I don’t handle stress well anymore…

I’ve been having internet problems for a month now, I lose signal for a bit, then it comes back on.  I’ve talked to my ISP, nothing has been resolved.  Yesterday I was down from early afternoon until late last night.  So I called them again this morning, and they sent out a little man.

Of course it was working when he got here, so he tightened some cables, messed with my modem  with his gauges for a bit, pronounced it in great working order and left.

Well, I know it isn’t fixed, I’m just sitting here waiting for it to go down again, stressed to the max.  I called Hooterville, she gave me some ideas, I swear that woman knows more than any of the technicians they have on their payroll.

Just wish I could roll with it like I used to, but I can’t do it anymore.  So I’m in a mood, because I’m frustrated.  Yeah, I know, in the overall scheme of things, I don’t really have anything to bitch about, but you all know how addicted I am to my computer(s).  I’m thinking I need a major attitude adjustment!  A burger and fries would help….  And a warm oatmeal or cookie or two might just help with the happy hormone.  But of course, I’m eating healthy, so that’s out the window.  Poor pitiful me….

Why is it???

I was talking to Maggie and Mollies breeders this morning, Anna and Stef, as we’re redoing some of their webpages, and Anna was telling me about Jack, a Yorkie she has now, and how he is the most special dog she’s ever had.   She’s been breeding dogs for over twenty years,  why is it that this particular dog means so much to her?

I understand what she means, because for me, Maggie is my one dog in a lifetime.  Some of  my friends get upset with me when I acknowledge this, but it’s true.  There is just something about Maggie that is so special to me.  It’s not that I don’t or haven’t loved my other dogs, dearly. I’m absolutely crazy about Mollie, she is the sweetest little soul, but there is just something about Maggie that tugs at my heartstrings like no other dog ever has...  Just had to share that this afternoon

A lazy Sunday night….

Don’t go see this movie….

Christmas Day we went to the movies.  There wasn’t a lot to chose from and against our better judgment, we went to see Marley and Me. 

The movie was a stinker from the get-go.  And then the dog dies!  It was just an awful movie, not well written at all, Owen Wilson was horrid, Jennifer Aniston was the only bright spot.  The dog was meaner than a snake. he was just an awful dog, and then he dies.

Well, we made it to the death scene, got up and walked out. John is dealing with an old dog, not in good health, we just didn’t need to watch the ending.

Save your money, if you’ve ever loved a dog, this movie is not for you!

Exciting news from Heavensville…

 

The breeders that I got Maggie and Mollie from, Anna Stringer and Stephanie Barnes, recently sold a Yorkie pup to Miley Cyrus, and four other pups to Hannah Montana cast members.

I built their website for them, annstefs.com, and Miley Cyrus’s official site is going to be linking to my pages soon.

Anna and Stef  have wonderful dogs.  I’m so happy for them to be getting this great publicity!  Imagine that, my girls are related to a celebrity pooch!  Of course, mine are cuter. *grin*

~ jan

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This is John’s dog, Oreo.  ‘O’ is  fourteen now, and not in good health, but she’s still a feisty girl, and the sweetest little soul ever.

I’m dogsitting this week for him and enjoying my time with her.  The three dogs are so cute together, I’ll post some pictures of them for you in the coming days….

It was a really special Christmas at our house…

 

Notes from the kitchen….

I made quite a few things from Jan & Friends Christmas Recipes yesterday.  Cousin Phyllis’s Red Velvet Cake was a breeze to make,  my only problem was the cooked flour and milk mixture that you chill and put into the icing to thicken it – you have to do it at a really low heat, and it tried to lump, but I put it thru a strainer and it was fine.

Marti’s Grape Salad is in the fridge, it tastes wonderful, haven’t seen  how everybody is going to manuever eating those whole grapes yet, hubby thought I should cut  them in half, but the juice  would run into the dressing, so I vetoed that. 

We’ll just chew with puffy cheeks and hope the grapes aren’t too juicy.  I tried to get small grapes, but couldn’t, these things were really large so eating this could be interesting :0)

 

John’s Cleaning Ladies coffeecake turned out well, despite LC turning off the oven in the middle of baking it.  He thought he was turning off the timer, and I didn’t catch it for awhile, but it turned out fine…

Veronica’s Mackinac Fudge was easy to make, too.  She told me not to beat it with a mixer for the full six minutes, just to beat it until it got thick and glossy, so that’s what I did, I probably beat it for about 3-4 minutes, John gave it a thumbs-up, he loves that recipe.

 

The No-Cook Cherry O Pie I made for myself, yeah, I did.  I’ve loved it since I was a teenager, and since I’ve been carb deprived for weeks, this was my Christmas food of choice.

The recipe for it is on Milly Scraps, here’s a quick click if you want to check it out.

Jan’s favorite things on the cheap, day 9

Today it’s Jan’s great idea on the cheap that didn’t work out so well for me.  I was watching Regis and Kelly one day and they were talking about how great Preparation H is for under eye puffiness.

Okay, so that made perfect sense to me, it shrinks hemorrhoids, it should reduce under eye bags.  So I’m off to Walgreens to buy a tube, come home smear it on, yuck, it’s oily, it smells awful and doesn’t seem to make any noticable difference in the way my eyes look.

But I gave it a couple of more chances before I threw it in the drawer – my eyes were still puffy, it didn’t help a bit!  Maybe this little trick will make a difference for you, the price is right, only $4.99, but for me it was money wasted.  But maybe not all is lost, if I ever have a  flair-up, I’m all set! ;0)

Jan’s favorite things on the cheap, day 8

I’ve been a Buff Puff fan since the 80’s.  These reusable pads work great, easily getting rid of the dull skin layer, giving your face a smooth, satiny sheen.  Veronica is fan of these also, and I recently introduced them to Linds, and she loves them, too.  They come in the large,  tear shaped reusable pad pictured above, or throwaway singles.  I prefer the original, reusable ones, I think they work better but they are really hard to find anymore.  I used to be able to get them at any drugstore, but I’ve had to search lately for them, and V isn’t having any luck at all finding them.  You can, however, buy them online at drugstore.com.  Interested?  Here’s the quick CLICK.  The cost of these, only $5.19

However, if you really want to try something great that costs more than my self-imposed $15.00 limit, Neutrogena makes a Healthy Skin Rejuvinator that is just amazing.  You can buy it from Amazon, or go to Neutrogena’s site to watch a video about it with Diane Lane and get all the information. 

If you’re not familiar with this product, it’s a battery powered vibrating facial massager, with disposable puffs that are infused with ultra-fine crystals that do a wonderful job of exfoliating your skin.  These little crystals are hard to wash off, though, this works best to use before you bathe. It’s much easier to wash them off in the shower, it’s really difficult to get rid of all the grit with just a face cloth.  The cost for this system  is $32.99, and it’s a great product.  The big cosmetic companies make their own versions of this at a much higher price than Neutrogena, but this product works really well.  I usually alternate it with the Buff Puffs.  Works for me…

I’ve got more glitter on me than an old lap dancer….

Well, it’s just gone to hell in a handbag here today.  The net is just up for a minute, then down again.  I finally started wrapping that ugly paper with wide red ribbon, the wired kind, which would have been really pretty if it wasn’t for that awful paper, nothing could make it look good.

Anyhoo, the red ribbon is embossed with gold snowflakes, gold glitter snowflakes.  Now this isn’t my first rodeo with glitter, I’ve had plenty of disasters with it, and now I not only have glitter all over me, but it’s all over the dining room rug and you can follow a glitter trail all the way down the stone floor to the den where the presents are deposited under the tree.

So  now I have that mess to deal with, not to mention that the M&M’s have been tromping thru it, so they probably have glitter imbedded in their fur, too. And trust me, everything that glitters is not gold….

Oh well, ‘tis the season, right?  Um-hum, sure it is…

Jan’s favorite things on the cheap, Day 7

Today it’s Micro Tweeze.  It’s a jar of wax, you take off the lid, heat it in the microwave for two minutes, or a bit less, just until the center starts to liquefy, then you put the lid back on until you get to the bathroom – heaven help you should trip and spill that wax all over your floor! Then just get out the magnifying mirror, take a q-tip, an orange stick would work, too, I use a q-tip, dip it into the jar and get a big glob of wax – this is the secret, heavy application, if you smear your brow with a thin layer of wax it will not come off and you will curse me and rue the day I was born. 

It took me awhile to get the hang of this, but you can learn from my mistakes.  I’ve done it so much, that I can roll the q-tip and distribute the wax thickly and evenly. Don’t try rolling it on!  You’re a newbie, gotta learn what you’re doing before you graduate to rolling, first you glob!

So you need to dot a thick glob of wax on your outer brow bone, then another glob closer in toward the arch of your brow, and maybe still another if you need to,  just make sure the globs touch so that it all comes off in one piece.  Press the wax into your skin, being careful not to get it into your eyebrows or heaven forbid your eyelashes, let it cool until it hardens, and starting from the outer corner, quickly rip it off!!!  OUCH!!! Of course it stings, but only for a minute.  You don’t put cloth strips on it like they do in the salon, just glob it on and rip it off. 

It works really well, yeah, works for your upper lip and those pesky post-menopausal chin hairs, too – ughhhh, just don’t go out of the bathroom until you’re finished…. I don’t even let the dogs see me, don’t want to traumatize them.

The jar says you can use it on bikini line, too – you’re on your own with that one, I’m not gonna go there.  I have a girlfriend, who shall forever remain nameless, that had a total disaster with waxing her bikini line herself… YOWSA!

This jar of Micro Tweeze lasts forever, and costs under $12 – less than one salon visit - is that a good deal or what????

Well that was a stupid idea…

I now have raffia all over the dining room floor.  Egads I had forgotten how that stuff strings all over the place.  I wrapped one gift, and it looks just horrid!

It’s hopeless, it’s that stupid paper, no matter what I do, the gifts just look terrible.  Grrrrrrr, I’m not in a good mood, can you tell???? AND, internet goes down constantly this morning, if this even publishes it will be a miracle.  Just one of those days….

I bought the most gawdawful wrapping paper…

I don’t know what happened this year, I usually buy really pretty wrapping paper, but the stuff I have my presents wrapped in is butt ugly!!  What was I thinking???  I was out and about with a Tri-State-Boomer sinus headache, and I bought multiple rolls of this snowman paper.  I guess I liked it in the store, my brain must have been foggy from all the sinus meds, I brought  it home, hubby wrapped the gifts, that’s what we do, he wraps, I put on the ribbons, and after he got them all wrapped I really looked at that paper and Geezy Pete,  it got hit by the ugly stick!

I was putting on lots of curling ribbons, loading it up with all kinds of geegaws in a desperate attempt to make it look presentable, it still looked horrid, so in desperation I went to WallyWorld and bought raffia, now I’m gonna try loading it up with raffia.  I seriously considered throwing all the paper away and starting over, but figured hubby would throw a hissy, so I’m trying a work around.

I’ll update you on how that’s working out for me.  Probably not so good….

Jan’s favorite things on the cheap. Day 6

Eyelash curlers, those instruments of torture that we squeeze our eyelashes into in an attempt to make them curl.  Nisha once put both rows of her eyelashes in the contraption when she was a teenager and didn’t know what she was doing.

I went a bit over my $15.00 budget on this one, ladies, it’s $19.00, worth the money, too.  This eyelash curler is from shu uemura, you probably will have to order it online, but it’s a quality curler, unlike some of the cheaper models I’ve had in the past.  And the best trick of all, heat it first with your blow dryer, let it cool a bit so you don’t burn your eyelids, then curl, works much better.

Here’s the quick click to shu uemura’s site.

And now for the mascara.  I’ve tried a ton of them over the years, and always go back to Maybelline.  Even the makeup artists love Maybelline, it’s a great product.

Lancome even came out with a vibrating mascara this year, yep, you heard me right, vibrating. Wonder how that’s going over for them…

For years I used Great Lash, the industry standard in the pink tube, but a couple of years ago I tried their XXL Volume & Length Washable Microfiber Mascara.  It’s a two stepper, first you put on the white fiber building layer, then you top it with the mascara.  It really does fill in and lengthen thin lashes without looking fake.  My color of choice, black/brown.  Works for me.  So does the price, it costs about $5.99.

Tomorrow, yes you really can wax at home, really you can.  If I can do it, so can you and you’ll save major money and free yourself from salon visits….

Jan’s favorite things on the cheap, Day 6

 

Ahhhh, lip balm, don’t you love the stuff that glides on like butter, and makes your lips really supple.  If you’re a regular to this site, you know that  me, along with several other readers of this blog have a serious Carmex addiction.  I’ve used it for the last twenty years, and can’t go to sleep at night without it slathered on my lips.  No other brand will do, it has to be Carmex, because it’s all about the sting… And it has to come from  the little glass pot, I don’t like it in a tube. Even Trish’s little granddaughter, Larkin, smears her little lips with the stingy balm.  Carmex rules, but…. just at night. AND, Carmex has come out with it’s first new flavor in 70 years, CHERRY CARMEX!!!! I haven’t found it yet, but I’m on the lookout for it, so is Trish!  Want to read all about Carmex??? Here’s the link… It’s a cute site!

For daytime use, nothing compares to Kiehl Lip Balm.  Oh, my, is it ever wonderful.  It’s sooooo moisturizing, has no odor, and leaves your lips with a glossy, non greasy feel.  I can’t buy it locally, I have to order it online.  It’s available  at Bloomies or Nordstroms if you live in a bigger city, if not, you can order directly from the company.  Here’s the CLICK.  And the cost for this bad boy, a mere $6.50, and worth every penny…

Tomorrow it’s mascara and my favorite eyelash curler….

Jan’s favorite things on the cheap, Day 5

 

Running  late today, I could use a rub-a-dub-dub in the tub right now.

Okay, here’s what I’m liking this winter.  It’s more than one thing today.

First of all Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter is fantastic. The suds are really rich, it smells wonderful, and leaves your skin so soft and creamy, never dry.  I follow it up with

Jergens Shea Butter Body Lotion.  I like the way it smells, too.

Of course, I’ve always loved Original Cherry Almond Scented Jergens, that is the best fragrance ever, I never tire of it.

And, then I can’t forget Johnson’s Baby Lotion.  Hooterville started me using it a couple of years ago.  I picked her up and she smelled great.  When I asked her what that was, she said “Johnson’s Baby Lotion,” and it was like ahhhhhh, of course I remember that smell from my babies.  I use it all the time now, too…

And the best loofah I’ve found - The $6.00 one from Bath and Body Works.  Unlike those horrid little hard ball loofah’s, this one is really big and spongy soft.  Treat yourself, it’s worth it!

Tomorrow – a great lip balm, no, not Carmex, even though you all know I’m a Carmex junkie, this is another one….

John sent me this tonight, oh what a dog! adorable…

Who in their right mind would want eau de toilette that smells like a Whopper???

Just in time for Christmas, a new body spray is being released from the people who brought you the flame-broiled whopper.

Officials with Burger King say they want to set hearts ablaze for the holidays with its new scent, "Flame",  and yes, it's formulated to smell like char-grilled burgers.

The new fragrance costs $4 a bottle and can be found on their website.

Here’s the click, if you really want to see this -