I ordered a new Gold iPhone

 

I stayed up unit midnight last night to order the new Gold iPhone, only to be told that I had to wait  until 3am, because they weren't selling them until 12am Pacific Time, darned time zones anyway!   Arughhhhh, so I went to bed, set my alarm for 2:55 am, it went off, I called Verizon, surprisingly didn't have to wait for a rep, I got thru immediately and ordered the phone.

I'm reading online this morning that it sold out in thirty minutes, so I'm a happy camper that I got up and placed my order.  I had read they were in short supply, and sure enough, they were all snapped up immediately.  I still have to wait until October 14th for delivery, but that's okay, I love it when UPS and FedEx comes to the door, it's almost like they're bringing you presents.  Well, until you get the credit card bill.  ;o)

It's the thrill of the chase, peeps, the thrill of the chase… 

Soft Surroundings, what a wonderful catalog..

 

Did you ever drool over a catalog and wonder how they set up the shot.  I subscribe to Soft Surroundings Catalog on Facebook, and they posted this link.  It's everything I love, French reproduction furniture, vintage inspired decor, and a rooster, a live rooster.  Oh, so clever, and I thought you might enjoy the video.

My buddy V introduced me to Soft Surroundings a few years ago.  Their clothes are lovely, Pioneer Woman has been wearing their tops on her show this season, and the home furnishings are drool worthy.

Here's the catalog link, so you can go drool...

Milo's Sweet Tea Info

 

 

I'm totally hooked on Milo's Splenda Sweet Tea.  If you read me regularly you already know this, but I do have  more info to pass along.  I'm an information junkie, I want to know all there is to know about a product, so I called Milo's to enquire how they can put 0 carbs on the Nutritional Information Panel when it is extremely sweet, since Splenda has carbs.

Dale, this nice man in their quality control department, explained to me that they use liquid Splenda, which isn't as concentrated as those little yellow packs that are 1 carb per packet, and that they test regularly and he assured me that there were no carbs in a glass of their tea. Then I asked him why it lasts so long if there are no preservatives.  We all know that if we brew a pitcher of tea, and refrigerate it overnight it has a funky taste, but Milo's tastes fresh for weeks.  Apparently it's due to the pasteurization, the tea is bacteria free, and stays fresh.  He did tell me not to leave it sit out and get warm, or the quality won't be as good.  Also, it' s fresh for 10 days to two weeks beyond the expiration date.

This stuff is too good to be true, it tastes just like the old fashioned tea of my childhood, one sip and you would swear you were drinking fully leaded sweet tea.  In fact, our friends Rich and V visited last week, I gave Rich a glass and he "thought" he was drinking sugar sweetened tea.

So, if you're lucky enough to have this tea in the refrigerator case of your local market, hotfoot it down there and buy a jug.  It's very inexpensive, I pay $2.64 for a gallon, and it is positively addictive, it's so good.

Want to know if it's available in your area?  Click here for a store locator...

I guess it's my Smooth Jazz time in life...

Years ago, I had a neighbor in her early seventies, they had just built a new home, and she called it her "pastel" time in life, as all of her rooms were painted in soft colors.  I was so young, I didn't get it, and remember thinking her house was really bland,  but now I understand, she just wanted soft surroundings.    I thought of her this morning, I was eating breakfast, a low carb muffin that I had forgotten to put Splenda in, blecht, but anyway, Sam Champion was doing the weather, he is so bulked up he looks like he' going to pop out of his suit, then they have some country singer on.  OMG, he looked like the Michelin Tire Guy, and he was twanging and screeching, it was just annoying as hell!  Just give me Smooth Jazz and Sirius Escape Radio any day, it's so mellow.

And about that bulked up look, It's such a huge thing, these guys pumping iron until their muscles bulge.  I swear they remind me of Jethro Bodine.  My old(er) woman mentality equates body builders with less than bright guys, back in my day it was farm boys and definitely not the brainiac types that were bulked up.  

 

 

Nobody does physical labor anymore, instead they go to the gym to get that ripped look.  But you know what I've realized over the years,  It doesn't work long term.  You can work out until you drop, but you're still going to get old!  And old muscles aren't pretty, no matter how dedicated you are.

But seeing is believing, here are a couple of visuals for you.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, then, and now...

 

 I don't think younger people really get it, though, they're in denial of the aging process, and if you try to hang on, this is what happens.

 

Yep, you guessed it, Jethro Bodine, aka Max Baer, Jr. still trying to hold on.  Doesn't work, does it...

Jan's Kitchen Redo…

 

Poor hubby, even though I've always loved my kitchen, which he designed and built when we built the condo, I've always hated the fact that we have a bar that is unusable.  The cabinets were in the way, if you sat at the bar, you had to peer underneath to see whoever was in the kitchen, nobody ever used it, and so I whined, for years I complained!  I told him I would like to do a whole redo, combining the kitchen and dining room into one big room with a long bar down the middle so people could gather round'.  Well, that wasn't going to happen and I knew it because the cost would have been hideous, entailing purchasing more cabinetry and new granite, so I just sucked it up, but I whined, often!

So a few weeks ago, we were in the car, on our way to Lexington to visit our youngest son Ryan, and his family , poor hubby was my captive audience, as he couldn't get away from me, and once again I started complaining about the kitchen and how non-functional it was for our lifestyle.  When people are over, where do they congregate?  The kitchen, of course, and it was so crowded we were always packed in there like a bunch of sardines.  So once again, I talked to him about ripping out some of the cabinetry, and I guess I got him at a weak moment, because he was actually considering it.  I stressed that at our age, functionality and practicality was more important than the way it looked.

 And in the meantime, as we were driving along, my cellphone rang.  It was John, our oldest son, the timing was perfect, and I posed the question to him.  I said, "Johnno, what do you think about us ripping out some of the cabinets in the kitchen to open it up?"  And to my surprise he said, "That's the best idea you've ever had, that kitchen is positively claustrophobic,"  Well hot damn, this was progress, somebody agreed with me!  FINALLY!!!  So when we got to Ryan's, I talked to him about it, and his response was "Go for it."  

So by now, hubby was getting excited, well as excited as somebody can get when he has a big job ahead of him, but he was seriously onboard.  So we came home on Sunday, and Monday morning he started ripping the heck outta the cabinets.  Those things were heavy, so he had his friend Juzar come over to help take them down, they removed three cabinets, and then they put back up the end cabinet as it had the decorative roping.

 

 

And this is the result.  I love it, I seriously love it.  Even hubby is a fan.  Now people can actually sit around the bar, the kitchen is so open, it's wonderful.  So then we moved on to the dining room, taking out the sideboard, moving it to the living room, opening up the table, so it isn't so crowded.  This was the best thing we've done in years! And the best part, the cost.  Nothing, nada, zilch, el zippo.   It cost nothing to do this, just labor.  Well, I did buy a couple more bar stools, and a shelf for the dining room wall, but that was it.  

And I have to show you one of my favorite things, my big fat market pig.  I love French Pigs, I have several of them and this one is my fave.  I even like pigs more than I like roosters. And I'm a big rooster fan as well.

 

 

This is the sideboard that was in the dining room, I ditched the sofa table and replaced it with this sideboard.  Yes, I know it has a lot of "stuff" on it.

 

 

This is the way the dining room looks now.  People can actually walk around the table, my family will be thrilled, they always gave me grief about how crowded it  was every time we sat down to eat.  Well, the table still has to be dismantled to eat, but they will have to continue to deal with it, I'm not gonna give up tablescapes. :o)  I'm a nester, I like lots of "things."   Works for me...

 

 

So I'm a happy old(er) girl these days, I got what I wanted, my poor long suffering hubby won't have to listen to me whine anymore, and everybody can gather 'round the bar.  Why didn't we do this years ago???

Back to the fifties...

 

Long ago and far away, in a land that time forgot,
Before the days of Dylan, or the dawn of Camelot.
There lived a race of innocents, and they were you and me,

For Ike was in the White House in that land where we were born,
Where navels were for oranges, and Peyton Place was porn.

We longed for love and romance, and waited for our Prince,
Eddie Fisher married Liz, and no one's seen him since.

We danced to 'Little Darlin,' and sang to 'Stagger Lee'
And cried for Buddy Holly in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Only girls wore earrings then, and 3 was one too many,
And only boys wore flat-top cuts, except for Jean McKinney.

And only in our wildest dreams did we expect to see
A boy named George with Lipstick, in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We fell for Frankie Avalon, Annette was oh, so nice,
And when they made a movie, they never made it twice.

We didn't have a Star Trek Five, or Psycho Two and Three,
Or Rocky-Rambo Twenty in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Miss Kitty had a heart of gold, and Chester had a limp,
And Reagan was a Democrat whose co-star was a chimp.

We had a Mr. Wizard, but not a Mr. T,
And Oprah couldn't talk yet, in the Land That Made Me, Me.
We had our share of heroes, we never thought they'd go,
At least not Bobby Darin, or Marilyn Monroe.

For youth was still eternal, and life was yet to be,
And Elvis was forever in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We'd never seen the rock band that was Grateful to be Dead,
And Airplanes weren't named Jefferson, and Zeppelins were not Led.
And Beatles lived in gardens then, and Monkeys lived in trees,
Madonna was Mary in the Land That Made Me, Me.

And pumping iron got wrinkles out, and 'gay' meant fancy-free,
And dorms were never co-Ed in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We hadn't seen enough of jets to talk about the lag,
And microchips were what was left at the bottom of the bag.

And hardware was a box of nails, and bytes came from a flea,
And rocket ships were fiction in the Land That Made Me, Me.

T-Birds came with portholes, and side shows came with freaks,
And bathing suits came big enough to cover both your cheeks.

And Coke came just in bottles, and skirts below the knee,
And Castro came to power near the Land That Made Me, Me.

We had no Crest with Fluoride, we had no Hill Street Blues,
We had no patterned pantyhose or Lipton herbal tea
Or prime-time ads for those dysfunctions in the Land That Made
Me, Me.

There were no golden arches,no Perrier to chill,
And fish were not called Wanda, and cats were not called Bill.

And middle-aged was 35 and old was forty-three,
And ancient were our parents in the Land That Made Me, Me.

But all things have a season, or so we've heard them say,
And now instead of Maybelline we swear by Retin-A.
They send us invitations to join AARP,
We've come a long way, baby, from the Land That Made Me, Me.

So now we face a brave new world in slightly larger jeans,
And wonder why they're using smaller print in magazines.
And we tell our children's children of the way it used to be,
Long ago and far away in the Land That Made Me, Me.

If you didn't grow up in the fifties, You missed the greatest time in history!

It's all about vintage….

 

I seriously don't know what's going on with me.  I'm so nostalgic this year, and I look at vintage items and fall in love all over again.  I used to have a house full of vintage, lots and lots of it, back in the day when we had never heard of Shabby Chic, but I got off that bandwagon years ago, I still drool, however,  and so I'm sharing this wonderful kitchen desk picture.

Maybe somebody out there could benefit from this idea  What a wonderful little desk cubby with kitchen utensils used for storage.  So cute, somebody will take this idea and run with it, surely they will...

 

 

And if that little kitchen idea didn't float your boat, how could this not????  Oh my gracious, this is so special!

But wait, I said I'm not on the vintage bandwagon anymore,  that's not quite correct.   We saved our favorite things from years ago and DH has all of the vintage items in his den.  Walking in there is like a blast from the past!

 

 

And of all the things we've saved, this is my favorite.  It's my computer desk, and it's wonderful, or at least I think it is.  And yes, that's Pioneer Woman Wallpaper on my monitors, the left is Charlie the Ranch Dog.  But back to my story…  How many of you have searched hard and long for the "perfect" computer desk, only to find it doesn't exist.  We certainly did, and bought multiple ones over the years, but they were never quite right, and finally the light dawned!.  Hubby was an engineer and this was his drafting table.  He's saved it all these years, dragging it around the country, along with the boy's baby bed, because certain things you just can't part with.  So a few years ago we got the bright idea to use it for a computer desk.  But it was too wide and too long.  But hubby is innovative, and there is nothing he likes better than a good challenge.  So he sawed several inches off to the back of the wood top, sawed off a bit of the width, then using the hardware from a throwaway computer desk, he made a shelf from the wood he sawed off the back.  Told you he was innovative.

The bottom was oak, the top was pine, but that just makes it interesting, he sanded it, refinished it, putting a heavy duty bar coating on the top, because yours truly needs things to be indestructible, and it's been just great.  It's big, roomy, substantial, it's seriously awesome!

But poor hubby has been using an antique desk in the den for his computer desk, trying in vain to find another drafting table so that he could revamp it for his computer desk, but he hasn't had any luck.  He's searched eBay for years, and when you find them they are really spendy, almost always starting at $500 and going much higher, plus shipping.  But a couple of days ago he hit pay dirt, somebody listed one almost identical to mine, "Buy It Now" for $69.  SIXTY NINE DOLLARS!!!!!  Well he scooped it up an hour after it was listed, and since it was within driving distance, we drove and picked it up.

So he's happily taking it apart, sanding it and refinishing it.  He even found a great stool for it today.  I'll update you with pictures when he gets it finished.   Now we're on the hunt for a vintage Rolodex, an old stapler, a tape dispenser, and who knows what else.  It's a fun fall project for us...

Oh credit, I almost forgot to give you the link to the blogger who posted a great vintage blog, Decor 4 All, that's where the other pictures came form.  Here's her link, check it out...

This just might be the prettiest Autumnal picture ever...

 

Lawdee, have you looked thru your medicine cabinet lately???  Well, actually all of my meds are in containers on a shelf in my linen closet.  And since we did a major kitchen redo, which is a whole other blog, all of the meds that i had stuffed into one of those cabinets before the redo have been sitting in a box in my bathroom for a couple of weeks now, because yours truly has been at death's door with a bladder infection and didn't feel like going through them and pitching things, they just sat there, bugging me because I wasn't doing anything to remedy the situation.  Okay, so that's a stretch, I wasn't really at death's door, but I felt like death warmed over, as mother would say.

But I'm all better now, and those vials and potions weren't going to magically arrange themselves, so DH gladly threw everything on the bed for me this afternoon as I requested.   I say gladly, because he didn't want to wade through all that mess any more than moi.

And Ryan, who has always been really good about throwing away out of date drugs for me, is busy with dem babies and judging by the dates on the bottles, he hasn't gone through them since 2011.   And since it's a rainy, gloomy, humid, hot day in Heavensville, I just couldn't handle it any longer and I took a deep breath and started wading through the badzillions of bottles that were strewn across the bed, organizing and categorizing and throwing away the old stuff.   I was a virtual whirlwind filled with accomplishment.

And let me tell you, we have spent a small fortune since 2011 on cold/sinus/headache meds.  I had this whole tub of useless, outdated crap that I tossed.  I don't even want to try and count how many dollars it was.

That's the bad news, the good news is we obviously didn't need all that junk, or we would have had empty bottles, most of them were practically full!

And that's my day, surely yours was better than mine.

But wait, it's not all bad, no it isn't.  Actually it's a very good day because today is  my oldest son, John's, birthday.  Happy Birthday, Johnno!!!!!!  See you soon!!!!!!!!  XXO ~ Mom

Campbell's Soup for the Keurig

Cymbals crashing, lights flashing, hot damn, look what's coming next, Campbell Soup for your Keurig Coffee Maker!  Apparently you put the little Seasoned Chicken Broth K-Cup in the machine, brew it and then stir in the noodles, veggies, etc.

This is the ultimate for lazy people, and I'm thinking the price will probably be pretty ultimate, too!

But I'm a sucker for easy, and this would be a great snack.  Oh wait, I can't have noodles, I'm eating low carb.  Hubby will be thrilled I'm not on this bandwagon.  

But not so fast, even though Campbell Kitchens say they don't have nutritional information yet, I took out my magnifying glass, and even though I can't quite read it all, it appears calories are in the 100 calorie range, and carbs are single digit.   Sorry LC, looks like this might be a winner after all, so have you wallet ready  ;o)))

Tuesday morning topics...

 

I, along with the rest of the world am in awe of Diana Nyad.  It is simply unbelievable that she had the energy to accomplish swimming 110 miles in shark infested waters at sixty-four years old.   I don't have enough stamina to walk a mile, my friends and I are always bemoaning the fact that we have no energy, how does she do this????  Even with intense training for years, how could she do this?  It's simply amazing!  I love this picture of her as a young woman, and watched her this morning on GMA when she said that she didn't have the focus at that age that she has now.  Positively amazing, this woman...

 

 

And the leads for Fifty Shades of Grey have been announced, Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam.  I read the books, and by the third one I was absolutely bored out of my mind.  There are only so many ways you can have sex, and only so many times you can rehash it, it just wasn't my cup of tea, those books, even though most of my friends enjoyed them.  So I have no interest in this movie, I'll pass, even though the media is frenzied with anticipation.

 

 

And Katie Couric is engaged.  *yawn*.  Somehow it's just not that exciting when she's fifty-seven years old.  Will she wear white?  **meow**

And that's what I'm reading about this morning.  I'm a lot more intrigued by the human spirit than I am by the celebrities.  Aren't you???

Dreaming of fall….

 

When I was a child, we visited orchards like this.  Mother's favorite apples were Winesap and Jonathan, and mine was and still is Yellow Delicious.  She would climb big old wooden ladders to pick the apples, and come home with bushel baskets heaped full. Then the real work began, she would  can fat slices covered in a sugar syrup,  bake big tubs of apple butter, spicy hot with cinnamon candy, and of course make the most wonderful apple pies laced with cinnamon and nutmeg, always baked in a lard pie crust.  I have such good memories of those times and pictures like this take me back.

But it's hotter than Haiti right now in Heavensville, we've been spoiled by  a lovely summer and now it is just horrendous outdoors.  Hubby and I are housebound, with the blinds closed, escaping the 97+ temperatures this weekend.

I thought earlier this month that fall was in the air, but it was just wishful thinking, but soon, very soon...

The BEST Vintage Kitchen

 

Who doesn't love a vintage kitchen, and this one is a doozy.  But it's not my story to tell, I found it on Julia's Hooked On Houses site.  So hop on over to her pages and check it out, it's just chocked full of pictures.  

Here's the link

And yep, I snagged this picture from her site.  She has many more, a fun escape this afternoon...

Nestea, it's cheap, it's good, did I mention it's cheap????

John and Deanna were home earlier this month and we went to a Sunday church social.  You know the kind where they have shade trees, quilt raffles, families, and country cooks serving wonderful food.

I've been low carbing since late May, but I totally caved for the first time and ate carbs that day.  My food(s) of choice - Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, dressing AND homemade noodles.  Also on the table were bowls of fresh homegrown tomatoes, wonderful coleslaw, that I'm still trying to get the recipe for, and pitchers of iced tea.

Oh yeah, I fell off the bandwagon with a huge kerthud, but it was totally worth it.  I did, however, pass on dessert, while the rest of the family dived into oatmeal cake, strawberry cake  and banana nut cake.

John loved the iced tea, and he doesn't miss a trick, he saw them stirring it up in huge trash cans.  Yes, they were clean, they were feeding a lot of people that day, they had to do things in a big way.  So John goes over and asks the ladies what kind of tea it was.  To our surprise they said Nestea.  Now my buddy Ang was with us,  she didn't add any sweetener to hers, but the rest of us were jacking ours up with those little pink packets, and she said it was sweet enough without it, so I'm thinking it was the presweetened variety they were using.

But sugar is a no-no in our house, so I found the unsweetened variety at our local grocery store, came home, read the label, 4 Tablespoons per quart and stirred up a batch.

Whoeee, this stuff tasted really STRONG, nothing like they had at the church social.  So I decided the next batch to back it off to 3 Tablespoons.  I made it, tasted it, a little better, but not much.

So then I get our my glasses and reread the label.  Jeez Louise, the label said 4 teaspoons per quart, not 4 TABLESPOONS.  No wonder mine tasted strong!  So now I'm happily stirring up batch after batch, adding 5 packets of Splenda per quart, chilling it in the fridge before serving it.  Yes, I add ice to my glass, but it just tastes better when you start with it cold!  And does mine taste as good as what we had at the church social?  Not really, but it's still pretty good.  And did I mention that it was really cheap????

Happy drinking, it's a hot week in Heavensville, high 90's forecasted thru Sunday.  Fun, fun...

Windex Touch Up Cleaner, it's a good thing...

 

This little Windex thingie is awesome, and a little dab'll do ya.  Yep, I know I'm a dork, but I get so excited about stupid stuff, and I always share.  My flavor of choice, lemon of course.  And the best part, it's refillable.  Pick one up the next time you're at the market, you will love it, pinkie swear you will.  ~ Jan

One of those special moments...

 

My daughter-in-law, Lindsay posted this on her FaceBook page today.  Apparently they were at the Disney Store, and afterwards little Miss A was all tuckered out, riding in Daddy's arms.

Talk about tugging at the heartstrings.  Such a special picture...

Ben's First Birthday...

 

 

We visited the family in Lexington last weekend for Ben's first birthday party.  He had a great time and obviously enjoyed decorating himself with his cupcake.

 

 

Then it was Abby's first day of pre-school on Monday.  Here are the kids with their pretty little mama, oh time passes too quickly.  In a couple of years she will be in kindergarten and Ben will be going to pre-school.  Grammie is not ready for that!

Sally's Tanwise Self Tanner

 

Deanna and John visited a couple of weeks ago, and she had the loveliest tan.  Her arms and legs were a sunny golden brown and when I commented on how good it looked she said "You know I don't tan, Jan, I used a self-tanner from Sally's."   So of course I was all over it, disregarding the fact that she has smooth, dewy, supple 30 something skin, and I have crepey, dry, age spot ridden 60 something skin.  But nontheless, I was hoping for a miracle in a can.  So I tooled over to Sally's, picked up a spray bottle and I was off to the races.  Kinda...

I showered, aimed that sucker at my chest and sprayed with a vengeance.   AAACCCCKKKKKKK, it came out of the bottle like army green spray paint, and I'm not kidding!  I was in a panic, we were going out to dinner and I had sprayed myself green!  I start rubbing furiously, and magically the army green disappeared and a tan color took it's place.  All the time I'm thinking how glad I was that I didn't spray it on my face!

So I called Deanna and told her what happened, she was laughing so hard, she completely forgot to tell me how it came out of the bottle.

And am I pleased with it?  Yes,  it's a good product, it doesn't smell, it doesn't wipe off, it's long lasting, it's a natural color, but if you try it, I warned you.  Army green at first, and not transparent either!  And wash your hands when you finish!!!!!!

Egads the things we do for beauty.

Update:  Deanna blogged in length on Harris Sisters GirlTalk about this today, apparently at the same time I was blogging about it   And now I'm remembering that I asked her to do it because I was too lazy.  And then I promptly forgot!!!  Egads, I'm impossible.

But that was yesterday,  and today after a caffeine surge, I got a burst of energy and decided to post this, totally forgetting that I asked her to do it.

And since we both blogged at the same time,   I would like to say that brilliant minds think alike, but yours truly isn't brilliant at all, but thank goodness Deanna is!

Anyhoo, go to her website, Harris Sisters GirlTalk, she does a much better job of reviewing this than I did!  

The first sign of autumn...

 

I was down at the woods a bit ago, trying to live in the moment, breathing the cooler air, feeling the wind on my face and I spied the turning leaves.  They were just on one tree, in a forest of many, but it was a sign.  The coming of fall, and a gentle reminder that Mother Nature will show us the way, as she always has.

Cedar Cove, #1 Hit of the Summer!

 

So are you all watching Cedar Cove?  If you aren't, you're missing out on a really fun series  It's like a little summer vacation every week visiting the folks at Cedar Cove.

If you've missed last week's reunion show, here's a link to what happened.   I've got my DVR set to record the series, I don't want to miss any of this.  It's been a long time since a tv series has held my interest like this is.  No heavy drama, no over the top comedy, just a comfortable, homey, entertaining show.  Love it!

Back to the 60's with Cherl Tiegs..

 

 

 

Remember a few weeks ago when I blogged about hubby wearing nothing but black and channeling Johnny Cash.  Well, I'm no better, I'm now convinced that I'm badly channeling Cheryl Tiegs.  

See this picture from the Sears catalog, circa 1960's, well let me tell you I  loved this very picture.  I still remembering getting this Sears Catalog and just drooling over her hair.  Well, my latest haircut is a little bit too similar.  Of course she's young in this picture, I'm old(er), she's tiny, I'm robust, her face is the perfect oval, mine is round as a balll.  Dontcha like that word "robust" - sounds lots better than fat(ter) I think.

I pulled up this vintage picture of her, and started laughing.  Then I took a picture of my hair and sure enough, it's pretty similar.  If I redid the part and the bangs, and teased the crown a bit, t would be almost the same, well, except for the fact that I don't look a thing like Cheryl Tiegs.

Just for fun, I Googled a picture of her today...

 

Wow, amazing, she's sixty-five years old, how does she stay so skinny?   I still love her hair, it looks amazing, maybe if I let mine grow.  Yeah, sure thing Jan, you would just look like an old(er) porker with long hair.  Jeesh…..

This will be me! Soooo funny!

 

 

Two elderly women were out driving in a large car-both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself "I must be losing it, I could have sworn we just went through a red light."

After a few more minutes they came to another intersection and the light was red again and again they went right though. This time the woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it. She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention to the road and the next intersection to see what was going on.

At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was definitely red and they went right through and she turned to the other woman and said, "Mildred! Did you know we just ran through three red lights in a row! You could have killed us!"

Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh, am I driving?"

Look who's one year old today!!!!

 

My sweet little grandson is having a birthday today.  Where has the time gone?  

He's such a joy, our little Ben.  He's the happiest baby, always smiling and laughing, what a joy this little boy is...

Happy Birthday Ben-Jammin, Grammie loves you!!!!!!!  XXO

Leopard Prints, they're controversial...

 

 

 

Now isn 't this classy, just a touch of leopard in the shoes.  Well, my earlier post about old(er) women wearing leopard was not well received.  It seems I am in the minority about overdoing it, others adore leopard and wear a lot of it.  Okay, whatever floats your boat, I'm hearing you.  Perhaps it's just that horrid family picture of myself in that awful leopard shirt that tainted me forever, but I still think just a touch is best!

These images are from Land's End, I just got a new old(er) lady catalog from them, and called my buddy V right away, because these calf hair leopard ballet flats were just calling her name.  The price, however, not so much $79, but Land's End always has coupons for at least 20% off and they ship free over $50.  Lands End is just full of leopard this fall, really pretty pieces.

 

So, if you're old(er) and wear major leopard, go for it!  Jeez, did I ever stir up a hornet's nest with this post!!!!!  Love you, guys!!!!!

Chia Seeds, are they a good thing?

 

There's a lot of buzz going around about the health benefits of Chia Seeds.  Yes, the same seeds that you use for Chia Pets.  They're low in calories, full of antioxidants and vitamins.  They give you energy, are filling, yada yada yada.

Here's part of what Eating With Purpose has to say about them. 

So what makes chia seeds a true superfood that you just can’t live without? For starters, lets take a look at these impressive stats. Chia seeds contain:

• 8 times more omega 3’s than salmon
• 30% more antioxidants than blueberries
• 25% more fiber than flax seeds
• 3 times more iron than spinach
• 15 times more magnesium than broccoli
• 6 times more calcium than milk
• 2 times more potassium than a banana

Read more: http://eatingwithpurpose.com/2011/10/chia-seeds

Ryan picked me up a package at Trader Joe's and I decide to give them a try yesterday.  There are different ways of eating them, you can add water and they turn to tapioca like gel with little beads, you can grind them, or just sprinkle in things like yogurt, smoothies, soup, salads, scrambled eggs, anything you want, the possibilities are endless.

It was evening, I was having some low carb ice cream, so I just sprinkled on a tablespoon.  Well, that was different.  They were tiny little seeds, not much flavor, a bit gritty, but they expand and gel in your stomach and make you full.

I ended up with them stuck in my teeth, they gelled in my mouth, and I was just sitting laughing at how stupid I am.  Was I hungry, I don't think so, I got so involved with something else that I don't remember.

Will I try them again?  Oh sure, I will, these little beauties are good for you, and I really don't mind the slightly gritty texture, but then I'm pretty warped.

If you Google "Low Carb Chia Seeds" you will see tons of information about them.  I'm constantly amazed at all the different things I find when eating healthy.  Chia Seeds are inexpensive, you can find them at your local health food store, and if you don't like them, you can always start a Chia Pet.  Well you can!!!!

It's time to surface...

 

 

I've been missing in action, people are emailing, it's nice to be missed.  I've been on a whirlwind, we went to Ryan and Lindsay's for a few days last week, then Abby  came home with us, and Ryan came last weekend to take her home.  There has been no time to blog, but it was so much fun.

 

Abby is in the car in this picture, singing.  Here's how it went down.

 

They have a video screen that shows the title of songs that are getting ready to play, and little Miss A doesn't miss a trick, as soon as she saw the words she said...

 

Abby:  Grammie, it's Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"

 

Grammie:  It is?  

 

Abby:  Yes, Grammie, it's my very favorite song.  I like it when it gets loud (meaning when it comes to the chorus).

 

Grammie:  Oh, really?

 

Abby:  Yes, it makes me want to dance, Grammie!

 

Then she proceeds to sing along with the song, never missing a word.  And yes I clapped at the end.

 

I must admit, I love this song, too, especially when it gets loud.  The loud part comes at the 1.:34 minute mark on the video.  Such an awesome song, such an awesome little granddaughter...

 

 

 

Land's End Leopard Print Cardigan

 

 

I saw this and went, "ohhhh, cute."  Then I got real...

• This woman is probably a size 2, tops
• This woman is thirty-something
• I'm sixty-three, and trying really hard to be a size 12!
• Who am I kidding?

Old(er) woman just can't pull off major leopard prints, it just reeks of Thelma Roper and her leopard caftans on Three's Company.  Or heaven forbid, Peg Bundy and her leopard leggings.  A touch is good, tho, I love my leopard ballet Crocs I bought this summer, but I'm flashing back to 2011 when I had my last rodeo with a leopard print top.  A family picture was taken, and I looked absolutely, positively horrid.  I had let my hair grow and was wearing it in an updo, and even though I liked it that way, OMG, that picture was a reality check, that leopard top with a faux turtle neck.  That's when I decided  If it isn't v-neck this round face is not wearing it!  Well, most of the time i don't.

But if you're thirty something, and no bigger than a size 4, you might want to check this out.

Here's the link.

But wait, what am I saying???  Thirty-something size 0-4 women wouldn't be caught dead in Land's End, it's old(er)  lady clothes!!!    Now, go make it a good day...

~ Jan

Well, I have the coffee, still trying to find my joy this morning...

 

I don't like change, never have, I want things to stay the same and they don't.  It was a sad day here yesterday, we sold Milly.  Oh, we upgraded our golf cart to a spiffy little Yamaha, and Milly was getting old(er) like the rest of us.   I had such good times on that golf cart over the years,  Maggie has ridden in her since she was just a pup and Abby has ridden in her since babyhood, she loves Milly.  *sigh*

When she pulled out of the drive for the last time, I was tearing up, she was a good old(er) girl, my Milly.  She went to a good home, I sure hope they appreciate her and respect her age!

I'm sure I'll get sentimentally attached to the new cart, after all, Abby will grow up and drive her, Ben, too, but little Ben won't even remember Milly.  Oh, here I go again,  Geezy Pete, I gotta get a grip!

I'll post the last pictures of her and the new kid on the block, who is yet to be named, later.  Just needed to get that off my chest this morning.  Waaaaaaaaaaa

Hollywood Squares

Remember the good ole' days, when it was unscripted.  These are so funny.  Thanks for sending these, Carlene...

 

Q. Paul, what is a good reason for pounding meat? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Loneliness! 

 

(The audience laughed so long and so hard it took up almost 15 minutes of the show!) 

 

Q. Do female frogs croak? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough. 

 

Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should you be 

 

A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it. 

 

Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000 years. 

 

A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes. 

 

Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman? 

 

A. Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake. 

 

Q. According to Cosmopolitan, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he's married? 

 

A. Rose Marie: No.Wait until morning. 

 

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older? 

 

A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency. 

 

Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say 'I Love You'? 

 

A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty. 

 

Q. What are 'Do It,' 'I Can Help,' and 'I Can't Get Enough'? 

 

A. George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment. 

 

Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking? 

 

A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old question Peter, and I'll give you a gesture you'll never forget. 

 

Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily. 

 

Q. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year? 

 

A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growing strawberries. 

 

Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score? 

 

A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy. 

 

Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures. 

 

Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet? 

 

A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom. 

 

Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls? 

 

A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out. 

 

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark? 

 

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark. 

 

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people? 

 

A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army. 

 

Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn't neglected. 

 

Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do? 

 

A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth. 

 

Q. Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, your wife or your elephant? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant? 

 

Q. When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex? 

 

A. Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car, the rest is up to him 

 

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they? 

 

A. Charley Weaver: His feet. 

 

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed? 

 

A. Paul Lynde: Point and laugh

The Crazy Ones, CBS This fall...

 

The trailer for this new series looks surprisingly funny, and I'm not a Robin Williams fan.  Give this a watch, see if it gives you a chuckle, too.  

I think hubby is channeling Johnny Cash

 

The man has worn nothing but black shirts the entire summer, black shirts and khaki shorts day after day after day after day!   With the exception of the yellow shirt in the photograph from Loretta Lynn's front porch, it's been nothing but black.  I bought him ten new shirts this summer, yes, you guessed it, all black!!!!  I'm pretty sick of black at this point, but that's just the way he's rollin'. 

Maybe he subconsciously thinks he's stuck in "Folsom Prison" with me.  Or maybe he thinks he does indeed have to "Walk The Line."   Ya think?

Oh who knows what he's thinking.  I guess I guess I could be glad he isn't channeling John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.  

🎵 Ah, ha, ha, ha, staying alive, staying alive Ah, ha, ha, ha, staying alive!! 🎵

I'm in love with Cedar Cove

 

 

 

I feel like I've been on vacation to the seashore after watching this show.  I want to move there,  today!!!!!  Actually the town is Port Orchard, Washington, and oh what a quaint, wonderful town it is.

Wait until you see the ocean views from her home on the ocean, oh my,  it was spectacular.   Andie MacDowell looks amazing for fifty-five years old, I loved her clothes, she wore lots of pendants and long, flowing scarves, it was just a total visual delight, this show.  Am I gushing?

And if this wasn't enough, her mother on the show has a dog.  They pulled out all the stops, this guy is adorable.

And her love interest?  Meh, he's an okay guy, not a total hunk, but not bad.

 

I'm hooked and I can't wait until the next episode.  I had set the dvr to record this, just had a chance to watch it today and it was such a treat.  If you've missed it, you can watch it online.  Yes, I'll give you the link…  

Here it is, the two hour premiere, click here to watch it online.

It will be on every Saturday night, 7pm cst.

See you in Cedar Cove...

Loretta Lynn's Ranch, Hurricane Mills, TN

 

Visiting Loretta Lynn's Ranch last week when we were visiting John and Deanna was hubby's idea. Somebody told him what a great place it was, and since he seldom voices an opinion about something he wants to do,  we all decided it was a good day trip, despite the fact that the weather forecast was in the high 90's and we trekked off to the country not knowing what to expect.

We expected it to be really hokey, but it was a pleasant surprise.  Her ranch is situated on 6500 acres in the beautiful Tennessee Hills, and despite the heat the humidity was low, and as long as you were in the shade it wasn't really that hot.

We toured the museum, I sat it out while the rest of them went thru a simulated coal mine and a reproduction of her childhood home.  Then we went to her home, a plantation built during the civil war.  That's us, standing on the front porch!  She doesn't live there any longer, in the 90's she built a home directly behind the plantation house, and now the original house is open for tours.

Here's a video about the ranch if you are interested.

 

 And the best part was the Crisco Kitchen.  Yep, they really did film all those Crisco commercials in the 80's right in her kitchen.  Here's a YouTube clip if you feel a fit of nostalgia coming on.

This Crisco commercial from 1984, and when it began she was sitting in her living room, then moved to the kitchen. And how did the house look?  Well, it's old and it smelled funky and the furniture was very dated.   She did have a pair of Patsy Cline's bedroom slippers at the foot of her bed, her bedroom was pink, and,  oh there's no way around it, that house was butt ugly!  But it was fascinating, it really was to see how she lived and where she raised her family.

Jan, just tellin' it like it is!!! 

The Prince of Cambridge

 

Oh, what a sweet little soul this baby is.  I watched all afternoon, waiting for them to come through the doors of the hospital, and it was so worth the wait.  Just in case you didn't see his precious little face, I posted a picture...