This Ain’t No Endorsement – But I Just Had To Say

Eons ago – two months ago – our family found ourselves looking at the mouth of the mighty Grand Canyon. I am a habitual light packer – I travel with one carry-on suitcase. There is no room for hiking boots, extra socks, windbreaker, or any other items of questionable necessity like mouth wash. Only kidding.

One would think that a hike at the Grand Canyon would necessitate good hiking shoes but not me, I was going to bring one pair of shoes only. It needed to look good with the outfit I was going to wear on the airplane, be comfortable enough to do be a tourist around town and – I can hike the Grand Canyon with it.

As the LCATs around here would say – boom.

So – boom. I packed these black Danskos.

Perfect.

My legs did not hurt one bit – one single bit. My feet were tired of course, anytime you do a four mile Grand Canyon hike, your feet will tire. However, I did not blister, I did not chaffe or otherwise whine.

I did however, have to clean them well when I got back. But then I wore them with black dress slacks (who says slacks anymore) upon my return.

So take as you may. It’s just a public service announcement.

August 15, Kaleidoscope Garden

One of the cutest little towns in Arizona, or even in the world, is a town nestled in the rolling hills between Flagstaff and Sedona.

We visited this town and found it incredibly charming. I will show you photos later but first, I wanted to show you this unique kaleidoscope plant stand that we found in one of the stores.

I wish I could have packed it in my suitcase and brought it home! And here’s why -

When you look through the kaleidoscope, you can these beautiful images of the slowers in the plant stand. The images change as you turn the stand on its axis.

I want one in my yard, or on my porch! I love kaleidoscopes don’t you?

Yes, I put my lens on the kaleidoscope lens.

For Mosaic Monday.

Shower Them With Milk & Cookies

I posted the wonderful cookies and decoration that were at a shower I attended last month but I also wanted to post the most important part of a baby shower, the people.

This is Neighbor Sue, the ultimate hostess. She opens her home to everyone and makes everyone feel so comfortable, special, and spoiled.

This makes me feel like I’m dining at Tavern on the Green.

Here are some beautiful faces!

And then some more! That’s Neighbor Tracy is in the middle. I rarely see her even though she lives right down the road. She’s in a different season of life, i.e. she’s running around with small three small children. I’m running around with two big children – so nice to see you Neighbor Tracy! We moms can rack up some major mileage. That’s our job isn’t it?

There’s Neighbor Sue again. I just love the pink shirt. It’s so her.

I had a single white wine spritzer that day. It was so refreshing, especially with the delicious meal – of which I don’t have any photos. Shoot…

One of the best things about having a party is the presents. I gave her two sweaters knitted by my mother who is an incredible talent. I would show you but I don’t have any photos. Another shoot…

Baby Jackson looks like he’s ready to come right now…

It was a lovely group. Everyone enjoyed themselves so much, even with all of the baby shower games. They are a part of having a baby.

Ack! A man!

The belly is very handy…

Alright, these two knockouts are gorgeous aren’t they? One is Neighbor Sue’s daughter, and the other is the daughter of Miss Dina, a dear friend. Don’t even think about it boys!

I love the relationship between these two sisters. Makes me miss my own sister.

Neighbor Sue’s son took this photo of all of us. I love that he got so much of the living room.

Baby Jackson is due to arrive this week. I say he has a great start already.

I Bought Something For You

I did a little bit of shopping last week while in Prescott, Arizona. There were so many wonderful things to purchase that I thought I would start early on my Christmas shopping.

How perfect is this?

If you are the kind of person who would enjoy drinking out of a snake mug and not be surprised to see a snake head rise out of your root beer, then look for this sweet thing under the tree this year.

You know who you are.

Oh by the way, today is my birthday. As much as I wanted this mug for myself, I decided to buy myself an iPhone instead. Sweet!

Cheap Fun

I am an official Walmart fan. I say it as a disclaimer because I’m not interested in the political aspects of being a Walmart fan I’m simply a consumer, no more no less.

And one of the things I like are these water tube things I purchased in advance of the visit from my niece and nephew.

Unlike some toys with questionable quality, these work as advertised. They are made of soft foam and have a ton of water power.

See?

They have been in constant use, thrown about, tested to the limit and otherwise manhandled by a dozen kids and adults since we purchased them and they still work like they did when we got them out of the package.

I can’t remember exactly how much they were but I think they were under $5.

Check them out at your local Walmart. I think these would be fun even outside of the pool. Just fill a bucket of water and let them at each other. It’s what summer is all about!

Just another public service from LifeSignatures:)

Grrrrobert Slobbery Dog Toys

Do you have a pooch you love? And when you are on vacation, you like to purchase silly, wasteful toys for your dog because you feel badly that you have gone away and left her with total strangers? Poor thing.

Well, I have the perfect thing on which you can waste your money.

How about some doggie champagne? It’s probably illegal to give dogs alcohol so these are just harmless chew toys.

I thought they were clever. This one is called Killer Bite.

And since I”m a red wine drinker, this one is my favorite, the Drooler’s Selection, Grrobert Slobbery.

Can’t fathom giving your doggie beer or wine? How about some caffeine? Mountain Drool, really cute.

These have obnoxiously loud squeakers in them so make sure they play with it outside.

I couldn’t decide which to get and since we had a limited budget – we decided to pass. It would have been a waste of money. Besides, a dog would never know if you bought them a gift on your trip. They are just glad to see you come home.

Humans on the other hand, expect silly gifts. So we decided that our money was better spent on a bejeweled fish ring for the girl  instead.

It’s a much better use of our resources:)

The Voracious Vacationing Periodical Reader

There is literally no silence at home. The television is always on – sometimes quite loudly – and the computer is always humming. My mind is filled with computer issues to resolve and wondering what the kids are planning next. Throw in meal planning and there is scant room for any other thought – coherent or otherwise.

All I want to do on vacation is fill my mind with sun, water, sand (if there is any) and silence. It’s only then that I can pick up a good book.

This was my “read” of choice. I started it a couple of months ago and just couldn’t get through it. Not because it’s a boring book – quite the opposite. I loved the book, I just never found time to read it. When I started planning our little anniversary get away, I saved this book to bring with me. And it was the perfect choice.

I was literally laughing out loud at the pool. Book review to follow!

When at the airport,  I always make it a point to stop at my favorite store -  Hudson News.

It’s filled with periodicals that beckon to me with bright colors and titles that promises that I will be smarter after I’ve read them cover to cover.

I admit – I do feel more knowledgeable about English royalty. I don’t always read the periodical version of War and Peace. I almost never purchase magazines like this when I’m at home. I pass by them at the check out stand with mild curiosity – unless the Bachelor is on the cover. When on vacation, I inhale tidbits on celebrities I don’t know. It’s a strange phenomena.

I also purchase magazines like Forbes, Money, Discover and anything that will tickle my intellectual fantasy in a two page article or less. I just gave this one to a co-worker today. It was quite fun to read. I’m not familiar with the lady on the cover but there is a great article about the biggest “givers” or philanthropists of our time. I always like to read about the networth of  millionaires. It’s slightly voyeuristic.

By the way, I wrote all over this book, Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson. I brought a pen with me an underlined and asterisked certain lines in the book I thought were particularly compelling or funny. I read the acknowledgement and found that colleague of Mr. Ferguson’s has a wife who is an acquaintance of mine. We attend the same church and she once sold me some eye cream, she’s a make up distributor.

It’s a small coincidence but somehow it makes me feel like I’ve had a brush with fame though I didn’t know anyone in the People magazine. It’s all a part of the vacation mentality and it’s obvious that I wasn’t thinking of very much while I was gone.

Danskos The Night Away

I do like new clothes and shoes, I don’t always like to shop for them. I get very intimidated by the time it takes and the money I think I will spend and by the time I sort all of it out in my mind, I have talked myself out of going. It’s just not worth it I say.

But then there are a few things that are worth the time. Like shopping for a really good pair of shoes that won’t squeeze the blood out of your feet or leave callouses the size of molehills. Some of the worst pain I have ever been in have come at the end of the night in 3 inch heels. And that’s not even considered high by today’s fashion standards.

Last year, I wrote about a pair of sandals that I “found.” They were the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever owned – ever. I did a four mile hike in them last year and my feet hurt not a bit, not a mite, not even a smidgen.

I can’t say they are high fashion but sometimes fashion can be grossly overrated. Take that Kim Kardashian.

I purchased the above pair a year ago and I literally wore the crampped daddy out of them. They are great with shorts, skirts and jeans and they have a platform which gives people like me a little bit of height.

Now comes the real story -

A friend of mine (ok Miss Ann) read the post about these shoes last year and purchased the same pair in black. She loved them too. So much that she went back recently to purchase another pair. As it turns out, the strap was frayed and when the sales person noticed, she promptly exchanged the shoes for a new pair. For free.

It’s amazing service that you never hear of – never.

Miss Ann was so grateful and impressed by the service that she bought another pair.

I was in a meeting with her recently and I noticed them and my eyes went wide. Last year we spoke about a red pair but since they were expensive, we couldn’t justify purchasing two pairs – Dave Ramsey ghost is always looking over our shoulders.

But since she received a new black pair for free, she went ahead and purchase the above. They are adorable!

So I put my thinking cap on -

And I decided that I would attempt to duplicate her experience.

I walked into the store, showing more confidence than I felt. I showed the sales lady my shoes (which was fraying at the same place.) She was hesitant and said she hadn’t heard of a return on these. I told her the story and she relented. She didn’t have the sandal in the sand color so I said I was happy to exchange it for a black pair in the same style. She was not enthusiastic but she didn’t protest either. I was relieved. I wasn’t prepared to get turned down.

I then purchase the same pair that Miss Ann purchased but in blue. So like Miss Ann, I had two new pairs for the price of one. I was ecstatic.

The husband said, “You are really on a shopping high aren’t you?”  Well yes I was. It even more remarkable because I bought the shoes last year and they still took them back. Incredible service!

I can’t say enough about the shoes. The husband and I had occasion to visit the hospital a couple of times this year. Both time, the nurses had on Danskos, it’s a testimony to their comfort.

These shoes belong to the colonoscopy nurse.

These Danskos belong to the hernia nurse. I have the same pair in brown. The winter shoes aren’t as pretty as the sandals but I’m willing to over look that for comfort.

Here are the black pair – Selas.

And here is an extremely uncomfortable close up of my new blue pair – Sapphire.

The store at which I purchased them is The Walking Store, the mall in Annapolis. I believe I may still be high.

Small Change/Big Change ~ The Lamp

The girl’s room remodel is done but now the real work starts – namely the negotiation with the girl about the direction of the decorating. Those of you with teenage girls know what it’s like. When they were little girls they were grateful just to have a place for their stuffed animals. Now it’s collective bargaining at its finest.

I was on the losing end of the last accessory disagreement about the rug so I thought I would solve the problem by not negotiating at all about the lamp.

The one above was in her room when the room was a purple/mauve/burgundy haven. Now it’s an ocean blue so the lamp needed a new home.

In its place, I purchased this lamp with a drum shade at Target for $40 without her knowledge or consent. I thought it might be easier that way.

There was some resistance initially, mostly about not asking her opinion but in the end she liked it. It “goes” so well in her room. A triumph of lighting if I do say so myself. A week later, neither of us remembered why it was an issue in the first place.

But then there’s the curtains – oh the curtains. Another chapter to come.

Window Of Opportunity ~ Margie’s Kitchen

We had a girl’s outing last weekend – or was a couple of weekends ago? Anyway, on our way back, Neighbor Margie asked if we wanted to see her newly remodeled but not quite done kitchen.

We all know what my answer was.

Neighbor Margie started the process around Christmas time and it’s looking mighty finished. I gave her the reference for my floor tile and she chose something similar but of a different color way. It’s gorgeous.

She made the entryway between the kitchen and the living room narrower and put her refrigerator there. Bookshelves were built on the other side. Efficient, very efficient. I wish I had a little bookshelf for my cookbooks.

Oh ho000neeeee!

Here’s a little close up look at the details. I really like the cabinets.

There’s a little pull out spice rack. Really cute and efficient. My spice drawer is a little messy right now. This would help.

And a place for narrow baking pans. As my mother would say, “What will they think of next?”

Here’s the other end of the kitchen. The refrigerator used to be on the far left. Moving it to the other end of the room saved extra steps.

Now she has more storage and cabinets. It’s a win – win.

Alright, I’m keeping it real now. Margie says she wish there wasn’t a supporting bar through her upper cabinets. Big bowls and platters have to be turned on their sides to fit. Other than that everything is perfect.

Except for the toilet in the corner of the kitchen. Interesting design feature but very efficient:)

Only kidding! Her remodel is obviously not quite done yet.

I love it Margie! Next up is Neighbor Theresa’s kitchen – if she’ll let me come over. And then I’m back to Neighbor Corinne’s for the big reveal. Can’t wait!

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