What I Buy Wednesdays

When I took Morgan to the mall last week, we went to one of my favorite stores---Altr'd State. It's sort of an earthy kind of place, where they do things for the environment, or donate some of the profits---I don't really know, but something humanitarian. That's only one of the reasons I like the store. The second reason is that they have cute stuff at reasonable prices.

I have always loved "slouchy" boots. I think these will be pretty cute with jeans. Genuine leather and only 65 bucks!

Speaking of leather---remember my leather purse I washed last week? Well, these shoes of Butch's were so ripe that they would smell up the room. Even he admitted that he could smell them WHILE he was wearing them!

I washed them! They actually came out perfect---well, almost. The little side laces came out, so he has to figure out how to get those back in. And, one of the liners came out, so he'll have to reglue that. But cleaning them really worked. They smell all clean and fresh!! For how long, I don't know!

Now you aren't going to believe this. I didn't even know this was a "thing" until I saw Mindy's on vacation. They are personalized vitamins! Oh come on. Really? Yep, really! I decided that I was going to "show" her---although I hadn't told her that I was going to "show" her. I went online. I didn't even know the name of the company she was using. I just put "personalized vitamins" in the search box and went to the website of "Care Of." I filled out the questionnaire---sort of about your family history, lifestyle and concerns. Voila! Up pops your daily vitamin recommendations. I wasn't about to subscribe, but just go buy all the recommended things (brain health, hair, skin, nails, heart health, women over 65 and bone health). I went to the drugstore and priced it all out. Some of the things I couldn't find or not in the recommended dosage. It was going to cost a fortune to buy everything separately and do it myself. I guess this company can buy enough in bulk that they can offer them cheaper---even with the packaging.

It comes with a 30 day supply in a dispenser box. This will be really easy for traveling. AND I can put a way my "old lady" weekly pill container.

The packs are personalized with your name. Who doesn't love their name on stuff? This is particularly good, because for awhile there, I found I was taking Butch's vitamins. I think that accounts for the extra growth on my upper lip! Plus, you get the added bonus of a little quote, encouragement, idea or question. I'm going to give it a try for 3 months and see if my hair, nails and skin improves. I've tried those types of supplements before and they never worked. Actually, I'll probably stick with it because I believe in vitamins anyway. The cost is $53.00 a month. I thought that seemed like a lot until I ran the numbers. By my best calculation, buying everything myself through Walgreens or Amazon, would've been in the neighborhood of $75.00 a month. Seems like a fair price to pay for good health---and I'm healthy! I'd like to stay that way! BTW--I think I did report that OsteoStrong did NOT work--and that was $105 a month. I gave it a year and had my bone density re-tested. Not only was there no improvement, the numbers went down a little.

As for my skin, I saw my dermatologist last week. I hadn't been to him in 18 months since I started my Xolair treatments. Anyway, I told him I missed him! I was having a few moles and some skin checked. Everything was totally fine and nothing to worry about. He said that we all have every mole we're ever going to have by the age of 35. It's just that as we age, they become more prominent. The raised ones are that way because aging skin doesn't regenerate as it used to, so there's a build up. Blah, blah, blah, something like that. The only ones to be concerned about are black ones (which I though I had, but it was really very dark red as he showed me by holding his black pen against it---and any brown ones that are irregular or growing). Okay, with that done, I asked him if he had any recommendations for aging skin. He said that he's had good results with a cream called Tretinoin. He said it was expensive---about $185 for a 3 month supply. Well, I'm willing to give it a try. I dropped off the prescription. When I returned to pick it up, the pharmacist assistant said that the insurance wouldn't cover it---I didn't think they would for something cosmetic. Anyway, then he said that the insurance company gave me a coupon (I definitely didn't know they could do that) and that I only had to pay $77.00! I took a really close up picture so I can do it again in 3 months to see if I can tell a difference with using the cream. OMGosh! The picture is awful---I can't even share it. It's kind of scary. I never realized that my nose has started to grow! And Janet always said I had the best nose in the family. I'll have to ask her what she thinks now! I'm getting an old person's nose. Sheesh! If it's not one thing, it's another. It almost makes me want to quit trying. But I'm not ready yet! Thank God I don't feel old. I still have a pep in my step!

You almost can't consider this "buying" as I traded some real bucks for British pounds. I'm thinking I'm not really going to spend it since it's so pretty! Okay, not really. I'll be reporting on what I spent them on when I get back from England in a couple weeks.

Moving on. So, that's it for what I bought this week. But, I thought I'd share a little of what Butch bought this week. He doesn't buy much, but I'd say he buys something every week too!

I happened to notice this on the patio. I didn't buy it, so it had to be him! He always wants a little something on the tables out there. The problem is that it's usually so hot here, we spend very little time outside---unless we're in the pool and he doesn't do that much. I suspect this is one of those mosquito repellant things. I keep forgetting to ask him about it.

On one of our B&B days, we had planned to go here. Butch had no idea what he was getting himself in to and said I should be glad I didn't go. It was a dirty, dusty place of old wrecked cars. It's a junkyard. Of course I've heard of junk yards and have seen them here and there, but I've never been to one. Actually, I never really knew that people bought stuff at junk yards. I just thought it was a place that accumulated junk.

He went to get a window hinge for Morgan's car. He always takes care of the girl's car needs. He took his toolbox as you have to remove the part yourself. Honestly, I think it would have been interesting to see this place. Maybe I'll go the next time. The hinge cost him 2 bucks! He put it on Morgan's car Monday night. She was so excited! Now the rain won't leak in the back window anymore.

That's our purchases for the week. What about you? Anything good?

Travel Tuesdays/Metropolis

Well, since we seem to be doing so much traveling these days, I've decided to start up another meme---Travel Tuesdays. That way, I can spread out these (boring because you weren't there) travel posts. Here goes.

On the way to St. Louis three weeks ago, we made a stop in Metropolis, Illinois. You know what that is---right? The home of Superman!

In all these years--nearly 34 to be exact, we have passed by but never stopped. On this trip, we planned for it. We timed it to coincide with lunch and added a little sightseeing and geo-caching.

Our first stop was this Italian restaurant. They are known for their meatballs. We asked the waitress about them as you could get an order of 3 or 6. Since we were getting a salad and Stromboli to share, she said 3 would be plenty. OMGosh! They were the size of baseballs! I can't believe I didn't take a picture! They were delicious---probably the best I've ever had. We got the antipasto salad. It was so huge the we said we could have done without the Stromboli. There was so much meat and other "stuff" that I made the comment that they went a little too light on the lettuce! And then the Stromboli--stuffed sandwich---it had to be a whole loaf of frozen bread dough. We finally peeled back the bread to get to the filling. We were sad that we couldn't bring home leftovers. Butch gave this restaurant 5 stars on Trip Advisor (he's one of the top posters in Nashville).

After lunch, we browsed the town. I had to take a picture of my Super Man!! We never did find the statue of Lois Lane. We saw signs, but never found it. I don't think it's there anymore.

Geocaching took us in to someone's yard where we had to identify a series of flowers on a handprinted birdhouse to figure out the puzzle. That was fun, but the original art was a little hard to decipher. I think I got 3 out of 4 of the flowers. Butch was able to figure it out from there.

Our next cache was in this cemetery. The cemetery is famous for the grave of the "birdman" of Alcatraz. We were not directed to his grave---I think they wanted to keep that part low key. Because, after all, he was a criminal!

All in all, we spent about an hour and a half in Metropolis. As a result, that break really made the trip go by much faster! I just can't believe that we didn't stop sooner.

We'll have to hunt for other things of interest to do the next time we make that trip.

Monday Mystery

Why do they call them "safety" pins when there's nothing safe about using them to separate your eyelashes?  Doesn't everybody do that? Since "safety" is in the name, it must be okay to take a sharp, pointy object and use it near your eyes! Right?

It's a mystery to me!

A Few Things

I've always joked that Butch loves everything about money---making it, saving it, finding it or winning it. Well, last Thursday, Stephanie had arranged for us to do a "cocktail crawl" at Cheekwood (our botanical gardens). There was music and food trucks. Anyway, as we were strolling through the back lawn of the mansion, Nicky looked down and found some coins. Butch joined in on the hunt and found these. Nicky found more than this. They were both excited since the coins looked really old. Turns out, they weren't that old, but just really dirty. Still it was exciting and makes one wonder---where did this booty come from. The coins were in a random location near some bushes. Plus, they are kind of rotted. I don't know what could cause that.

You know, if it's not one thing, it's another around here. We seem to have no end to leaky problems. This is the piping to our sprinkler system. I called my guy---he didn't call back. I called again two days later (because I forgot about it) and still he didn't call back. Desperate, I called my garden girl and asked her to call him. He returned her call! It's good to have "people!"

This falls in the "good to know" category. I love this pink purse. It's light enough that it goes with anything. I'm big on matching. Anyway, it was getting pretty crummy. Just spot cleaning it was not working.

The back had rubbed agains my blue jeans, so also has blue dye on it. I couldn't get that off for anything. Soooo, I did what I always did when the girls were little and their leather tennis shoes were yucky. I washed them! I figure if you're going to get rid of them anyway, you have nothing to lose. Leather shoes wash up beautifully! Also, I've washed my UGGS many times!

 So here's the results. A little wrinkled, but pretty clean looking.

 And the blue dye is just about gone. 

As I'm using it, the wrinkles are coming out. At least that's what I'm telling myself. The old girl has a few more years left in her!

Speaking of old girls---this is my favorite aunt---Aunt Marie. She is amazing! 85 in this picture. I swear she doesn't look more than 70! It's the hair color! And the fact that she has great skin! Really, it's the whole package.

Mindy and Justin were just in New England for 4 days visiting his family. Mindy bought these, but hasn't tried them yet. I don't know how I feel about this. I think I'd rather just have the lobster roll!

They went to a ballgame. I LOVE Mindy's lobster purse (by Kate Spade). You can't see in this picture, but after she bought that purse and sent me a picture, I came across a pair of Keds by some New England designer that I never heard of before---with little lobsters all over them.

The designer's name is Alaina Marie. I just thought they were adorable. Plus they're Keds. That means cheap--okay, a little more than regular Keds, but not like regular designer shoes! The whole reason I even discovered the lobster shoes was because I was responding to an email from Keds offering me a discount. These were in the "ad".

How could I resist these? They're pink! I love them. And they go with my wrinkly purse!

And then there's this. I took Morgan shopping on Tuesday. She wanted "new" jeans. Kind of an oxymoron if you ask me! No, she didn't get these, but the ones she did get had a few rips! These are rags to me. And high priced rags at that!

This is the wall in Alter'd State---one of my favorite stores. Honestly, even though these plants are all fake, it did look like a living wall. Pretty cool. I did get something here, but you'll have to wait until Wednesday to find out what!

I actually saw my speedometer turn over! I always miss it! My "new" jeep will be a year old Labor Day weekend. 

Mugsy is my sister, Janice's new puppy. He's pretty cute, but it looks to me like he's going to be a big dog!

Speaking of dogs, Connie and Jack got one. Or, I should say, Analise and Merritt got one that will live with Jack and Connie, be walked by Jack and Connie, go to the vet with Jack and Connie, be fed by Jack and Connie, be groomed by Jack and Connie, be played with by Jack and Connie---I think you get the picture! HIs name is Dash and I will admit, he's pretty cute. 

So, I've taken this picture in the mirror because I'm not good with selfies---my arms aren't long enough. This isn't really what I had in mind. I need a close-up as I've started a new cream that's supposed to diminish fine lines and wrinkles (gosh, I'm spending a lot of time on wrinkles this post). I have to do it for 3 months, so we'll see. But the reason I'm posing this is because of my man hands. I guess it's just like Mindy always says, you do not want to be at the front of a group photo or you look like you have a big head! Same goes for hands! Look at that, almost the size of my whole face!

That's it for today. Just a little random nothing. What's new with you?

Warning!

This is pretty gross---and not for the faint of heart. Look if you dare!

A couple weeks ago, Morgan brought over her vacuum. She said that she had burnt up the motor and asked her grandpa to "fix" it. I thought that when a motor was burned up, there was no fixing it! But this guy really can fix just about anything. He took it all apart to discover this---you've been warned...

The vacuum is full of dog hair! Disgusting!

 The hair had somehow gotten in to the motor and caused it to seize up.

 He ended up using his needle nose pliers to get it all. I'm freaked out looking at these pictures myself! I keep saying "eeewwww!"

 This is the brush part.

And this is what it's supposed to look like.

So now you know why I don't have a dog! That and the smell!

Friday Funnies

Last First...

...day of School Pictures.

This is kind of sad!

This is Mitchell's last first day of school picture---ever! He'll graduate from Clemson next spring. Where, oh where has the time gone!

 And it's the last first day for these girls in their schools too.

 Victoria graduates from high school next spring and will be off to college!

And then there's our baby! She'll be graduating from 8th grade. No more little ones for us! I really can't believe it. I feel like I just blinked and they were all grown up!