Beauty

[aprilskies]

Well I wrote up a whole post and because I couldnt finish it, it timed out and it is not even in my saved.  Oy.  I will be back later.

I hope all of you are doing well.

[Oshare-girl]

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@just bee wrote:

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@Oshare-girl wrote:

We're going to Portland in the fall and I'm so excited, I'm working on my packing list already.  I wanted to take a smaller more portable palette with me and since it's a no-buy month, I shopped my stash.  I broke open a Lorac skinny eyeshadow palette that I bought during the holidays but never used.  Love it!  I can't wait to go and get away from this unbearable heat.  Hope everyone's keeping cool.

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I'm assuming that's Portland, OR -- not ME.  Remember: Layer, layer, layer.  Be prepared for precipitation.  September's warmer and not as wet as October through December, but pack accordingly.  It's like the San Francisco Bay Area with microclimates.  It can be warm and dry in one area, cooler and soggier in another. 

But you probably already know all this.  I lived behind the Redwood Curtain for five years and managed winter rains and pea soup fog.  But Oregon fog is a whole nuther animal.  On one trip we had to get off the road and wait in a Grants Pass coffee shop for hours for the fog to lift.

Sometimes I miss all that.  But then all I have to do is sniff one of my old schoolbooks and I can still detect mildew.

Oh -- did I mention I'm sick with jealousy?

Actually, it rained so hard here yesterday that both our skylights leaked and rain and hail came right into the house when I opened the front door.  Swept pools of water off the back patio.  Thunder and lightning -- and the neighbor's getting a new roof.  I can't believe the work crew stayed up there and lived to tell about it.

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I've been to Portland once before and it was one of my favorite trips, falls just below Japan in the spring.  Yes, I'm planning to layer, layer, layer.  I'm bringing a rain jacket because Portlanders don't carry umbrellas.  We're staying downtown so I plan to walk and catch the mass transit around the city while DH is in his conference.  We went on an epicurian walking tour the last time we were there and it was the best thing since we didn't know the city at all.  We're planning to do another walking food tour on his free day.  I can't wait!  This heat is horrible.  And the weird summer storms just add to the misery.  Our roof is leaking too and also our downstairs closet.  When it rains steadily, the water just appears out of the concrete.  We need a structural engineer...

Portland, take me away!  I'm not sure that I would want to live there, but it sure is a nice change of pace.

[Oshare-girl]

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette is history!  I finished it this morning.  It feels SO good to accomplish that.  Sometimes I think it's ridiculous how much energy I put into finishing products, but I'm hoping that this change in behavior will have a ripple effect and affect other areas that need work in my life.

So after all that, was it worth it?  Yes & no.  As Marie Kondo says, it served its purpose in that I satisfied my curiosity of the HG powders and I don't need to purchase any others.  And no, the palette wasn't worth it.  The consistency was really beautiful but the colors weren't right for my skintone.  And my Wet N Wild powders do the job just as well for a fraction of the price.  

As for the no-buy August, um...I broke it.  I'm running low on my mascara waterproof top coat from Bareminerals and when I went to reorder it, I can't find it!  Looks like it is being discontinued.  I'm sure it will pop up on the BM last chance sale at some point but I needed a replacement soon.  So I bought a mini Per-fekt gel mascara from drugstore.com.  They are the only site that had the mini size.  I haven't tried this yet so I don't want to invest in the full size.  Plus I find that the mini sizes last 3 months anyway so there's no need to buy a full size.

I'm so sad that drugstore.com is shutting down.  I checked the Walgreens site and they do not have free shipping to Hawaii.  There is no good replacement for fast & free shipping of drugstore products, many of which are hard to find in other drugstores.  I'll have to visit an actual brick & mortar store now.  And Bee, I checked Costco and they have a hybrid dog treat.  It looks like a mixture of Greenies and the Milk Bone dental chew.  Both of which my doggy does consume anyway so maybe it will be a good option.  Change is so hard.... 

[aprilskies]

My August no buy is going great so far. No skincare, mu or haircare at all and I dont plan on it for the rest of the month. I really dont need a thing and probably wont for a long time. It is funny though, a sale I was waiting for popped up in the beginning of the month and I almost bit but as I thought about the purchase and this no buy and getting my cc card from last month, I didnt do it. I just about fell over when I got my cc card. So, a purchase saved. I really dont need eyeshadow or brushes. Sometimes it is just trying different things rather than needing them but no for now. 

My pan that palette came to a halt.  I barely get out in the morning with moisturizer on my face.  Between hormones and the heat, it has been challenging in the mornings.  So, I havent worn any mu at all.  I will pick it up again in the Fall.

So far, so good. 

[aprilskies]

HEP has not been good. I have gained instead of losing and that is not good. I have really cut back on sugar but I guess it doesnt help when other things take its place.  Unfortunately, I always think I can do portion control but that just doesnt work for me. I think I will try being strict during the week and just enjoying myself on the weekends - reasonably. I have never had this problem and can see where it really is a struggle.

[just bee]

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@dosey wrote:

Carowinds was fun but uncomfortably HOT!!  We did not buy the fast passes because the regular fast pass was an additional $40 per person, and the super fast pass was an additional $70 per person.  I don't think so.  Carowinds is fun, but it is no Disneyworld.  We rode several rides but did not get to everything because of the heat.  Besides, I think I got brain whiplash on the Hurler.  Next time,

The Fury

and The Intimidator

Maybe not.

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Not only no, but ____ no.

[just bee]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:

---

@just bee wrote:

---

@Oshare-girl wrote:

We're going to Portland in the fall and I'm so excited, I'm working on my packing list already.  I wanted to take a smaller more portable palette with me and since it's a no-buy month, I shopped my stash.  I broke open a Lorac skinny eyeshadow palette that I bought during the holidays but never used.  Love it!  I can't wait to go and get away from this unbearable heat.  Hope everyone's keeping cool.

---

I'm assuming that's Portland, OR -- not ME.  Remember: Layer, layer, layer.  Be prepared for precipitation.  September's warmer and not as wet as October through December, but pack accordingly.  It's like the San Francisco Bay Area with microclimates.  It can be warm and dry in one area, cooler and soggier in another. 

But you probably already know all this.  I lived behind the Redwood Curtain for five years and managed winter rains and pea soup fog.  But Oregon fog is a whole nuther animal.  On one trip we had to get off the road and wait in a Grants Pass coffee shop for hours for the fog to lift.

Sometimes I miss all that.  But then all I have to do is sniff one of my old schoolbooks and I can still detect mildew.

Oh -- did I mention I'm sick with jealousy?

Actually, it rained so hard here yesterday that both our skylights leaked and rain and hail came right into the house when I opened the front door.  Swept pools of water off the back patio.  Thunder and lightning -- and the neighbor's getting a new roof.  I can't believe the work crew stayed up there and lived to tell about it.

---

I've been to Portland once before and it was one of my favorite trips, falls just below Japan in the spring.  Yes, I'm planning to layer, layer, layer.  I'm bringing a rain jacket because Portlanders don't carry umbrellas.  We're staying downtown so I plan to walk and catch the mass transit around the city while DH is in his conference.  We went on an epicurian walking tour the last time we were there and it was the best thing since we didn't know the city at all.  We're planning to do another walking food tour on his free day.  I can't wait!  This heat is horrible.  And the weird summer storms just add to the misery.  Our roof is leaking too and also our downstairs closet.  When it rains steadily, the water just appears out of the concrete.  We need a structural engineer...

Portland, take me away!  I'm not sure that I would want to live there, but it sure is a nice change of pace.

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I never had an umbrella when I was in school -- it wouldn't have helped.  Soaking winter rains: Everyone was damp, everyone had respiratory infections.  We called it "the crud."

Speaking of damp, thank you for sharing the saga of the leaks.  I'm always comforted when I discover I'm not alone with my house/yard woes.  Things wear out, they break.  As do we.  Just gotta do a bit of MacGyvering and keep going.

Which reminds me.  I have to address the trees that we paid someone to remove.  They're back.  And I think they're p_ssed.

[just bee]

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@aprilskies wrote:

HEP has not been good. I have gained instead of losing and that is not good. I have really cut back on sugar but I guess it doesnt help when other things take its place.  Unfortunately, I always think I can do portion control but that just doesnt work for me. I think I will try being strict during the week and just enjoying myself on the weekends - reasonably. I have never had this problem and can see where it really is a struggle.

---

I've sent Better-half on a quest.  He's Columbus to my Isabella.  "Come back, Chris, with similar taste treats but with less sugar!"  He has replaced my sugary vanilla chai tea drink with unsweetened almond/coconut milk.

Ever drink almond milk?  I opened my lunch bag at work and took a sip from my mason jar.  Hmmm.  This tastes like water that has an almond floating in it.

Ever see Sebastian Maniscalco?  After the second sip I was channeling Sebastian.  Almond milk?  Why not just eat some ____ing almonds?

Opinion on almond milk is... diverse.  There's the this-is-the-best-thing-since-chia school of thought, and there's the just-eat-the-____ing-almonds school of thought.  I'm currently somewhere in the middle.

A coworker suggested a yogurt that has a lot less sugar (read: flavor).  She said she puts stevia in it.  I watched Breaking Bad.  I don't put stevia in anything. 

[aprilskies]

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@just bee wrote:

---

@aprilskies wrote:

HEP has not been good. I have gained instead of losing and that is not good. I have really cut back on sugar but I guess it doesnt help when other things take its place.  Unfortunately, I always think I can do portion control but that just doesnt work for me. I think I will try being strict during the week and just enjoying myself on the weekends - reasonably. I have never had this problem and can see where it really is a struggle.

---

I've sent Better-half on a quest.  He's Columbus to my Isabella.  "Come back, Chris, with similar taste treats but with less sugar!"  He has replaced my sugary vanilla chai tea drink with unsweetened almond/coconut milk.

Ever drink almond milk?  I opened my lunch bag at work and took a sip from my mason jar.  Hmmm.  This tastes like water that has an almond floating in it.

Ever see Sebastian Maniscalco?  After the second sip I was channeling Sebastian.  Almond milk?  Why not just eat some ____ing almonds?

Opinion on almond milk is... diverse.  There's the this-is-the-best-thing-since-chia school of thought, and there's the just-eat-the-____ing-almonds school of thought.  I'm currently somewhere in the middle.

A coworker suggested a yogurt that has a lot less sugar (read: flavor).  She said she puts stevia in it.  I watched Breaking Bad.  I don't put stevia in anything. 

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I use almond milk but only in smoothies because I can't taste any difference and it makes it creamy and I save a few calories.  Otherwise, I don't like the taste at all.  I can't even eat cereal with it.  I agree, it doesn't have much body to it. 

Lol about the yougurt. Unfortunately, anything with taste comes with the calories.  You need to tell Chris to keep exploring. 

[rnmom]

I'm still managing to hang on for the August no buy. Other than my $1 garage sale 3-in-1 I'm hanging in there. It's funny, because there is still the desire to want to buy more, even though I don't need anything. Next month I will probably need to buy some more shower gel for hubby and the kids, but that should be it. That and some sunblock for the kids. I ordered a small tube of Alba for them to try and they don't like it at all, they say it's really greasy. I had some Blue Lizard for them a couple of years ago that they liked, so I might get them one of those, but I'm not sure yet, it's really expensive. I also just might get them a bottle of Kroger brand. Cheap and convenient. 

We've been getting some more whole house decluttering done over here and I've been really happy. Hubby must have caught the bug because he went thru a bunch of old papers in his home office and threw away 3 white kitchen trash bags of papers. They were only about 1/2 full because we didn't want them to be too heavy, but I was thrilled at the amount that left the house. Plus he went thru some of his shirts and got rid of several he doesn't wear. He did go out and buy some new ones, but I think more left than came in. We ended up donating two full white trash bags and a small box of glasses to Salvation Army. Yeah!

Our church has a bazaar every year the first weekend in November and they have a white elephant sale, so some of my nicer things I'm saving back to donate to the sale to see if I can help the church out at all. I'll be glad to see this all leave the house.