Lipstick and Perfume

10/16/2015

You all know that I am brand loyal with a capital "B".  I have worn the same shade of Revlon lipstick for more years than I can count, and now my shade has been discontinued.  I think if companies are going to stop making "x" or "y", there should be some kind of announcement, so we can begin hoarding either "x" or "y".

I have a particular shade of lipstick that I like and have several tubes of it tucked away in a drawer.  But when my stash is gone, that shade of lipstick will also be gone.  I went on Amazon yesterday and typed in the name of the lipstick that I like.  Since it's discontinued, you can still buy the lipstick, but it's going to set you back $30.00 a tube!  As Judge Judy would say "that's ridiculous".  

The next time I'm in a store, I'm going to have to go through the shades of lipstick that most clearly resemble my old favorite.  I suspect that I will have to buy several different colors, which are, of course, non-returnable, until I find a suitable substitute.  What a drag.

Yes, I'm old and yes I'm set in my ways.  I like certain things just the way they are or were and you have to take me kicking and screaming to the store to find something new, like lipstick.

I'm also loyal to Chloe vintage perfume.  Yes there are new Chloe scents, but I want the old Chloe, which, of course, is not made anymore.  Earlier this year, I made it my mission to go on Ebay and buy all the vintage Chloe perfume that was available.  Most of the bottles have been used, but I bought them anyway.  So some bottles are half-full and others not so much.  In my spare bathroom, I have my many bottles of Chloe sitting on the vanity waiting to be used in the future.

I know most women are not as rigid as I am.  They like trying new perfumes and lipstick, but I'm in a rut that is comfortable for me.  When I'm not able to get vintage Chloe any longer, than I will be forced to try something new.  Until that time, I'm good.

P

New Glasses

10/15/2015

Yesterday, I went to the opticians to pick up my new glasses.  I don't have a simple prescription that could be filled anywhere.  Nope, I have prisms to avoid seeing double (a good thing), and bifocal.  Because my new lenses is always pretty pricey, most times when I get a new prescription, I use my old frames.

This time around, I decided that it had been several years since I had new frames, and now was the time to get a new pair.  I love the new frames.  They have a bit of "gold" on the ear pieces, which makes me look all snazzy!  I also have prescription sunglasses, but never change those until I have worn my regular glasses for a few days, to make sure that there are no problems.

I have now ordered new lenses for my sunglasses.  I like my sunglasses frames, so am opting just for new lenses and am having the lenses polarized to cut down on glare and haze.  People, I truly need all the help I can get for seeing in the distance!  I just wish I could get a seeing eye dog that could drive!

The good news is that I will have my new lenses before our trip to Hilton Head, SC on the 23rd. So while we're flying next Friday, I'll be able to really give my new lenses a workout as far as glare goes.  

Whenever it's time for me to pick up my new glasses, it always feels like a two-edged sword.  I fret that the prescription won't be just right, and this has happened before.  The worst case of this was years ago when I walked out of an optician's office and my eyes began to burn and tear up.  I thought it was just due to my getting used to the new prescription, but after several days went back.  I'm a slow learner!  Turns out, that those fools had put my bifocals on the top of the lens, and it was no wonder that my eyes were giving me so much trouble.

So if you live in my neighborhood, have no fears because I can really see you now!

P

Today is National Grouch Day as well as Conflict Resolution Day

  

Movies

10/14/2015

I have, for practically forever, loved going to the movies.  I never go and see what I think of as horror films, I don't want to be scared out of the seat!  Yesterday, my good friend Kim, and I went to see the movie "The Intern", with Robert DeNiro and Ann Hathaway.  

The movie was very entertaining and funny.  We have enough drama in our real lives, who needs to go and see more.  I know I certainly don't.  I doubt that this movie will be up for awards, but you should see it because it'll make you feel good.

Robert DeNiro plays a senior citizen intern to a young, super busy, business owner.  I want spoil the movie for you, but you'll love the ending - I promise.

Kim and I brought our own drinks and avoided buying anything at the snack counter, so the movie was reasonably inexpensive, as opposed to going last week with Benjamin!

We saw previews for movies coming out later this year that look like they will be worth watching.  

For Jeff to go to the movies, it has to be a great movie.  I try, not always successfully, to get him to go to one movie a year.  Trouble is there are more just okay movies and not so many that are truly great.

Today, among other things is:  BE BALD AND BE FREE DAY.  They have a holiday just for Jeff!

P

Lane Closures

10/13/2015

Today, on my way home from the dentist, I saw a mile or so ahead a notice that the right lane was going to be blocked due to road construction.  I, being a sensible (more or less) person, took the first opportunity I had to move to the left lane.

Unfortunately, not all drivers are paying attention, or maybe they don't care that the lane is ending.  So when the lane finally ends, we had a long line of people who had moved over, and then we had all those people who either thought: (a) the sign and blinking arrow was wrong; or more likely (b) they believed they didn't have to wait in line, like the rest of us, and were comfortable with cutting in.

I'm generally very patient about letting drivers in or out of my lane.  But, I do get just a little bit (or maybe a lot) annoyed when people know they should move over, and they just don't.  I don't think that cutting in before a lane closes, gets you faster up the road.  We all, do in fact, wait at the same speed!

I did allow a car or two to move in front of me, but I became a lane hog after those two cars.  If you let everyone cut in front of you, you'd be in line at the stop signal for a long time.  And in case you're wondering, I'm not a saint and eventually do get tired of being the nice guy.

When I first moved here from California in 1986, I was explaining to my bosses that it seemed like everybody wanted to cut in front of me, which hadn't been much of a problem for me in California.  They then explained that I wasn't in California (or Kansas) any longer, and it was every man/woman for themselves.  So I took their advice and became a bit, but not a lot, aggressive about defending my place in the road.

It also helped that for many years I drove a Lincoln Navigator and when I was merging onto the highway, people could either have me in front of them, or my headlights shining into their car.  For the most part, people allowed me to get in front of them and the Navigator was a big girl, and somewhat intimidating in size.

Okay, hoping off the soap box now and going to the movies.  

P

Sunny Monday

10/12/2015

Today is a holiday for the Feds and city/county employees.  The rest of the world is at work.  I was out this morning running an errand and was caught off guard by the children playing outside of a daycare center.  Then it finally dawned on me - today is a holiday for some people, Jeff being one of them.

It's a lovely fall-like day with lots of sunshine and lots of leaves.  It's probably going to be a pick up the leaves kind of day.  I wish that our oak tree would just one day drop all of it's leaves at once.  Then you could blow them up into a pile, pick them up and not have to futz with them for another year.  Unfortunately, that's not the way it works.  The squirrels are doing their darnedest to make sure that they get every acorn the tree has to offer.  But the squirrels don't just take the acorns.  Nope, these little critters actually chew off small branches and then they land on the yard along with the empty acorn shells.

I wish I could tell you that the squirrels are "squirreling" away more acorns this year than last, but sadly I cannot.  Until we have our first frost, Jeff and I will have to routinely tidy up the yard.  A lot of our neighbors don't have oak or maple trees in their yards, so they don't have the same problem that we do.

It's nice enough that I could and should take my Kindle outside on the porch and swing and read.  Maybe I will.  But first I have to make sure that Jeff will have something for his lunch tomorrow.  I generally try and make him tuna or chicken salad and either of those dishes will last him for several days.  Luckily for me, Jeff doesn't seem to tire of eating the same thing day after day.  

Yesterday, I made my first fall dish - chili - easy on the beans!  It made for a yummy meal for me both last night and again today for lunch.

Today, we're celebrating:

• National Free Thought Day
• National Gumbo Day; and my favorite
• National Kick Butt Day! 

Enjoy your day and try to get out into the sunshine.

P

Cooler Weather, Longer Pants

10/11/2015

It's much cooler out this morning, which is a sure sign that the high temperatures of summer are pretty much over.  Time to poke around in the closet and find some long pants and long-sleeved shirts.  The good news about cooler temperatures is you can always add another layer, unlike in the summer, when you can really only take so many clothes off - at least outside!

The leaves are turning into beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow.  And, we're still having to "leaf" the driveway every day or so to keep the chore of picking up said leaves manageable - more or less!

This is also the time of year where I turn the heat lamp in the bathroom on, and it feels lovely.  It is also the time of the year where I two-step from rug to rug trying to avoid stepping on cold bathroom tiles.

Today, I'm making chili for dinner.  Seems like the perfect day for it. I can fix it early today, put it in the crock pot and Jeff will have something to eat when he comes home.  He's going to Andrew's house today to work on something or another.  I, on the other hand, will stay at home and try to cram all of our favorite Sunday night shows in the appropriate time slots.  I really need a bigger Tivo which would let me record 6 shows at once, rather than 4.  Perhaps I should tell Santa!

I can tell when old Sam thinks it's cold, because during the night he leaves the bottom of the bed to come up between Jeff and I.  This is, of course fine, but then Maggie (who is not so little) wants to do the same thing. I wish they made wider beds, than the one we have (which is very long and very wide), so that we could accommodate the dogs and Benjamin when he stays over.


Go out and enjoy the sunshine today. 

• National Sausage Pizza Day

Yesterday was National Purse Day - how could I have missed that?!!


P
 

Movie with Benjamin

10/10/2015

I took Benjamin to see Transylvania 2 yesterday.  Since it was a school day, there was exactly four people in the theater.  No trouble picking out a seat - bonus!

But by the time you buy the tickets and popcorn and Whoppers, you have just spent nearly $30.00.  I just checked to see what the cost of a movie ticket was in 1967 - $1.20! So you could easily go to the movies and have popcorn and a soda and not spend more than $5.00.  We've come a long way since 1967, and not always in a good way.

When we still lived in California, Jeff traveled to Maryland for several months before we moved here.  I would occasionally take the boys to a movie on Friday nights, as a treat, but know that even with buying four tickets, I didn't spend anywhere close to $30.00.

The animation movies that Benjamin and other children are so fond of, are now superior to those back when I, and perhaps you, were children.  As an adult, I enjoy watching the children movies, as much as Benjamin does.

And even on my first day with Jeff in 1974, I didn't ask for popcorn (since I hadn't finished my dinner), but I did go to the concessions area, and I did inhale!  I have always loved the smell of popcorn, and to be truthful, love eating it as well.

Do you remember Jiffy Pop.  Just before it was finished, I was always convinced that the silver dome would explode!  Now you can make popcorn in the microwave, which is super convenient.  And, because I am who I am, always add just a little more butter to the already buttered popcorn.  Nobody ever said that eating popcorn was healthy!

I can generally talk Jeff into going to one movie a year - but it had better be a great movie.  The last one he saw was the one where Disney was making the movie Mary Poppins.  I haven't found a movie so far this year, that I believe he would really enjoy.  Of course, there is still several months left in the year, so I still have time.

P