!

That’s it!  I sure hope you enjoyed the surprise and the continuing saga of my dysfunctional mom Christmas.  Part Three is on the way!

[1] See previous post.  Dysfunctional Mom Saga Part One.

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Dysfunctional Mom’s Christmas Saga. Part One. The Airport.

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Catherine

Hey everyone! I’m back to the blog with a few days’ rest. The Christmas Weekend.   Dysfunctionality on my behalf.  Fun times.  Stressful times.  Dramatically horrific times mixed in with the best times.

Today all is calm.  I’m sitting at my laptop, in my flannel pajamas and fuzzy Christmas slipper socks, drinking tea and writing about my dysfunctional mom life!

And in the end—it all works out.

Shall I begin?

So, Friday turned out to be the busiest day ever. I met Oona at the airport while Bonaparte drove into Center City to pick up the boys. T’was my plan to film a short wig review in the car while waiting for Oona’s plane to arrive.  I placed the wig’s stock card into my purse and kept it nestled there.

This wig.  I love it. And I DID place the stock card into my purse for a review to be filmed while in the car waiting!

However, Chippy had other plans and while I started to film my review in the car, I thought I left the stock card home. I didn’t. Chippy grabbed the card from my purse unbeknownst to me and chewed it in the back seat.  I was too busy playing Candy Crush Saga to notice that he robbed me.

Yeah. Look behind me.  He may look innocent but he isn’t!  He foiled my review!

 Add to that Philadelphia International Airport is an absolute $hithole during holiday season.  It isn’t necessarily the traffic.

This is a photo of the pick up/drop off area at Philadelphia Int’l. Airport. This is a propaganda pic.  During Holiday Season this scene turns into an absolute zoo.  

It’s the miserable airport police. While thousands of family members are landing and exiting the baggage claim areas in various terminals, they are being picked up by drivers of automobiles. That means the drivers or people picking the passengers up need to park their cars to load the luggage and allow their family members to get into the cars. 

Yeah. Perhaps this fit into the plane but it takes some manipulation to get it to fit into my trunk. OK?????

And so basically what we have are miserable officers who are pissed off that they are working at the airport during busy time but are receiving great pay for this but they are using their  power to bully drivers therefore taking the stress level between the drivers and travelers at an acme.

Yes. The pretend airport cops at Philadelphia Int’l. Airport can’t fight real crime so they bully drivers who are picking up and dropping off.  And that’s no lie!

This is how picking Oona up played out.  Her being frustrated with dysfunctional mom because I got flustered about which terminal to pick her up even though she texted me and told me about a dozen times that she would be at Terminal “F” closest to the airport exit.  Dysfunctional mom was too busy playing Candy Crush Saga to pay attention.

Mothers and daughters will “get” this.  Especially around the Holidays when everyone is traveling!

Then me getting frustrated because the idiot fake police who don’t fight real airport crime but threaten to and hand out tickets to the innocents who are picking up the travelers need to stop the car for at least one damned minute.

Oh yes.  Dysfunctional Mom is super chill and non-dramatic at all times. (Wait till you read about what happened on Christmas Day!)

See where this is going?  Not one minute and Oona and I were at it with each other. Dysfunctional Mom strikes again! Trust me on this one. If you have ever had to pick someone up or drop them off at Philadelphia International Airport during any Holiday season or holiday weekend, you know what I mean!

Did I mention that I am drama-free?  

Needless to say,  by the time we arrived home, all was calm. All was good.  And Dysfunctional Mom was able to enjoy the evening. And so was the rest of the family!

When all else fails–the Christmas tree calms the beast within us!

BTW, here is the fabulous wig review that I did.  I’m a vision of class with the ever-present wad of Double-Bubble bubble gum making an appearance in my mouth from time to time.

My mini-wig review. Just for you!

 

To be continued……..

 

 

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The Busiest Day of The Year…

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Catherine

Ok.  It isn’t Christmas, nor is it the Eve of Christmas.  The busiest day of the year is when the family comes to gather.  Like today!

Hi All!  I have no time to hang in this snow globe. I gotta get out!  Today’s a busy day!

All seems quiet and relaxed now.  Bonaparte and I woke up at 6:00 AM.  I enjoyed my morning cawfee in bed and then ran downstairs to prepare to bake a loaf of bread.

A quiet moment while the bread dough proofs–the calm before the storm of activity!

Yes. Bread has to be made because the kids are all arriving today.  And thank God, I prepared much of the Christmas foodstuffs ahead of time.

Ganache for the Buche de Noel is made.  I’ll probably eat most of it beforehand!

Thank God, I cleaned the baseboards and blinds.  All is vacuumed.  All is dusted. All is cleaned.

This lumpa dough will soon be a delicious loaf of goodness.  It’s the “yeast” I can do for the kids!

But back to the busiest day.

The kids are all arriving.  At almost the same time.  I am picking Oona up at Philly airport.  Her flight, if on time, arrives at 3:00 PM.  Bonaparte’s duty is to pick the boys up at 30th St. Station in Philly.  They are arriving from NYC.  Luckily, Jake had a business trip and few in to NYC from LA two days ago.

Let’s hope the transportation schedules are as timely as I am!

No matter how many times I fluff the cushions on the sofas and loveseat, Chippy insists that I am making things more comfortable for him.  He is getting on my last nerve right now—but I love him!

I made sure the loveseat looks perfect–right?

And look what happens.  Chippy doesn’t want to sit ON the loveseat.  So he plops atop the cushions instead…

And he doesn’t move….until…

I fluff the cushions in the living room sofas!  I can’t win with this guy!!

And Oona has informed me that she has had a tremendously busy holiday schedule (i.e. socializing) and didn’t have time to do those loads of wash she meant to do last night to prepare for the trip home.  I have enough detergent and fabric softener.  And naturally, my iron will be my Zen!

Regardless of how much laundry you bring home, I still love you and I still enjoying doing it!

The table is very casually set for this evening.  Very casually.  I literally threw the silverware in the folds of the napkins.  And before we sit down to dine, I’ll manage to take my laptop off the table!

I’m so classy.  This is a very, very, maybe too very casual set table…

The height of my casuality.  Literally throwing silverware into the napkin and…

….folding it. Peek-a-boo, I see you!

At least this vase of greens adds the class that I lack!

The dinner this evening will be quick.  Gemelli pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage.  This will be accompanied with an arugula salad and the bread that is now baking in the oven.  Dessert is the cheesecake I made yesterday.

The UPS man is working hard because my newest hair just arrived.  And she’s a beauty.  I’ll break her in today!

My new hair! I just realized the camera lens is dirty.  It’s probably bacon fat!  But I love this new wig. Brown Sugar Style BS223 in the color Raisin!

I think I may wear the steal of a sweater that I got yesterday at J. Crew.  I was eyeing this festive wintery Tippi Sweater but at $89.50 it was just too pricey for me at present.   When what should my wandering eyes should appear—but a promotional gift card from J. Crew!  For $50.00.  Whatever possessed me to head to the mall yesterday I don’t know, but I did.  And I wanted that sweater.

Lo and behold, there was a 40% off in-store sale.  I saw the sweater and another Christmas miracle—I snagged the last sweater in size Medium.  The total price after the discount and the gift card was $3.70.  Yes—that $89.50 sweater cost me all of $3.70.  Santa is watching out for me.

Yes.  My final total for this sweater was $3.70..

And here she is.  Is this Tippi sweater not adorable??

I decided to wear this ensemble to drive to the airport instead!  I’m leaving now to gas up the car!!  Have the best day ever!

The weather is gray.  But my spirits are bright.

Have a wonderful day and a glorious night!

May your Holiday evenings be tranquil and full of happiness a

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