Bronwynn

Every child begins the world again....

Henry David Thoreau

See Ya Later

Today's Aquarius Horoscope:
Jan 31, 2009

The gentle winds of change are blowing through your life at the moment, dear Aquarius. You have a feeling of newness and an open attitude toward the world. Some outside events will be coming up in your life that give you the impression you are advancing in a concrete manner toward a new life. You can expect to have some pleasant surprises.

Get your horoscope here.

Closet Watch Friday

Just because I had so much fun with this last week, I thought we'd explore another Mental P chronic mess Closet today.  Since I do not want to show any progress, or lack thereof, I may have made in the locating of and organizing of any winter clothes that might still fit me, I decided, we'd venture into the master bathroom today.  Mkay?

This is a little closet that Squazz and I share.

It lives between our two sinks.

In a place like the DMZ.

Here is a various shelf.

My shelf:

Multiple face and hair products.

Some fake tanner.

Some Cold-eze (Good stuff).

I don't think I've used any of them this month.

Important: Do not tell Squazz.

Another of my shelves:

Various face things and cough meds.

Oh, and that blue and white box on the right?

Diuretics.

Mama's little helpers.

Plus a full bottle of nail polish remover.

I think I borrowed it from The Bird.

In August.

2007.

This is Squazz's shelf.

There is waaaay too much room up there.

He thinks I can't tell because it is the top shelf.

But I have eyes.

And I have some moisturizers I need to put up there.

Important: Don't tell him.

And these?

These are my new magic potions.

I got them went I went into NYC last week with Annie

and we had a wonderful visit with Daryl.

This freeze 24-7?

Magic.

Botox in a jar.

Swear.

Come on, aren't you tired of looking at all those skies today?

Show us your closet.

I dare you.

Freezer Show-and-Tell

In our get-healthy bid, Big Hair Envy has asked us to show what's in our freezers.  Without any editing.  I actually took these shots a few weeks ago, but have been too obsessed interested in what some people are doing in Florida to post this.  So without any further ado, I give you the Mental P Freezer. Unedited.

This shot has your basic pesto, grilled chicken strips (organic), frozen chicken breasts (waiting for a nice pounding and balsamic marinade, followed by a turn on the grill), corn meal (hey, I'm Southern), unbleached flour, and those whole grain Arnold Sandwich Thins (these are the best--6 grams of fiber and 100 calories each!)

Here we have one of my favorite things.  When you are in a hurry, and don't have time to chop all your broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc.  Just pop one of these puppies in the microwave, and you have a bowl of steaming veggies.  I sometimes do this for lunch.  They also make a bag of brown rice that you can zap, too.  And it is wonderful.
Here we have some more quick lunch stuff.  I nuke these Green Giant Digestive Health creations, and toss a few of those grilled chicken strips in there, and Voila, another amazing lunch!  Oh, those are hot dogs on the right.  Remember, I do have a couple of teenagers.  And they like to eat, too. That green thing?  The Bird's eye wrap.  I have a matching one.  Like daughter, like mother.
Let's see...this looks like some whole wheat flour, some stew meat, some shrimp, some breadcrumbs, and some hotdog buns (remember those hungry teens?).  I also think I spy a bag of walnuts under there, too.  I snack on a handful of those every day or so.  They are good for you.
Okay.  There you have it.  Boring, right?  Now come on and show us what's in your freezer.  

Shoe Megashop

I am a little too excited today at this happy news. 

 I may be the first person through the door.  

Seriously.

"All is not gloom on the Westport retail front. After being vacant for about two years, the 11,000-square foot space once occupied by Genovese Drugs at 1076 Post Road East next to Barnes & Noble has been leased to Marshalls for a Shoe Megashop. The store is only the second standalone Shoe Megashop (the other is in Scarsdale) of a concept that is part of a number of Marshalls stores. It features designer name shoes at discount prices for kids, teens and adults. Opening is set for between March 15 and April 1. Parent TJX Companies also owns HomeGoods which opened on Post Road East near the Fairfield line in September in space formerly occupied by Toys ‘R’ Us. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com"

Lucite on a Segway

And there she goes...

What would we do without her?

--For more Shauna fun, go to dlisted

Swap Mama

Listen up Mental Mamas and Mental Grandmas, there is a wonderful new exchange site up that everyone needs to visit.  I only wish I'd had this when my little darlings were outgrowing their Carter's every other day.  Head on over to SwapMamas  and tell Mommypie you are there to spread the word and start swappin'.  It's Genius.  And a really green way of providing for all our little ones with needs that change with the tides.  Kinda makes me want to have a new little bundle myself.  Or not.  Speaking of which....Octuplets???  

I don't have any things on there right now, but I am fixin' to start a whole new section on there for your 'tween and teen needs!  I'm visualizing some dirty gently used clothes.  I kid.  

But be on the lookout for some teen stuff;)

Buying Shares in Kleenex

Another beautiful facet of aging?

Adult Onset Asthma.

Four shots a week were supposed to fix me.

They didn't.

So I get an increase in dog, cat and dust.

Such excitement.

One big merry-go-round ride here.

source

How's everybody else holding up?

Augie's Weekend

Senior Winter Dance

Senior Football Dinner

"If I have a monument in this world, it is my son."

                                                     --Maya Angelou

Telltale Signs

It is 58 days until the first day of Spring,

and I have detected something ever so wonderful.

The goldfinches are starting to look a little more, well, gold.

See?

It's a beautiful thing.

And this crew?

The UN of my back yard?

There is a little border skirmish heating up...

In the southern hemisphere.

I am pretending those ones on top are the peacekeepers.

Miss Lucite Hits Florida...

...And she's defiling my beloved Delano on Miami Beach.  The nerve.  For more of the special beauty and style that is Shauna Sand, go here.  I will be in NYC today with Annie.  We are having lunch with Daryl!  I will wear some warm boots.  

$104,000.00

I think my closet needs this.

I mean, if Victoria Beckham can have one....

Closet Watch Friday

While all you talented photographers are out there are showing us your beautiful Skywatch shots today, I have decided it's time to get in the closet.  And switch it from Summer to Winter.  Yup.  Groundhog day is a week from Monday, and this is the State of My Closet:

Capri pants--None of which even fit me now.

Some flip flops.

Some Summer Bags.

There's more, but I am too embarrassed to share it.  See you later.  

Update: Cocktails at Town Hall

I made it most of the day back on my little clean living spree.  But I have a confession: Annie will be here in an hour to fetch me and cart me and my sorry big ol' behind to our Town Hall.  It is our Hospital Foundation Annual Meeting.  Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres aplenty.  We are very dedicated to our local Hospital Foundation, you can see us working tirelessly here, so we must put on our brave faces and attend tonight.  It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.  

Just keeping it real.  Now move along.  Nothing else to see here.  Nope.  Nothing.

Back to Business

The party's over.

  I've toasted our new President. 

I've toasted the new First Lady.

I've toasted the new First Children.

 I've toasted my birthday. 

 Many times.  

Many, many times. 

 I've toasted my children's safe return from a holiday in Costa Rica.

It's time to put away the chardonnay.

Time to get back on the treadmill.

Time to get serious.

Again.

Thank you everyone for my wonderful birthday wishes!

I was overwhelmed.

It's True

Today is my birthday.  My, um, 49th birthday.  Gah.

And, yesterday, on my birthday eve?

I found a grey eyebrow hair.  Gah.

And I got this treasure in my email box:

Oh.  The injustice of it all.  Gah.

God Bless Us, Everyone

How lucky are we to live in a democracy where the change of power happens without bloodshed?  

God bless us, everyone. 

Wow.

My World Monday

Today		Hi: 33° Lo: 17°
PM Snow
9 AM		28°
Cloudy
Noon		31°
Flurries
6 PM		30°
Flurries

Meanwhile, in Central America, the Mental P Rugrats struggle to send me an email every once in a while.  They're so busy, don't you know?

And I will not be speaking about my diet today.  Nope. Not a word.

Pimping

Psssst.  Head over to  Country Girl Kate's to win this sheep.  No brain cells need to be stressed.  All you have to do is leave a comment.  Go on.  You know you aren't in a hurry to get out and shovel all that snow.  How adorable is that?  Tell her Mental P sent you!

A Sunday Snicker

   One winter morning a husband and wife in northern Minnesota
were listening to the radio during breakfast.  They heard
the announcer Say, "We are going to have 8 to 10 inches
of snow today.  You must park your car on the even-numbered
side of the street, so the Snowplows can get through."
  
       So the good wife went out and moved her car.  A
week later while they are eating breakfast again, the radio
announcer said, "We are expecting 10 to12 inches of
snow today.  You must park your car on the odd-numbered side
of the street, so The snowplows can get through."   

     The good wife went out and moved her car again. 
The next week they are again having breakfast, when the
radio announcer says, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches
of snow today.  You must park...."  Then the electric
power went out.  The good wife was very upset, and with a
worried look on her face she said, "Honey, I don't
know what to do.  Which side of the street do I need to park
on so the snowplows can get through?"   
  
      With the love and understanding in his voice
that all men who are married to blondes exhibit, the husband
replied, "Why don't you just leave it in the garage
this time."

I think I may know her.  By the way, look what I found in my email box:

I am thinking about ordering it.  Wonder what colors it comes in....

Saturday Plans

Okay, I know everyone is sick of all the whining, weeping and gnashing of teeth about the cold weather.  But I need you to know that I slept in a turtleneck and a sweatshirt last night.  It was -1 this morning, but has warmed to a sweltering 6 right now.  However, I am not going to dwell on that.  I have my battles to do.  My day will be filled with dealing with the wildlife here.

Just look at that %$#&%@*&% squirrel.  And he has lots of friends.  They actually ate another feeder.  Ate. The. Feeder.  Gah.

Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, the Mental P Rugrats report an oversized bathroom and a forecast high of 87 today.  Augie sent some pictures to me.  I am guessing their day will be slightly different.  I hope they don't strain themselves deciding which chair to settle in for the day.

Did I mention that I had to sleep in a turtleneck and a sweatshirt?

A Vicarious Vacation

Since we have already established the sad fact that I have a little issue with living my children's lives, I thought I should tell you that "we" are going on a vacation.  Yes sir.  It is 7 degrees here this morning, and the Mental Rugrats are on a plane right this very minute.  A plane to Costa Rica.  Yep.  Where I just checked the weather and it is a sunny 77 degrees at 7:30 in the morning.  Yep.  They are going with their father and stepmother.  Yep.  I was not invited.

What brats.

Guess I'll go shovel some more snow.

What excitement does everyone else have planned?

Confession Time

1.  I had wine last night.  There, I said it. But it was Day Ten.  Splish splash.

2. I chose the winner of the flip flop naming contest because I was so busy with my wine that I forgot to ask The Bird.  Oh, Flea won with "Feet-al Chardonnay."  Be on the lookout for your super duper prize, Ms. Flea.

3.  I did not do any cardio yesterday.

4.  I really am living vicariously through my children.  It is a sad state of affairs.

5.  I may not leave the house again until my hair appointment next Wednesday.

6.  I think I may be in love with Kate Winslet.

There.  I feel so much better now.  Anybody else have things to fess up to?

Interviews...

The following obedient people have their fabulous Interviews up...go visit them!

Asthmagirl

Sassy

Kim-D

Snooty Primadonna

A Mid-Winter Contest!

I don't know about the rest of the world, 

but this time of year can be depressing.

And with no booze?

...

So to cheer us all up, I am having a little bit of fun today.

Guess Who?

I have a nice Mental P prize for the winner.

And I'll have hints along the way today.

Let the games begin...

PS.  The no booze business is actually not bad.

In fact, I am liking my newfound sobriety.

Who knew?

I'm sure it'll pass.

Okay, back to the contest.

Who is our little friend?

UPDATE:

Well, darn. I tested it and couldn't see her name on my side...

Yes, folks, it is Shauna Sand.

Mother of the year.

Now what should I do?

I think it should have something to do with shoes.

I have shoes on the brain....

I know.

Name these flip flops.

The Bird will decide the winner tonight at 9 pm EST.

Honestly, if you have lasted this long, you deserve a prize;)

Miss Hower Chimes In

Miss Ives, blogger extraordinaire, would you permit me to add a couple of colorful details?  

First, thank you for allowing me to maintain some dignity in that shame-faced restaurant moment regarding the dreaded champignons.   My memory is mostly of that look, that shared moment, between you and the waiter when you both rolled your eyes a little in my direction.  It was a moment that said, "Sure, I'm here enjoying my friend's hospitality, but I cannot guarantee her intelligence."  It was a moment when the two of you acknowledged to one another (silently) that, despite my dewy Laslo skin and cute sweater, I was a linguistic moron or, as the French might say, an imbecile! 

Merci.

***A note from Mental P Mama:  Miss Hower has somehow managed to become a guest contributor to MY blog!  Love ya baby!  Now a note to self: teach her how to log me off her computer....

Dinner Party a la Sonoma

Last week, my dear old friend Miss Hower--she of the voodoo doll fame--invited us to come to dinner on Sunday night.  Being the dedicated Sonoma Mama that I am, I told her we would love to, but not to be offended if I couldn't eat everything.  Because Miss Hower has been down this road with me more times than she probably cares to remember, she was immediately interested in what I could have, and made a Sonoma feast fit for, well, me on Sunday evening.  We had broiled Arctic Char with a fantastic Napa Herb rub and an avocado/tomato/cilantro topping, steamed peas, couscous, roasted sweet onions and tomatoes, salad, and all the water I could down.  Miss Hower is a fantastic cook, and I loved every last bite.

Now for a bit of the diet and personal care saga history of Miss Hower and Mental P:  We have been at it for a long time.  I won't say how long, but a looooong time.  We started in college.  We would put bandanas on our heads and take jogs together.  When it rained, we would jog in slow motion around our suite to the strains of "Chariots of Fire."  Yup.  That long ago.  Miss Hower also arrived on campus that year with a complete assortment of Erno Laszlo skin care products.  The rest of the girls were so impressed that we had all our newspapers delivered to our door under the name of, you guessed it, Erno Laszlo.  She also had so many cute little sweaters that she had to color coordinate them in her closet.  You do not want to know how many shoes she has right this very moment.

Anyway, fast forward ten years after our Vanderbilt days, and I am visiting Miss Hower in her Florida home for a "spa" weekend.  We planned a whole weekend of exercise, massage, healthy eating and relaxation.  And it went pretty well.  Until lunch on day three.  We sauntered in to a restaurant in Sarasota, Florida--a French restaurant with a very French waiter.  First, we wanted a diet drink with no caffeine.  Who the hell goes into a restaurant like this and drinks anything but wine?  Sigh.  As I recall the waiter did a whole bunch of sighing.  Then we placed our orders.  I wanted some sort of salad with, basically, none of the listed ingredients.  And everything else on the side, thank you so very much.  Miss Hower ordered the salade aux champignons.  Only she didn't want any mushrooms with that salad.  In case you don't speak French,  champignons are mushrooms.  Needless to say, I think that poor waiter had to change his shirt because he was sweating so much.  I cannot sit and write this story without laughing out loud.  Fifteen years later.  

The point of this little walk down memory lane is to say how blessed I feel to be able to say to a friend--who has graciously invited you to dinner--that you do not want any champignons, and she totally gets it.  With grace and style.  Thank you Miss Hower, you are the best, and I know you will always have my back.  xoxo, Miss Ives.

A Lady and a Diet Update

First, the lady:

Nice.

Is that what all that dieting did to you, honey?

Oh, and happy birthday Kirstie.

And another big Happy Birthday to Cool Breeze!

I am sure he and his lovely bride, Big Hair Envy, will be celebrating in an appropriate, South Beach manner.  This whole diet business was their idea.  Right?  Right?

Anyway, let's talk about me now.

Today is Day 8 for me on The Sonoma Diet.

I have lost 6 pounds since last Monday.

SIX POUNDS.

I wanted to make sure you heard me.

I feel good.

My skin looks better.

I sleep better.

I function better.

Maybe there is something to this healthy living business.

Okay, enough about me;

How's everybody else doing?

Interview Me!

My first interview with The New Yorker!  Yes, Daryl, The New Yorker!  And here is what she wants to know:

1.  If I didn't know what you looked like, would I know you?  How?  What is it that makes you memorable?   Well, I think if you heard me speak, you would know it was me.  I talk just like I write, and with a Southern accent.  And that, my friends, is what makes me memorable.  Or forgettable.  Depending on what kind of mood you're in.

2. How many pairs of shoes do you have?  Are you really a shoe junkie?  Okay, hold on, I'm going to count.  67.     And if you want to know the sandal and flip-flop count, you'll have to write to me.  I consider that classified information.  Does this make me a shoe junkie?  You tell me, but I don't think I'm even close.

3. When/How did you, Annie and Jules meet?  I met my very good Cocktail Corner friends about ten years ago when I first started dating Squazz.  He introduced us, and when we moved to the "Corner" 4 years ago, things really got interesting;)  By the way, since I am on Day 8 today of my Sonoma Diet, I haven't seen them all week.  And I miss them.  But on a positive note, I am wasting away to nuthin'!

4.  If you could live anywhere, where would that be?  Why?  I am honestly very happy right here in Fairfield County, Connecticut.  We have toyed with the idea of moving to a more moderate climate--I grew up in the South, but I love it here.  I love the pace, my friends, the activities...you name it.  I love to travel, but am always thrilled to come back home.

5.  What do you like about your job?  Well, I am about to be out of the longest running job I have ever had--and the best one ever.  My babies are going to college in August, and I like to think that they are going to be the honest and true citizens I have been nurturing.  After that?  I really want to lay off the volunteer work, and find a paying job.  I need to be with people, and I will need the dollars!  I have an MA in Communications, so if you know anyone in the area who needs a marketing/event management/right hand person, please let me know.  Mama is ready!

So that's it.  Simple.  I am ready to return the favor.

Here are the directions:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the

questions).

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview

someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask
them five questions.

Oops...I meant to say the first 5 who said "Interview me." Now, just wait for your questions....

Guardian Angel

Noelle the cat--adopted December 1999 at 6 months

Dora the beagle mix--adopted July 2004 at 6 weeks

They are both angels.

Most of the time;)

By the way--Day Seven on Sonoma Wave One and all is well!

Bath Day

Can't we all just get along?