Not Manic Monday, but Bangles . . .

Okay, don’t worry. It’s Friday. (happy Fri-yay!!!!!) It’s the day on which I lighten up on the blog. It’s the day I focus on all of my material stuff, because I like my stuff. A lot. Fridays on the blog are called Favorite Things Friday and it’s a day when I discuss my favorite products. Before I get to today’s favorite, do you remember Jello Pudding Pops? They were so good. They should bring those back. (although not their unfortunate choice of a spokesperson) I know. I know. I can make jello pudding popsicles by hand, but I’m a little lazy when it comes to cooking and kitchen stuff. Facts.

Today’s favorite is seen above. I was at my bank earlier this week and the woman who waited on me looked super sharp. She had a cute haircut, a simple, but elegant black summer dress on, and her one arm was adorned with what I thought to be many artsy bangle bracelets. (see above) I told her that I loved her bracelets. (I adore bangle bracelets, but having a small wrist, I’ve always had a hard time wearing them comfortably.)

“Oh honey,” she said, with a smile on her face. “These aren’t bangles. This is just one cheapie wrap bracelet from Amazon. But I do get compliments on it, all of the time.” Well, guess who sent me the link and guess who ordered one of those bracelets from Amazon within minutes, and guess the amazing price? $9.59 This is one fun, light, easy to wear, interesting looking cheapie bracelet that brought this woman’s plain black summer dress, up a notch. If you need a fun, pick-me-up, here is the link:

(If you can’t see the link, here is the description: Fesciory Leather Wrap Bracelets for Women, Boho Leopard Multi-Layer Crystal Beads Cuff Bracelet Jewelry)

Readers, I love and appreciate you, more than you will ever know. Have a fabulous weekend! See you tomorrow.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

2368. What’s one thing you’d never let a child do?

Fuggy Friday

“Fuggy” is a word. Look it up. Fuggy is just like muggy, but with an “F”. I just learned the word “fuggy”, myself, a few moments ago, when I looked up synonyms for “humid.” Above is one of my favorite people whom I follow on X. He is a comedian named “OMGITSWICKS” and he makes fun of Florida, like only a true, “born and raised” Floridian can do. He recently said that we Floridians consider tropical storms to be just “rain with a name.” And, he’s right.

Before I get to my main favorite for today on, Favorite Things Friday, I want to write down what I have been pondering lately. If you look at any of my all-over-the-map musical playlists, the accounts which I follow on X (people on the left, people on the right, witches, artists, buddhists, Christians, therapists, actors, mystics and a gay furry) and my eclectic array of unusual collections all over my house and yard, you might question my sanity. For those of you who follow astrology, I am a Sagittarius sun sign, with Gemini rising. That helps to make sense of me, right? I’m an adventurer. I’m insanely curious. I love anyone who makes me laugh. I’m open-minded, and I am open to changing my mind. I believe that I have my own personal politics, and my own personal religion (more like spirituality.) I am hopeful and optimistic. I love to read and to learn. To me there is nothing better on this earth (besides my family) than animals and nature. I have friends in every category imaginable. I abhor snobbery. I think that it’s incredibly limiting. I am willing to make an effort to like anyone until I see them treat others badly. If you are manipulative, disdainful, deceitful, mean, cruel, disrespectful, bullying etc. to others, that’s when my walls go way, way up. Otherwise, your beliefs are your beliefs. I respect your right to your beliefs, to your interests, to your passions, to living your life as you see fit, as long as you do not cause pain to others. And all that I expect from you, is that you extend that same respect for me. (my sister-in-law used to say that you can generate the Ten Commandments all down to one commandment: “Don’t be a dick.”) Why have I been pondering this? I think that it’s because with all of the divisive politics and horrible wars going on, and the cancel culture running rampant, and things going on with some personal relationships in my life, I needed to ask myself, “What do I stand for?” And the conclusion that I came up with is that ultimately, I stand for kindness, and I stand for freedom. I stand for the golden rule. And in my life, I have witnessed so many different people, from so many different backgrounds, races, religions, sexual preferences, political parties, etc., ultimately stand for the same things. Kindness. Freedom. These people do unto others as they would have done to them. I suppose, ultimately and optimistically and hopefully, I believe that most of us strive for, and stand for “Love” in its highest, most unconditional form.

Okay, off of my soapbox: Here’s today’s favorite: Invisible Glass Glass Cleaner The back of our house is almost entirely sliding glass doors and we have three dogs. Nose prints. Nose prints. Nose prints. Cleaning glass is the bane of my existence. This is the first glass cleaner that has “streak-free” written on it’s can, and actually is streak-free. I purchased this recently on Amazon and it has quickly become my new holy grail of glass cleaners.

Have a great weekend, friends. Thanks for taking a little trip inside of my head. I think that’s really what this blog is for me, “a head trip” and mostly, “a heart trip.”

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

2785. What instantly melts your heart?

Wayuu, It’s Friday!!

Hi Friends! Welcome to Friday! What’s not to love about Friday? On Fridays, I focus on the nitty gritty fun stuff. On Fridays, I discuss some of my favorite things and I am forever hoping that some of you will share your favorites in my Comments section, so that I can find some new favorites in my own life. (Sharing is caring.)

Today’s favorite of mine is seen above. That is my gorgeous Colombian Wayuu bag (traditional bags which are made by the indigenous Wayuu tribes of Colombia and Venezuela, also called mochilas) which I have been carrying around all summer. Now, I am a bag girl, and I have many beautiful, unusual handbags at all different price points, but never in my life, have I received more compliments on a bag. Never. I get daily compliments on this bag. I literally had a woman stop her car in a parking lot yesterday, to tell me how much she loves my bag. I LOVE this bag, too. It’s like I have a gorgeous little knit friend with me, all day long. I got my Colombian Wayuu bag at a local arts fair, but if you google them, you will find many sources who sell these gorgeous, colorful, handmade handbags that seem to scream, “Summer! Happy! Bright! Beautiful! Fearless!” Get yourself one or buy one as a gift. You won’t regret it.

Have an amazing Friday, friends!! See you tomorrow.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

2343. Do you like to read or write more, or both equally?

Violet Hues of Friday

Good morning. Happy Friday!! Happy Best Day of the Week!! On Fridays, I stick with the sensual stuff and I try to put my usual overthinking brain to the side. On Fridays, I list a favorite thing of mine that has made life more fun and interesting for me. Please tell us some of your favorites in the Comments section.

Today’s favorite is Versace Dylan Purple perfume. I LOVE perfume! I sometimes think that the sense of smell may be my favorite of all of our senses (when things smell good). Lately, any perfume which I’ve sampled seems to all smell the same. I haven’t smelled anything unique in a long time, until I caught a wonderful whiff of this perfume! I opened up the flap of one of those magazine ads and I felt like I had been transported into a purple haze of olfactory enchantment. I was so excited to smell something “all its own.” Try this perfume. It might just be your signature scent. (and remember, you can usually get samples at department stores, or you can buy sample vials on websites like eBay and Mercari and Poshmark, before buying a whole bottle. And these sample vials are great for travel!)

Have a great weekend, friends! Live it fully and in the moment!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

1173. Have you ever raced a wheelbarrow?

Feminine Friday

Happy Friday!! Happy Favorite Things Friday!! On Fridays on the blog, I discuss the stuff that makes life fun. I don’t go deep on thoughts, just steep on stuff. Today’s favorites include my new favorite pens (and I’m a pen addict. Ask my husband. We have a multitude of pens) Our youngest son supported my addiction by buying me these pens over Christmastime and now they have become my latest favorite, go-to pen (and I have written about others of my favorite pens over the years on the blog).

Zebra F-301 Ballpoint Stainless Steel Retractable, 0.7mm, Black Ink, Combo Pack of 6 BLACK INK Metal Pens with 3 BLACK INK REFILLS, 0.7mm fine point pens with Pen Refill can be purchased on Amazon at this link:

I have honestly never enjoyed handwriting with a smoother pen. I don’t practice my handwriting nearly as much as I used to do (and it shows), but when I do (mostly for shopping lists or reminder post-its), these are my go-to pens!

And as a bonus Friday favorite, please check out The Tourist series on Netflix. It’s a thrill a minute and it constantly keeps you guessing what could be next. The Tourist has some great comic moments, too.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

1583. The quickest way to make you feel crazy is . . .

Dragon It, It’s Friday!

credit: Dragon Eternity

I have a thing for dragons. (But after Game of Thrones, don’t we all?) Happy Friday! Happy Best Day of the Week! Friday is such an easy day to feel carefree and excited and fun, isn’t it? My favorite for today for Favorite Things Friday, on the blog, involves dragons. I honestly have become even more entranced with dragons when Ancestry.com recently sent me my enhanced DNA results and it turns out that I have a large percentage of Welsh in my heritage. The Welsh Dragon is the symbol of Wales and it is a beautiful, ferocious red (my favorite color). This is also the Chinese Zodiac’s Year of the Dragon. And so of course, there are a myriad of dragon products available to buy, from everywhere, already. My favorite dragon purchase so far this year, is this wonderful salad bowl from Sur La Table. At $30, I think that it is a steal (and a treasure)! Here is the link:

https://www.surlatable.com/pro-8053696-bwl-srv-dragon-peony-11/PRO-8053696.html

They also sell some fabulous red dragon kitchen towels that I snapped up, as well. Here is my bowl and my favorite coffee cup:

Have a fun weekend, friends! Let your inner dragon fly!!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

1659. What does your “happy dance” look like?

Black Friday

For as much as I like to shop, I never go out shopping on Black Friday. I hate crowds. However, this is not to say that I won’t veer into window shopping on the internet today. Happy Friday!! Happy Favorite Things Friday!! My favorite things for today are my Merrell hiking boots. We got a pair of Merrell hiking boots for each of our family members, five years ago, before we were embarking on a trip out to California that we knew would entail a lot of hiking. Since then I have clocked hundreds of miles on my same pair of Merrells in all kinds of terrain, in the United States and abroad. They have never let me down (nor let me fall down), and my Merrell hiking boots are in good enough shape to wear, for quite a few more rocky trails, for sure. I look at Merrell hiking boots as an investment, and a good one.

Black Friday is a good day to get yourself a pair. Merrell is even putting their best sellers on sale for 30 percent off. If you have made having more outdoor adventures for yourself, a solid resolution for the new year, you NEED a nice pair of Merrell hiking boots. Show the Universe that you mean business.

www.merrell.com

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful, relaxing Thanksgiving weekend with your loved ones!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Make Your Bed, Friday

Happy Friday!! Happy Favorite Things Friday!!! Josie, our collie, “helps” me to make our bed every morning. She has this innate sense when I am doing it (there’s no set time – I’m all over the map in the mornings) and she considers it her sacred duty to rush into our room in order to help me to complete this task. It is a big bonding time for us (without her male counterparts). I don’t know what I would ever do without her help (and this has nothing to do with making the bed). Dogs will always be one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES.

My favorite item for this particular Friday is the Bamboo Trading Company beaded club bags. These lovely pieces of art are reasonably priced, they come in an enormous variety of styles and themes, and they are the perfect sized, crossbody bags to carry your phone, keys and wallet for a day of walking around town, without breaking your back. For the attention to detail, and the massive variety available, these bags are reasonably priced and addicting to collect. And you feel good about purchasing these items because this is the Bamboo Trading Company’s mission: “We work with communities around the world to lift families out of poverty. In the process we create on-trend, affordable fashion that is collectible, fun, and inspiring.”

You can buy your own Bamboo Trading Company beaded bag (or 12) at their website, on Amazon, and you can find them at many smaller gift shops around the States.

Have a wonderful weekend, my loyal friends and devoted readers! See you tomorrow!!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Friday is for Furniture

Happy Friday!! Yay!! Friday is here. On Fridays, I keep it on the surface and I discuss stuff that I like. Today’s favorite comes from living in Florida long enough to realize that the hot Florida sun is tough and intense on everybody and everything that it shines upon. When we first moved here from North Carolina, twelve years ago, I brought with me this adorable little white decorative wooden rabbit who had sat and adorned our North Carolina yard for several years. In less than a year in Florida, the white paint on the rabbit completely disappeared (seemingly vaporized), and the rabbit looked more like a misshapen brownish gray blob. Through trial and error, we figured out that our best bet for outdoor furniture in Florida is made out of Polywood – my favorite for today. Polywood is a hard, durable, heavy plastic that dares the Florida sun to “Bring it!” We recently bought some more Polywood outdoor furniture, and it is so well-made and solid and comfortable and attractive. A man at my husband’s work also recently bought a Polywood table and chair set because when he was at his friend’s house, he complimented his friend’s bright white outdoor furniture and asked if it was brand new. “No!” his friend laughed. “We’ve had that furniture for over a decade.” We started with Polywood adirondack chairs and they still look as good as the day that we purchased them a few years ago. Polywood has a plethora of styles to choose from and they deliver your order quickly.

Enjoy your weekend, friends!!! See you tomorrow.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Smile, It’s Friday

Happy Friday!!! I am not going to spend a lot of time with my favorites today because I am enjoying my time with some of my longtime favorite people. My favorite for today is my mouth guard which I resisted for years and thus paid to repair many a cracked tooth. My biggest fear, that as a claustrophobic person, I was concerned about anything that felt to big and clunky and “choke-y” in my mouth. And I certainly didn’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for it. And so my practical, kind, hygienist suggested this inexpensive, no frills, no-need-to-boil, dainty nightly mouthguard. It works. I love it. I no longer wake up with sore teeth or a sore jaw. I’m grateful to have finally broken down, and to have tried it, and at a $20 pricepoint, there is no reason not to try it. You can get this at any local drugstore or Walgreens: SleepRight Select-Comfort Dental Guard

Have a wonderful weekend!! See you tomorrow.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.