Paris, Je T'aime: My tribute to a place to which I've never been

A couple of years ago, I took part in a blog hop hosted by the wonderful Castles, Crowns and Cottages.  The point? To blog about Paris. From the archives, here's my tribute to a place I've never been too, but often dreamed about going!

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“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”-- Ernest Hemingway

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Every city has a sex and an age which have nothing to do with demography. Rome is feminine. So is Odessa. London is a teenager, an urchin, and this hasn’t changed since the time of Dickens. Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman.--John Berger

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Whoever does not visit Paris regularly will never really be elegant.--Honoré de Balzac

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I love Paris in the summer, when it sizzles.--Cole Porter

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Everything ends this way in France - everything. Weddings, christenings, duels, burials, swindlings, diplomatic affairs -everything is a pretext for a good dinner.-

Jean Anouilh

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This is what you do on your very first day in Paris. You get yourself, not a drizzle, but some honest-to-goodness rain, and you find yourself someone really nice and drive her through the Bois de Boulogne in a taxi. The rain’s very important. That’s when Paris smells its sweetest. It’s the damp chestnut trees.--Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina

I leave you with one of my francophile daughter's favorite French songs. Enjoy...

Head over to my book blog...

...to read my review of "Deeply Odd," by Dean Koontz.

What's on your refrigerator door?

YouTubers will sometimes share a link-up/challenge called "What's in  your purse?" , in which they'll pretty much dump out everything that's in their purse and display the items.  Well, I decided to do one called "What's on your refrigerator door?"

I'm only going to display the top part, or this could get a bit overhelming!

When I first moved to this house in 2005, I determined that everything would be pristine.  No more stuff all over the refrigerator!

Well, that lasted a while.  But what better place is there to put those reminders that you want to always have right in front of you?  Or little mementoes that give you a grin?  After all, you open your refrigerator constantly.  

And then came grandchildren.  I'm not showing you the other parts of my refrigerator, on which my grandkids' artwork is prominently displayed.  You don't have that much time. :)

But OK, let's break it down a little.

See that bookmark with the picture of the adorable little boy? The adorable boy is now 30 years old.  But I found this when cleaning out a drawer, and I couldn't resist.

The magnet that looks like a book cover was a PR item back when I was doing a lot of author interviews on Christian radio. By the way, Jane Kirkpatrick is one of my favorite authors, and I heartily recommend her books.

The Will and Kate magnet was a souvenir brought back from England by friends who visited there just a few weeks before the Royal Wedding.

As a diabetic, I'm constantly trying to lower my blood sugar.  I posted this list to help remind me of foods I should be eating on a regular basis.

The "Greece" magnet is actually a souvenir from the same friends who brought me one back from England.  Why are they going all the places *I* want to go?! :)

A "save the date" card from my nephew and his fiancee.  I've left it up there just because I think they look so cute.

And here's the actual invitation to their wedding.  Good thing I took this picture today, because I realized that I need to RSVP by August 24th!

The radio station magnet is from the place where I work.  On the right is the only postcard I've ever actually received from Paris...sent by my friend Teri when she visited there in January.  (Again, why can't I go?!) :)

My obsession with the Eiffel Tower continues with another magnet.  And the "Les Miserables" card was from a school production that we never actually made it to.

My grandchildren call us "Papa" and "Nana," and I thought this Father's Day card for my husband was so adorable.

So, yeah. Periodically I clean everything off, leave it pristine for a while, and then things start creeping back on!

What about you? Do you put things on your refrigerator door? Let me know in my comments section...or blog about it!

Visible Monday: 35th Anniversary Day Trip to Chicago!

Today is my 35th wedding anniversary! On Saturday, my husband and I went into Chicago to celebrate.  We had lunch at one of my favorite places to eat in Chicago, Rosebud on Rush, did a little shopping and sightseeing.  I love Chicago! We had a great time.

On the way to the Windy City! The weather was absolutely perfect, by the way!

At the restaurant

I wore my hair curly, teased on the top and pinned back on the sides

Not the best outfit of the day shot...sorry!  I was wearing capris from Macy's, cardigan and shell from Target.  This is in the courtyard of the beautiful Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago.

Entrance to the Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago, where "My Best Friend's Wedding" was filmed.  A wedding was going to take place that evening there!

Had to take a picture of this entrance, just because it was so pretty.  This is the entrance to the John Timothy Stone Chapel of Fourth Presbyterian Church.

A pretty scene on Rush Street.  Chicago really dresses up for summer, with a profusion of hanging baskets and gorgeous flowers everywhere. 

The Hancock Building, one of the tallest buildings in Chicago.  Taken from Chestnut Street.

If you ever get a chance to go to Chicago, GO!  It's one of the most fascinating cities in the world.

I'm participating today in Visible Monday!

Have a grin on me!

Happy Friday, everyone!

As if Friday wasn't enough to smile about, I decided to share some funnies with you today.

The Great Videobombing:

Several days ago, my daughter and I decided to record ourselves singing one of my mom's favorite gospel songs, "Daystar."

Early on, we messed up, and realized that this was going to be our practice video.  When my husband heard that, he decided some "videobombing" was in order.

We had NO idea he was doing this, by the way.

Hilarity ensues.

Drat those hard-to-pronounce names:

I'm a radio newscaster for a living, so you'd think I'd be able to breeze through difficult names without a problem, right? ESPECIALLY when there's a pronunciation guide right by the name.

But no.

Fortunately, I was recording this newscast and NOT doing it live, or I'd be one embarrassed newscaster.



Check this out on Chirbit


To round it all off, here are some funny things I've come across online lately...

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I'm participating today in Five on Friday!

Thursday Favorite Things: Do you have a best friend?

Today is Best Friends Day. I have some very dear friends.  But I have to say that my best friends are my sisters, Beverly and Lisa. 

This is one of my favorite pictures of my sisters and me, taken at my niece's wedding.  Beverly is on the left and Lisa is on the right.

I wrote this before about my sisters:

"My sisters and I share so much that I have a hard time even expressing it. We encourage each other, support each other, pray for each other.

They both live far away from me, so we cherish any time that we can physically be together. We laugh like crazy, sometimes cry a little, but always have an amazing time. They are two of the funniest women I know!

We can completely be ourselves around each other, and tell each other pretty much everything. We are each other's biggest fans and cheerleaders.

We talk to each other on the phone regularly...and have even gotten into texting each other quite a bit.

I also adore my younger brother, and he holds a unique place in my heart that no one else could fill...but he's most definitely not a woman. My sisters can empathize and understand me as women.

My husband, who I love with all my heart, is also a wonderful friend; but again, there's just something about a sister that's different from any other friendship.

I'm thankful for my sisters...my best friends."

My younger sister Lisa and me.  Lisa is a pastor's wife and works full-time as an administrative assistant at a Fortune 500 company.  Her indefagitable spirit and organizational and leadership skills amaze me.  She's also one of the most loving and generous women I know!  

My older sister Beverly is vibrant, sparkling and beautiful! She has always been one of my biggest inspirations to be the best woman-of-a-certain-age that I can be.  She lights up a room when she enters it.  She is loving, nurturing, and so much fun to be around!

This is me with my siblings and my mom last Christmas. My dear dad passed away in 2004.   
I'm participating today in Thursday Favorite Things, hosted by Katherine's Corner! Join the fun! 

Do you appreciate your hairstylist? (from the archives)

Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like. ~Author Unknown

Your hairstylist probably knows more about you than your doctor. A good hairstylist not only gives you the most up-to-date hairstyle that you can replicate at home, he or she is also a good listener. Hairstyling is an artful skill that boosts self-esteem and makes clients feel good...-from news.yahoo.com

There's no doubt about it, a really good hairstylist is a treasure.

There are few feelings happier than the day you know you're getting your hair cut and/or colored...especially when you know and trust your stylist.  You feel like a new woman!

Looking back on all the people who have cut, styled and/or colored my hair, I've been pretty blessed.

Price has always been an issue for me.  I just can't afford to spend a ton of money on my hair.

 Right now, my hairstylist works in a terrific salon in a small town over half an hour away from me.  The drive is worth it because not only is the price much less, but Lori is a talented stylist and colorist, and I've been very pleased with her work.

This has worked against me in the past, though.  For a couple of years, I had a bargain stylist who was dirt-cheap.  I thought this person did an OK job, but looking back at pictures of myself during this era, I can see that my hair was really not very flattering.

 The old adage "You get what you pay for" comes to mind.
I've had some wonderful stylists in the past who have since moved away. I actually followed Samantha through stops in three different salons!  This girl really had a talent with hair.

We all know that when you take a photo to a hairstylist, you shouldn't expect miracles.  She/he can use it as a guideline, but chances are, it's not going to look the same on you.

However, one time I took a photo to Samantha and I think she came pretty close!

Photo I took to the shop on the left--me post-cut on the right

Sam ended up moving away and getting married.

How about you?  Do you have a hard time finding someone who does your hair the way you want it? Is cost an issue?  Do you change stylists frequently, or tend to stick with one for years?

Let me know in my comments section!

Visible Monday: The "messy" side pony

As I continue in my journey of trying to be the best woman-of-a-certain-age that I can be, I've been trying to change up my hairstyles.  I don't want to get stuck in a rut.

So, inspired my one of my favorite YouTube tutorialists, Miss Tammy (more about her in a moment), I tried a "messy side bun."

Actually, as you can see, it turned out to be more of a side-pony than a side bun.

I don't think it really matters, though.  The whole point of the side-thingie is to be uber-casual about it.

As it happens, when I wore this look to work this past Friday, two of my co-workers and I were all wearing some form of black with white polka dots.

Susan, me and Linda

Of course, I had to take a pic.

Now about Miss Tammy, aka Uppiesbeads59, aka Crazy Miss Tammy

So, yeah, isn't she ridiculously gorgeous?

I'm not sure just how I came across Miss Tammy on YouTube.  All I know is that, although I love the young YouTube beauty tutorialists, I had really been wanting to find one closer to my age.

Miss Tammy fit the bill perfectly.  I think she's a few years younger than me, but she knows all about the things we women-of-a-certain age are going through, and she's all about aging gracefully, beautifully and elegantly.

And as a professional aesthetician, she can give knowledgeable and practical advice.

Not only that, she's funny and has a great personality. She often slips off into a foreign accent that's so cute...I don't know if it's real or just for fun.

Anyway, I got the side-thingie inspiration from Miss Tammy.  Now, understand that her hair is a lot longer than mine, so she rocks it a lot better.  But I now leave you with her tutorial for the messy side bun.

I'm taking part today in Visible Monday, hosted by Not Dead Yet Style!

Five on Friday: Five of My All-Time Favorite Books

Today is National Book Lovers Day, or National Read a Book Day, depending on what link you check out on Google.  Well, I NEVER need an excuse to talk about reading!  And since I'm participating in Five on Friday, I'm sharing five of my favorite books. (Actually, a couple of them are series.  Sorry. :))

Note: this list doesn't include the Bible, which I base my life around and which is in a class by itself.

Here we go:

 Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

As I've said many, many times on this blog, this is my favorite fiction book OF ALL TIME.  I fell in love with it as a little girl, and still re-read it often.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

It's almost a cliche to love this book now, because so many young women have discovered Jane Austen, and a new generation has fallen in love with Mr. Darcy.  But I've loved it for years, and still re-read it to this day.

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis

I remember discovering these books as a child, and being awestruck with delight.  Even re-reading them as an adult, the magic is still there.

The Mark of the Lion Series, by Francine Rivers

Set in Rome just after the time of Christ, this series is riveting.  I never thought I was even interested in Roman times until I read these books.  Some of the finest work of a fine writer.

Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

The movie has become so iconic, one sometimes forgets that it was based on an incredible book that encapsulates one of the most tumultuous eras of our country.  Really an unforgettable read.

Need more reading suggestions?

Check out my book blog, Cindy's Book Club, where there are lots of reviews!

I'm participating today in Five on Friday!