Random and Crafty Thoughts On This Last Winter’s Sunday!

Posted on March 19, 2017 by Catherine

It’s Sunday. The snow is melting. The Sun is shining. And it is still cold AF outside.  Today Bonaparte and I will embark on a three-minute journey up the street to the Oaks Convention Center to attend the Sugarloaf Crafts Fair.

Hopefully, after we leave, we will make our way to J. Crew. Even if I am on a no-buy, I can dream. Can’t I?

Anyway, this morning I was thumbing through the latest issue of “In Style” magazine. I look forward to my subscription expiring because I  relate less and less to this publication. And there was a time when this was practically my bible.  

In the magazine, I came across an ad from L’Oréal. In this ad was a pull-out sample of a product. The product is a two-parter in one step.  Revitalift Triple Power Intensive Skin Revitalizer.

Read the clinical result. In just three days skin will be firmer. In one week wrinkles are visibly reduced. So then, why did I not get a one-week sample rather than three days?

Promises. Promises.  Everyone these days is an expert at false promises!

On one side of the sample card is the serum and on the opposite side of the sample card is the Revitalizing Moisturizer—and it contains 2 % vitamin C.  As if that matters in the broad scope of things.

It’s bad enough to have to open ONE of these things–but two?? Good times.

The ad states 3 DAYS TO VISIBLE RESULTS. On Day 1 it will Replenish Moisture. On Day 2 it will Refirm Elasticity and on Day 3 it will Resurface Texture (But will it resurface my chin hairs back to the top of my head?)

Naturally, I can’t pass up a challenge like this.  I want truth in advertising. Trust me the value system of advertising beauty products is as bad as the politician’s ability to perfect the ability to lie!

I washed my face.  And eagerly, excitedly, aggressively tore open the products.

The moisturizer, which has a slight tint, came out a lot faster than the serum!

The directions read to dispense both pods simultaneously and mix well.  The moisturizer flowed out quickly. It took forever to squeeze the serum out.

Mixed and ready to use.  I still have two days to go.  How can this firm my face and replenish moisture?

Result of Day One’s promise to “Replenish Moisture”?  It didn’t. The skin around my mouth felt taut.  In fact, my entire face felt taut. And dry.

This did nothing for my face. In fact, I had to use moisturizer AFTER I applied this. Look how dry the bottom of my face is. Ugh! I need a lift. A surgical face lift!

A half-hour later I still did not feel the moisture.  I ended up using my Olay and my SkinActives collagen serum.  My face felt better.

This is gonna be a fun, three-day challenge.  I will keep you posted!

I’m so tired of Winter; and Spring arrives tomorrow.  I don’t want to wear boots. But I can’t wear ballet flats or any shoe with even the hint of a heel because I’ll slip and slide and break something.  Instead, I opted for what has to be my most worn shoe of the season.  Loafers.

My OOTD.  The Campbell pant from J. Crew is now too loose but I love these pants.  I’m tired of Winter but Spring’s coming in frigid tomorrow. 

Here’s what I wore today. And at the end of this post I’ll tell you what I wore this week.

I didn’t quite know what to expect when we arrived at the crafts fair.  Some of my stereotypes were spot on.  Like the Medieval theatre play in the back of the huge floor filled with vendors.

I have to say, the admission price of $10 at the door was well-worth it. The crowd was very mellow and it was a nice way to spend a part of our day!

Lots of jewelry. Tons of jewelry, in fact.  But there was nothing that struck my fancy.

There must have been a hundred jewelry vendors. And I didn’t see one pair of plain gold hoops in the bunch! What’s up with that anyway?

The clothing was all very flowing and Stevie Nicks. Basically, is wasn’t my style. But that’s ok. I like to look and it was nice to people watch.

I stopped at an interesting booth. Melanie Moore Hair Designs.  She was selling very nice hair “prongs” and snoods.  I didn’t take a photo but they were incredibly beautiful and pragmatic.  Well, just my luck.  The vendor asked me to model so she could demonstrate how to use one of these. She liked my thick hair.  I explained that I was wearing fake hair over my real hair—and an awkward moment turned into a fun one as I started to laugh and went for it anyway.

She did an outstanding job with my hair and off we went to scope out some treasures.

Here’s a sampling of what we saw and what we ended up purchasing.

Roxie’s Studio.  OMG. Her lamps were gorgeous.  So were her ceramic wares.  That lamp reminded me so much of a set of lamps my parents had in the house. I wanted to buy it, but at almost $300, I passed.

Black Bear Leather. (You HAVE to click on the link!). OMG.  My one regret was that I did not go to this crafts festival by myself.  Bonaparte curbed my spending the way people in cities curb their dogs.  I am so happy that Black Bear Leather has a site and is made not too far from where I live. I’m thinking Christmas gifts for the boys this December. I went on their site and saw leather bags. Be still my heart.  This company has BEAUTIFUL leather goods. I. Am.Coveting!

I lost the card from this guy but his stuff was so quirky and fun. This is some cool shit! I I owned a gallery, I would definitely put his pieces in it!

The amount of cheese I sampled was gluttonous. I’m so ashamed. I must’ve wolfed down 18 Weight Watchers points.  Actually, I’m not ashamed!  Farm Fromage.

Hands down this next vendor, In my opinion, was the best in show.  Holy Cannoli and a plate of macaroni if Bonaparte was not with me, I would have spent hours in her little alcove. I would have spent a small fortune as well.  Purses made from old books!!!!

Look at that, will you?  I just about fell in love. Who doesn’t love an old book? Who doesn’t love a purse?  What a great conversation piece!

Kathleen Scranton, the creator of these fabulous bags.  You need to check out her site: BeezbyScranton.com  Look. The Clue in the Old Stagecoach. The Hidden Staircase. I read those books. OMG. I wish Bonaparte would give me my credit cards back and soon.  Look at the shoulder bags.  These are epic! And Kathleen was really nice too!  She was so welcoming to all who came into her little alcove and trust me, all the women were in book bag heaven!

YES! She made purses out of old books!  I died.  I wish Oprah and I were besties because I would have phoned her and told her that she must add these purses to her “Favorites” list.

I’m so in love with the shoulder bags and Kathleen makes wallets too!!!  I’m dreaming of a library of book purses!

Sadly, my phone’s battery died and I was unable to snap more pics. But my two faves of the day were the Book Purses and Black Bear’s leather.

I did manage to make a couple of wise purchases.  I purchased a small cross-body cell phone purse. It’s perfect for going away. There is a zippered compartment where I can keep money, credit cards and ID. And the front pocket is the perfect size for my cell phone.  At a price of $10, it was too good to pass up!  I also picked up a ring rest. My rings get filthy with bread dough in the crevices then harden and Bonaparte becomes upset. This was the perfect solution. We also picked up a small bottle of good olive oil.

L to R.  The little cell-phone bag. I like the dark neutral because I’m a natural born slob. In the center is the ring rest and to the right, the olive oil. And boy–is it ever good!

A card from the little bag vendor…

…and from the ring rest man!

My inner child could not resist the Randy’s Candies.  I took a trip down memory lane and bought bubble gum cigarettes and wax lips.  After all, I DID get my lip waxed yesterday!

Looks like I CAN wear a red lip after all! And the nails match!

After the crafts fair, we headed over to J. Crew.  I’ve been eyeing the Ruffled Chambray pants that match up with the Ruffled Chambray Regent blazer that I purchased last month.  Too bad they weren’t on sale or I would have made the purchase.  I was not ready (I stand corrected. Bonaparte was not ready) to spend full price.  I hope they go on sale soon.

At $89.50. I did not feel these pants were worth full price. They are nice but not that nice at full price!

Sizing is so convoluted. The pants I wore today are a Size 8 and are falling down past my hips—they are that loose. The pants I tried on in the store in an 8 were a perfect fit.  That’s why it smart to try before you buy!

In a nutshell, it was one of those days where we did a little of this and a little of that and are now relaxing before the work week begins tomorrow.

What I wore this week:

I thought about loafers on Monday but went with the burgundy heels. I wore my favorite plaid pants with a green turtleneck.  Thankfully, I got one day of heels in this horrible weather!

Skip to Wednesday because Tuesday was a snow day and I didn’t get out of my pajamas. That’s just the way I roll!  I went with snow clothes. Hunter boots, which are not comfortable at all!  Blue Marti pants from J. Crew, a navy sweater from J. Crew and wore my Tony of Beverly Topper in a messy bun!

We all know I wore this easy-to-take-off outfit for my doctor’s appointment on Thursday. I need to do a post about cardigan sweaters because, I’m sorry, but they don’t look good on me. They never lay right. For some reason they look sloppy on me. I need to write about that!

BTW, the band aid fell off and my “thing” of AK is healing nicely! It’s in a perfect circle!

St. Patrick’s Day ensemble. My dad’s favorite sweater–I take it out every St. Patrick’s day and I’ve worn it every year since my dad’s passing. His scent is gone from the sweater but I feel his spirit.   Jeans and high boots kept me warm on the freezing cold tundra day!

Yesterday’s outfit was my favorite outfit of the week. I found the jeans at the bottom of a pile in the garage. I was cleaning the garage out! I don’t even know how they got there. I don’t remember buying them. Anyway, they were super-long so I turned them up to a high cuff. I wore my favorite plaid schoolboy blazer, loafers and a green Tippi Sweater. Someone stopped me in Wegmans to compliment me on the outfit.  I was so happy!

So how was your weekend!

Craft fairs always bring to mind Renaissance Faire” type music.  Hey nonny nonny and all that stuff. I give you “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” by Simon and Garfunkel instead. Hey Nonny Nonny!

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Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph—I’m Glad My Parents are Dead!

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Catherine

Them’s pretty serious words folks, now aren’t they?

My girl Rene from Mob Wives refers to Jesus, Mary and Joseph in a much different way than I do! But–she has a good point!!!!

This is more like the Jesus, Mary and Joseph I was talking about!

I loved my parent’s intensely.  And I take the true meaning of love to heart. Love is important.  Love is never-ending.  Even when those you love pass on, the love you had for them will always linger.

On their wedding day–I’m sure they never knew the impact that they would have on their five children–and the values they passed on!

Then why am I announcing that I’m glad my parents are dead?  I’m gonna tell you why.

We were never too young to learn proper values!  

It’s because of the values my parents taught me and my siblings.  It’s the moral compass they instilled in us. It is the discipline and sense of humility they passed onto us.  It is the compassion and empathy for others that my parents taught us as well.

Do we even remember what a moral compass is?

And if they were alive today to see just how our value system diminished and is failing, my parents would be shocked and horrified.

My mother and father took their position as parents very seriously.  They parented. They were not our friends while we were growing up, they were our guides to life and paved the way for our ethical behavior when we became adults.

They took care of us and “parented”!  And boy, did they parent well!

And I’m angry. I’m angry and disillusioned and disappointed and saddened and confused as to what happened to the value system in our country.

As children, we were taught to “treat others the way you would want others to treat you”.  This was drilled into our minds from a very young age.  “If you want to be treated kindly and with respect, then treat others that same way”. We heard this a lot when growing up.

Yeah! Now that’s a concept. Why can’t we just be NICE to each other? 

Certain words were not allowed in our vocabulary. Among those words were “stupid” and “retarded/retard”.

My parents were adamant about not using those words. They are vicious and maligning and an insult to those who may be challenged.  Those words hit home the most when my sister, Beth Ann, was born. She was those last two words. And to this day, I cannot bring myself to utter those “r” words.  My own three children, now adults, were also raised to never utter those words either. I’ve never heard them call anyone “stupid” nor have I ever heard them say the “r” words.

In fact, when they were kids, there was a series of children’s books entitled “The Stupid’s”. I would not allow those books in my home. I honestly don’ believe in banning books, but I did believe in not allowing certain reading materials to cross my threshold. That series of books and fashion magazines while my daughter was a teen didn’t enter into my home.

Believe me when I tell you that I don’t find many things offensive. But I have always found this series incredibly offensive.

I’m getting off topic. Back to values.

You know that awful thing called “lying”?  Well, that was something my parents did not tolerate one bit. to lie was not a part of our value system. You don’t lie. Not to anyone.  Lies hurt. Lies deceive.  A lair cannot be trusted. Not now. Not ever. Never.  To lie really is a sin.

I’m thinking that the morale of the story of Pinocchio is that lying is now acceptable!

My parents disciplined us in a way where we realized there would be consequences for actions that were not acceptable.  We were punished. And punishment was usually in the form of something taken away. Something that we really wanted to do or have. And it worked! Like a charm.

..attone for your lies?  That’ll be 25 Hail Marys, 30 Our Fathers and help your mother do the laundry! Yes. To Lie was a sin. I guess lies have been downgraded!

We were taught that we were no better than anyone else. In fact, my father who never minced words, would often remind me more so than my siblings (I wonder why?) “You better get off that high horse young lady because when it comes down to it, end the end we are all ashes” And he was correct.

Somebody had to set me straight when I got a bit haughty!

We were taught to give back.  We were taught to help others. We were taught to respect others.

Habitat has always been my favorite way to give back. It is a truly wonderful way to help others and enjoy while you are doing it!

And in the pre “It-takes-a-village” era, my parents believed that it took a community.

We attended Catholic school, not so much due to our faith, but because it was a community of like-minded families.  The majority of us held strong to the same value system.

This was our principal. Sr. Mary Isabel. She never got physical. But all she had to do was give that “look” and you knew you were in deep. But that value system kept us on the straight and narrow and gave us a wicked sense of humor!

The nuns who taught me were, when I look back on it, very liberal-minded compared to some of the stories I hear from others who attended Catholic school at the time I attended. I was very fortunate to have these wonderful women set the foundation for my education.

I distinctly remember one of my teachers, Sr. Mary Jerome, telling a small group of us that we should attend a public high school rather than a Catholic one because as young adults, we needed to learn first-hand about diversity.   She knew that her job was done in forming our child minds and gave us tools to use as high school students.

Sr. Mary Clairvaux, my favorite teacher of all time, and the woman who gave me a thirst for reading and writing, threw out some of the books she was told to use while teaching us. I found this out later on as an adult when I had the pleasure of meeting her after she left the convent. She felt the books were too conservative.  She felt we needed to be educated in a way that shot straight from the heart. It worked.

The sisters taught us to think independently. They also taught us to give back and they taught us humility and humanity. Traits that have been ignored in recent times.

This is me with my Aunt Eleanor. She was an Ursuline Sister–and one of the kindest and sweetest women who ever lived. She also passed great values to us.  

So, when did it become acceptable to lie?

I’ll never forget how I felt when Bill Clinton announced to the world that “I never had relations with that woman”.  Sorry Mr. President. But you did. And guess what?  I could care less about his bouncy-bouncy life—what disgusted me is that he lied.  And from that day on, I never trusted him again.

Yeah, Bill. Ya DID.  That isn’t the issue. The issue is that you LIED about it!

Today we have a president whose lies make Clinton’s look like little fairy tales. Our current President has made an art out of lying.  But when it comes down to it. Both men lied. And is that acceptable?  Many people seem to think it’s ok. I guess lies have crept into normal behavior.

Yup! And the most dangerous liar is a draft dodger who made false promises and lied his way into the white house. His parents never raised him with a sense of decency or values. The only values he was raised with was the value of money. Period!

When did it become ok to deny the poor food for nourishment and when did it become absolutely tolerable to take health care away from people—allowing them the chance for a better life? Oh wait. Abortion is sin, but to take food and health care away from people is pro-life? I think not. I think that is anti-life”.

This is a man who PRETENDS to have values but in real life, he lacks morale fiber as well. He has no values. He wants to take healthcare away from the elderly and the underprivileged. He pretends to be a Christian. He is anti-life. Read this wonderful article in the NY Times:  “And Jesus Said Unto Paul Ryan” This is an excellent piece about values and the lack thereof!

Is it the media that started this downfall of values? After all, the media glorified and normalized the person in the white house while holding the bar high for other candidates.  Is it the new form of child rearing—the one where parents want to be friends with their children rather than life guides? You know—the parents who think that their child is entitled and better than the others.

Where is the value of responsibility and accounting for your own actions? 

  Is it the political correctness that has invaded our country like an army of cockroaches?

Yes. We, the overly sensitive, politically correct at all times can feel what others are feeling at all times…life is tough but you can remain a softy. 

I am struggling to figure out when values and moral compass left our society.

My father made it clear to me and my sisters that if a man ever used physical force or abusive words to leave as soon as possible. He also made it clear to my brothers that if they ever struck a woman/girl or treated her harshly, and he found out about it, there would be hell to pay.

So why then is it ok for an elected president of these United States to debase women and gloat to “grab them by the pussy?” And this kind of remark still managed to get this man elected!

When did it become perfectly fine for politicians to vow to take away health care and food away from people—because that is what’s happening in DC now!!

And no party is getting off easy from me either.

Fact is NONE of the parties can take a joke!  My God, Norman Lear’s “All In the Family” would be banned from TV these days for being politically incorrect–and while the show made us laugh at racism and bigotry, it sent a serious message about  a serious issue. 

The change seemed to take place when the Tea Party invaded the Republican party like an incurable disease.  Overnight the Republicans went from a rather genteel but selfish group to a bunch of loud mouths extolling hatred for any people who were not bankers, large corporate honchos, lobbyists, or insurance companies.  They refer to those in need or any government assistance as being “entitled” when they, themselves, are the truly entitled ones.

THIS is the illness that invaded the old-school GOP and ruined the set of values in politics for all.  Divided we stand.

The Democrats get no mercy from me either.  Once the backbone of the laborers and blue collar workers, they took a stand for the middle class. No more.  The Democratic party ignored their core group the way the fashion and beauty industries ignore older women.  In the Democrat Party’s inclusion of all peoples and groups and their mission for diversity, they excluded the one group who supported them from the get go.

To the EXTREME left–stop whining -and DO something! Grow a set.

And now we have a party of self-righteous, politically correct, do-gooders who lack the balls to stand up to the likes of Mitch McConnell, who has no value system whatsoever.

Mitch’s value system is completely off the charts. He pontificates about being Pro-life when he is only pro-fetus. Once the life is breathing and functioning , he doesn’t want to feed them, educate them or help with health care. Where are your values Mitch????

The Democrat’s silence is tolerance of the  lack of humanity and low moral compass that the Republicans  now stand for.

We need a return to good  and decent values.  We need a return to love rather than hate.  We need a return of people working together for each other rather than against each other.

I realize that I’ve brought politics into this post—but I’m bipartisan.  Both parties messed up.   Both parties fell into the abyss of the extreme.

 And it  seems that tweets are setting the tone for the new behavior of social mores. Yes. Tweets are the new set of values.

What kind of values does this man have? As president, he spends his “morning time” sending tweets rather than thinking about what is best for “we the people”. I do believe he is mistaking his “civil duty” for “physic doody”.   Stop the tweets.  Get a set of values and compassion!

* These guys singing to the tune of Rockin’ Robin*

All the little birdies on Congress Street, love to see the POTUS go “tweet, tweet, tweet”. Go and rob them! Tweet. Tweet. Tweet. Go and Rob them. Tweet. Tweet. Tweet. POTUS gonna go and rob them of their healthcare tonight!!

Where has humility gone?

C.L. Lewis got this value right. He was spot-on when it came to describing humility!

In essence—where have all the values gone?

Another great and valuable quote. Giving–it’s a value.

Where have all the values gone?

Long time passing

Where have all the values gone?

Long time ago.

Where have all the values gone?

Gone to grave yards every one.

When will they ever learn. When will they ever learn?

I can’t help it—but I think had Bobby Kennedy and Dr. King lived, our world as we know it would be different.  We would have a great value system put into place. We would be a compassionate people. We would be a caring people. We would take care of each other. And we would be a great America.

Kennedy and King. I do think that our lives as Americans would have changed for the better had these two men lived.  They did something. They made people think. They taught tolerance and compassion. They gave. And we lack the leadership of people like this that we so need. We need leaders with VALUES!

So, let’s think about it. Let’s think about the values we were raised with. Let’s raise a toast to our parents—whether they passed or whether they are still with us.  Thank them. Hug them. And realize that they guided your life in a wonderful way.

I wish I had thanked you more than I did. I wish I thanked you every day for instilling me with a great value system. Thank you so much!

They guided your life with values that are invaluable.

Peter, Paul, and Mary. Where Have All the Flowers Gone.

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Let’s Get Cheeky, Shall We?

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Catherine

It’s freezing outside. The snow ain’t goin’ anywhere. And I’m thinking of the warm weather.

Spring is in 5 more days. Five. More. Days. And this is what I’m dealing with!

Some people get prepared for the warm weather by going to the gym and working out.

I prepare for the warm weather by going to the doctor. To have my skin checked.  Today was a bit different.

I’ll be covered up like this at the beach to protect my skin.   No I won’t. I’ll use sunscreen and sit under an umbrella!

I had a thing on my leg. It started as a little scaly patch. Very small.  And last week I was in Target looking at stuff I couldn’t buy because Bonaparte took my credit cards away from me.  That didn’t stop me from looking at home goods or underwear.or stuff I wasn’t even interested in purchasing.  So anyway, I noticed a display of earrings on sale.  My clumsiness got the better of me.  I literally bumped into the display. I had my keys in my hand. Just my luck one of the keys dug into the little scaly patch.

Are you following?

The next thing I know, my little scaly patch grew within seconds to a deep red circle and in the middle of the circle there appeared what looked like the largest, pus-filled giant pimple you had ever seen. Only it wasn’t a pimple.

 

I know. It’s gross, but this is a photograph of what my “thing” resembled. Only mine was worse. A lot worse. It was so big, I could have skied down it!

It was now a “thing”. And what really scared me was that this “thing” resembled the squamous cell skin cancer that I had on my forehead seven years ago.  I just about shit a brick!

I couldn’t stop inspecting this “thing”.  Bonaparte was becoming annoyed with me because I kept shoving my thigh into his face—and it was not in a sexy or romantic way either.

This is me. Only I had a huge magnifying glass to inspect my “thing” every hour to see if it hadn’t gotten bigger!

What else could I do but make an appointment with the doctor.  My first appointment was set for this past Tuesday—but the big snow ruined that for me.  The appointment was scheduled for today.

I made sure that I wore clothing that was easily removable. After all, I was wearing fake hair and I’ll be damned if I would wear something I had to pull over my head. I spent fifteen minutes making sure that messy bun of mine was strategically messy.  On the coldest day of the year, I went bare legged! Going to the doctor’s office bare-legged in sub-zero weather always ensures a return trip will be on the horizon due to pneumonia one would catch by wearing as little as possible! I’m sure the doctor will be thrilled to see me return!

Ensemble for a visit to the doctor. Boots that come off easily.  A button-down shirt and cardigan sweater and a short skirt! Very appropriate for 12 degree weather!

And here’s how the visit went.

Tiffany, the P.A. came in to inspect my “thing” and I think I saw her suppress a laugh as I explained how this “thing” grew to enormous proportions within seconds.  I then explained to her that even though this thing could very well be the squamous cell, it was healing. It wasn’t as big as it was last week. And I had a feeling it was Actinic/Acetic Keratosis–or “AK”. (At this point Tiffany looked scared because she realized I was one of those patients–a self-diagnosing hypochondriac. No thanks to WebMD!

I keep a copy of this in my wallet. You never know when someone may need to know these symptoms!

Ultimately, the diagnosis was one that made me happy.  It was Acetic Keratosis.  I’m very familiar with this because I’ve had many of them burned off my body.  Instead of spending money to get rid of wrinkles, I get to spend money ridding my body of sun damage!

The funny thing was that Tiffany was a bit apprehensive about burning this thing off of me. She wanted one of the doctors to do it.  I told her I didn’t care if she had to run into the little kitchen in the office, get a knife and a spoon and cut and spoon the “thing” off my leg!

She wasn’t used to being with cheeky patients like me.  But in the end. She did a fantastic job of burning that Acetic Keratosis from my leg. She mentioned that I might have to come back for a second go-round and I was fine with it.  I think she is now home kneeling at her bed praying that I don’t have to go back.

Funny how the band-aid is almost darker than my pasty, fish-belly, bluish, freckled Irish-American skin.  Now you know why fake tan is so important to me!

And speaking of cheeky, I’m mulling over the idea of getting a new blush.  Actually, I’m mulling over asking Bonaparte to give me cash to buy a new blush.

But do I really need one?

To tell you the truth, I don’t have many blush or cheek colors in my artillery at the moment.  I have a couple of powder blushes that only come out in the extreme heat—like when my skin is glistening from sweat and we are about to go to dinner and I want a little somethin’ somethin’ on my cheeks.

I like a natural flush of color on my cheeks, but this isn’t the way I attain it!

During the rest of the year, I love me a cream blush. And I’ll tell you, it isn’t easy to find one that works on my pale, pasty white freckled skin that is now getting age spots!

But, I’m gonna tell you about four  cheek colors that I love and have been continuing to use on a rotating base. They are my go-to’s.  And I may need to replenish soon.

Let’s have a look. Shall we?

From left to right. e.l.f. Color Stick in “Pink Lemonade” , Stila Converable color in “Sweet Pea” and NYColor Lovatics Cheek and Lip Tint in “Cheeky Pink”.  

At one buck, the e.l.f. color stick is the buy of the century. It’s heavily pigmented and a little goes a long, long way!  The Stila was the priciest at $25.00. But I’ve had this for two years. It’s bright and again, a little goes a long way. The NYColor Cheek and Lip Tint is incredibly pigmented and the liquid dries very fast so you have to work quickly.  This was less than four dollars.  Proof that you do not have to spend a fortune to get a great product!

Left to right. Wearing the e.l.f. color stick. It’s more of a pinkish-coral on my skin.  Middle pic is the Stila Sweet Pea, more subtle. Right pic, the NYColor Cheek Tint. It’s very bright. I purposely went darker so you could see the pigmentation.

I just found out the the e.l.f. color stick has been DISCONTINUED!  If you see it anywhere, buy it. I’m serious. It’ll be the best buck you ever spent! I cannot believe it’s discontinued. Thank God  I bought a backup. Now I’m going to have to go on the hunt for leftovers! Why does this happen to me?

Last of all, the NARS Multiple stick in “Riviera”. I’m a huge fan of this because it can be used as a lippie. And during the summer with a fake tan, it looks nice on the mouth!  This is another pinky-coral color. Goes on more subtle.  At $39.00 it’s a bit pricey but I’ve had this for about two years. It’s worth the money!

Here’s another look at the swatches. Top pic from left to right. Elf, Stila, NYColor.  Bottom pic same order but to the far right is the NARS Riviera–it looks more peachy but it could be the awful lighting!

Rosy cheeks. They’re so healthy looking! What’s your choice in blush???

Because of the snow, I didn’t go to the Weight Watchers meeting tonight. The roads are still pretty bad and in the dark, I would have driven into a snow bank or slid on ice.  Anyway, I did weigh myself when I got home from work and am down another half-pound. I’m thrilled with the loss because I ate like pig this past weekend. And on the snow day—I found comfort in stuffing my face.  It happens. It’s ok.

Down a half pound. I’m thrilled with this!! But I do look forward to the meeting next week!

Because tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, I am fondly remembering all the dance-outs I drove Oona and her dance friends to during this time of year. My favorite dances are the hornpipes. They are so lively and rhythmic and I was listening to this CD today by one of the feis musicians, Billy Furlong.  Hornpipes from his CD “Strings for the Sets”. Yes. I still listen to this!

 

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Five-Minute Reviews: One Glowing—And One a “Hair” Short!

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Catherine

The sleet is hitting my  front window. The snow is a glittering blanket of white fluff mixed with shiny bits.  We are one week away from Spring and I am off from work today due to a “snow” day!

This is the blanket I woke up to today–and it wasn’t warm and fuzzy either!

I don’t know who was more relaxed and chill this morning—Chippy, or me, as he snuggled up against my thigh.

Sure. He snacks on my cosmetics and makes an entree out of my beauty sponges–but look at that face. That is the look of love–or he’s the ultimate con-man dog!

And instead of thinking about taking the warm-weather clothing from their storage containers, and envisioning my vacation wardrobe, I’m pondering which fuzzy, warm, toasty sweater, wool trousers and waterproof boots I’ll be wearing as I return to the office tomorrow.

Thoughts of this wardrobe type will have to be put on hold for a while!

My fish-belly skin needs some darkening—but I have a trip to the doctor in three days to check out another “thing” on my skin–which I hope proves to be “no” thing!

My gray roots are coming out of hiding.  But I’ve been cutting down on the dye-time. Simply because with every wash, condition and root job, I lose more hair. I haven’t washed my hair in over a week.  Yes. I am that slob!

And what better way to start this day off than to review a couple of new products I’ve tried!

In looking forward to the warmer weather and for a solution to keep my legs moisturized and fake-tanned, I tried the new “Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer”.

Now THIS is a glowing product!!

The purchase was made at Target. I spent a whopping $8.99 for 7.5 ounces and I’m sure it is less expensive at Walmart and other discount stores. Fact is, I saw this and really wanted to try it.

I’ve tried the trial size non-tanning Jergens Wet Skin moisturizer and was incredibly pleased. No filmy residue, it really made my skin soft. So, you can just imagine at how happy I was to see Jergens come out with a Natural Glow version. Oh, happy day!

The trial size Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer was an absolute winner. The e.l.f. product on the right was not. 

I chose the “Fair to Medium”. It leaves a more naturally fake color–perfect for my Irish-American skin tone!

After my relaxing bath, I wrapped a towel around my dripping torso and applied.  I didn’t need a ton of product, maybe about a quarter-sized moisturizer for each leg. There was no weird odor. In fact, 48 hours later, I just bent down to sniff my leg and nothing. That’s a good thing.

Sometimes my impatience gets the best of me. A couple of hours after applying, I was talking to Oona and told her I didn’t see a difference.  Out of the mouths of babes—even if they are millennials. She reminded me that it takes more than two hours to see a gradual tan.

And with the patience of a saint, I waited. And the results!  Great!  The only issue was one mistake that I made a —human error.  I was so hell-bent on getting a quick fix that I applied a bit unevenly and noticed a couple of spots that were missed.

 

My iPhone camera sucks–but you can see from the photo on the left that the color really is good. I messed up with application though. My feet are pale and I missed a few chunks on my legs. The back of my legs was more even.  Next application I’ll take my time!

Lesson learned.  Next time, go a bit slower and more methodically and a great fake tan will be had.

How do I rate thee? A+. The color is great. Not orange. No weird smell. Not too dark. A perfect color to enhance the legs so that I can go bare-legged…even in the snow!  It moisturizes and hydrates the skin and does not leave that greasy film.  You can wear the skinniest of jeans after applying and  still feel comfy.

 

Oh yes I did!  I’m wearing shorts too.  But you can get a better look at my bare legs. I won’t need  hose or tights anymore! I will also come down with a bad cold after this moronic move!

Next up is another product that I found to be quite intriguing.  “Root Cover Up” by L’Oréal.

As you can see, this is a rather small spray can.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you are well-aware of my issues with my hair. All three strands!  I’ve read from a few sites on hair loss that this product also works well to cover thinning hair spots.  Sounds like a great multi-tasker. Right?

Read on.

The price of this product was $9.99 at Wegmans.  The price runs from $9.99 up to about $11.00 on other sites.  This spray can is 2.0 Oz in weight. It contains no ammonia but I can’t even pronounce the rest of the ingredients.

Decent instruction and ammonia and peroxide free..but…

God only knows what the rest of this stuff is–and how can you NOT inhale it while applying?

I purchased black for obvious reasons—and was actually glad to see that L’Oréal offered a true black. Many other companies will pass the darkest brown off for women with black hair—whether naturally black or dyed.  This was a good thing.

The directions are very clear and the little nozzle ensures that the product will stay where you spray.

Here’s what happened when I sprayed:

As you can see, the top photo shows off the white hairline. Below is the same hairline after spraying. It does work. However….

Ugh. This freaking  iPhone camera. If you look beyond the freckles, you can see the spots where the spray product landed on my skin…

Gross but here’s a better view of the amount of product that I wiped off my face!

First of all, when I sprayed, I felt like I was using one of those products that burn warts off. It felt a bit burning and cold at the same time.  I sprayed the four to six inches away as directed.  It took a lot of product to cover my gray areas.  And on the thinning spots, it really didn’t do the greatest job at all. However, this wasn’t meant to be a product to disguise thinning hair. I’ll give credit where it’s due.

Sadly, it did not cover my big bald spot.

It worked. But it didn’t work!!!!! It’s ok. It’s fine. It isn’t spectacular.

Why?  I’ll tell you. For the cost per application, it’s expensive.  I have very stubborn roots. My hair is coarse and porous and I do need a lot of product to cover the roots.  I used half the can. I kid you not. Half. The. Can.

In addition, it was messy on my face. I had to wash the product off my forehead and my nose retained that same youthful glow as when I was 16.  My nose looked like it was covered with blackheads.

To cover my hair loss, I’ll stick with  Toppik.  Yeah. Toppik is messy but in a different way. I have to clean the sink instead of my face.  And although Toppik costs more money, $24.00 for .42 oz., the cost per use is better. One little shaker bottle of Toppik lasts me about 6 to 8 weeks. And you’ve seen my bald spots!!

For the money,  Toppik is a better product for covering the roots. It DOES cover the gray and it DOES hide the bald spots and less product is used..

Same spots after Toppik.

These days I traipse around less and less wearing only my bio hair. But on those days when I don’t want to wear a topper or wig, I would have to say Toppik is my choice for covering hair loss.

On this snow day, it’s my bio hair with the blend of Toppik and Root Cover.  (I did put a bit of eye make up on because I didn’t want to scare you!) Oh. And I haven’t washed my hair in 9 days. It still looks clean–that’s because it is so coarse and dry!

In all honesty, I don’t think I would use Root Cover-Up on a regular basis. I would, however buy a can to keep with my travel beauty supplies along with my Toppik, because the two products can come in handy while I’m away on vacation and when it’s too hot to wear helper hair.

..and I never travel without my beauty essentials–they are more important than the clothing. I’m at the beach. I only need bathing suits and sundresses!

How would I rate this? It’s hard because it does work but you need a ton of product if your hair is porous and for the price per use, it’s expensive.  For me, this would fall somewhere between a B  and a C+. For others who may not need as much product, it could have a higher rating.

Money is precious. And for those of us who fall way beneath the one percent, it’s important to find products that are a good value for the money.  The key word is value.

I’ll be on the lookout for more products that offer a good value for the money.  Are you with me? What are some products that you are a fan of—and at a budget price? I wanna know!

I’m smiling because I have a snow day. I will not be smiling when I drive to work on the slushy, icy roads tomorrow!

At this point I’ve surrendered to the snow.  In fact, I’m sitting here singing this song to Chippy— “Let it Snow”! My man Dean! I can’t believe I’m posting this song a week before spring!

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I’m Clothesed Minded. So, Don’t Tell Me What to Wear And Other Rants!

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Catherine

It started off quite innocently and without drama.  Bonaparte and I made a stop at Wegmans to do a bit of food shopping for our dinner.

And then it happened.  At the checkout.  I spotted it.  “Vogue” magazine.  And once again, my temper was triggered!

So Anna Wintour walks into a bar….and the bartender says “What’s your idea of diversity” And Wintour answered.  “A cover with a skinny Asian, a plus-sized model who is thinner than the average American woman, the one Kardashian who doesn’t have a huge ass,  a child of a Dutch Beverly Hills Housewive and her Arabic ex-husband, an Indian (not American Indian), an African-American and some other generic White model. All young. I am ageist you know”.  The sad thing is that this is no joke! This is the fashion and beauty industries idea of diversity. All thin and young. Very young!

On the cover was a group of models. The group was, in the world of Anna Wintour, who happens to be an old lady herself but is apparently in denial, diverse. It was diverse because this group included an Asian, A plus-sized model (who weighs less than the average American woman, a model from a Z-list celebrity family, an All-American looking model, an African-American woman, and a model who is the offspring of a Beverly Hills Housewife.

And these young women, folks, are the ideal of ALL women. Empowered women. Sage women. YEAH. THESE are women who’ve lived decades and decades of ups and downs, successes, and failures, mistakes and overcoming them.  Older women are basically ignored.

Let us get real here. Let us celebrate truly empowering women. Ripples, Wrinkles, and Brains!  Hillary Clinton–so she may not be everyone’s political cup of tea–but she is a strong, intelligent woman who KNOWS how Washington works.  Then we have Joni Mitchell, one of the most poetic and prolific songwriters of all time.  She’s another strong woman.  And what about Katherine Johnson, an African-American Physicist, and Mathematician who worked for NASA? At 98 she went unnoticed until the movie “Hidden Figures” came out. She should be celebrated in more than a film. And last of all, Jane Goodall, anthropologist, primatologist and humanitarian who has been empowering for years.  We cannot forget these women and many like them. And they are all great beauties!

Where the Hell is the real diversity?  Why isn’t the older woman represented in this group? Where is the truly average woman?  Where is the woman with thinning hair or alopecia?  Where is the cellulite?  Where is the woman with the gut?  I want to see skin that resembles crepe paper!

Diversity—and real diversity is all but ignored in the worlds of fashion and beauty.

Even if the industries focused on famous beauties who are older–why not have a cosmetics ad campaign with Francoise Hardy as a spokeswoman? She’s just as beautiful now as she was back then.

Or my personal fave older lady. Jane Birkin!  As she’s aged, her beauty has become more unique and she’s got a dynamic personality. I freakin’ LOVE this woman! Why hasn’t a skincare company used her as a spokeswoman? She’s got great skin!

And then my mind started spinning and, once again, I was brought to the land of fashion “experts” telling us what we should and should not wear when we enter that phase of life known as “older women”.

I find it rather interesting that “Vintage” style clothing is back. So where are the vintage aged models to showcase these vintage clothes?

Everyone loves a great vintage dress–especially one with a crinoline. So why not use a vintage model?  

Did you know that Elle Online is telling us that skinny jeans are now official “Out”?  Elle.com’s 2017 Fashion Trends  (click on the link to read) Not on my watch buddy.  Skinny jeans are, in fact, one of the most flattering style jeans that I’ve ever had the pleasure of wearing.  I can’t stand the jeans with no stretch. They are stiff and crispy and cumbersome.  Don’t get me started on that one!

Skinny jeans are out of style?  Good. Maybe I can buy AG Skinny Jeans in bulk since they are no longer “in”. Maybe AG will slash prices and I can be a happy consumer!

Who makes this shit up anyway?

Classic white sneakers are out too?  What mushrooms have these editors been eating? If classic white sneakers are out then how come I had to go to multiple stores to purchase a pair of white Converse Shoreliners if they are out–unless you mean out of stock because they are so popular!

Oh dear God. I am a Glamour “Don’t” in every fashionable way today. White classic sneakers–out!  Skinny jeans–out!  I’m sure my striped shirt has the wrong kind of stripes to be considered “in”!  And my fake hair. I’ll tell ya, I am a hot mess! And I like it that way!

I recall a few years back reading an article about why women over a certain age shouldn’t wear a bikini. Are. You. Kidding. Me? Honest. It was in the Daily Mail. Click This.  Although published in 2011, I don’t think mindsets have changed.

What’s the alternative then? A one piece that displays all the bumpy bits of the body?  A one piece that rides up in between your cheeks giving you a perpetual wedgie?

Sorry, but I’m not wearing a one-piece that needs ass adjusting all day.  I have a cheeky personality, but I don’t want my other cheeks on display!

No. When I go to the beach, I want to be comfortable. I want to be able to frolic in the sea without constantly adjusting my bathing suit.  The beach is hot. A one-piece bathing suit absorbs the heat. And when you swim in a one-piece, it feels heavy when you exit the water.”

The bikini fits my needs. And it fits the needs of many other older women.

Ba-da-Bing. Ba-da-bum! THIS is what I’m wearing to the beach. Sunscreen galore. The flabby bits sticking out. I don’t care because I’m comfortable!  As long as the “thighed burns” are shaved, then I’m good to go! Over 60’s CAN wear this!

This is where the Europeans got it right.  Go to any European beach and you will see women of all ages in the tiniest bikinis. You will see older women sunbathing topless. You will see overweight women in total comfort while wearing those bikinis.

When I talk about how much I love the beaches in France, my daughter gets a bit “OMG. Mom. You need to stop. You sound pretentious!”.

The fact is, I’m not being pretentious when I extol my love for French beaches. I’m admiring and am quite touched by the fact that women of all ages are celebrated and nobody minds if an 80-year old woman is walking gingerly in a teeny bikini!

I’m also done with the ridiculous phrase “On Trend”. This is just a lazy way of saying “You Need to Wear This Overpriced Piece of Clothing/Accessory/ Shoe That Will Go Out of Style By Next Season”

Trends from last year. Where are they now?  I’ll tell you where. In the trash and in consignment shops.

Trendy isn’t my particular style. Frumpy isn’t my particular style. Street isn’t my particular style.  And since it has been ages since I have read—I mean really read a fashion magazine, I would say that for someone who has stopped reading those magazines, I’m doing a pretty decent job when it comes to fashion.

 

Fuzzy photos aside, my style is my own, and it’s pretty much classic-inspired.

Among my influences were the uniform I wore to school. The uniform taught me that wearing a blazer will add a professional look to anything.  My love for plaid comes from wearing a uniform.

I can safely say that my obsession with blazers stems from the green blazer I wore to St. Patrick’s grammar school in Bay Shore, Long Island!

My mother also influenced the way I dress. As a young child, she made sure we were always dressed properly. Not trendy but more in a classic sense.  She also passed onto me the greatest advice that I’ve never forgotten. She said that you can buy an inexpensive and cheap dress and if you have a very well-made and good pair of shoes, you can look like a million bucks. But a cheap and shoddy pair of shoes can ruin the look of the most expensive dress you have. Those are words that I live by. And my mother was not a fashion expert. She was a real woman who raised five children on a police officer husband’s salary. She knew a great value!

My parents back in the day. Look at my mother’s dress. Is it not adorable? And that little necklace? She gave me great fashion advice that I’ve passed on to my own daughter, and I’m sure Oona will pass it on when she has a daughter!

I know I sound like a broken record on this topic but it really bothers me.  The older woman literally has no voice when it comes to fashion and beauty.

I have a big mouth. And in the past I’ve written about stuff we should be able to wear with no worries. In case you are a new friend to my blog, here’s the links:

How to Wear A Maxi Over 50

How to Wear Shorts over 50, 60

The Jeans for Every Body

I’m no expert but I know what I like!

We are all influenced for sure, but ladies, please. Be your own fashion icon. You are wearing the clothes. You know your body better than any fashion expert knows your body!

And why do fashion magazines continue to write about clothes that are financially out of reach for the average woman?  Really?  I do love beautiful clothing but within my budget.

I will gladly admit. I am in love with this Escada Matelasse Jacket and matching Sheath Dress. The prices are $1,450 for the jacket and $1,175 for the dress. Of which I cannot afford. But I CAN look for something similar at a much lower price point. So why aren’t alternatives shown in magazines–and WHY isn’t an older woman modeling this ensemble. Let’s get real–this ensemble is more on the mature side of fashion than on the youthful side!

Show me clothing that is affordable and fashionable at the same time.

Fashion and beauty magazines aren’t supposed to be deep. And that’s ok. I have The Atlantic and other publications for my deep reading.

But come on. Write about real issues such as how to tell a good wig from a piece of garbage. Lots of average women who are in the 50+ range suffer from hair loss. Whether from hormonal changes or aging or illness. It happens. Write about solutions and write about good and affordable ones!

This is a “Tony of Beverly” topper. I cut bangs into it. It was $55.00. It was a great price for helper hair. Why aren’t magazines writing articles about great fake hair?

Write about which foundations really are mature-skin friendly.  Let me and my peers read about the best way to fake tan—lots of us have had skin cancer and sun damage. Help us look good during the summer.

Three of the foundations in my regular rotation. To be truthful, the Marc Jacobs is the most mature-friendly of the three. It is chock-full of moisture. I need to repurchase. 

Inform us of the real movers and shakers of the older generation.  Let us read and celebrate older women who have really made a difference. With age comes wisdom.

Isn’t it about time to notice the older woman once and for all. Include us. We ask not for exclusivity, but for inclusion. Simple. We buy. We wear. We want to look our best—no matter how old.

“Isn’t It About Time” Stephen Stills and Manassas. From the Down The Road album. I loved this album when I was in high school and I wish I still had it!!  I’ll have to look for it on CD. But the song rings true. Isn’t it about time?

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Weight a Minute—Will Ya?

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Catherine

Thursday evening was Weight Watchers weigh-in and support.  I have to be honest here. The meeting did nothing for me.  Why?  Because the topic centered on exercise and being fit.

I was the first to arrive at the WW meeting and I should have exited after weigh-in!  I want support in a different way than a lecture on working out!

I have issues with this. Trust me.  I believe in activity. In fact, when I lived in New York City, I was in the best shape of my life! Why was I in the best shape —you ask?  It’s because of my ability to lose patience with the public transportation system.  The buses in NYC were too damned slow for me—especially the M5 covering Riverside Drive. I would wait at a bus stop for 40 minutes sometimes—realizing I could have walked—which I ultimately ended up doing.

The slowest bus in the NYC Public Transportation system. Just my luck. Waiting for this on Riverside in the Winter was brutal. I ended up walking most of the time!

Same with the subway.  During the summer months and no air-conditioning in the Netherlands of the metropolis that I loved so much, the chances of entering into an air-conditioned subway car were slim to none.  So, I walked.

  • Yes. This is MY ass–30 years ago!  I remember those pants too. Very ’80’s. They were from J. Crew. The jacket was from Tweeds. Amazing how I can remember where I purchased outfits from that long ago but I can’t remember where I put my phone! That ass is from walking!

Yes. I was fit and in great shape. And it was free—no money down!

Here’s another oldie but goodie. I have no idea who snapped this photo of me bending down rummaging through Christmas gifts. I was most likely looking for an important part of a toy that got lost! I remember that outfit too. The sweater was from Gap and the skirt was from B. Altman. Red suede. Where did my gut go??

Today’s world is different. If you live outside of a major city, you have to pay to get into shape. You need to join a gym, health club or spa.  At a cost. At a high cost.

Read the fine lines. That $19.99 a month usually comes at a contract of 5 years!  Bonaparte practically had to hire a lawyer to get his daughter out of a gym membership when she was in school! 

I will give a caveat.  Larger corporations include gym memberships as part of their healthcare programs—but I’m sure that’s coming to an end. (I’ll stop here-I promised Oona no more political rants. She is afraid that I will have a stroke or heart attack because I’m so upset about a certain person in the Whitey House).

That Orange thing in the Whitey House could use a workout or two hundred.

Let’s face it. Does anyone really look happy when they are working out?

Nobody behind this guy looks thrilled. I rest my case!

 

And then there’s the workout wardrobe.  Sorry, but I would rather purchase a pair of skinny jeans. I would also rather spend the money on killer heels that I can’t walk in.

This photo is from the Lululemon site. The pants are “Align” pants and are $98.00!! Ninety-eight bucks to spend on clothing that gets sweaty and smelly.  And then worn out on the street to run errands. And I’m the slob for wearing pants outta the hamper! Seriously–they should be called what they are. Not “Align” pants but “Swamp Ass” pants!

Walking in the ‘burbs just isn’t the same as walking in cities.  But—walking is free of charge. As soon as the weather warms up a bit, I’ll be incorporating walking into my weight loss program. But not now!

And my big issue is that I went back to the Weight Watcher’s meetings because I need support to help me with my eating habit.  I don’t want to stress eat.  I don’t  want to overeat.  I want food to be my friend. Talk to me about eating habits and not working out!

I need support to stop eating stuff like an entire pizza–not just a slice.  Do I need a higher power than Weight Watchers?

Figures that a Frenchman would be the Patron Saint of Overeaters and Gluttony! Maybe that’s why the French are so thin–because they pray to St. John Mary Vianney. And check out his middle name “Mary”–those French man saints are in touch with their feminine sides too. I’m going to pray to him before dinner tonight and every night!

Here’s the thing. I did lose weight this week.  And I lost a half of a pound.  The Weight Watchers crew was right—it is going to be a slow period of losing those last nine pounds.  I’m fine with it.

I’m down a half-pound. I fear for next week because–truth be told. I chowed down on a few Philly soft pretzels at work yesterday. I wish I had prayed to St. John Mary Vianney!

And I’m fine with it because losing a half pound is better than gaining a half pound. Hell—at this point it’s better than staying the same weight as the week before because I’m not on maintenance yet. That’ll be the test.

Sometimes we want results quick. We want that weight to come off in a minute—but it isn’t the way it should be. We need to take our time. We need to be kind to ourselves. Don’t you think?

True dat. We don’t want to take our time. I’m guilty as charged. We want quick results.  But I’m learning that great results take time. LOTS of time!

It’s all good—and here’s a look at what I wore this week.  The weight is coming off slowly this time, but I do find that my pants and jeans are starting to fit much, much better:

Monday I was shoe lazy. I went with comfy ballet flats instead of heels. I’m wearing cropped stretchy pants from J. Crew.  Last year I could not get these pants past my lower thighs. Now they are a perfect fit.  I’m happy that I can wear these once again!

Tuesday I went with Black & Tan!  And more flats. I am not a fan of Tory Burch bags or clothing but I love the Reva flats that I have.  This outfit was one of my favorites!  Bonaparte isn’t a fan of the tan/beige on me but he actually liked this outfit too!

Wednesday I wore red for International Women’s Day!  I went with red ballet flats–boy, this was my week away from heels! Notice that I’m not wearing socks and the weather was cold AF! I can’t stand socks with pants. I don’t care how cold my feet get!

Thursday was WW Weigh-In Day. So I dressed for it. A light T-Shirt dress from Old Navy.  I dressed it up with boots and a belt.  This dress is great for weighing in because I can take my bra off in the car and slide it through the short sleeves.  I can take the boots off quickly to get on the scale. I’m not kidding.  the belt, watch, earrings, bra, all came off before weighing!  I layered with a tan blazer and scarf. It’s the return of winter!

Yesterday’s outfit was another fave! I hadn’t worn my J. Crew French Hen sweater in a while but I love it.  It fits much better now that I’ve lost weight. I purchased this pair of AG jeans about six pounds ago and they are fitting even better than when I initially bought them.  May I add that I wore fake hair all week?  Those toppers are working magic these days and are keeping my head warm too. I love a multitasking product!

BTW, That’s SNOW in my hair–not dandruff!  It snowed like crazy yesterday! I threw on a trench coat and wore my dad’s  favorite cap turned around backward–it looks more like a beret!

Here’s what I’m wearing today!  A comfy sweater from J. Crew,  AG jeans that aren’t torn because it is THAT cold–I’m breaking in a pair of Weejuns so the loafers are my shoe of choice. I miss my bangs so I cut bangs into one of my Tony of Beverly Toppers. I think I’ll cut bangs into another topper. Instant Botox those bangs!  

That’s it for this week’s weight loss post!  Let’s hope I’m down another half-pound next week–and let’s hope the Weight Watcher’s meeting topic is focused more on our eating habits and strategies for weight loss other than working out!

Here’s a special Saturday Treat. Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs’ version of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl”. It’s from their CD, Under the Covers. They cover great songs and the kids got this CD for me. I LOVE the blend of their voices. Enjoy!!! It’s funny. I love this song but I can’t stand cinnamon!!

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My Mind is in a BLOG—Not in a Fog!

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Catherine

Well…. sometimes my mind is in a fog. However, tonight’s topic is BLOG!

I was inspired by my friend La Contessa of The Vintage Contessa blog fame.  She wrote a post about “Blogging” and the post got me to thinking.

As a reader, what do I look for in a blog? What kinds of blogs do I enjoy?  And what kind of blogger am I?  This is all very deep thinking for me so I may have to leave and get myself a cocktail.

On second thought I won’t get a cocktail. I would have to drive into Philly to get a nice shot of bourbon. Then I just realized I have a WW weigh-in tomorrow. The cocktail is too many wasted points. Another time!

It’s funny.  I do subscribe to a great many blogs. And I read many of them when I’m not working or writing or running errands.  And the blogs that I always return to are the ones that have a great story.

I love a good story. I love great editorial.  I love reading about people who have allowed me to enter into their lives the way a good friend would.  I love reading about the ups and the downs. I love reading about the good times and the fun.

I love a blog that makes me happy and doesn’t take itself too seriously.  I love a blog with a sense of humor.

If I’m reading a blog about cosmetics, I want to read an in-depth review about the product.  Tell me why you like the product. Tell me why you don’t like the product. Don’t praise something because you received it for free.  Be honest.

Does the product work?  Please let me know–and give me an honest look!

Oh. I like honesty and transparency in a blog as well.  I’m not a “smoke and mirrors” woman—get rid of the photoshop.  When I read your blog, and see your photos, I want to see the real author. I don’t want to see where legs and arms have been slimmed by a computer. I want to see wrinkles and flaws.

I like the real…and when I write my posts I always try to…

Keep it honest. And transparent. And real.

If I write about a tweezer, I’ll tell you why I use the tweezer. And it isn’t for my eyebrows. It’s to rid my chin of the hair that is growing at the bottom end of my face instead of the top of my head!

Might I add, this Tweezerman tweezer is not the greatest one in my collection! It’s hard to grab onto those unsightly lady whiskers!

I have flaws. And I try to write about them in a fun way. Nobody is perfect.  I’m bald as a cue ball on the back of my head.

Have you seen the back of my head? It pretty much looks like this cue ball!

It makes me feel good to write about my hair loss because I’m not alone. I like to bring topics like female baldness out in the open.  Hey—baldness isn’t just for men. Baldness believes in equality!

By the way, the pics were taken this past Sunday. I have no makeup on because I was too lazy. But–to the top left is my bio hair after washing and a roller set. Top right. Oops! Where did all my hair go?  It went to my chin!  Bottom left. After a sprinkle of  hair fibers. Bottom middle, and bottom right. Wearing a topper in each pic. Hey. Never a bad hair day with fake hair. You’re welcome!

The fashion industry ignores older women. Someone’s gotta write about Shit Old Ladies Do and wear!  And we wear clothing very well.  When I write about what I wear, I really have fun with it.

I was getting my best Bardot look on for what turned out to be my most-read post:  Shit Old Ladies Do   I had more fun writing that post!

And speaking of clothing, I’m not wealthy. That means I purchase my clothing, shoes, bags within a budget. I think that’s important because there are so many blogs  I read where the price point of the clothes is just way out of reach for most women. Don’t get me wrong. I have a couple of pricey Longchamp leather bags–but for the most part I’m on a middle-class budget!

We all know about my love-affair with J. Crew Clothing–But there are times when even I think their styling AND pricing is too much. Atypical60 Looks at The J. Crew Style Guide was another fun post.

A year later and still in J. Crew, but at sale pricing!

 

I’ll write about travel, but in a very different way.  A very different way.  It’s usually about the misadventures that I experience with my Frenchman.

This is how WE travel in Paris. We hang out in cemetaries taking photos of tombstones that give us a smile!

Many women go to Paris to buy designer bags, shoes and clothing. I run to my favorite discount pharmacie–CityPharma and load up on the beauty goods!

Life is good great!  And at times, things happen to make us sad or bring us down a bit. Sometimes my posts will reflect those trying times. But mostly, the posts I write are upbeat and positive.

My little blog is very important to me.  I started when I lost my job. It was a devastating time for me but writing about my life in little bits and pieces made me realize just how lucky I was to have the support of Bonaparte and my kids!

Me and the kids. Oona, Jake, and Roman–they are my jewels..

And Bonaparte is my rock–and presently the keeper of my credit cards! (There’s a reason for that)

I can’t leave Chippy out of this. He’s the king–and the one who ate three of my beauty blending sponges–and about seventeen rolls of toilet paper…and…

And little by little, I found my niche and my humor came back and I found that my blog was my baby.

My blog isn’t about numbers. It’s about trying to put a smile on a reader’s face.  Sometimes people get annoyed with me—and that’s ok.  We are a great group of women here at Atypical60 and we agree and disagree really well!  We play nice!

Here’s a big hug and thank you to everyone who enjoys reading this little blog.  You keep me going. You make me happy.  You make me want to write. And you always manage to help me bring my sense of humor back after I’ve lost it!

Thank you!!

The spectacular Bette Midler with “Friends”–we all need ’em!! And I’ve made some great ones through blogging! I never get tired of watching her because she always looks like she’s having a great, great time!

 

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A Little Trip to D.C.

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Catherine

Do you like getting away for the weekend?  Someplace close to home but far enough that it calls for a night at a hotel? The weekend before last, Bonaparte decided that an overnight trip to D.C. was long overdue.  We dropped Chippy off at the doggie day care for a sleep over with his canine buddies. We spent a leisurely morning packing and we were off to make our way through traffic on I-95.

I still get a feeling of pride when I am in our Nation’s Capital.  The Washington Monument is always a splendor to see!

We hadn’t been to our Nation’s Capital in a while.  It’s our favorite place for a quick overnight—and I was so happy to be going there that I wasn’t even thinking about the politics. Both of us just wanted to have a good evening and enjoy the rest of the weekend.  Close to home, the drive rarely takes more than three hours unless we hit a major traffic jam.

Oh yes. My little emoji uses the same language that I do!  But an overnight trip truly is “Fan-f@!#ing-Tastic!

It isn’t as expensive as an overnight in New York and we always have a good time.

We regularly stay at the Marriott in Falls Church. It’s on the outskirts and not in D.C. proper.  The location is incredibly convenient because the drive is 20 minutes away from downtown D.C. And the price point is incredibly reasonable.

Our old haunt, Bistro Français on M Street in Georgetown sadly went out of business. It’s a shame because this little place had been around for over 40 years and was consistently good but the chef and owner decided to retire.

Bonaparte was devastated. And in his stubborn French way, vowed to “discover” another French restaurant.  He did and he found a winner– La Chaumière.

If you think the outside is adorable, just wait till you see the inside!

We got to the hotel, relaxed for a bit then got ready for our dinner.  I do not know what I was thinking but I wore a pair of very high heels.  I absolutely love the shoes and wear them to work quite often. But I didn’t think ahead about walking up and down M Street on the uneven pavement in such dangerous footwear.

These were the beauties I wore. They are lovely for the office but just don’t work for walking on city sidewalks or in city streets!  Personally, I don’t know how streetwalkers do it. I admire them!

I couldn’t walk.  Bonaparte was thrilled because the fact that I was unable to walk meant one thing–I couldn’t go into my favorite stores—among them J. Crew and TJ Maxx. The fact I couldn’t go into the stores because I couldn’t walk on the sidewalk to get to the stores made him merrier!  And so, my Frenchman was thrilled because not being able to walk meant I could not spend any money!

No shopping aside, we ended up having a great, great dinner.  La Chaumière’s interior has a rustic elegance. It’s comfortable and not intimidating. It’s larger than I pictured and as we left the restaurant after dinner, there was a line of people waiting to get in.

The interior is really very charming and cozy too! 

Bonaparte started off with a pâté—which he said was delicious. I had a pike quenelle. Let me tell you something. I love quenelles. The best way I can describe a quenelle is that it’s a lighter-than-air dumpling and it’s like biting into a cloud of flavor.  And the lobster sauce that the quenelle was floating was a sea of flavor!

The morsel that Bonaparte SHARED with me was absolutely delicious. Lots of good flavor but not overpowering…

This quenelle–was so incredibly light and heavenly that I HAVE to find a recipe. This is my new project!

As usual, Bonaparte went with steak and frites. I ordered the Magret de Canard—duck breast, in a black currant sauce.  I love comparing the duck I order in restaurants to the duck I make at home and this was heavenly.

I really should not be posting photos of food like this while I’m back on Weight Watchers. I’m hungry now. Anyway, this is the Magret de Canard. OMG. It WAS better than mine. I love duck!

I don’t know what it is about red wine, but if it is a “good” one, I can drink it without suffering from a headache or heartburn.  The wine we had was really good.

Do you like a good red wine? Try this. It was REALLY, REALLY good!

Coffee and dessert and we were let loose into the night.

Yes. We are a very wild couple. Our idea of D.C. nightlife is driving through the City and enjoying the sites. One of the things I absolutely love about Georgetown is that it is filled with young people. It’s just fun to see them out and enjoying life!

Yeah. Driving around Washington D.C. late at night is our idea of fun!

The next morning, was brisk and sunny. And after a hearty breakfast and a quick pack, we were off to the National Gallery of Art.

While Bonaparte enjoys eggs, and bacon, and sausage, and toast, I stick to my usual–a big bowl of oatmeal with dried fruit.  Oatmeal–I could eat it anytime!

Oh. And I dressed for comfort the heels were packed away!

The National Gallery is one of my favorite places in D.C.   I cannot even tell you how many times we’ve been here. And the secret on a Sunday morning is to get there early before it opens at 11 AM. We try to arrive before 10:30 AM

NOTE:  The earlier you arrive, the better your chances of getting a parking space. And on Sunday morning parking is easy to come by.  Park the car, walk around for a bit, people watch—it’s all part of the enjoyment!

A gloriously sunny day when the weather is still cold is the best time to visit a museum!

The fountain surrounded by flowers in the rotunda always gives me a good feeling..

Here’s some flowers I picked just for you!

So, this is one of the great things about the Gallery—you never know what kind of great exhibit you will come across. This visit it was the Della Robbia exhibit. Have you ever heard of Luca or Andrea Della Robbia? I hadn’t. And I like to think I’m pretty well-educated in the arts. I’m so pretentious! Oh well, you learn something new every day!

Come and look at some of the exhibit with me:

I was fascinated by the lemons and pinecones mixed with the greenery!  I need to find replicas of these things to hang at home!

I want to know the secret of keeping these colors so vivid after centuries and centuries. I can’t even keep a pair of black pants from fading after one season!

I love a great Madonna–and this one is beautiful!

This was almost creepy because IRL it looked like she was looking right through you!

This yellow, green, blue color combination is doing something to me. I want to wear these colors!

It was so kind of the Della Robbia’s to sculpt a bust of Francis I of France!

A beautiful Pieta–Della Robbia style.

And we end with a couple of Saints!

After the exhibit, we roamed around looking at paintings.  Now—my favorite artists are the French.  I love the Impressionists but I also love Delacroix and Courbet.  This time around we spent a good amount of the day admiring the Flemish and Dutch painters.  You know, I forgot how much I like the Flemish/Dutch painters.

Here’s a bit of what we saw. And you know, when I look at a painting sometimes I think of things that I’m sure others don’t.  I’ll explain:

I love Rembrandt’s portraits. I love the dark/light thing he has going on. But most of all, I dig the hat.  Why can’t I find a hat like that?

“A Young Man in a Large Hat” by Frans Hals is one of my favorite paintings of all time.  This young guy looks totally wasted. WHAT was he drinking? I’ll bet from the expression on his face that he was thinking of some girl he met the night before he posed for this. And the hat. The hat! I LOVE that hat. I want that large hat. It’s so much better than that dopey hat Pharrell wore in that Happy song video. And look at Young Man’s outfit. I would totally wear that.

Here’s another outfit I would wear. I am coveting that tan coat. It’s beautiful. The hat? Not so much–I would wear Young Man’s hat with that coat. But those boots with the red lining are to-die for.  It isn’t fair that men got to have the good clothes back then..

…While the women looked like this?  That hat is awful. It looks like a wig cap–believe me, I KNOW wig caps!  And that thing around her neck. I guess its the way women hid turkey neck back then! Can we put some make up on this woman please?

I’m not crazy about the red hat on this Vermeer girl. I like the earrings in his other painting.

This guy looks miserable because I’ll be that turban weighs a good 25 pounds!

“Agrippina & Germanicus” by Sir Peter Paul Rubens. If I were Germanicus, I would want a refund from Sir Rubens for giving me that huge double chin.  I don’t think they had chin lifts back then but he could have given her a better profile!  Her hair is beautiful!

I see still life paintings like this and think “dinner”!  I’m still hungry!

See what I mean? I put more thought on the clothing. Why don’t they make hats like they used to?  Here are more paintings and sculptures from our little visit:

This gentleman’s neck thing is so much nicer than the woman a few paintings above. His is softer fuller, prettier. I would wear this one to hide my turkey neck!

I love the dress but she looks so depressed!  Oh wait. She’s getting ready to stab herself. Or maybe since tweezers weren’t invented yet, she’s getting ready to cut some lady whiskers off her chin.

I’m bewildered by the fact that men, even young men dressed so beautifully. If a young man dressed like that today, he would be banned from using the men’s room!

..and why can’t a lingerie company make a bra that could give us the same “lift” as this woman-and they didn’t have padded bras in those days. Bring back boning in dresses!

This is a Spanish painting but I can’t remember the artist. I LOVE this painting. The women are so cute. I love the look on the woman with the little coral bow and I love how you can tell the other woman is probably laughing behind that fabric!

I love a tricorn hat and I wish that they were still sold for regular use. I would definitely wear one. The rest of the ensemble does nothing for me. I think the over-the-chin look is just wrong! 

I’m amazed at how I’m naturally drawn to French painters. This is another one of my all-time favorites. “Elizabeth Throckmorton Canoness of the Order of the Dames Augustines” by Nicolas de Largilliere.  I love nuns. And this painting is so beautiful-I swear if you stand close enough, you can get a waft of that powdery scent nuns are known for. One of my faves!

I LOVE the Art Nouveau period in painting and this is one of the details in a series of paintings about Joan of Arc by Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel. He is best known for his illustrations in children’s books but I love the clean lines and the basic simplicity. 

Here we are in the Rodin section. Let me tell you something. I can’t stand Rodin. As a person.  He was a tool.  And if you ever get the chance, watch the film “Camille Claudel” starring Isabelle Adjani.   I can bet that Rodin took credit for this sculpture when Camille Claudel is the one who sculpted it…

This one too. It has Claudel written all over it!

And as we exit, we bid farewell to France’s greatest king, Louis XIV, the Sun King!

I hope you enjoyed our little weekend trip!  You don’t have to go far away to take a little trip. Sometimes the best way to chill and regroup is a little getaway during the weekend!

This has been played more than once on this blog but I can’t help it. Every time I go to a museum this enters my mind:  Mussorgsky “Pictures at an Exhibition”.

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A Long A -Weighted Return

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Catherine

If you follow the blog, you know what I’m talking about.  If you don’t follow or even if you forgot any of the details, here’s a bit of a backstory.

Around Labor Day Weekend, I decided that something had to be done about the weight I gained over the two years of non-employment.  I ballooned up to a little past 165 pounds. I wasn’t comfortable at this weight.  And I am not getting any younger. I wanted to get to a healthy weight.

It also doesn’t help that I have the appetite like a feral dog or the appetite of a football team. Let’s face it. I’m a girl with a huge appetite. I love to eat!

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Patsy knows me. Well. She is one of those women who doesn’t eat. Food, that is!

Trust me. When my own dog started to lick his chops every time he saw my ass, I knew it was time to do something about my weight. After all, I didn’t want to go to bed and have Chippy gnaw at my luxurious deposits of fat whilst I was in a deep slumber.

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That is NOT the look of love that Chippy has given me. It is the look of hungerlust when he mistakes my ass for two round patties of beef!

I gave myself a personal goal of 140 pounds. I wasn’t looking to be the weight that I was when I was in high school or when I was a young adult. I just wanted to be a weight that would allow me to fit into clothing that no longer fit.

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Ok Eddie. But I’m going to try to be healthier and do things that healthy people do. And that thin people do. Except run and join a gym.

And so, I revisited Weight Watchers. But I did it online. And it worked. For a while.

And I wrote weekly posts about the progress.

And then the Holidays came.  With a three-day to Paris after Thanksgiving, and with Christmas and the kids being home, I ate. A lot. And I was also aware of what I ate. I didn’t gain but I didn’t lose. So far. So, good.

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Just a sampling of what went down (in my belly) over Christmas!

But—as I tried to get back into the swing of things, I found myself losing motivation.

And then my emotions got in the way.   The results of the presidential election horrified me.  I love my country. I love what my country stands for. And now I’m petrified.

This had me realizing that I could do one of two things. I could eat my emotions away. Which I started to do. Or—I could seek help. And I did.  I decided to return back to Weight Watchers.

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That’s right. I DON’T have time to eat my emotions away. I DO have time to return to Weight Watchers and understand why I let my emotions get the best of me!

My first attempt to return failed when I came down with THE worst stomach bug of all time. It was so bad I had to go to the doctor.  It took over a week to get back to normal.

My second attempt to return failed with the sudden death of one of my very, very few best friends.

I had visions of raw cookie dough and chocolate syrup right outta the bottle swimming in my head.

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Taken right out of my fridge. There’s hardly any left. And it’s true. I don’t even need milk. Oh yes I did!  And yes I do!

My third attempt to return was a charm.

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I‘m back!! And on track!!

I returned this Thursday evening after work.  As a Lifetime member I was a bit taken aback that I was charged $15. But, hey, apparently, I won’t have to pay after a month. I’m ok with that.

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I don’t know if this is a true success story, given the fact I’ve been to WW many times. But for now, it’s an attempt at success!

I wore as little as possible to work that day.  I fake tanned so that I didn’t have to wear tights to cover my pasty-white, fish-belly blue legs. Just my luck I ran out and one leg was darker than the other!

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I lie not. This is my official “Thursday Weigh-In” ensemble. A light t-shirt dress from Old Navy (which fit me 20 pounds heavier and is just a bit loose now), a big scarf which I took off at weigh in.  Bonaparte’s socks. Now he’ll find out I stole them from him!

Hell, I took my bra off before the meeting because it’s so heavily padded!  I almost took my fake hair off too!

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I was pleasantly surprised by the number!  But there’s still work to be done and diligence to practice!

When I got on the scale, my weight was lower than I anticipated. And I was told that I really don’t have much to lose at all.   I set a new goal. 135. Simply because I want some leeway for vacation, holiday, and event times.

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And I also want to have some extra room for a load of sushi. Not just eight pieces!

I was also told that this last 9 pounds will not be an easy loss. I’m fine with that because it took my 6 months to lose 20 pounds. And that is why I returned.

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A + for attempting and trying.  

Sometimes we need a little help.  Sometimes we need a bit of support. I’m glad to be returning to the meetings because those meetings are a safe haven for me.  It’s where I can go and be with others who understand my journey. I can understand their journey.

It’s good to admit when you need support.  Whether the issue is big, small or in-between.  It’s all good.

It is also good to pick up on my weekly weight loss journey posts.  I missed writing them!

Anyway, a recipe for Overnight Oats was passed around at the meeting and I made it my own.

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I omitted the peanut butter and the chocolate almond milk. 

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I added water to replace the chocolate almond milk and dried cherries to replace the chocolate peanut butter.  It was delicious. I will be making this to bring to work.

Last night I made sure that we had a healthier dinner—despite Bonaparte’s wishes for sauce.

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Chicken breast in smothered tomato and olive. Served with blanched Haricots Verts. Tasty, healthy and totaling around 8 points!

And yesterday afternoon, we visited a co-worker’s new endeavor. A sandwich restaurant. I ordered a vegetable hoagie, ate 1/3 of it and put the rest of the sandwich away. I’ll have the remainder as my Sunday evening light supper.

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My co-worker, Umer, opened a little sandwich place on the side. I admire a great work ethic and boy does he have a great one!  If you live on the Philly Main Line, stop by for a sandwich par excellence! And yes. I was able to incorporate a sandwich into my daily tracking!

It’s all about planning and strategizing and getting back into the grove.

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And there’s still room for the bubbly! Yay! You didn’t think I would give up my aperitif now, did you?

I don’t know about you, but now is the time of year when I start to get a bit antsy about winter. I want to get into warmer-weather clothing but it’s still a while away for that.  Do you feel the same way?  Here’s what I wore this week.  Trying to think of new ways to wear the same clothing!

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Yesterday’s outfit was taking a cue from Ines de la Fressange and her neon pants. I took these pants out of the hamper (come on now, we’ve ALL done that) and let them air out to give me a bit of a spring-time vibe. The pants are now a bit loose in the waist. I should have worn a belt!

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Jeans Friday at work.  Note how the fake tan is darker on the foot on the right in the pic. 

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Thursday’s look is above in the post. Wednesday’s outfit was checked pants, a black sweater, and flats. I’m getting lazy at this time of year…

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Tuesday I wore a pair of GAP jeggings that hadn’t fit in about three years. I’m not kidding. I was so happy to be wearing these again. SEE–don’t ever throw clothing away. If you are determined, those clothes WILL fit again!  I need to wear these booties more and the plaid Lady Jacket from J. Crew is light enough to be worn well into the end of Spring!

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Monday’s look was my favorite look of the week. The plaid pants are from Loft and went from being tight when I first purchased them over two years ago, to not fitting at all to now being lose.  Lace heels. I love them. A green turtleneck and navy blazer.  I think this will be my St. Patrick’s day ensemble!

Note: Other than the Lady Jacket and the green turtleneck–both on sale from J. Crew this winter, every single item of clothing I wore this past week is years old.  Funny how some clothing can still manage to fit with a weight gain and loss. Many items of  my clothing fits from loss and gain because I have a large frame. I do not have small bones. My build is athletic–even though I’m lazy as all get out!

Thanks for reading.  I know I haven’t posted regularly for a while but now I’m back!!  XOXOXOXO

I get by with a little help from my friends!

 

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In Living Color (Corrector) And Random Thoughts

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Catherine

It’s never too late to get on the bandwagon for “new” trends in cosmetics and beauty.  And it seems that color correctors are the latest and greatest.

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Here’s the weird thing. I’ve always been under the impression that yellow neutralized blue.  I have yellow product to prove it.  But orange? No. Just. No.  Who has time to put all this on their faces anyway? Wait. That dark pink next to the green–do I put that OVER the green to neutralize it?

The funny thing is-I distinctly remember a product by Revlon back in the early 1970’s when I was in high school. My face has always had a tendency toward rosacea.  Otherwise known as the “Irish Glow”. And I purchased this green liquid that promised to get rid of redness.

It did. I walked around with a green pallor on my face until the school nurse stopped me in the hall and suggested my parents take me to the doctor for blood work.

That was the last time I used a color corrector.

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The green color corrector didn’t work for me back then!

Fast forward to now.  I managed to get the gist of contouring. In fact, I really do like the way contouring gives my features more definition and softens the angles of my bone structure.

And my skin still gets red.  And now that I’m aging, I’ve noticed a hint of blue under my eyes and in the corners of my eyes.

I love my Well-Rested concealer, which I am never without. It still remains the best concealer I own.  And I do have two other products for getting the “blue” out.  One is a yellow cream by e.l.f. and the other is more like a whipped mousse by Mally.  Both do a decent job, but both take more time and effort to “get it right”.

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Bottom is another e.l.f. product. A creamy yellow to get rid of the blue–or purple. Above that is the Mally corrector. A little of that goes a long, long, long way!

Anyway, on a recent trip to Target, I stopped by the e.l.f. cosmetics display to see what was new and inexpensive.  I came across a color correcting palette—Corrective Concealer Palette to be exact. At $3.00, I couldn’t resist.

There are four little creams in this palette. It’s actually pretty sturdy. It comes with a built-in mirror and a little brush. (The brush is a waste).  The colors correct and neutralize.

 

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Yellow,  Blue (or is it Lavander) Green and Peach make for a colorful face. Actually these are supposed to help take color away!

The only two I’ve used are the yellow and the green.

The first time I used this, I went with a bit of a heavy hand.  The second time, I went a bit lighter. I ended up applying the product with a damp beauty sponge and blended very well.  I’m not gonna lie or give you alternative facts on this.

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I’m tellin’ it like it is when it comes to cosmetics!  

It takes a while to blend this stuff in. The consistency of the cream is great for more mature skin because it is more hydrating.

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You can see the blotchy redness on my face before applying any product.

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Green and yellow will make my skin look more even in tone. I just realized my nose is crooked!

But when I have to get ready for work in the morning, I want a fast face.  In between lingering sips of my morning coffee and checking social media, because social media is the only form of social life I happen to have, taking tissues out of Chippy’s mouth, and getting my fake hair ready, I don’t want to spend a ton of time trying to get the red off my face or the blue away from my eyes.

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Welcome to my morning!  THIS is what I spend the most time on. Taking tissues away from Chippy.  Tissues are his favorite snack food!

Did it work? Yeah. But nothing that concealer and foundation wouldn’t do faster. I’m beginning to think that less is more these days with all these products.  My routine is just that. A routine. I put moisturizer on and follow with primer. I give myself five minutes to let the primer soak in then I start with the other cosmetics.

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This photo was taken after I left the office for the day. The redness is covered. BUT, I also have foundation on and my foundation outlasted the ashes from the morning!

I don’t want to add any more time to my already hectic morning schedule. After all, I am a bit on the lazy side….

The colors in the palette remind me of Spring, which is just three weeks away. Spring reminds me of Easter. Speaking of which, yesterday was Fat Tuesday. The day before the Lenten season begins. I ate a ton of these beautiful pastel Robin’s Eggs. Delicious chocolate covered malted milk balls in the shape of eggs and covered with a pastel candy coating. I ate so many I almost laid eggs this morning!

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I would have been better off rubbing those yellow eggs under my eyes instead of them going right to my hips. And YES. I ate all of these. I was afraid to go to the bathroom this morning in fear I would lay a couple of these eggs! They don’t call it “Fat” Tuesday for nothin’!

And Easter reminds me of Lent.  My old-school memories of Lent are not ones of suffering and giving up things I love in order to sacrifice.  My memories are fond ones.  In fourth grade I gave up sugar and surprisingly to this day, I still have tea with no sugar.  Some things last forever.

I remember the nuns taking us over to church for what seemed like hours on Friday afternoons. Oh wait. It was for hours!

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This is an example of the kind of nuns that would march us over to church during Friday afternoons in Lent. What a start to the weekend!

And those nuns put the fear of God in me.  We have a very old crucifix at home.  It’s one of those old-school ones that slides open and inside are candles and a small bottle of holy water.  And there are two holes drilled into this cross in which the candles are placed.

OK. Jesus fell off the crucifix some years ago.  BUT–I’m afraid to nail him back on the cross for obvious reasons!  I’m not nailing HIM back to the cross. And he’s too heavy to glue. I’ll just tie him with a ribbon….

This is if you need “Last Rites”. Or, as it used to be called, “Extreme Unction”. If someone is dying or that sick, I don’t think the dramatic ones, such as myself, would be thinking of getting the candles and holy water out of the crucifix. It’s too extreme!

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WTF??? What an awful name for a sacrament!!  This man doesn’t look too happy to be seeing Hipster Jesus or the Angels. I don’t think he wants to go just yet!

And I remember all the women going to church and wearing hats or mantillas on their heads.  Covering a woman’s head was so important back then that my mother carried tissues and bobby pins in her purse. Just in case we happened to stop by church to pray. I’m not kidding. This is true. Tissues. On the head. I always double-checked to make sure they were not used.

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Only Catholics would walk around with tissues on their heads. It’s an added way of suffering!  

Today I went to Mass and not only was there nary a hat or mantilla in sight, but one girl had a pair of shorts so short that her origin of the world was practically exposed!  Things change over time.

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If I can find one of these mantillas I’m going to start going back to Mass on a weekly basis. I want to be like Jackie! Maybe I’ll get gloves too!

Lent always has a special place in my soul and my heart. I think it’s because I miss those days of ritual. I miss those Friday afternoons in church. While we were supposed to be praying, my mind would oftentimes wander to other things that had nothing to do with the Lent or Christ’s suffering.  I was usually thinking of what I would be doing on the weekend.

Or perhaps it’s the fun I had at the Friday Night Fish Fry’s at the Hibernian Hall in Hamilton when we lived in New Jersey. It was a community of people who got together and just had a great time. To this day, my kids talk about those fish fry’s!

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Hands down. Best part of Lent is the Fish Fry!

And I liken Hipster Jesus’ 40 days in the desert with Satan’s temptation to that of the four years of suffering that I will go through with Trump as (notmy) president.

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Jesus got off easy.  He only had to deal with 40 days of Satan.  I gotta deal with four years of  the new Satan! I’ll pray he goes away. For good!

Either way you look at it, the next 40 days will be a time when I won’t give up my gutter mouth. Nor will I give up the occasional piece of candy or cake.  Instead, it will be a time when I’ll just try to be a kinder person.

And I will be much kinder because “Awards Season” is over so I have nobody to snark on! Oh..those Oscar dresses–truly tasteless for the most part!

Enjoy this first day of March.  The warmer weather is on the way and the days are getting longer. We’ve got good times to look forward to!

I’ve been listing to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” in my car—and love listing to “Spring” because it’s just around the corner!  It’s so beautiful. Don’t you think?

 

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