What This Baby-Boomer Did in One Day!

Posted on September 11, 2022 by Catherine

First of all, before I move forward with this post, I just want to give remembrance to 09/11/2001. It affected too many of us to forget. It took a toll on friends and family we lost.  For me, it was sickening because people I knew were murdered. I worked in Two WTC and my aunt in One WTC.  We were no longer working in those buildings when the incident occurred but it still had an impact.

What is the purpose of 'never forgetting' 9/11? - Quora

21 years later, I still find it difficult to look at photographs of the twin towers. I honestly believe this is one of the most beautiful and tragic reminders. 

So yesterday, being the “first” Saturday we were home since late spring, I decided to tackle a few chores that needed attention.

Carrying out these chores was so cringe-worthy for me. No makeup. An inside-out nighty, but I menaged to put on a cheap pair of earrings to keep it glam!

Our living room:  We have two off-white sofas. Each has removable slip and cushion covers. This is key for washing. However, I don’t like to wash them too much because I don’t want to ruin the fabric. Between family gatherings, spilled beverages, the dirt from Chippy and normal wear and tear, I decided to begin the project of washing them.

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I know. I know. I’m very “beige” and neutral. I really need window coverings but I can’t find any that I LOVE. And I cannot find a handy-man to instal curtain rods.

Because this process takes days for the slipcovers to dry (i.e., today is rainy and humid—no dry down). One sofa at a time will be taken care of.  Yesterday, after my morning coffee and Wordle, I traipsed downstairs to the living room and stripped the one sofa of its coverings.

Naked and stripped. The covers must be cleaned. Ugh. Don’t even get me started on the bane of my existence–the carpeting.

No money was found in the sofa’s crevices. However, a petrified corn chip was discovered and quickly devoured by Chippy!

While Chippy searches for more petrified crumbs, I ponder if I should leave the sofa naked until November.

In the meantime, I decided to multitask by ironing clothes whilst the first load, the cushions were in the machine.  Then I spot treated the filth off the second load and let me tell you, I was shocked at how dirty the bottom of the slipcover skirt was.

Time to iron and spot-treat. Thankfully, this sofa is rarely used so I’ll let it get dirty before entertaining the thought of washing the covers!

So, after three hours of wash loads, I turned the house into a mess of sorts by air drying them.

24 hours later, this still isn’t dry but it’s created an eyesore..

These will be hanging out for a few days too!

Why am I doing this now?  Because I’m preparing for Thanksgiving.  Next week I’ll wash the covers from the other sofa. The week after we’ll be in Cincinnati.  The last weekend in September I’ll move on the So, loveseat in the sunroom.

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The covers on this loveseat will be cleaned last.  This loveseat is filthy and it’s going to take two washes to get it clean. Ugh.

Okay. All that done, it was on to chore Number Two.  Switching out the summer clothing to the autumn/winter clothing.  Yeah. I realize it is still hot and humid and the mid-day temperature rises to the mid-80’s.  This is where the transitional clothing comes in.

Here we go. Quite possibly, next to cleaning a toilet, this is the most annoying chore. Twice a year. But once it is done, I’m okay with it.

Sweaters at the ready to place into drawers..

Heavy ones in this dresser..

…lighter sweaters in this dresser.

Outfits such as my beloved leopard-print skirt that defies the seasons will be worn with a light jersey tee until that crisp day where the frost makes its annual appearance on our miniscule front lawn.

This skirt never leaves my closet.  A “go-to” for years and it is still going strong!

Gretchen Scott Designs printed pants will make a fun appearance from now till the bowels of winter and onto early spring.

What I absolutely LOVE about the Gretchen Scott GripeLess jeans other than the patterns is the stretch. They stretch across the gut. And, the fabric is lightweight–perfect for this transitional part of the year.

My years-old collection of J. Crew Pixie Pants has also been hung in the closet. And they will, once again, be happy to adorn my ample thighs and calves like a nursing newborn rested against its mother’s bosom.

All those black pants hanging up? J. Crew Pixie Pants..

The black pants folded next to the jeans? MORE Pixie Pants. BTW. I have three pair of jeans for the winter.  None of my other jeans fit across the belly. Time to cut the bread and macaroni! 

Thankfully The Frenchman lugged the tubs of clothing up and down the three flights of stairs in our home. That’s another thing.  There’s the misconception that Boomers and “old people” can survive only in a home without stairs. Not true. I think of it as exercise—at least for now while my knees are working!

Family Guy Stairs GIF

Actually , I’m the one who needs to hold on to the bannister due to my lack of depth perception. But we are both lucky to be running up and down three flights of stairs.

With sweat pouring off me, I dismantled from hangers, folded, placed into tubs and repeated in opposite form. The closet was organized and ready for the coming season.

Pardon the lack of decent lighting but this closet isn’t the largest…

Blazers in the back..

Shirts up front. I need to keep it organized!

Next was to take the winter shoes from one side of the closet to the other. That was a royal pain-in-the-ass.  But it was completed.  And might I add, you don’t need a huge closet—just be mindful of how you hang the clothing.  Pants together, dresses together, skirts together…etc.  It works.

All my winter shoes are in place. Jesus is watching over them. Actually, my Catholic superstition will not allow me to move the Crucifix. Jesus fell off and I can’t find the nail that kept him on the wood–and I’m afriad to glue him. Some of you will totally understand this reasoning.

Is my closet immaculate? No. I have purses that I don’t use crammed into shelves. I would love to sell them on Poshmark or Mercari but I can’t deal with people if they want to return one of them. I would rather deal with the purse pile.

What was next?  Turning the faucet to the bathtub on. My stinky, sweaty, gross body needed a soak and a scrub—not to mention shaved legs. So, after a twenty-minute gig in the now dirty water, I got out, got dressed and off I went with The Frenchman to Rite-Aid to see if I could get my next and third Covid Booster.

RITE AID among pharmacies that have COVID-19 vaccine

Another superstition. I received both my boosters from Rite-Aid so I’m afraid to go anywhere else!

We arrived at the pharmacy only to be told that I needed to make an appointment on line.  Yet another misconception about Boomers—we don’t, we can’t or we refuse to use the internet or iPhone to make appointments or whatever.  A few clicks and I had the appointment for Sept. 24.

Oh. Wait. We’ll be visiting my daughter. Back to the site to reschedule. And in a matter of seconds, I was confirmed for the following Friday. Yes. I am a Boomer. And I am on a computer all day, 8, 10, 12 hours at work. At times I assist those younger than me in using certain applications.  Remember that.

Season 2 GIF by BBC Three

Yessssss. My reschedule was confirmed. YESSSSSSSS. I’m old and have better computer skills than some younger coworkers!

Back to the clothing in the closet. I needed more skirt and pants hangers. Do you know how difficult it is to find these things in real life? Stores don’t have the kind I want. And the last thing I wanted to do was to sleuth out hangers—the thought of looking for a parking spot and the mall or Target or Walmart, then having to deal with people in the store did not make me a happy camper.

As I write this, I’m awaiting the delivery . They should be here momentarily. Nature Smile Wooden Hangers. They’ll do the job!

Back home. It is afternoon.  What next?

Gougères.  My husband, through autumn, winter and spring, lives for these little cheese-embedded orbs of choux pastry.  I do not bake in the summer. It is too hot. I am not a fan of my oven (I need a new one), and, I just don’t have or want to make the time for summer baking.

The mise-en-place for Alain Duccase’s easy and always great to have on hand Gougeres!

And so, yesterday, I whipped up three batches.  Next weekend I’ll go back to baking his pain-aux-raisins and next month, it’ll be croissant time!  With gougères cooled, they were placed into freezer bags and put to rest. They need only a couple of minutes in a 350 oven to reheat.

Ready for the oven..

Ready to cool, bag and place in the freezer!

At this point, it was around 3:45 in the afternoon.  I needed a break. I headed to dirty sofa and reclined my not-aching body. Turned the TV on to Netflix and started watching Chef’s Table—the season is about Pizza. I can’t stand Pizza. Honestly, it’s one of …maybe four foods I don’t like. Gummy candy and mint candy such as peppermint bark and York patties, and tomato sauce and ketchup are the others.

Chef's Table: Pizza' on Netflix will feature this famous Phoenix chef

I need to finish the season but ….I just might try to make a special pizza–even though my oven sucks.

I watched anyway because I love stories about food. Now I am ready to try real artisanal pizza. Not the gooey, smothered in tomato sauce.

At about five, I realized I needed to get dressed. Nicely dressed, that is.  We were headed out to our favorite restaurant for a belated fifth wedding anniversary dinner.

Okay. So the wig (Ocean by Estetica) needed a bit of manipulation. But this dress from Amazon is incredible comfortable and is great for this time of year!

Thrifted J. Crew Leopard print Dulci Pumps. I love these!

I fixed the wig a bit. Cleaned up well after a smelly hog day!

We drove to Springmill Café in Conshohocken and enjoyed a wonderful meal and lots of good wine.

Our absolute favorite restaurant. I can’t believe we’ve been dining here together since 2005!

Someone is very serious about fixing our aperitifs..

We started off with the Country Pate Tasting!

I had rabbit. And although boney, I ate it with my hands. It was outstanding! My husband had filet mignon but the camera was shakey and the photo didn’t turn out..

Dessert was Orange Cake A La Mode and I had a strong coffee. I still fell asleep early!

Was it the wine or was it a day filled with activity that had me falling asleep at 9:30 PM? It was the wine.

wake up sleeping GIF

On second thought, perhaps it wasn’t the wine. Maybe I was tired from a 60 hour work week or just the activity of the day!

So, the next time when someone younger than you pontificates about how “Boomers” are worthless, about how they need to retire because they are taking jobs away from the younger generation (which is complete bullshit because most corporations participate in ageism against older people), about how we know nothing, about how lazy we are—remind them a bit about a few things.

Our generation has a stellar work ethic. We were raised with good values. We know the value of a dollar. We actually work hard and go the extra mile because we have a mortgage to pay, car payments, household utilities, food, clothing and our activities.

Laziness comes in all ages. All genders. All cultures.  Boomers should not be the objective of snark, of disrespect or hate.

David Spade Boomer GIF by CTV Comedy Channel

Show ’em what you got!!!!!!!!!!!!

I rest my case!

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That “Less-is-More” Summer Makeup Process Will Now Be My New “Pro-Aging” Normal

Posted on September 5, 2022 by Catherine

There’s a lot I have to say about this “less-is-more” makeup vibe that has come to be my new normal.

Glow Up Make-Up GIF by BBC Three

Even the host/makeup artist from Glow Up Makeup on the BBC agrees that less is more! I’m in good company!

And there’s good reason: at 67, which is soon to be veering more towards 70 and less from my 60’s, my skin has changed over the years. A lot. And I’m sure yours, if you are around my age, has too.  Even in the past seven years since I started this blog, the change has been quite profound.

Me. At 32 when Roman was a year old.  I miss my hair.

Mo’ hair. Mo’ Makeup’ Less blotchiness. Great Glasses! I’ve definitely aged. A lot! It happens.

My skin is blotchier. I’m not gonna go all out and say I have rosacea, because its one of the few aging skin processes I don’t have. However, there is an unevenness in my skin tone that has become quite noticeable.  I have, due to sun exposure, more freckles and age spots. I have lines—not deep set but definite lines and the one thing that really makes me cringe are the cracks around the edges of my mouth and towards my chin.

No makeup. Mo’ freckles or age spots–whatever they are, they are there.  Mo’ uneven skin tone. Mo’ wrinkles. It happens. It’s aging!

But..it’s life. It is the ageing process and unless you can afford fillers on a regular basis or a very excellent face lift (as in checking in to NYC’s Hospital for Special Surgery) done under the expertise of Dr. Andrew Jacono, which most of us cannot afford because we are not wealthy nor are we in the socio-economic grouping of the mega-rich, you gotta learn to deal with the aging face with a French shrug, and work around what aging has done to your face.

I know I’m being hypocritical and I am not ashamed; however, if I won a few million in the lottery tomorrow (or next week), I would be plopping my ass at this guy’s office and getting a face lift–because I could afford it!!

Ain’t gonna lie. I have abused my skin. And whilst abusing my epidermis, it’s been an enjoyable abuse.  Summers of my entire life spent at beaches from Rockaway Beach, New York, to Long Island’s Robert Moses; Fire Island and Montauk. Returning back to NYC to live and spending weekend Saturdays on Long Beach.  To annual summer visits to the Côte d’Azur enjoying the beaches along the Mediterranean Sea.

something about mary old lady - dress up | There's something about mary, Beauty, Autumn skincare

Yes. I have done this.  I am not ashamed.

I’ve paid a price in the form of MOHS surgery on my face and have to make a dermatologist appointment this week for removal of an epidermoid cyst. It’s so gross and infected and, I did use sunscreen)

episode 9 surgery GIF

..I’m pretty sure the surgeon was thinking this with an “…I’m making a ton of money because of your stupidity”

I shan’t apologize for my love of the summer. I grew up on the beach and to this day, I am most relaxed when I am sitting at ocean’s edge with a good book.  And winter can be just as damaging to skin.

What can I say except that I love the time we spend at the beach–whether in France or the States!

Alas! Let’s not dwell of our shortcomings but let us move forward as to how I am taking a new approach to my face.

I have stopped wearing foundation. That is the greatest and probably kindest thing I can do for me at this juncture in my life journey.  You see, where I used to be able to wear foundation to even out my skin tone, I can’t do it anymore.  Any and every base makeup will settle into the cracks, crevices and wrinkles of the aging face. Some more than others.  On special occasions I’ll carefully stipple a bit of foundation or face makeup where need be, but I won’t allow it to travel further than the small portion of my visage that is smooth.

Bare faced. nothing except moisturizer. My lips are very pigmented. My nose got larger as I’ve aged. I have odd things on my face. My eyes are wonky. And I have wrinkles and cracks–just like old leather. I’m not even gonna discuss the turkey neck!

Instead, I’ve learned to apply a minimal amount of makeup yet achieve quite nice results.  I’ll show you how below.  But first, I want to tell you about products that I stand by.. At the end of this post, I’ll add a link to a new list on my Amazon Storefront. It’s essentials for mature skin. Some of the products, such as Subtl Beauty are not sold on Amazon so I did not add dupes or substitutes because I use only this particular brand.

I’ve written it before and I’ll write it again. I have a love/hate relationship with makeup brands. The majority of them pontificate equality by showcasing all races, all genders with one exception—the wrinkled, aging person. And even the young models are blurred and photoshopped.

Beauty Dress Up GIF by FX Networks

Yes. I must put my face on and I use a lot of cosmetics but the majority of cosmetics companies are afraid of me and my aging!

As “mature” woman it is my mission to show you the reality. The ugly truth and turn that into something more pleasing without smoke and mirrors—without blurs or filters.  Today it is indoor light near a window because it is bee season and I’m allergic to bees. I don’t want to end up in the ER today.

So, let’s move on–again, here I am in my bare face!

No photoshopping. No filters. No blurs. Pure, aging, old-lady skin. Real life ladies. Not some overly processed, filtered Instagram pic.

I have used “Goldies Natural Beauty” Orange Cypress Lotion on my body and face! I’ve been using this every since it was placed in our hotel room at the Wythe hotel in Brooklyn some years ago. It is liquid, hydrating—and it multitasks. One lotion is all I need! Especially for summer!

This. I use this religiously over the summer and just reordered. I cannot be without it. Although I use other moisturizers, this is my favorite because I use it on my face too!  It isn’t too heavy.  Doesn’t irritate my eyes and does the job!

My skin is a bit blotchy because the tan is beginning to fade. And, as my face was constantly in a book during our time at the beach, the sun didn’t hit the areas that my sunglasses covered.  In order to “even” out the tone, I took Seint cream bronzer—it was the first cream bronzer I reached for, and stippled it on the areas that needed to be evened out—then I blended with my Leia Beauty blender. Honestly, this is the greatest blender of all time. I used it this summer to apply sunscreen to my face. I apply cream, blush, whatever. I love this little naughty-looking tool.

It might look a bit wonky but I’ve had this for almost two years. Lasts forever and if it expired so what–it still does the job.

I swear by this. For blending foundation or cc cream or sunscreen or blush or cream bronzer, this is the greatest little tool–even if it looks a bit naughty!

Next, I took concealer and a small Real Techniques mini blender to use as a primer on my eyes. Experts recommend not doing using concealer as primer but you know what? It works for me and you need such a tiny amount!  I’ve been using the Tarte brand for almost a year and there is still plenty left—that’s how little you need.

This mini blender from Real Techniques is perfect for blending concealer-as-eye primer on lids and in corners.

The “experts” say don’t use concealer as eye primer. Don’t listen to the experts.

The concealer gives a good base and acts like the glue to hold the eyeshadow. My eyeshadow lasts all day.

Next are the brows. My brows are not identical twins and I am not going for that effect. I’m going for a more natural look. And, again, contrary to what the “experts” say, I love a dark brow. I was born with dark brows and I shall spend my days with my brows entering the dark side.  I use Trestiques’s Brow Crayon which is my Holy Grail—I have a subscription to this product. That’s how much I love it.  It stays on all day—even during the sweatiest, most humidity-filled dog days of summer.  I have one in each of my Trestique travel sets and mini versions in my mini-travel sets. I love this.  I also swipe elf brow gel in an upward motion to achieve that natural, fuller brow.  At five bucks the elf brow gel is wonderful!

And at five dollars, the elf brow gel is steller. Just as good, if not better than Glossier’s Boy Brow.

Now its eye shadow.  I have weird eyes—since my eyes are naturally crossed due to amblyopia and strabismus, they are two different entities and two different shapes. It used to bother me when I was younger. And, truth be told, even into adulthood, I’ve always felt “ugly”—especially when people made fun of me. Yes. From grammar school into adulthood, people made fun of and added snark about my eyes.  These days it doesn’t bother me anymore—at least I can see out of one eye so it’s all good.

A perfect neutral duo, Subtl Beauty’s Cruise duo is wonderfully pigmented. I’ll use the darker in the evening when The Frenchman and I go out. But for day, the lighter shade is all you need!

I’m using “Cruise” powdered shadow from Subtl Beauty. I swear by this brand. The eyeshadows contain no talc. They are smooth as butter and pigmented like nobody’s business! I love the shade of the lighter of the two shadows in Cruise because it is reminiscent of the discontinued MAC shade Quarry that I loved so much.  It gives a nice definition to the eyes.

Okay. We’re getting there!

And, as with Trestique, I have a stack of Subtl Beauty’s makeup in my travel bags and purses.

I suppose you could say that I’m well-stacked!

I curl the eyelashes with an inexpensive eyelash curler. I don’t use Latisse anymore because, quite frankly, I forget to apply it.

My eyelash curler is used every day. Even when I don’t wear mascara!

Besides, mascara does the job.   Today I’m priming the lashes with Milk primer and using Thrive mascara. I usually use L’Oréal primer and L’Oréal Voluminous mascara but I grabbed these items first.

I purchased the Milk brand eyelash primer at TJ Maxx in the sale bin. I don’t even know if it is still made. The Thrive mascara is incredible–but pricey. I use it for special occasions.

A swipe of Trestique blush in pink. Oops. I spot a lady whisker on my chin. Time to get the tweezer out.

The minis!  I don’t know if the brand makes mini sets any  more but I used this mini-blush and mini eye liner crayon today. I will say that next to the brow crayon, the eyeliner crayon is superb! Another HG of mine!

Done!  Lastly, the lips. Okay. You know how I’m a sucker for multi-tasking. The pink shadow due from Subtl Beauty, Wanderlust just doesn’t work on my eyes. Any pinkish eyeshadows make me look as though I’ve been crying or my allergies are acting up.  So, some days I use this pretty pink eyeshadow as blush but today, I’m using it as lip color!

The Wanderlust eyeshadow duo doesn’t work for me on the eyes but as blush and lip color–it’s great! And a swipe of Biossance Vegan Lip Balm  gives the lips a nice shine!

Yeah. You read it right. Lip color!  I tap the color into place then go over it with a clear lip gloss.

Yup! Eyeshadow-as-lip color. Who’da thunk?  I thunk–that’s who!

And here we go! The finished face with a head o’ hair plopped atop my noggin. I’m wearing Ocean by Estetica Designs. I don’t recall the color but I love the blondeness!

 

Sweet mother of Mary. I always feel better when the glasses are on!

Sigh. I’ve been told, from my reviews on YouTube (which I rarely do anymore because nobody watches me) that I need to use more lip color. I despise red lip color on me simply because I feel that red doesn’t look great on some mature women. For me, it’s a miss.  However, I do have a bright lip balm from MOB beauty that I’ll glide on over a clear gloss when a little “oomph” is rarely needed.

I never noticed how much this lip balm by MOB Beauty resembles my OPI Cajun Shrimp nail color!  I do dab this VERY LIGHTLY on my mouth for a touch more color!

See? Very discreet–just a hint more color.

And when all else fails—sunglasses are the greatest beauty accessory!

I’m in love with these glasses by Sojos. They are polarized and mirrored. And they look so darn good–very  Byrds-inspired!

One can never own too many pairs of sunnies. These readers are always at the beach with me.

Here’s my Amazon List: Mature Beauty Essentials for you to shop. (Yes. I’m shilling—but I’m shilling products I use and love)!

Remember. Wrinkles. Lines. Other imperfections–they are what makes you YOU! Embrace aging (even though I would get a face lift if I had the money). 

Last words. Do NOT, and I repeat do NOT allow any of the influencer photos on Instagram that are filtered and blurred make you feel less about yourself. Those photos are smoke and mirrors. They are not real.  All you need is a bit of makeup. And if you don’t want to wear any makeup–that’s fine too!

Hope your holiday weekend was wonderful. XOXOXOXO

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What I Wore This Summer! And Will Those Clothes Get Me through Autumn?

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Catherine

First of all, I want to thank everyone who reads this blog for sticking through and reading during the summer.  Your comments and support are incredibly appreciative—especially since I just did not have the time to devote to writing.  So………. onward and upward!

The Value Of A Well-Written Thank-You Note

Seriously. Thank you!  Merci! 

Technically, it is still summer until Thursday, September 22nd! Ohhh, and I should be in Ohio babysitting my grandson Owen whilst Oona goes in to the hospital to give birth to grandson number two—unless she goes in earlier.

How much grandma pays attention:  I ordered the book Owen is reading in this photo because I want to bring “Big Brother” gifts to him. Now the book is in my sunroom so we can read it when he comves to visit. Let’s hope I pay more attention to him when I see him. I think this could qualify me as one of the worst grandmothers on earth!  Nah. I love my li’l ishkibibble!

Okay—so as it remains summer for less than three full weeks, mentally, I’m in a summer-to-autumn frame of mind.   Days are definitely getting shorter. I wake up to darkness and by the time The Frenchman and I finish our dinner—it is no longer light out nor is it that magical hour of twilight. It’s freaking dark outside. Nighttime dark! Early morning and evening coolness adds a conundrum of what to wear and the reality that (skip Autumn altogether) the bitter-cold is on the way.

Season 1 Rod Sterling GIF by Paramount+

You are now entering the Twilight Zone–and that is how I feel about Autumn!

Don’t even get me started on the Pumpkin Spice obsession that people have. WTF is the matter with these people?  August 26th hits and they are pumpkin spicing and Halloweening while the temperature is in the 90’s!

Pumpkin Spice Happy Dance GIF by Starbucks

Speak for yourself. That stuff tastes nasty. N.A.S.T.Y.!

Not gonna lie—I experience seasonal depression. And my husband is here to get me through it.  It is simply because I love certain features and particulars of summer. The long days. The hot weather. The barefoot driving.  The beach. The number of books I get to read when I’m sitting at ocean’s or pool’s edge being carried away to an imaginary world—pure escapism.

On our last day of summer beaching, I finished this classic masterpiece! Rebecca Sharp is now one of my fictional favorite characters–right up there with Bernadette from “Where’d You Go Bernadette”, Ignatius Reilly, Miss Havisham and Holden Caufield! 

Barefootin’–at the beach, in the car, at work, in the house. Summer is the time for airing the dawgs out!

I’m getting off topic (sort of) here.  What I want to write about is what I wore this summer.  Two weeks in France had me gloriously living in swimsuits and casual wear. I was thrilled.

Fear not the two piece. It can actually be more flattering AND comfortable then the one-piece swimsuit.

This, along with the two-piece in the top photo were my most-worn bathing suits this summer!

The weather was hot as balls but not humid. And as hot as the mercury rose, there remained a level of comfort.  Granted—at times that level was thin but the comfort remained.

Yes–it was incredibly hot but there was no humidity!

Then we arrived home. And arrived to heat and humidity which is the usual summer weather for the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic states, air-conditioning has been a must.  Ahhh—the conditioning of air. When we were in France, it wasn’t needed simply because our apartment had the greatest cross-ventilation. In addition, the Mediterranean Sea breeze kept the temperature at a pleasant level.

Who needs A/C when you have a Sea Breeze entering into your dwelling every day?  And, might I add, one that is NOT humid!

I’m not a fan of A/C to make a room/home/office cold. It’s more preferable for me to use it to cut the humidity.  I rarely drive with the air conditioning on. For me, rolling down the windows of my vehicle work better because car air-conditioning is just …cold.

Basically, I am the “she” version of Steve Martin in Father of the Bride.  The office airconditioning has me freezing to the point I really should have winter outwear on hand!

Why do I keep veering off-topic?  This post really is about what I wore this summer—especially to the office!  My wardrobe frame-of-mind completely changed.  I came to the realization that the majority of workers in our company are working from home. They can work in their pajamas, only in underwear, or even naked if they want—as long as there isn’t a Zoom meeting!   However, working in an office environment, has, in past summers, had me dressing up in a more professional manner.

Not a fan of shirtwaist dresses but I had this hanging in the closet. We had “Executive Guests” a couple of weeks ago at work.  The memo said to “dress professionally”.  Guess what? The “Executive Guests” never even encountered me. I was pissed.

This summer I changed up my game and ……………………. dressed for comfort—and many days that meant shorts. Yes. Shorts!  My productivity is greater when I’m comfortable.  Here’s a look-see!

Yes my loverly friends–I wore this get up at work and loved every second of comfort!

And I wore this–I did manage to slide into sandals before leaving the house. But allow me to say that it doesn’t matter HOW old one is. Who cares about the cellulite or veins or crepey skin (which I have)–being COMFORTABLE is more important!!

A fancier version with Lilly Pulitzer shorts! These stretchy shorts are wonderful–too bad they are discontinued!

I believe this outfit was worn to work on a very casual Friday!

I continued to wear dresses, however, due to the comfort level–especially maxi dresses on the days I was too lazy to shave my legs.

Hands down, my most-worn dress of this summer. It has a built-in bra so I only need two articles of clothes. Panties and the dress! I wore this all over France, to the office and my go-to-weekend dress. I’m wearing it today as I write this!

And with decollete is like shoe leather, I’m not stopping that from wearing comfortable clothing!

Can’t go wrong with a LBD during the summer. This is from Old Navy–I think I paid $12.

Here’s another cutie. This bodycon dress from Amazon is very curvy and belly friendly!

This purple frock matches our front-lawn flowere!

And the sleeveless maxi will always step in when too lazy to shave the legs!

I did wear the skirts as well!

Ultimately, will these clothes get me through Autumn?

Yes…

This jumpsuit was purchassed to bring to France but I found it was just too much clothing for me to wear. I wore this to work and felt like toast. Plus it was a bitch to go to the bathroom in.  This will be great for Autum with ballet flats and a blazer!

I am a fan of the sweater-and-shorts combo. This is perfect for those cooler beginning of Autumn days. No longer summer but not quite into the crispness of Autumn!

Another transitional piece is the blazer. This linen blend from J. Crew is befitting of end-of-September into early-October weather. Replace sandals with loafers and you are ready to go!

This pleated skirt was worn once over the summer because the material was just too heavy for my comfort. But with a navy blazer during Autumn, it’ll rock. BTW, this is a thrifted skirt I paid $2.75 for!

One item of clothing that I keep away from during the summer is pants (and jeans too). I just cannot stand how long pants feel against my legs in the summer. It’s like fingernails on a blackboard–it gives me the creeps!

A fun Autumn look! Long pants, a sweater and blazer. In my opinion, this is one of my favorite pants looks!

Closed and point-toed shoes, a blazer over any summer frock will bring the outfit to a very Autumn-friendly level!

One last thing–please do NOT allow age or any imperfections stop you from wearing what you want to wear or what y9ou prefer.  Remember, influencers and the fashion industry want your money. They want to dictate to you how they want you to dress.  Wear what you are comfortable in!

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We Haven’t Seen Each Other In Over Thirty Years? You Never Know Who You’ll Run into in France!

Posted on August 28, 2022 by Catherine

If you have been reading about my summer adventures in France, you might remember that I received a message from one of my old friends stating that she and her husband were in Marseilles.

Wait. We were in Marseille at the same time and didn’t know it? 

Well, we connected and ended up spending this wonderfully, delightful and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious day in Villefranche! And without going into detail, my friend Joanie was a bridesmaid in my first wedding. We had a wonderful friendship but over the years, and with life changes, we lost touch.

You have no idea how much fun it was to receive that message and it was even more delightful to meet up with Joanie and her husband Greg!  It was such a case of “Small Worldness” of the greatest!

Animated GIF

But I ran into my friend Joanie–and that was better!

So anyway on Thursday, July 7th, we drove to Villefranche to meet them and, here’s the funny thing—we couldn’t find the train station. Actually, we did find it but we didn’t realize we found it. What ensued was Vincent parking the car and us walking down seemingly a million steps only to find a parking lot at the bottom.

I swear to God, we were driving in circles for a good amount of time–we passed this place at least four times..

We could have parked here…

We finally met J and G, headed back up the steps, which made me realize just how out of shape I am from sitting in front of two computer monitors at work for ten hours a day, but also gave me some welcomed and well-needed exercise.

Tee hee. We walked steps from here to up there!

….luckily I managed to take a photo of where we were parked. Besides–The Frenchman needed to get some sort of medication for a sun sore he had on his lip and a pharmacie was nearby!

So off we headed to Villa Euphrisse de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat!  It’s hard to put into words just how great it is to reconnect with a friend you’ve lost touch with. It was astounding to realize we had children all the same age, each had a pregnant daughter…and, well, it was just magical to be together after all these ….decades!

Nobody changed over the years! We still look the same and I’m having this pic framed!!

We took a leisurely stroll around the grounds, Vincent and Greg getting to know each other and overall—the visit was terrific. But it didn’t stop there.

I never tire of this Villa. It’s a pink palace that is filled with the coolest furniture and stuff!

I didn’t take pics of the interior because we were having too much of a good time but these flowers..

…and speaking of which–these flowers, seemingly a million, were all being prepared for a wedding that night!

This Banyan tree was quite magnificent!

Lots of greenery too. The flowers were too bee-inhabited and I’m alergic.

We headed back to Villefranche to enjoy a fun-filled luncheon!  We met British friends of theirs and spent a few hours at a dock-side restaurant with food, drink and animated conversation.

We enjoyed lunch at La Baleine Joyeuse. What a great place to spend an afternoon with old friends and meeting new friends!

Again, I was having such a grand time that I didn’t take pics but I’ll tell you that the Calamari with Aoli sauce was excellent!   The Frenchman said later on that he would have loved to spend dinner with Joanie, Greg and their British friends!

And at the end of the visit toward late afternoon, we vowed to see each other again.  Presently, I am going over our weekends and, hopefully, we will be headed to visit them for a New England weekend in early October!

Back at the apartment it hit us. The next day would be our last day here. How did the time fly by so quickly?  For two weeks, I didn’t have hypochondria. Or in PC terms—health anxiety.  For two weeks I was relaxed and moving.  I was happy and comfortable.  The Frenchman and I were like two young adults.  It was wonderful.

Friday, July8th  was our last day. We took it very easy and just hung out at the pool, made our last dinner at home and packed for our return home.

A last day just admiring this view from the terrace..

Then heading back to the pool and glancing over the fence at the little marina–it’s so mignon!

Our last breakfast on the terrace because tomorrow it is up to a very early rise!

I realize this is going to sound crazy but one of the highlights of staying at this apartment is that I can do laundry and dry it outdoors. OMG–it’s so fresh and clean!

The hours spent on this terrace over the years are countless. Seriously. In 11 years we ate indoors once–and that was the night this summer that it rained!

I will miss these remarkable desserts that are not overloaded with sugar!

Not gonna lie. If I won that billion-dollar lottery, I would have purchased an apartment at La Galere and gone shopping for these tomatoes and crevettes every day. Those tomatoes!

…and due to the shortage of mustard–in FRANCE, I discovered the best mayo ever. I regret not buying this to take home!

I did manage to sneak these home-and in mustard yet!

Saturday, July 9th… It was early to rise and head to the airport to drop the car off and get situated for our flight. Some last-minute shopping at duty free.

Goodbye to our apartment for 2022. Keys returned..

Passports at the ready..

Getting rid of the last of the euros..

..by purchasing some Guerlain and..

…recipe magazines. This is the best way to learn the language!

Allow me to add that the experience of flying to and from Nice was excellent. I was able to piggy-back on my husband’s French passport so I didn’t have to wait on any customs lines!  In addition, the experience of flying United Airlines was an absolute pleasure!

This guy boarded the plane before we did and I got a kick out of the fact he had UT merch on him–same school my son Jake graduated from! Small world it is!

Ready to head home….

Bye bye Nice..

Au revoir Cote d’Azur

…until next time..

I shall remain with my head in the clouds and a ton of great memories of the return!

So once we landed back in Newark Airport, it was a love/hate relationship. I despised the fact that there was minimal staff AND those people-movers were all shut off. Really?  We were lugging heavy carry-on luggage and the people-movers weren’t working–at an International Airport?

Then …we waited almost an hour for our luggage. This was no fault of United–it was an airport thing. The luggage wasn’t even at the baggage claim conveyer it was supposed to be at.

The redeeming quality was Global Entry. Literally. We never waited on a customs line. We just went to the kiosk and exited the airport. That was it!

And, as all good things come to an end, it was good go be home and enjoying being back in my own bed. There is something so peaceful when you come home to that first night in your bed. The pillows welcome you. The mattress is happy to feel your body shape. The sheets and coverings are happy to wrap themselves upon you. It’s nice.

Ahhhhh. waking up the next morning in our bed and coffee The Frenchman made for me. Life is spectacular!

And, it’s a joy to return home to your family. Even if the miles separate you, you know they are not that far away.

Presently, looking forward to every weekend, the birth of grandson number two, and the holidays with family visiting—the trip back to the Côte d’Azur is now a fond memory—but there’s always next time!

Along with my Rondini sandals and the stuff we brought home for Owen, I did pick up some girly skincare products. It’s always fun to apply the creams and spray the scents that’ll bring you back to France!

I hope you enjoyed this post—and wherever you traveled or spent vacation or staycation, I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing time!

 

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Sunday is The Frenchman’s Day of Rest—Not Really, Our French July 4th and More!

Posted on August 21, 2022 by Catherine

CAVEAT!  My apologies my cool-as-ever friends!  It’s been three weeks since my last post but the summer weekends have been very busy!

 Roman came to visit, we’ve been at the beach and yesterday I attended my best friend’s daughter’s bridal shower!   And so, today, I’m back and delightfully remembering and sharing the continuing adventures of our trip back to the Côte d’Azur!

Yesterday I was at my gf Marybeth’s house for the Bridal Shower of her daughter. It was so much fun to spend an afternoon with friends..

Not to mention that every weekend since we arrived home from France, we’ve been at the Jersey Shore–Stone Harbor to be exact!

Sunday, July 3, 2022

Ahhh. Sunday. I don’t want to bore you and will spare you of Sunday morn’s details. But we went to the pool and I started another book.

Another book! My ex-boss gave this to me to read. It was a good easy read!

 

Exiting the apartment for a lazy but fun Sunday afternoon!

It was hot. Very hot and we decided, après poolside to take a nice drive to Nice! We drove the scenic route through Cannes and headed off for an afternoon of pure laziness! 

Again, we drove along the Bord de Mer never tiring of the drive or the same views!

We parked the car—for joy because we found a great parking spot and took our time on a constitutional at the Promenade des Anglais. With the heat beating down on us, I couldn’t imagine how people at the turn of the century felt with all those clothes on their bodies.  I wore a sundress and no bra and I was still sweating!

Promenade des Anglais, Nice, France. 1900s-1910s. - Album on Imgur

Perhaps Global Warming wasn’t a thing back then but I seriously do NOT know how people could have worn all that clothing . I barely survived without a bra!

Regardless of the heat index, it remained a pleasure to find a couple of seats and watch the boats and people playing in the water and parasailing!

I did not take this photo. It’s from the internet but I was so focused on conversation with my husband and watching the goings on at sea that I didn’t take photos.

We did, however, get to take photos of the Hotel  Le Negresco–my friend Joe had a very good time there back when he was younger!  The picture brought back fond memories for him!

The absolute worst thing that anyone can tell me is about a great night had at a hotel. My filthy mind just doesn’t stop the imagery!

Doesn’t matter though because this hotel sports one of the most beautiful facades I’ve ever seen. Ever!

It’s such a landmark..

A colorful modern sculpture in front of a historical building is always a pleasing sight!

And I got more Socca Chips!!!!!! (Note to every grocery store in these United States. GET SOCCA CHIPS IN YOUR STORES!!)

A stop at Geant for, yet, more crevettes and tomatoes and a very lazy and enjoyable dinner on the terrace ended our quite lazy day!

My “usual” dinner. It pains me to look at these beautiful tomatoes knowing that I can’t get any that look like this for the remainder of the summer!

Monday, July 4th, 2022

Happy Fourth of July!  It’s so funny because for the past 11 years, The Frenchman and I have arrived back in the States on this national American Holiday. Today, we headed to Abbaye du Thoronet.

Fourth of July 2022: History, Trivia, and Celebrations - Farmers' Almanac - For Anyone and Everyone

No hot dogs, burgers, corn-on-the-cob or fireworks this year–and no arriving back in the States to long lines at customs-we in France!

This was our third visit to this quiet sanctuary. We both love this place because of the history and the fascination (for me at least) of the Catholic symbolism. How did the monks deal with the heat? What about the bees? Trust me, this place has bees and I don’t know how the monks dealt with this as there were no epi-pens back then. My guess is they sacrificed their lives doing the work of The Holy Trinity.

One of my favorite places in the South of France, the grounds are beautiful and the Abbaye is just soaked in history!

Here’s a look-see:

The entrance..

No-frills altar..

Another nook of worship…

A courtyard.

A fountain.

As hot as it was outside, it was comfortable within the confines of these thick stone walls.

Room with a view.

There was no escaping for those monks!

Behind the abbaye is a grove of olive trees–a GROVE!!!

In addition, wine and olive oil were made here.  Those monks were busy bees.

Not a torture devise–it’s where wine and olive oil were made..

 

Incredible that the wine and olive oil production room is still standing.

received a nice complement from the guy at the shop. I asked a couple of questions and he answered in French. My husband was amused and stated that I was merely practicing my French and the guy was impressed with my accent.  Je suis heureuse!

I highly recommend a visit here!

We took the scenic route home simply because we cannot get enough of the sea and next was something that I have wanted to do for years.  Head up to Palais Bulles, that magnificent bubble palace last owned by Pierre Cardin.  I’ve admired it from afar and it was my destiny to see it close up.

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The closest I’ve ever come to the Palais Bulles was from our terrace with a zoom lens!

And since it’s located practically next door in Theoule, I had to see it up close and personal. Here’s the thing though—due to a ridiculous amount of security, I was not able to enter into this fantastical establishment.

I had to duck under the chained security fence just to take THIS picture. If I had been alone and not with The Frenchman, I would have been arrested for breaking and entering!

The absolute best I could do was to shimmy up to the wall, the way a barfly shimmies up to a bar and take any pics I could.

Why are there no bubble structures facing the back of the building?

Are the powers-that-be not aware that I needed to take photos?

How come the groundskeeper didn’t cut these branches..

..so that I could get..

…a better view?

I can guarantee that my fat ass is now included among the security videos as I did sneak under the security fence.  The Frenchman was having a fit—he feared I would be arrested and we wouldn’t be able to return home.  All I could think of is if I had been arrested, I would have probably eaten a nice dinner in my jail cell.

Back home to allow my husband a bit of rest after this harrowing adventure then onto shop for a non-traditional July 4th Dinner.  Mussels. For Mussels Mariniere. And, as usual, the fish monger was soooooooooo incredibly helpful and friendly and listened with patience whilst I ordered my petite mollusks in French!

These mussels were everything!  The photo is a little weird because I served them in a clear bowl!  Oh well!

Tuesday, July 5th.

Our time here is winding down and last week.  Today we are finally headed to L’Estagnol! We were planning to head here last week but The Frenchman opted to not head to this gem of a beach due to a weather report of rain—which, did, in fact occur. However, it occurred at 4:30 in the afternoon.

We woke up early. 5:30 AM to be exact—I liken that time to getting used to my waking time when we get back to the States.  Headed to the car, we enjoyed a pleasant ride and arrived ten minutes prior to opening.

Headed out before the sun wakes up!

Didn’t matter though because being at L’Estagnol early when nobody is there, is akin to owning your private beach.

Here we are–the first to arrive!

Look. I was born in Rockaway Beach NYC and spent many summers at the beach in Rockaway. When we moved to Long Island, I spend many summers at Robert Moses and various Fire Island beaches.  Moving to the NJ/Philly area summer weekends were, and continue to be spent at the Jersey Shore.

But…L’Estagnol is my favorite beach in the world. (I like it better than the beaches in Sydney—too many sharks). You can go out forever and the water doesn’t even hit your chin.  The saltiness of the water in this Mediterranean alcove allows you to float with pleasure.  The water is crystal-clear. The trees in the background offer shade.

 

Just us and the boats!

All is quiet and calm. 

The Frenchman preparing our space while I’m in the water taking photos!

And the clarity of the water is a joy to look at!

It’s a family beach. A vacationer’s beach. A marvel. When my husband was growing up, nobody knew about it.  Now—it’s become more popular but it isn’t a trip to the Côte d’Azur unless we head here.  My only regret was we didn’t come here more than once!

Who wouldn’t love this little gem?

 

The restaurants behind the beach proper reminds us that it is always better to dine properly than to scarf food down at the blanket.

We arrived even before the restaurant was prepared for the day.

And might I add this restaurant has great frites and serves the best seiche ever!

After a day of swimming and sun bathing, along with reading, it was, again time to hit the road back to Theoule and this time, enjoy another relaxing meal at The Clubhouse.

The start of another devine meal at The Clubhouse!

 

Tchin-Tchin! 

Next up.  A day with friends after decades!

 

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Another Change in Plans and a Surprise in Monaco!

Posted on July 31, 2022 by Catherine

Thursday, June 30, 2022

There was a change-up in the plans for today.  The original plan was to head to my favorite beach, L’estagnol.   But the Frenchman nixed the beach trip due to the news last night about…………………. an invasion of…………Jellyfish!

Why we're working to put Africa's jellyfish on the map

The Frenchman had been stung when he was in his youth. It hurt so much that he no longer swims with the jellyfish!

Yes. Parts of the beautiful bodies of water along the coastline of Southern France were invaded by these translucent orbs of painful stings.  The invasion was bad enough in some areas that sun worshippers were forbidden to enter the water!

Lucky for us, we had the pool. And at this juncture, we followed the ritual we had been following for years.  Pool time in the morning, then heading out on our adventures in the afternoon.  As such, this was a beautiful day for doing so.

Another glorious morning by the pool!

Reclining at the pool, I was ready to multitask by reading, journaling, and swimming in water that was invaded by children and not jellyfish. Hmmmmmmmm. I need to ponder that thought.

Anyway, after a morning of fun in the sun, my husband decided we should take a drive to Monaco. We were planning on revisiting but hadn’t had anything set in stone, so what the hell? I was on board. Besides, I enjoy the drive along the Bord du Mer.

Monaco–the Disneyworld of The Riviera. It’s so incredibly clean!

Okay. The thing about Monaco is that, other than the casinos in Monte Carlo, it isn’t the most exciting place—and I don’t mean that in a bad way at all. In fact, I kind of like the fact that Monaco is pretty chill and quiet.

Quite possibly, the most risque thing I’ve ever seen in Monaco!

It’s cleaner than any Disney Park and more sterile than any hospital. It’s Monaco. Where even the money that is exchanged has a just-washed glow to it.

…it really is a lovely municipality to wander around in!

With the mindset that we would walk around this quiet municipality, we received quite the surprise as we exited the indoor parking.

My initial reaction was WTF is this anyway?

There was a crowd. At the Monte Carlo casino. A big crowd. Mostly men.

I’m not a car person so this was a total “ugh” to me. The Frenchman, on the other hand, was quite enthralled!

There were Ferrari’s abound. Many Ferraris. In fact, I think most of the very expensive Ferraris throughout the world were in Monaco. It was a testosterone convention!

Forget the cars, I wanted to go to Goyard.

This was as close as I got before my husband dragged me off.

There were women, but mostly arm candy and trophy wives.  I’m pretty sure I overheard someone mentioning I looked like household help. But it was a unique experience and humorous one—at least for me it was. The Frenchman was awestruck by the cars. What else is there to say.

Seriously. I do not think I resembled the household help. Unless, that is, household help gets to wear Lilly Pulitzer as a servant uniform.

Goodbye Monte Carlo.  I hope next time we don’t run into a car convention!

An enjoyable drive back and we were ready to get dressed for dinner at the club.  In all the years we’ve been staying at La Galere, dinner at the clubhouse has never disappointed us and this evening, it was one of the best meals we’ve ever had.

Back from Monaco and on our way to a wonderful dinner at the club!

 

The Club House at La Galere has always given us the greatest dinners but tonight’s was the best. I need to send an email to the chef!

Tonight’s menu.

View from our favorite table.

I love a crisp, white tablecloth. All the white table linens in our home are stained!

Kir Royal time! Tchin Tchin!

This appetizer: Vitello Tunado–veal marinated in a fish sauce was outstanding!

The Frenchman played it safe with a salmon remoulade!

My husband then went with the beef..

And I with the loup–sea bass and this was, hands down, THE best fish dish I’ve ever had in my life!

Espresso to finish the meal then it was back to the apartment for some sleep!

Friday, July 1st

Are you $hitting me? It’s July already?  Summer is zooming by!

 

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and tanned, it’s off for a day trip of adventure!

Today was a good one. It was Day Trip adventure day to Marseilles and Aix.

Today we go straight. No turning in the right-hand land to St. Trop!

Marseilles holds sentimentality for both my husband and me.  His mom had the cutest little home on the outskirts in a little area called Ensues La-Redonne.  Her home was rustic and charming with the greatest terrace of all time.  Fig trees abound, the scent was delightful and mesmerizing.  And it was my first experience in the South of France. And I fell in love. Sadly, after Evie passed, the home was sold (due to tax reasons) and is now a Gite or B and B if you will. I will say, though, that it is thanks to Evie that we now have our current home.

Behind that fence is the largest, greatest terrace of all time. This is the first house I stayed in that introduced me to the South of France!

It is rustc, charming and beautiful at the same time!

Figs waiting to ripen!

And figs almost ready to eat!

The little cove down the street

A stroll through the terrain.

And through memory lane!

We took a stroll through memory lane then headed to the Port at Marseilles. It was crowded and fun to walk around on this leisurely, hot day.  The cool breeze coming from the sea made it quite comfortable.

The port at Marseilles. It’s so old-school and quaint.

And I actually prefer the port at Marseilles to that of Cannes. 

I could have stayed here all day!

This “Bubble Man” was a highlight! I felt like a kid again being enchanted by the bubbles!

There were a plethora of restaurants along the port and they were all crowded!

Farewell to Marseilles and on to Aix!

Then we headed to Aix.

Truth be told, I’ve enjoyed Aix more in the past.

I need to let you in on something. I’ve always thought Aix was such a lovely, gorgeous gem in Provence. This time around I was disappointed. The beautiful trees that shaded the main streets appeared to be either cut down or replanted. And, it just seemed so overcrowded this time—it could have been due to the summer sales. I dunno but we didn’t stay long. We spent a large part of the day traveling so we decided to head back to Theoule.

Although I do love the fountains..

I was not “wowed” this time around.

A good number of the beautiful trees were cut down. I was lucky to snap this pic!

But..I was able to stop in yet another church and light yet another candle. This one also to St. Rita!

A pleasant surprise awaited me on my phone.  One of my friends, and she was a bridesmaid in my first wedding, reached out to me. We are friends on Facebook but we haven’t seen each other in over 35 years.  She and her husband were in Marseilles.  This is to be continued because we later met up with them!

Our Friday dinner on the terrace consisted of copious amounts of Cidre after our aperitifs and wine.

I needed those drinks to take the stench away from the Andouillette that I pan-seared for The Frenchman.  The scent is so horrific that it is gag-worthy. Think of the smell of the effects of what exits your lower-back bodily orifice after food-poisoning. Mix that with the solids found in a baby’s diaper and add to that the wafting odor of an over-flowing septic-tank. Yes. It is that bad.

Served with an overabundance of contraband mustard, my husband was in his glories.

I settled for tomato and  crevettes again!

Saturday, July 2nd.

Given the fact we are now in the month of July, and it is the weekend, we were better off staying at the pool and not venturing out to the beach. The Frenchman, despising crowds, just wanted to stick around. I was fine with it.

After a week of reading, I finished Honoré Balzac’s Lost Illusions. The book was big, juicy, shocking and validated how awful humanity is. Some things just don’t change—although at the end, there was hope.

Lost Illusions (Barnes & Noble Classics Series): Balzac, Honore de, Wormeley, Katharine Prescott, Logan, Marie-Rose, Logan, Marie-Rose: 9781593083151: Amazon.com: Books

It took quite a few days to read but boy…this book is JUICY!!! I’m beginning to realize the  Housewives franchise and soap operas are all based on classic books!

This was the day we spent the most time at the pool simply because we were reveling in our laziness. A dip in the pool, a chapter from the book. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

And after lolling around, we headed “home”, showered, and were on our merry way into Cannes for some shopping.

Back to Cannes for some late-afternoon shopping!

We picked up a racing suit for Owen at a touristy souvenir shop. Actually, we hit this place every time we visit because the owners are so stinking nice.  I started off the conversation with “est-ce que” and for some reason I got tongue-tied and started to laugh. The proprietor repeated what I said and we both started laughing. Then my husband explained, in French that I was practicing my French. Hey. I don’t care what others say but I’ve never had an issue buying or ordering anything in the French language—as bad as my French is, simply because I’m having a fun time. And the response has always been welcoming. So, the next time you hear that French people are rude or unwelcoming—it is most likely due to American arrogance and the fact Americans feel that everyone should speak English.

The Frenchman found this so adorable. With my second grandson due in  September,  I think this will be a welcomed Halloween costume!

Next it was back to Ernest. This time, thank God it was not for andouillette!  We bought a pissaladiere, more Socca chips and headed to the patisserie for more dessert.

Back in the d'Azur Groove! (Sing it Loud)! | Atypical 60

Unlike the andouillette, the Pissaladiere is absolutely beautiful, smells great and I would LOVE to know the secret of Ernest’s ability to create a crust that does NOT get soggy!

The only time I can get Socca Chips is when we are on the Cote d’Azur. Why aren’t these sold in the states? I’m addicted!

And on the way back to the car, we picked up a French market basket for 17 euros. Let me tell you something. Those French market baskets are the greatest baskets on earth. I purchased one over ten years ago, I paid 10 euros for it and it is now starting to show signs of wear with a little tear on the side.  We use it constantly to haul groceries. And they are sold all over at various stores and I’ve seen them sold for as high as €99.  If you seek, you shall find an inexpensive one that’ll last years.

Don’t even get me started on how much these baskets are at home. It’s robbery.  We got this for 17 euros. And that’s a fair price!

An additional stop at Geant Hypermarche and I picked up Octopus for my main plat!  It was the first time I ever attempted to cook it. I Googled for the simplest recipe, found it and simmered for 40 minutes. It was delicious!

Looking at this beautiful entree is now making me sad. Sad that I can’t buy octopus in the Philly ‘burbs. I cannot find tomatoes or eggs like this either. Honestly, I could eat this every night for the remainder of the summer!

Sleep came easily for me but for The Frenchman, it didn’t. There was a party at the Pierre Cardin Bubble House. And boy, I wish I was invited! There was loud music, which didn’t affect my ability to fall asleep and loud voices, which also didn’t affect my ability to fall asleep but did affect my man!

Ab Fab: The Movie Filming Locations: Bubble Mansions and Hampstead Homes - Find That Location

My two favorite ladies, Patsy and Eddie filmed..

Pierre Cardin Sells 'Bubble Palace' for $336 Million

…part of the AbFab movie at the “Bubble House”.  I couldn’t get near the place..

Oh well…tomorrow is another day and read how I am most likely on security footage at the “Bubble House”…..to be continued

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If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be St. Paul de Vence

Posted on July 17, 2022 by Catherine

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

The weather report is calling for rain.  We had planned on heading to St. Tropez today so I could check out the flea market. My wish list included searching for a vintage Louis Vuitton Samur bag and the market has a great vintage bag vendor. But due to the oncoming threat of rain, we decided against it.

My new jam. Taking my vintage LV Bags and having the Vachetta replaced. I did it with my Speedy and wanted a Samur to remanp. Next year.

We visited St. Paul de Vence instead.

At the ready in a bobbed wig, plaid shirt, shorts and my LV Randonee bag, it’s off we go!

Our trip for today!

But before heading off, we drove to Marche Forville for some goodies.

It isn’t an official visit to the Cote d’Azur until we shop at this marche!

We bought some of the best tomatoes ever. EVER!

We also picked up REAL strawberries that weren’t white inside..

And, as always, the best tapenade on earth!

We revisited the wonderful Fondation Maeght, one of the most underappreciated collections of art and sculpture, and a calming, reflective place to visit.  It’s a very Zen place for me and for The Frenchman, it brings back family memories, as his father was friendly with the Maeght family.

I find this place so peaceful and calming..

The grounds are welcoming and there’s just a wonderful collection of great modern art!

Photo dump below!

We didn’t have time to visit the Chagall museum but we did get to see this!

It was a lovely day  because it wasn’t crowded and, amid, the grounds and various works of art, we ran into quite the cool cat!

My guess is this cat has the greatest real estate ever..

He gave me the side eye when I asked him if there were any dogs on site..

Then he got disgusted with me and sauntered away.

Next, we, and I honestly don’t know what possessed us to do this, decided to drive up the winding, Q-Tip-Narrow streets of St. Paul de Vence.  This is a huge tourist area and there are little shops after shops after shops.  A number of restaurants keep the energy flowing for hungry and thirsty tourists and locals. Honestly, SPdV is a beautiful Kodak moment from afar but close up, it’s just not my jam.

And, we got into a bit of an auto mishap. How can I describe this? There are circular tubes that rise and lower. It’s all about traffic flow. Anyway, we hit a tube that rose. No serious damage just a dent—but when you have a car rental, it’s times like this when you are glad you took the insurance

Saint-Paul-de-Vence France travel and tourism, attractions and sightseeing and Saint-Paul-de-Vence reviews

I was so upset with the Frenchman that I really didn’t take pictures. But the little roads or rather passageways were narrow like this. I can’t imagine anyone with a car living there.

We realized we made a mistake in driving when we started going around in circles and couldn’t find an exit to a way down the steep hill we had driven up. Finally, spotting the exit, we found ourselves flush with a huge, rustic, wooden and steel gate that opened automatically to let us on our long journey downhill to a less narrow road.

At that point, we figured since the rain was eminent, we would head to Cannes for some gourmet shopping at Ernest. Ernest Traiteur, and Patisserie Ernest are two shops on Rue Meynadier within feet of each other. The Traiteur a mixture of an upscale, high-end deli and caterer and the Patisserie is, in my opinion, the best in Cannes.

Ernest has great and interesting gourmet food items. This brought back memories of Daniele’s apartment. She had a leg in a tin box outside her kitchen window so if we wanted a slice, we could always have it.

Everything looked so appetizing!

My husband was in his glories because he was able to purchase his beloved pissaladiere and the most disgusting food item of all time—andouillette. The andouillette being an oversized sausage made of tripe and innards which smells like …you guessed it, shit! I kid you not.

Front row. Middle item. The horrific Andouillette. And yours truly had to cook it. Despite the disgusting odor, and the fact I had to open the kitchen window and a bee flew in, and I had to shoo it out…The Frenchman loved it.

Menu au Ernest Traiteur restaurant, Cannes

I have no idea why I didn’t snap a photo of this fabulous tarte, but I’m fascinated that the crust never gets soggy! I don’t know how Ernest does it!

I was just happy to have found my beloved Socca Chips!

I ended up buying four bags. I do not know WTF these are not sold in the Status!

So, before I go on, I have to tell you something. There is, presently, a shortage of mustard on the Cote d’Azur. Yes. You read it correctly. Mustard.  You have no idea how upset The Frenchman was. I was a bit perplexed to say the least, but I thought the entire mustard shortage was pretty humorous. I mean—It’s France for chrissakes!  It’s the mustard capital of the world and there was no mustard in the biggest hypermarche in the area.

The New York Times even wrote about this: Mustard Shortage in France–it was crazy!!

Apparently, it was a “thing” too because we ended up purchasing a clear plastic tub of “special” mustard from Ernest—you would think it was contraband the way the transaction was handled.  We were not to let anyone know where we got it!

We purchased dessert..

..and headed back to the apartment before the rain came!

Okay, back to the travel.

The rain came as we approached the apartment.  It started as a drizzle then built up to moderate sort of event until, as we arrived home and opened the door, it turned into a full-blown rain storm.  The kind with thunder. And it poured and poured so much that for the first time ever, in the many years we spent at this abode, we ate dinner inside.  We missed dining al fresco but we aren’t fools.  The rain stopped around 8:30 and that was it. The rest of the trip was glorious sunshine and dry heat!

Wednesday, June 29th

Ahhhhhhhh. Today we headed to St. Tropez!  The alarm was set at 5:30 AM.  I took an early shower, we relaxed with coffee and croissants on the terrace, which was, by now completely dried from the heavy storm the previous evening.

Bright (cross)eyed and wearing a sundress because it’s gonna be a hot one, I’m ready for St. Trop!

Rather than drive the entire way to St. Trop, we drove to Sainte-Maxime, parked the car at the dock and headed to Les Bateaux Verts—the adorable green boats that ferry across the bay to St. Tropez.  The great part of taking this ferry across the bay is you ride with all the people headed to work on St. Tropez. It’s just so much fun.

L’Esterel from the highway

Do you know the way to St. Tropez?

Early morning at Ste. Maxime!

Blue sky and closer to our little green ferry!

Lining up already!

Les Bateaux Verts.  All Aboard for St. Tropez!

And the ride doesn’t even take 15 minutes. It’s definitely a bright spot of the morning!

I love sitting at the edge. That sea spray feels soooo stinking good!

St. Tropez coming into view!

Headed into the port!

I took random photos like this. The Frenchman took photos of yachts. My view–you’ve seen one yacht you’ve seen them all!

We arrived shortly before 10:00 AM. Just in time for us to head to my favorite shop—Rondini!!

My mecca of sandals. Rondini. And best get there early before it gets crowded!

A stellar staff at Rondini, the young woman who helped me was wonderful but this guy—he’s helped me in the past and I swear he has, hands down, THE best style of any man I’ve seen. He rocks summer shorts. It’s unbelievable.

It was time for another addition to my family of Rondini sandals. These are, hands down, the best sandals ever! They are custom fit and made and the service and workmanship is stellar.  And they really pay special attention to narrow feet.

My mind was set early on for another pair of Salome sandals. I have the black and was thinking of the natural leather but I went with……..

…Python! They are absolutely beautiful and the fit is perfect!

This year’s purchase was a pair of Salome’s. In Python. They are exquisite!  And after I was fitted, I was told to come back in an hour or more.

I was thinking of another pair of the Bikini model but realized I wear them more for going out. Salome is more of an everyday/office sandal.

There’s always a regret I have from not making a purchase. This year it was the little pouch. I should have gotten one–especially since the dollar and euro are twinning!

Next stop was the cemetery to visit my father-in-law, Dany’s grave.  We paid our respects and reminisced about the times we had with him then we were off to view the home that The Frenchman lived for a couple of years and spent summers.  His home and his grandmother’s were close by; and it’s always nice to head to La Ponche for memories.

I think it needs to be stressed that dogs could dig up the graves..

I can’t believe it’s been five years..

The little butterfly plaque is beautiful. I think Vincent’s brother Martin made it.

Not a bad spot for an eternal resting place!

We continued our morning with a visit to La Maison des Papillions Musée Dany Lartigue.  The little butterfly museum is now a permanent fixture in the St. Tropez govt. sites. And it’s so homey and comfy and the butterflies are beautiful. And the photographs are wonderful.  The Frenchman was thrilled that there were quite a number of people visiting this quaint treasure trove and we had more memories of Dany.

Headed to what is now Musee Dany Lartigue. I didn’t take pictures because I was too busy remembering our time here with him.

However, I DID manage to snap this pic of my all-time, favorite Dany Lartigue painging. of Bar La Ponche. I plan on having this copied on canvas so we can hang it in the house.

Time to head back to Rondini to pick up my sandals, and after a final fitting, we were off once again.

We stopped at the Church where Dany’s funeral Mass took place then headed to our favorite restaurant. La Ramade.

I’m just reading this sign now. I don’t know if I should’ve taken pics but I did!

Why do I have this obsession with church?

The Blessed Mother was all aglow. I think she was happy to see me..

And I lit a candle for the freedom of all women of the world…

I think St. Tropez was happy to see me too!

Okay. Here’s where Covid affected establishments.We arrived at the restaurant and it was closed. Not permanently, but it wasn’t opened for lunch on that day. Presently, opened only for lunch on Saturdays and Tuesdays. The remaining days the restaurant opens at 7:00 PM.  You have no idea how disappointed I was. I almost cried. I could practically taste the kidneys that I always ordered but would elude me on this day.

Thankfully, I have this old menu from LaRamade that I’ve repurposed as a mouse pad.  I was really upset that it was closed.

Instead, we enjoyed lunch at Restaurant la Renaissance on Place des Lice.  Seated outdoors under a tent-like structure it was a pleasure to have Lotte Provençal style accompanied by proper mashed potatoes while Vincent’s appetite was sated with steak tartare.

The steak tartare was pretty darn good!

My Lotte (Monkfish) Provencal was off the charts delicious..

As were my mashed potatoes.

More photo dump as we walked our lunch off..

I love these little passageways.

The Frenchman’s grandmother’s house is on the left..or is it the right? I’m too lazy to head upstairs to ask him.

Beautiful hydrangeas that I cannot grow.

LaPonche where The Frenchman used to live at one point and at another point spent summers.

Clear sea..

Lots of seaweed.

My Rondini Tropeziennes got quite the workout today!

A little sculpture hidden in a nook

Look who showed up. I guess Liberty Enlightening the World wanted to return to a place where women are free to make choices.

Bye bye St. Trop.

With a lazy afternoon ahead of us, we headed back to the dock and ferried it back to Sainte-Maxime and drove along the Bord de Mer taking in the scenery—ahhhhhhhhhh; it was so great to be back.

Our ride along the Bord du Mer took us to passing this landmark Ferris Wheel at St. Raphael.

The drive along the Bord du Mer is so calming. I never tire of looking at the bay and the boats.

The other side of L’Esterel. I was petrified I would fall off a rock.

A quiet evening lay ahead of us with a light dinner on the terrace, me running away from a bee that was definitely out for my blood, and my husband complaining in French about the larger-than-life cruise ships!

Perhaps it wasn’t THAT light but I served small portions!

To be continued……….

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Back to the Côte d’Azur. Nothing Changes Yet Everything Changes!

Posted on July 10, 2022 by Catherine

Yesterday, July, 9,2022, The Frenchman and I returned back to the States from two glorious weeks on the Côte d’Azur. Staying, once again, at the apartment in Theoule-Sur-Mer that we have rented since 2011.

I’m missing this view already!

Our exception years being when Oona got married, and Covid Lockdown. This was the first time back in 4 summers and it felt so damn good to be back.  Not much changed yet, everything changed. There is a ton an absolute ton of construction going on. Add to that, it was crowded but not as crowded as in the past. I honestly think that the cloud of Covid is still looming. There are parts of France that are making masks mandatory, yet again, beginning on Monday, July 11!

Mother-of-the-Bride Guide! You Might Need This One Day! | Atypical 60

And next week Oona and Sam celebrate Wedding Anniversary Three. And in September, baby boy Number Two!

But enough about that. I’m here to share pictures and fun from our return to Theoule!

Let’s start with the flight:

Actually, let’s start off with my travel outfit. A $12 skirt from Amazon which is now $9.99. (of which I loved so much I purchased two). An old jersey shirt from Target. Old ballet flats from J. Crew and this delightfully lightweight wig from The Wig Company!

It was the first time ever that we flew directly into Nice.  In the past, we’ve always flown to Paris and then to Nice. In the years that Daniele was alive, we would spend time with her in Paris, fly to Nice from Orly, then back again to Paris to spend more time with her. Those days were lovely.

After she passed, it was flying to Paris then changing for Nice. It was a pain-in-the-ass, but since there were no direct flights that could accommodate our working schedules, we dealt with it.

New airport departure requires leaving extra early for the airport. Good thing we did because finding the parking lot was a feat in itself. Now that we found it, we are aware for future flights.  TRAVEL TIP: Always take a photo where you park!

Going through TSA was a breeze and we had time to stop for a late afternoon snack at the airport.  We had a good time!

Finally, this year, The Frenchman booked direct from Newark to Nice directly via United Airlines. I have to say that flying on United was a great experience. We had a slight delay leaving New Jersey but the pilot made up for lost time. And the return was wonderful.

You can see NYC in the far background!

Ready to go!

The food on the flights was better than American Airlines and Air France. Yeah. It was.

A little delay caused our flight to leave as the sun set! 

And a perk of having a loud, annoying voice was that when we landed in Nice, and I observed the incredibly long customs line, I said to my husband “Ugh. I wish your French passport allowed me quick access through customs”.  An agent heard me and said; indeed, the French passport could be used to allow me through customs with my husband. I wish I had known this years ago!  The customs entry was wonderfully quick—especially on the return home.

But enough about the flights.

And at daylight we were over land!

Let’s get to business.

We arrived in Nice mid-morning. Luggage in hand, tram to pick up the car rental and off on A-8 to the second Mandelieu exit!

Coming in for a landing at Nice!

Coming into Theoule-sur-Mer and  La Galere was almost a dream. It had been so long it almost didn’t seem real. But with key in hand and our entry pass into the community, memories all came back.

I couldn’t help myself. Only in France can you spot an “older” gent on a bike in the barest–and I mean barest of swimsuits. This was literally a man thong.

This welcoming sculpture was new. It wasn’t there before Covid hit!

The apartment was just as before save for a new sofa and a few cosmetic touches. The washing machine in the bathroom made me so incredibly happy because, hey—I love doing laundry on vacation—especially after sweating for hours as we see the sights.

View from the bedroom. The only time the doors to the terrace were closed was during a 4-hour rain in the late afternoon through early evening. Other than that the weather was sunny every day!

And we settled into our regular routine with ease. Heading to the terrace to enjoy the view, unpacking. And then a drive to Geant Hypermarche to get essentials and food. Oh. And Cider and Kir Royal makings.

We unpacked right away! TRAVEL TIP: To avoid sticky fingers from other passengers, make sure to use luggage with the filthiest exterior. Also, bring a workhorse bag. I brought my vintage LV Randonee that fits over the shoulders like a backpack. It came in handy for seeing the sights!

Cleaned up after unpacking, changed and ready to hit the hypermarche!

Our first dinner on the terrace proved relaxing and stress-free as I began my first night of nothing-but-fish-or-shellfish.  Crevettes and the best tomatoes on the face of the earth.

Crevettes, the best tomatoes on earth, eggs and mayo. A simple yet filling meal on our first evening!

The sun sets later in France and after a bit of relaxation and boat-watching, we fell into that same beautiful slumber with the French doors to the bedroom wide open and the sound of the Mediterranean Sea putting us into dreamland.

Sunday, 6.26.2022

After eleven hours of much-needed sleep, The Frenchman woke me with coffee, croissants and pain au chocolat.

And then it was back to the pool. There were changes. The pool used to be a freebie if you lived in the community. Now there is a charge. Our charge was an additional 360 Euros charge for the time we were there. However, it was an error and the charge had been included into the rental.

Morning at the pool. All is calm before the crowd arrives!

We used to pay for cushions to place over the chaise lounges for comfort. Since Covid hit, there are no more cushions and the old chaises have been replaced by new ones.

How great is this ?

Due to bees and my bee allergy, we didn’t sit near the flowing plants but moved to the opposite side of the pool. It was hot!! And this was the first year I hit the pool like a freshwater fish. (I didn’t wear a wig either)

No wig. No tan yet. And ready to hit the pool!

That first day, we spent 6 hours poolside. I happily read, jumped in the water, read, jumped in the water, repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Back to the apartment to shower and dress. And off to Geant to get preparations for dinner. Geant is opened on Sunday but was not crowded so it was a pleasure.

The basics people. The basics. Creme de Cassis,  Champagne and butter. And bread.

Dinner consisted of a recipe I saw on Chef Edward Delling-Williams show—Endives with Lardons. And it was spectacular!

The Frenchman LOVED this Endive dish. I followed the recipe and am upset that lardons are not sold in the States. I’ll have to buy slab bacon and cut it but honestly, this was GREAT!!

Another relaxing evening.

Monday, June 27, 2022

Coffee and Crossiants!

Our usual breakfast! On the terrace and a great way to start the day off!

Today it was beach time. Sunny, sizzling hot and a heat haze—not a humidity haze but a heated one.  It was the first time I ever experienced what were waves in the Mediterranean. Not big Atlantic Ocean waves but tiny ones. There was a lot of activity and at 8:53 AM, we had to drive around in search of a parking spot!

Ready to head to the beach in Cannes. Again. No wig. It allowed more freedom for serious sea time!  This striped dress from J. Crew was worn with every beach/pool visit!

I had never seen waves this big at Cannes–and trust me, they were not that big but the sea was so refreshing!

Still life–beach style. The bathing suit top came off. That was the only time because I got bitten my a mosquito on my titties.

After the beach, we drove to Cabris, revisiting this lovely town as always and I stopped by the Chapelle of St. Rita to offer my thanks, light a candle and reflect.

The view from Cabris is always breath-taking..

A quiet, winding street..

…flowers in a window..

..and a local store add to the charm!

St. Rita lives in a chapelle that dates back to 1761!

My girl St. Rita. I thank her with every visit..

…and I say a little prayer!

From there, it was a trip to Grasse to Fragonard and off to Mougins. Mougins is the most adorable artsy community I’ve ever been to in France—and this was the first time I was there. I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t been in the past.

On to Grasse to get my Fragonard fill!

An old perfume vat welcomes visitors!

Fragonard Haul: Body Lotion, Scent, Hand Cream and Soap!

Next stop–Mougins!

These pepper sculptures were..

An absolute delight to behold!

Picasso sure gets around!

And so does Bart Simpson!

Flowers of Mougins!

Okay. I’m stopping here because I’m off to get a much-needed manicure and pedicure. My feet are gross from all the walking we did.

Here’s a little video. It sucks because it’s so random but it’s fun. The two water fountains?  The first is from the Fondation Maeght. The second water fountain is from Abbaye du Thoronet.  The dead bee being eaten by ants? Vincent had to swat the bee because it was ready to sting me. It fell and out of nowhere a ton of ants finished it off within minutes.  Enjoy!

l continue later in the week…

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Thoughts on “The Coastal Grandmother” Label

Posted on May 29, 2022 by Catherine

Onto the newest trend and stereotype “The Coastal Grandmother”.

Just a sampling of The Coastal Grandmother. Even though a few of them are NOT grandmothers. And WTF is Martha? She’s the Coastal Grandmother Supreme?

I know. I know.  I KNOW! This label is meant to be fun. But personally, I find it inane and elitist and you can read on for my thoughts regarding yet, another stereotypical visual of the older woman.

*sigh* I can breathe now. Here’s Martha in her, what appears to be Easter Coastal Grandmother best. It’s hideous. Thank God the woman can cook and bake!

Somewhere along the line, a younger woman decided that she wanted to go to bed early, thinking that all women over the age of 50/60/70 go to bed early.  Yet, nothing is mentioned about catching the “early bird special” at chain restaurants at 4:30 PM—the way many grannies do. She, bless her heart, had this image in her head of the perfect home–beach house style. And the perfect vision of the perfect woman, grandma age, creating fabulous meals, while dressed in a sweater tied around that perfectly, crisp button-down shirt with the starched collar perfectly popped.  There’s more to it, but to get you “woke” (a trendy phrase meaning nothing more than awakened), on the trend, I’ve come up with some assessments below.

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How about all those wanting the Coastal Grandmother lifestyle head to dinner at 4:30? That’ll pop your bubble!

Why does Halloween have to be on a weekday?! It's bad enough the old rich people go to bed early. But now everybody else too! | Halloween Ecard

Honey, forget Halloween. Old Rich Coastal Grandmother’s hit the hay after drinking that bottle of wine at 3:00 in the afternoon!

Read on if you are not offended. Read on if you are offended. Read on if you want to become a Coastal Grandmother or already are. Read on if you refuse to follow this trend. Just…………………….read on!

TCG Movie Choices: Most-loved movies of TCG are by filmmaker Nancy Meyers—she’s big with this labeled group.  I saw two of her movies. The first being “Something’s Gotta Give” which I liked. I didn’t love it. I liked it. A lot. I didn’t love it because I’m sick and tired of seeing perfect people and their successful careers on the big screen. Personally, I’m sick and tired of perfect people pretending to not be perfect.

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Look what they are wearing at the beach. The BEACH no less. I get so freaking hot at the beach that unless I’m down by the water, my body gets drenched in my own sweat! This is soooooooo Coastal Grandmother–and Grandfather!

Yeah. Give me a dark swimsuit so those ultra-violet rays are even more attracted to me. Hey, something’s gotta give-right? The sun giveth to me damaged skin!

The second being “The Parent Trap”. Not the stellar original starring Hayley Mills but the cheap knock-off starring Lindsay Lohan. I’ll admit, Lohan was great with her clipped British accent but the original version was far better. However, if you want to see one of the best Disney movies ever. Actually the only Disney movie besides Pollyanna, that is greatness, please watch the original parent trap!

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Isn’t she precious? Every Coastal Grandmother’s dream….

Hayley Mills looks back on 'Parent Trap,' Lindsay Lohan remake

I’ll take the original version. Haley Mills was a bit less perfect and was a tad snarky!

My director of choice is Jean-Pierre Jeunet.   Think “Amelie”— quite possibly the greatest film of all time. And Amelie wore cool clothes and had a fabulous hairstyle! There was nothing coastal about her. Granted.  Amelie was too young for Coastal Grandma status, but the movie is just so charming and showcases people who arent’ wealthy or perfect!

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Amelie. THE greatest movie of all time. However, TCG would cringe at the fact Amelie was a waitress, loved a man who was employed in a porn shop, and loved dark colors! 

Think “Delicatessen” An extremely dark and lovely film, also by the same director.  I loved the dark and quirkiness of it.  The cinematography is dark. Furniture is sparce and there is a darkness cast over the rooms.  Nobody is perfect. It’s awesome!

Delicatessen (1991) - Photo Gallery - IMDb

The interior shots of Delicatessen would have TCG reaching for that box of wine on her countertop!

The Coastal Grandma would ban my favorite movies from her bright, white living room or screening room!

The Coastal Grandma Clothing: The clothing style of this group? Loose fitting ensembles. Think Eileen Fisher. Personally, I can’t stand Eileen Fisher’s clothing. The items resemble burlap sacks. And don’t get me started on the way women wear the brand’s clothing. Also, think light, airy, ill-fitting khaki pants, button-down shirts, clothing that doesn’t bring out your feminine side at all.

Jesus. Who actually totes wine around in a wicker tote? I use a brown bag so nobody knows I’m drinking “medicine”. And those pajamas? I think the last time I wore an actual pajama set I was ten. Mules? My feet slide right out of them. I’m highly insulted by the French market basket. TCG will spend a lot of money on hers. I get mine for 5 euros in France!

Despite the fact that TCG wears white and light neutrals, she LOVES Eileen Fisher. This must be the look TCG sports during hurrican season!

Ahhhhhh. Here we go. The “dressed” CG ensemble.


Credit: Anne Hathaway/Instagram

Celebrities are getting in on the act. It’s *eyeroll* Anne Hathaway pontificating how she adores the CG look. But wait. It looks like she’s in Paris or some city in Italy. Screw that. I would NEVER walk around my beloved 6th arrondisement looking like that. And another thing. She’s skinny. She can carry that look off better than those of us with meat on our bodies. 

Look. I have a couple of loose-fitting pants. But I wear those pants with fitted tops to balance the look. I also wear delicate shoes such as ballet flats or delicate sandals.

My rebel Coastal Grandmother look. Loose pants that add about 30 pounds to my ass . But they are sooo comfortable. I wear them with a very fitted top and ballet flats to balance the look.

I also have a ton of black in my wardrobe. All year I wear black. In summer I switch between my black clothing and my Lilly Pulitzer frocks. But I lean more toward the Morticia Adams style of color. In fact, most of my black clothing is being packed for our visit to France next month!

Why don’t Coastal Grannies wear little black dresses?  This baby is already packed for France!

The CGM also wears old-school waspy sunhats.  Years ago, I attended a wedding in Connecticut. It was my ex-husband’s cousin. He married some Mayflower babe. I never saw so many wrinkled, baggy clothing and those sunhats. I think my ex-husband’s relatives may have been ahead of their time. My wigs are my hats. They cover my scalp from sun exposure and look more fetching than those ill-fitting chapeaus.

British Grannies wear fascinators to weddings, while WASP Coastal Grandmother’s wear chapeaus like this. TBH, this is one of the fugliest hats ever..

..and I thought Emily in Paris didn’t know how to wear a beret. These. Are. Awful.

They also favor those ridiculous oversized wraps, tunics and all things Chico’s and Talbots. No thank you. I’ll take J. Crew and Old Navy with a bit of Lilly Pulitzer thrown in for good measure.

The coastal grandmother: easy, breezy, laid-back yet immaculate – are you ready for the latest on-trend lifestyle? | Life and style | The Guardian

If I wore this, I would be in an emergency room with a broken arm or neck. It would get caught in a door in the house or car, it would fall off me and I would trip over it. Why would anyone wear this? 

I will opt for my Lilly Pulitzer Wynne maxi dress with slits!

My fitted clothing would award me with the label of “Slut Puppy Grandma”.  I’m fine with it. More to follow on this subject later in the post.

 

The fitted Mother-of-the-Bride Summer Wedding look. Black? OMG. It’s so anti-coastal grandmother!

The Coastal Grandmother’s Beauty: Makeup? TCG seems to either eschew it or prefers an extremely natural look.  Actually, many of them can afford  plastic surgery and fillers.  But subtle!  Nobody can tell! Who are we kidding here?   What I find hysterically funny is the young woman who pegged the whole Coastal Grandmother thing, used a filter for her face in her Tik-Tok video. Really? You wanna be a grandmother? Let’s see wrinkles, lines, ruddy complexion and sun spots. God forbid any of them spend up to an hour applying their face unless…unless a makeup artist is coming to the house!

The originator of the phrase “Coastal Grandmother” Lex Nicoleta,  looks older than Diane Keaton with her over-blurred image. IRL, she’s absolutely beautiful. Why would she blur her face like that?  I guess she wanted to look the age of TCG! It’s nuts. She’s incredibly beautiful and ruins her look with those freaking filters.

Coastal Grandmother face? The real face?  The beauty is also in the surgery she had for basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer. The true Coastal Grandmother has spent a lifetime of summers at the beach. Sitting by the ocean with a book when younger, then spending her child-rearing years running around after her children, slathering them in sunscreen while she doesn’t have the time to do so.

Remember last year when I had my overpriced lip filler? Well. These days I make my big mouth bigger by filling in with a five dollar NYX lip pencil. In addition, my eyebrow grew back from my MOHS surgery. 

Would it be fitting to encourage all those Coastal Grandma wannabe’s to damage their skin with baby oil and iodine then decades later have them realized they made a huge mistake?  Real life Coastal Grandmother vs. Wannabe Coastal Grandmother!

tanningsession.info | Skin care tips, Baby oil tan, Baby oil

Quite possibly, the dumbest thing I ever did to my skin. But..it isn’t brought up in The Coastal Grandmother aesthetic. It should be.

The Coastal Grandmother Homestyle: And let’s broach the subject of furniture, shall we?  TCG, surrounds herself with shades of white in that ever-so-beachy way.  Without sounding like a complete hypocrite, I surround myself with shades of white and off-white slipcovers. These slipcovers, upon closer inspection, have traces of dog-paw dirt, spilled wine drops, and fake tan spots. I like that lived-in, kind of dirty aesthetic!

Not gonna lie. This airy and clean look moves my needle. But it’s just too strategically imperfect perfection. 

My version of light and airy. Offwhite with tan and brown. Very uncoastal coastal.

And that splash of color is from a bloody paw of Chippy’s and one of his stray eyelash hairs.

I definitely would be kicked out of The Coastal Grandmother club due to having VERTICAL blinds in our sunroom. They are so tacky and out-of-style! But I’m too lazy to change them.

The Coastal Grandmother lives to read books by Erin Hilderbrand. Like Summer of ’69.  TCG can look back fondly on those years. I look back on my Summer of ’69 in a different way. It was the summer I tried, unsuccessfully to convince my strict parents to allow me to get a mother’s helper job on Fire Island–allowing me the freedom to live away from home (about 5 miles away) for the summer. My parents did not trust me.  It was also the summer I started to spend hours making my frizzy hair straight so I would look “cute”, and the summer I discovered baby oil and iodine.  Causing me to have bad burns and blisters–a front-runner to my MOHS surgery!

My summer of ’69 was spent fighting with my parents, getting bad sunburns and attempting to tame my frizzy hair.

Might I sugges the wonderful read, Where’d You Go Bernadette” My iconic favorite female fictional character, Bernadette was far from a Coastal Mother or Grandmother. She was downright nuts! My daughter Oona loved the book because Bernadette reminded her of me!

Not only one of my favorite books but it was a movie with the great Cate Blanchett! She was my ideal Bernadette! 

Fresh flowers? I love ‘em. But I don’t have a yard to grow them so I buy them from the local grocery store. I do, however, treasure my years-old poinsettia plants.  I’m sure any self-righteous Coastal Grandmother would shudder at the thought that I keep Christmas plants in my home all year!  But, being a good Catholic girl, I don’t like to kill living things.

13 Coastal Grandmother Fashion Essentials - PureWow

I’m so jelly. I would love to have a Coastal Grandmother garden like this. But I wouldn’t have the time to tend to it because I must work for a living. I also don’t own this much property. I’m poor!

 I have to settle for Peonies from the grocery store..

…and repotting poinsettias on the deck…

Poor Chippy. He’s probably contemplating what his life would be like had he been a Coastal Granddog!

Did you know that TCG loves to cook? Cook!! Since when has cooking an actual meal become a part of this aesthetic?  TCG prides herself with comparisons to Ina and Martha.  OK. I love both of those women because they have taken cooking to a simple and elegant level. Ol’ Martha has even gotten many women to bake. This is all ages. OK? But….TCG cooks while dressed in her Coastal Grandmother attire. HTF does she manage this?  I, being the messiest cook and baker of all time, must wear filthy pajama bottoms, an old tee shirt and no wig.  It’s only after the cooking/baking is done, that I run upstairs, plop hair on my noggin, put clothing on, run downstairs to my family/guests/husband, realize I forgot to put underwear on, then run back upstairs to undress, throw old panties and a stretched out bra on, then back downstairs.  Truth: when it is just my husband and me, I don’t bother to get out of the pajamas–something that took The Frenchman years to come to terms with–but it’s either me in slob attire or bad food.  I rest my case!

Coastal Grandmother' look is transforming home interiors

I love Ina. She must be preparing a special Coastal dinner because she’s wearing a white shirt. 

This is MY cooking attire. I’m wearing a white shirt too–but it’s got spots and stains on it. And I’m wearing pajama bottoms and I took my hair off!

What I cooked and baked..

What is that green stuff?  Did she cook that or is it the decor? I don’t look that good when I sit down to eat. I guess Coastal Grandmothers really cater their meals in secret!

And since TCG loves to drink the little cocktails every evening, I doubt she should turn out croissants, pain aux raisins and other delectable the way I do.  I save my drinking for the weekend only. And that consists of a Kir Royal during Fall/Winter/Spring and an Aperol Spritzer during summer.  Throw in a glass of red wine when my husband wants to watch soccer, or fowtbawl, and he wants me to sleep. My tolerance is low. I don’t know how these women can drink every night of the week.

Gen Z and Millennials are embracing the 'coastal grandmother' aesthetic - Vigour Times

Ohhhh. I feel sooo much better now that Ina is in her “everyday” blue shirt. And enjoying her everyday cocktail. My liver would be shot.

 

That whole Coastal Grandmother vibe brings forth the toney, old-monied and well-monied woman. The one who owns a beach house—perhaps in the Carolinas, The lower Jersey Shore, all the way down to the Carolinas.  The New England Coastline as well.  The Hamptons.

South Hamptons Beach House With Deck and Heated Swimming Pool | HGTV's 2019 Designer of the Year Awards | HGTV

Don’t fool yourselves. The Bon-a Fee-day Coastal Grandmother spends her summers in a home she and her wealthy husband own in the Hamptons!

I prefer my coastal vibe to be along the Mediterranean. Where the amount of salt in the water makes me float and, when I’m in my thinner stages, allows me to take my top off and let my girls enjoy the heat and sun!  Again, my “Slut Puppy Grandma” vibe comes into play.

My vision of Coastal Grandmother decor. The apartment we rent in Theoule-sur-mer. And I cannot wait till we are back!!

The house on the far right? It’s the home my husband spent his summers. In St. Tropez. I get to ride his coattails and I am not ashamed! 

Robert Moses State Park Beach - Babylon, NY

Whereas I got to destroy my skin with the crowds of Robert Moses on Long Island. And to this day, I miss that beach so much. So anti-Coastal Grandmother!

I’ve got my two-piece at the ready! 

The apartment we rent in Theoule overlooks the Sea.  It’s very shabby-chic and very French with pragmatic but pleasing touches.

I love L’estagnol beach in France. Next to Moses, it’s my favorite beach ever!

And yes. I love my New York beaches. I love my Long Island beaches far more than the Jersey Shore which is closer to our Philadelphia-suburb, inland home.  But when I do go to the beach, I’m not donned in khaki pants, a chambray shirt, Birkenstocks and a waspy sunhat.  My normal mode of beach dress is a simple frock I can slip out of the moment we throw our old towels down on the sand.

Truth is, the majority of us do not own a beach home. Many of us are comfortable in our lives.  We have nice stuff. We have nice furniture. We have our own personal style.

It’s also that subtle smugness of this label that completely turns me off. That longing to be part of the elitist group –didn’t we go through that with college sororities? Aren’t we supposed to be accepting of all women no matter what their socio-economic status? Why would anyone shove what they have down another person’s throat?

Knock it off already! Why does everything have to come down how celebrities do it?  I have no aspiration to be like any of these women (although I AM a huge fan of Fonda’s activism)

I dunno. It just bothers me that so many women are on the band wagon for this aesthetic. It’s so not individual.  Be yourself. Don’t be a poseur!  Feel good about your personal aesthetic and embrace it!

All is not lost, though. I do have a favorite Coastal Grandmother duo. Grace and Frankie! Yes. They have that great Coastal home they share on the California Coast. And they were married to very well-monied attorneys. And one likes to drink, whilst the other digs her weed.  One dresses the part of Coastal Grandmother, with a penchant for tighter clothing and the other……….is more of a Coastal Crunchy Granola Grandmother (I can relate). But I love them. I love their characters because they are fun. They have become wiser in their advanced age then they were in their younger selves. They remain loyal to themselves and each other!

Not gonna lie. THESE TWO are my FAVORITE COASTAL GRANDMOTHERS! But I’m pissed off that their faces are filtered!

And they are funny AF!

So. What are your views on The Coastal Grandmother?  I’m curious. I swear social media gets more and more phony by the day—but I still find it fun and entertaining!

 

Posted in #Humor, Uncategorized | 35 Comments

WTF? Old People Have No Energy?

Posted on May 22, 2022 by Catherine

Old people can’t move around? We can’t do things?

Key Findings | Australian Human Rights Commission

 

And words to describe us are also offensively stereotypical.

Granted, when it comes to our miserable Smart TV in the living room, I wait till Roman comes home to fix the glitches that occur on a regular basis. And I’ll curse like a sailor at the TV. But when it comes down to my energy level and actually doing things. I can do things better and with more gusto than those twenty years younger than me. And I don’t go to the gym.

What exactly prompted this rant? It’s the offensive stereotype. Add to the fact so many “mature” bloggers/vloggers and Instagrammers are now shilling supplements that you ingest into your body.  That shit isn’t going to give you energy. OK?  If you want something that’ll help your bones or energy level, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor went to medical school. Your doctor can assess what the issue is. An influencer cannot.

The 7 Best Vitamins for Seniors To Protect Brain, Eye, and Bone Health — Snug Safety

And don’t even get me started on these “wellness” companies that prey on older folks. Eat your vegetables. Who cares if they give you gas. 

I grew up in a house where we were not allowed to snack. We didn’t eat candy except on occasion. We only had soda at birthday parties.  We ate three square meals a day and my mother made sure we ate our vegetables. Eating properly was our supplements.

Healthy Eating Pyramid | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

This is how we ate growing up. It wasn’t till stress hit my adult life that I got fat. Now I’m back on track.

But…I’m getting off track here.  The subject is about moving your body and doing things.

My laptop has been with its second family—The Geek Squad for an annual cleaning out. And now that my little rectangle of technology is back at home, I’m back to writing.  And today I’m writing about stuff that old people can do—except it is in the form of what I’ve been doing. So, here goes…

My work life has been hectic but in the best possible way. With this promotion came a different set of responsibility and since it’s a newly-created position, there are glitches to iron out and the fact we will need more staff.  In the meantime, I’m working from 7:00 AM to sometimes 8:30 in the evening.  I don’t feel overworked but when I do arrive home, I’m mentally exhausted from sitting in front of two computer monitors on a daily basis. The reward is my paycheck.

you got it boss

I’m back to really enjoying work!

However, that doesn’t stop me from awakening at 5:00 AM to prepare myself. My early morning routine consists of sitting in my little makeup room, getting my makeup on, drinking coffee and playing competitive Wordle against my two sisters. It’s a great way to start the day off and I actually enjoy looking nice.

I enjoy enhancing my 67-year old mug with makeup rather than with photoshop and filters!

The makeup and clothing give me a little boost of energy for the day.

Seriously. Being dressed keeps me going!

Through it all, both The Frenchman and I are planning our trip next month back to France. We will be returning to “our” apartment in Theoule that we rented for nine years. And doing so has given me a step up on my travel journaling.

 

I’ve enjoyed my travel journals over the years but this year, I’m going extra! I even purchased a small polariod camera to have photos ready to place in the journal.

I’m prepared with the itinerary, which I’ve already had to change due to the St. Tropez flea market being on Tuesday instead of Wednesday like my husband thought.   I have everything at the ready.

I’ve already switched Wednesday to Tuesday and Tuesday to Wednesday. It’s all planning!

And, as usual, we will divide our day between pool/beach time and sightseeing.  Our energy level is paramount when we travel. We walk high in the hilly terrain of Cabris and Eze. We visit old abbayes. We are on the move most of the time. And we thoroughly enjoy it all. We don’t head back to the apartment to nap or “rest” during the days. And our evenings are spent on the terrace lingering over three-hour dinners and enjoying the view of the Mediterranean.

Back in the d'Azur Groove! (Sing it Loud)! | Atypical 60

Even when we are on the terrace enjoying the view, we’ll be excited about our next excursions!

Last weekend, the weather was pretty lousy. So, I baked bread and made Pain-aux-raisins.  Starting Friday evening after dinner to make the brioche, getting up early to roll out the dough, proof the rolled goodies and bake. Then carefully wrapping them in parchment, bagging them in freezer bags so my husband could enjoy them as dessert when he feels so inclined.

I make these often and don’t ever let anyone tell you they aren’t time-consuming. The dough is made the night before…

And somewhere along the line, my husband couldn’t find a decent baguette. So I went home to bake “The Good Loaf” and made it in record time–just in time for the Leg-of-Lamb dinner!

The weekend before it was also lousy weather-wise. And I made croissants. This was a three-day process. Again, on Friday evening, I made the dough.  And I made the block of butter needed to laminate. On Saturday I laminated the dough, made the turns and let it rest overnight. On Sunday, I cut the croissants, allowed them to proof and baked. Yeah. It’s a long process but totally worth it. Now The Frenchman has croissants that, like the pain-aux-raisins, are in the freezer, wrapped and bagged. And they defrost and warm up in the oven beautifully.

And allow me my bragging rights that this was the best batch yet. I FINALLY got the laminated down down right! They are nice and light and buttery!

In addition, last weekend I did some replanting of poinsettias but ran out of dirt.

I zestfully started to repot poinsettias last week but ran out of dirt. Back inside they went!

There was also cleaning and a ton of ironing. Running up and down three flights of stairs to haul clothing and to clean.

Atypical 60 | A Typical Blog. A Typical Woman. A Typical Take On Life. With An Atypical Twist! | Page 23

My ironing spot. Downstairs family room. The clothes get brought down from the third floor then back up again. Add to that I usually forget something so it’s up and down. I’m old. And I can still managing running up and down stairs!

This weekend? It’s been busy. Friday evening, I actually relaxed by switching out my handbag. I haven’t used my vintage Alma in quite some time so I decided to show her some love and prepare her for Saturday and Sunday.

Hey. Don’t judge. It’s work to switch out the handbags. There’s stuff I need so it’s about three or four trips up and down the stairs. Then there’s the switching of the scarfs to wrap around the handles. That takes forever! It drains me. It actually drains my energy!

I had to run a few errands, Actually, I’m lying.  My nails, once again, are a mess. The gel polish on my acrylic nails started peeling and looked pretty nasty. My husband was aghast but now that the weather is nice and hot, I don’t want to spend hours in the nail salon.  I ran to Target to get gel nail polish remover. Plus, we needed Windex.

This is the strangest thing about Target. You go in for one thing and you end up purchasing a plethora of items.  While in the store, I noticed a cute dress on a mannequin. It was 12 bucks. So, I grabbed one to try on. Then I saw another slightly different $12 dress. So, I tried it on. Then I saw a cute jersey tee shirt. So, I tried it on.

$12!  So nice I purchased the middle one twice. One is already packed in my suitcase for France!

Then I realized I needed black olives for the evening’s dinner I was preparing. So, I bought two cans. Then I realized how much my children loved the book “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible No Good, Very Bad Day. I thought that my grandson Owen should have a copy so I headed off to the book area. I couldn’t find it but found a cute little “Baby Shark” Book. Then I realized that I needed an oversized envelope to put the book in. so I headed to the stationery department and found the envelopes. Then I realized a high school friend’s mother was very ill, so I bought a card for her.

I’m hoping Owen likes the book. He’s quite the reader you know-LOL!

Then I headed to Michael’s craft store in search of a pouch to house my journaling supplies. I didn’t find one so I ordered one on Amazon. But. I did manage to purchase a travel comfort knife.

Then I came home and realized my makeup brushes needed cleaning. So, I cleaned them.

Later that night, I decided to clean the big brushes too!

Then the Frenchman reminded me we needed to go to an afternoon performance of The Addams Family in which his granddaughter was playing Pugsley and she was fabulous. It was a very enjoyable couple of hours.

StagelightU Grades 9-12 Sundays & Tuesdays — Stagelight

It was surprisingly enjoyable. The kids were very talented.

When we got home, I slipped into something more comfortable. (i.e., took my bra off and put on an old maxi dress that is now loungewear). I proceeded to make dinner.  And then we had a splendid time welcoming in the hot weather with aperitifs and appetizers. Oh. I made tapenade out of kalamata olives that were in the fridge. Why not? I had the energy despite being an old fart!

 

Made my favorite hot-weather dish. Chicken breasts with tomatoes and black olives.  Switched out my winter aperitif of Kir Royal to Aperol Spritzer and we had a great dinner ending with fresh berries and cream.

Last night’s fare. Which, I had the energy to make AFTER we arrived home from the theater!  My sister-in-law saw a photo of the chicken dish on Instagram so I wrote it out for her!

Today?  I woke up early. Had coffee in bed with Wordle played against my sisters. Then proceeded to relax in a morning bath. Then got dressed and ran out to run more errands.

CoComelon Bath Time! Children's Finger Puppet Board Book Ages 0-4: Scarlett Wing, Cottage Door Press: 9781646384068: Books - Amazon

Shaving my legs in the tub is my idea of bathtub fun!

This time it was Walmart. I needed to buy more dirt. And Walmart has the best prices. I also picked up a little plant. Then, realizing how truly disgusting my nails are, purchased some stick-on nails.  Then, realizing we will be at the beach next weekend, good weather willing, I picked up sunscreen.

SPF that only I will use. The Frenchman refuses to put it on his body.

Press-on nails because you’ll see how disgusting my nails are later in this post!

Ohhhhhhhh, I forgot to tell you. I had my skin check. It’s so pathetic. Before I go, I get all stressed out. I take a magnifying glass and check my body. It’s sick. There’s really something mentally wrong with me. Anyway, I’m all scared but …my dermatologist was pleased that my skin is in great shape (except for the wrinkles) and I breathed a sigh of relief because I can go back to hours on end in the sun.

Every self-respecting hypochondriac needs a good magnifying glass. My husband was getting annoyed with my constant “Does this look like something”?

Ok. Then whilst wandering aimlessly around the Walmart aisles, I purchased cheap jewelry. I refuse to bring “good” jewelry on vacation.  I bring cheap stuff. If someone can see that it is cheap, they are standing way to close to my personal space—back off!

If you’ve been a reader of this blog for a longer time, then you know that the Walmart Hoops are my HG for vacation. And after 10 years of old ones, I broke down and spent $4.88 for new ones! 

Then the thought hit me. Why not purchase another bathing suit? A two piece. I did. My husband can’t stand it because he said the bottom is too big. Doth he not realize that my gut will spill over into anything smaller?

My piggy bits are getting smaller and my fake tan application is all over the place and despite my husband’s hatred for this suit…

I like it because the top makes the titties look higher!

So, I texted my husband asking if he needed anything from Wegmans. He wanted pumpernickel bread to enjoy the tapenade and asked me to make more for tonight.  He also asked me to get water. I also added we needed new flowers. Off to Wegmans.

Yeah. My old lady strength hauled that big-ass bag of dirt from the shopping cart into my car.

I needed more strength so I shoved some surimi into my mouth. It was better than grabbing a donut!

Still full of pep, I arranged the flowers. They look nice–don’t they?

And when I arrived home, we finally, took down the fake Christmas tree that was in the family room. It was up since the beginning of December. My bright idea was to turn it into a year-round holiday tree but I stopped at Cinco de Mayo. The sunroom looks so nice and back to normal.

Ugh. After almost SIX months, the fake tree is now stored away. That little piano that was meant for Owen is now a permanent Object d’art! I REALLY need to get rid of those horrific Vertical blinds!

Then I decided to repot the other poinsettia and the little plant. So off I went to dig up the dirt from the bag.  I use my hands because my hands are the best gardening tools ever.

That big bag of dirt didn’t go such a long way!

My hands went from looking bad to looking worse than one could imagine.  But I cleaned them. They still look pretty bad but they need a rest from the acrylic nails.

I’m laughing at this most disgusting display of fingernails. It looks like I worked on an automobile all day..

Even a good scrubbing couldn’t undo the damage from the acrylic nails. That’s what the press-on nails are for!

I made more tapenade.

More tapanade! And let me tell you something. That little, mini food processer from Walmart was the best $9.99 ever spent! It works wonders!

Then I had a bit of a Pity Party/FOMO moment because I MISSED driving out to Long Island to attend the 100th year anniversary of St. Patrick’s school. I loved that school so much. I loved the nuns who taught me. I felt so…so LAZY by not driving out. But then thought about the traffic on the Belt Parkway–especially on this first weekend of fabulous weather. Beach traffic would be unbearable!

I’m so upset because I wanted to see people I went to school with. I hope my sister Germaine went. She lives five minutes away. 

So, tell me, dear friends—do we lose energy when we become old?

Soooo….do we lose energy? I think not!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 19 Comments