HOSTA COTTAGE

We interrupt this blog to let you know that Hosta Cottage has been a busy place.  She is getting a new chapeau, a lovely brown architectural shingle chapeau and some lovely new gutters as well.  Kind of messy around here right now, tar paper strewn about and ladders all over the yard.  She will be a thing of beauty once again, I assure you.  Meanwhile, your patience is requested.

Later,
Janet

RIP....Theodore, Simon an Alvin

Today the chipmunks apparently decided to come out of hiding...much to their detriment.  I have dragged cats in all day, moved wounded chipmunks to safer quarters but all to little avail.  Perhaps if the chipmunks had worn their cute costumes the cats would have been distracted!

Later,
Janet

WANDERING AND WONDERING IN TARGET

 

Yesterday I ran to Target to grab a couple of things for our upcoming family vacation.  Those of you that know me know that I am not exactly an up to date kind of woman.  Truly, I am still wearing the same combination of makeup I wore in High School.  ...a bit of eyeshadow ( brown,) some mascara and because I am old now, some lipstick.  I stick to the basics and never stray very far.  So, imagine my surprise when looking for an eyelash curler I spied eyebrow razors.  Little teeny, tiny razors just for sculpting the perfect brow line. Huh?  I have my flimsy brows waxed when I get my hair done, but I thought shaving them was a "no no", although I admit to doing it once in a while when I get frustrated with tweezers.  I found the eyelash curlers and discovered they come with refills now...really??  I think I had my old one for many years ( I am embarrassed to contemplate how many, the term decades comes to mind) and never had it refilled.  The world, it is a changin' ladies.

Next...faux toenails???  I admit to the world's ugliest toenails, but in summer I usually just keep them polished with some nondescript polish and hope no one notices.  But actually adding pretty nails on top of ugly nails...now there is a concept. 

On to the shampoo aisle(s).  I have been using up some of the many bottles of shampoo that my MIL had been hoarding, but finally needed shampoo.  The variety is staggering and oh so confusing. Remember when it was Breck or Prell?  If you decide to just forget about the decision for now, there is even a new version of Pssst.  Remember..... the dry shampoo that you sprinkled or sprayed in and then brushed out after it "absorbed" the oil in your hair?  It served a very limited purpose and always left your hair a little grayish at the roots!!  They say everything old is new again and we see it in the 1970s styles coming back as retro or vintage, but dry shampoo?  I am not goin' there.

So, after about a half an hour in the beauty aisles I came home with some new mascara and an eyelash curler.  Probably my least expensive trip to Target in years.  Time to  freshen my looks by painting the ugly toenails for the beginning of sandal season, but don't worry, they will be a nondescript pinky color so as not to draw attention!!

Later,
The Frump

SIMPLY

SPRING 

Don't you just love Lilies of the Valley?

Later,

Janet

WATCH FOR CHANGES

FYI: there may be some changes going on at Housepeepers.  Hopefully they will be seamless, but no one has been able to access my blog all day long.

It all started with this cute kid..he's my baby.  Twenty -five years old and a web developer working in Seattle.  For Mothers Day he told me he was giving me the domain name Housepeepers for 3 years.  "what's the advantage?"  I asked.  "None" he replied, "It's just cooler".  Really, so all day today I kept checking and Blogger was trying to redirect traffic to the new address, but it wasn't being found...whoops!  This is a kid who was one of the lead developers for Target's corporate website, but this venture seems to have gone astray.  Can't say I am sorry.  I don't embrace that which I don't understand, at least I don't embrace it easily.  So, if I fall off the face of the earth, try Housepeepers.com. Just trying to give you a little notice.

Another note regarding this adorable genius;  He has just gotten his dream job.  After going to Seattle directly from college just three years ago, he has now landed a job at Apple at their campus in Cupertino, California.  Yes, he was born in the land of frigid, whiny cows aka Vermont and now he is moving to the Land of Happy Cows, also known as the "Land of Fruit and Nuts".   I am so excited.  I love all of California and he will be in the Silicon Valley near Carmel and San Francisco and assorted other really cool places.  Can't wait to visit and maybe meet some of my California bloggy friends.

That's it for tonight, hasta la manana. (Just getting ready for California, doncha know)

Janet

PS: maybe I should ask him to teach me to scan, seems I haven't figured that out yet either!

NYC MAY 1, 2010

Bob and I took a charter bus to Manhattan last Saturday.  We had the bus driver bring us all the way to Battery Park at the lowest part of the island. I had never been to Battery Park and it was amazing to see the Statue of Liberty in the harbor and Ellis Island.  This statue represents some of the immigrants who arrived via Ellis Island.

From here we walked up to midtown Manhattan with a side trip to Greenwich Village.  It was hot, really hot ( around 90) and muggy and yet I saw many girls/women making a fashion statement by wearing Uggs.  Made me think  "ugh" and  of smelly boots ;)
Relax and enjoy the walk and the random photos, all courtesy of Bob.  Click to enlarge for more detail.

Ground Zero seems a bit less ghostly with  work taking place  on the memorial

Caliente Cab with "Taco Taxi" on license plate...delivery vehicle for Mexican Restaurant in Greenwich Village

Bob is into taking pictures of fire escapes these days

The best deal in Manhattan....lemonade for 25 cents...cold and not too sweet!

Very poignant wall of tiles made by people across the US to commemorate those who died on 9/11

Comments?

Okay, it's not too much further, just walk about 15 more blocks to the Palace Hotel which has fabulous restrooms.  We will wash up there and catch the bus at 6:00.  I didn't hear about the attempted bombing until the next morning...thankfully.  Hope you enjoyed your day in Manhattan, we will go back after Thanksgiving, OK?

Later,
Janet

SANDWICH MA 4/30/10

Tell me...which one is your favorite?  Why?

Remember...there are NO wrong answers!  Your favorite is the one you like the best for why ever you like it!

Later,

Janet