Wednesday's Fashion~~~Winter Hats and a Package from Becca

Hi everyone I am so sorry this post is late. Had  take my Mom to two appointments today and had no time to sit here and write.


First let me thank Becca from Everyday Life I was having a crappy day and then it was turned around when I got  a package from Becca. I received a $10.00 gift certificate a week ago and then yesterday I received An awesome book! She has cool give-a-ways and I won two! If you haven't checked her blog yet please do. She is so sweet and quite the poet. There is always something new going on there. Thanks again Becca!


And now onto Wednesday's Fashion

I love hats. In fact in my early 20's I lived in a black Fedora hat. Lately  however I have stopped wearing hats, but I think this is my year. I am off to find a cool hat to wear this winter.





In the 80's I lived in a hat like this

                source


1920's and 30's

Should I go totally 20's? Check out this velvet trimmed hat. too cool

                source


1940's

OOO LA LA  a knit Beret and I am kind of liking that handbag...very unique.

            source

I love the fact that everyone went out wearing a smart hat

                     source


1950's

Lovely Grace in a lovely flower adorned hat

                source


1960's Catherine Deneuve

I remember my Mother always tying a pretty scarf around her hairdo.
            
         source




Now you know I had to include Audrey somewhere in this post. How chic is this scarf wrap!

            source


The 70's brought back the wide brimmed floppy hat

            source

Since my ears hurt terribly when the cold wind hits. This would be perfect for me

            source


The 90's brought us flowered embellished hats...We can thank the show Blossom for that.

            source

Currently anything goes. Designers are taking their inspiration from the past.


           source 


            source              
             

And that's great; more choices, but I wonder if I can pull off wearing this?

              source

Not exactly high fashion, but oh so much fun!

Meatballs

 Food Food Food...maybe its because we just celebrated Thanksgiving, but I am suffering here from linear thinking and its all about food!


First let me let you know that regardless of evidence to the contrary I AM a good cook.
                    source


In Fact on Thursday my Mother-in-law ( who is a great cook) told me the turkey was like Butter or "Butta" like we say here in New York.

My husband comes from a nice (though sometimes loud, and funny and kooky) Italian family. And His Mom cooks Sunday pasta like nobody's business!

In 2004 my husband was away with the military and I wanted to continue our tradition of cooking a special meal for Veteran's day.

I decided to cook an Italian meal.

I know what your thinking..."what's the big deal Joanne?"

I'm not Italian and I was going to make everything from scratch.


Soooooooooooooooooo fast forward to my bi-weekly phone call from hubby where I told him my plan. He calmly said


"DON"T DO IT!!!!!!"



"Wha?" I answered. "How hard could it be really? I am not exactly a novice cook. I think I can handle it." 

He added "Joanne, just please don't make the meatballs too small."

Those words stuck with me the whole week while I planned the meal.

Don't make the meat balls too small

Don't make the meat balls too small

Don't make the meat balls too small!

So I followed a recipe for home made sauce... and I made those meat balls. and No I did not make them too small...in fact they were big, gigantic, Godzilla-ish. And they were NOT good.

They were like huge meat covered rocks. I knew I was in trouble when I saw my brother-in-law's reaction when I heaved the enormous meat covered baseball onto his plate.

                  

                                           source

Everyone was polite, but eventually word got back to Hubby that I served sauce covered bowling balls.

after that disaster whenever I said to hubby that I was going to try to make meatballs again he would say..

Don't make the meatballs too big

Don't make the meatballs too big

Don't make the meatballs too big!!!

Sometimes there's just no pleasing people!


P.S. If you are wondering; after 16 years of marriage I finally got it right and I am now able to serve a good homemade meatball, pasta and sauce...without the rocks

Link to a post worth reading and passing around

 I Just came from reading a Blog post and would like to share it with you all. Claudia's Blog was one of the first I followed and I love it more and more each day. Today she wrote about mean Girls in the blogging world and I think it's worth passing the link around.Blogging Etiquette: Mean Girls

French Fries

Its 1:30 in the a.m. and I am craving french fries thanks to Robyn's post here

I am listening to my nano and I'm listening to John Travolta and Olivia Newton John singing Summer Nights.

                  oooo french fries

Now I am listening to the Pet Shop Boys singing West End Girls and wondering where has the time gone. I remember dancing to this song at Ohio University  while visiting friends


                 f-r-e-n-c-h-y  f-r-i-e-s


It was in Ohio that I met my first real serious boyfriend.
                  He turned out to be a big fat cheater and eventually we broke up  thank God, but I digress.

He invited me to meet his parents. I was very very nervous. I flew in from New York just for the occasion.  They took us out to dinner to a restaurant they owned in town.

Here's the variable in this story.

          I was dead tired. I hadn't eaten all day because I was so nervous.

The stage is set and off we go.


They decided to order drinks. Now if you know anything about me from reading this blog is that I DO NOT really drink alcohol. The waitress came over and asked what I wanted. I nearly blurted out "Just a coke please."

I looked to my then  boyfriend ( who turned out to be a big fat cheating rat) <--I never get tired of writing that.

He was no help.."Just order something other than a soda Jo." he was annoyed at my ignorance.

The waitress then said " Well since you are from New York then you should order a Long Island Ice tea"

I thought " ahhh perfect, an ice tea sounds tame enough " and I said "Yes" I'll have one of those.

Here is what is in one of those tame drinks. check out the first four ingredients.
                                                                        

1 part vodka
1 part tequila                       
1 part rum
1 part gin
1 part triple sec
1 1/2 parts sweet and sour mix
1 splash Coca-Cola®

She brought out a huge glass of my drink
              I sipped it through a straw. It didn't taste strong. In fact it tasted fruity. Before I knew it My then boyfriends Dad ordered another for me.  It was deceivingly strong; I realized it a bit too late..


empty stomach
        
strong drink

plastered Joanne




The waitress took her time and by the time she took our dinner order I was seeing
                                     
                                                  source




and feeling a bit like

                              
                                           source

I don't know how exactly the next thing happened but I said YES to all of her dinner suggestions. In addition to the huge main course I had nodded yes to all the sides and then some. Maybe I thought it easier to nod yes rather than take a chance and slur my words.

 By the time the food came it looked like King Henry the 8th was expected.  My then boyfriend ( you know, the two timing cheating donkey butt) <---*nope, still not sick of it*  thought it was hilarious when my food came and it took up half the table. I felt so much better after I ate and everyone got a good laugh that night after I explained that I was not much of a drinker. They were lovely people (the parents, not the rat fink boyfriend) and we all wound up sharing all I had ordered including a giant order of
                          
                                          french fries

Pre-Thanksgiving Surprise

All I said was...


 "Hon, do you think you could finish the frame around the bathroom door before Thanksgiving?"

"Sure." He said

That was weeks ago.

Last night I went to bed as he tried to work on the bathroom frame.


This morning I woke up to find this.
                          

                                                   and
                         
                          

He has decided that the bathroom needs a paint job

It's the day before Thanksgiving.

       And we are hosting it.


He was shocked when I reacted like this
                               
                                  Janet‑Leigh‑in‑Psycho



Stay calm Joanne stay calm..... and for you all my Bloggy buddies I hope you have a Blessed Thanksgiving and remember to give thanks for all your blessings.

I will try to remember this as well. TRY TRY TRY!!!


Happy Thanksgiving!

Mom, By the Way....

BUSY
      
            BUSY

                    BUSY


Finally got the
                  
                               source


Bought all the fixin's
                                
                                                  source


And now I am concentrating on getting everything organized for the big day.


Everything was going according to plan until........


At exactly 9:37pm my son walks down the stairs and says


"Mom...By the way..."(OK, we all know that nothing good follows that right?) 
"We are having a party tomorrow and we need to bring something in. Maybe you could bake something?"
Now, I am sure that he was given a note last week about the party, but since he NEVER brings notes home I am left to put on my fortune teller hat and guess....or am surprised late at night with requests for cupcakes, money orders or "reminders" that forms are due



You guys would have been so proud of me...




I was cool
              
                        source







I was calm
                
                         source







and collected
                    
                            source



Naturally, I did what any other mother would do....


Bake? NO!!!

This Morning I asked my husband to buy something from our local bakery and drop it off at the school. Thank God they didn't want parents there at the party, because Lord knows my son would have told me this last minute and I may have had to go to school like this.
                                
                                       source

                                          

Fowl Letter

                                                
                                                                       source


Dear Joanne,

                  I am freezing my patootie off.

                           I thought you were going to pick me up by now, but here I am still waiting.



Have you forgotten?

Do I mean nothing to you?

I know that you are busy, but seriously this is a once a year deal...

              Have you decided to completely ignore me and choose differently?

If I sound a bit desperate it's because I am! I need to know if I will have somewhere to go on Thursday. ...or will I be left here to freeze my giblets off.

I guess what I am asking is...do you still want me?

                                                                Signed,
                                            The frozen Turkey at the supermarket





                  Dear Frozen Turkey,

I am sorry I have been so busy. You see what you may not understand is that the dinner is not the only thing we hosts have to be concerned about. There's the incessant cleaning and preparations of the house (That none of the other inhabitants seems to care to worry about!) 
Guests need to be greeted not only by a welcoming host but also be made to believe that the house ALWAYS looks perfectly put together and gleeming ( in one week's time will yet again resemble a cluttered mess). 


              Do not fret my frozen bird friend I will be by later.

                        
                              And yes I still want you

                                                                      
                                                             Sincerely,
                                                                  Joanne

   




This post idea came about yesterday as we placed a frozen turkey in the donation basket at church and realized that I had not bought my own turkey. I have been going crazy trying to get the house ready and buying all the extras needed for the meal that I forgot to buy my own bird. So I guess if I don't act soon my family will be eating stuffing stuffed with stuffing for Thanksgiving.    
                                                  
                                                                      source    

But then again that could turn into a cool new tradition! Or how about chocolate covered stuffing for dessert? That could totally work!!! Hey...I can sculpt the yams to look like a turkey and liquor up the grown ups so they will never know. Ok...it's official I've got Thanksgivingitis....the cure?... delicious leftover turkey sandwiches on Friday November 25th...wait...
                             
                               I DON"T HAVE A TURKEY!!!!!!!!!
                                            gotta go

                                
                                              source

Artsy Fartsy Friday~~~ Magic Wave by Reuben Margol

      

      I am passionate about art.

                              someone can look at a pile of hollow sticks and say "That's just a pile of hollow sticks"...and an artist will look at the same pile and see a chance to create something absolutely beautiful....This week's art is about that very artist

Today I give you  A Kinetic Sculpture by Reuben Margol

                           "MAGIC WAVE"


             

If you want more info on it there is a longer video that shows the artist and his artistic process: Maker Profile - Kinetic Wave Sculptures on MAKE: television 
       

I Hope you all have a magical weekend!!!
                                             Blessings, Joanne     

Bad Times in Fairytale World~~My Visit With Snow White

I am in such a fairytale mood, so much so that I went to visit my good friend Snow White

"Hi Snow White! Long time no see!"

"Why Joanne, It has been a long time! I heard that you dropped by Cinderella's Castle earlier in the year and I wondered why you hadn't paid me a visit."

"Well,  Snow white, I didn't have your new address. What happened to that huge Castle?"

"We downsized."                 

"Oh my."

"Yes the bad economy hit hard here too. Charming had to take a cut in pay and just when all 7 Dwarfs moved out...they all moved back in."

"Wow I had no idea."

"Oh yes, The mines closed down and they all came back home to start anew."  Snow pours some tea into mismatched chipped cups.        

                                                                                           

                                                                                                       source

"That must have been difficult."

"You better believe it."

"What about your step mom...I'm afraid to ask."

"Oh everyone thinks that she died but the old witch is still kickin',  in fact she isn't such a threat anymore. she lives in a retirement community in Boca and she indeed is the fairest of them all there.  She has had so much plastic surgery that you can bounce a quarter off her face."

"Yowza. Any kids?"

"We are trying but all these mouths to feed we are taking our time.


"So what is Charming up to these days?"

"Well after we sold the castle he realized he was a good salesman so now he's behind the counter at The Cinderella's castle gift shop in Disney."

"Cool."

"Ach, It's a living. Want a I Cinderella T-shirt? I have tons of them!"


"No thanks, And how are you?"

"Well, I started my own cleaning business."

"Awesome!"

"Yep, my slogan is If I can't clean up your stinkin' dump, no one can! "

"Sounds like a winner."

"Things are looking up, The Dwarfs are finally getting their acts together and slowly  getting back on their feet.

Doc is in Medical school...Gynecology is his goal.

Sneezy developed his own holistic allergy medicine and is about to have his own infomercial.

Grumpy works for the DMV

Happy got a job as an ice cream taster at Ben and Jerry's

Sleepy is selling mattresses at the mall

and Bashful is now a male stripper...tonight we are having an intervention to try to get him out of that life.

"What about Dopey?"

"He's a politician."

"It all makes sense now. Well, It's been such a great visit Snow, but I see by that old hourglass on the wall that it's getting late. I'd better go.

"Awww so soon? Why don't you stay for dinner? I just ordered a pizza."

                          Ding Dong

"Oh good the delivery guy is here"

                                                     

                                                        source

"Beast, you're the pizza delivery guy?"

"Yes, times are hard even in Fairytale world. Serves us right for electing guys like Dopey."

Wednesday's Fashion~~~Boots

In the late 70's when I was 15 or so...My Mom bought me my first pair of heeled boots. They were black and the first time I wore them was to Church. I wore them with a very long mid-calf length skirt and my beautiful long blue coat.

After Mass a lot of the teens would help out in the Sunday school. At the side of the church were a long steep set of stone steps that led up to the Sunday school and church offices. All of the Sunday school helpers would exit through there. All the boys would wait for the girls at the bottom of the stairs

Here are some more important facts

I had a teensy weensy crush on one of the boys.

And

My feet were killing me
 
And


and the most important fact of all....It had snowed.

scene set...Here we go.



You see where I am going with this right?

I saw my crushity crush and I said to myself  "Oh goodie he's here...and I am looking pretty cool"

I took one step onto the top stair and didn't even have time to give my alluring pose before my brand new boots that had my clumsy feet in them slipped and flew up in front of me. I fell and...

I Rolled.

      And Rolled
               
                      source

         And rolled...all the while trying desperately to grab onto something...anything.

              Rolling

                    Still Rolling
                        
                                  source
                             


You ever fall and it seems like you're falling in slow motion?
      source

                         That was me. I was endlessly falling with no end in sight. On the way down I was actually thinking...

"Maybe they haven't noticed"

Still Rolling
           
                   source
               


             rolling
                    
                              source


                     I think I may have tried to take a few people down with me


                     Rolling...
                                 
                                           source

Then after what seemed like hours I hit the last step and came to a stop just a few feet from my crush. After the boys came over and saw that I was OK a roar of laughter erupted.

"What the heck Joanne! You looked like a log rolling down the stairs!"

My Crush looked at me and asked " Are you really OK?

"Yes, Thanks" I laughed a bit as I brushed off my coat.

"So you couldn't wait to see me is that it? he smiled and handed me my purse.

"Yep, that's it" I laughed.  Little did he know that I wasn't really joking about that part..




Anyhoo.....Today I give you BOOTS





My black boots sort of looked like this

            source










                                                     
                                      Early 1900's lace up boots
                                      
                                                  source



1940's brought us fancy galoshes


          source



I couldn't believe when I saw this picture of a 60's stewardess. I had no idea that some had such skimpy outfits! but the boots were super cool with the side laces and clunky heel

               source




The 80's brought about a resurgence of the good ol' Doc Martens  THE boot favored by punk rockers.                        


               source




These are some of the current trends.


Sort of an elongated moccasin

                   source




Awww Noooo!!!! Not the Thigh High boot trend again!

               source


Is that a toe peeking through...seriously? whats the use?

          source




For the lady who wants the Sasquatch look

                  source




This one would drive me CRAZY! and would probably leave you with a creepy pressure pattern on your skin.

            source


Flat Timberland boots. Not the prettiest, but Timberlands last forever and are comfy. I just threw out my boots and they were 13 years old!

                 source