Beauty

[geezerette]

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@just bee wrote:

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@aprilskies wrote:

Just so I don’t disappear again on everyone, I am coming up on a very busy time and may not be posting for a while. I cannot wait until the new hires are up to speed and flying solo. 😂 

The weather lately has been beautiful. I am so glad to be rid of all that humidity. I hope we get a gorgeous Fall.  It is one of my favorite seasons. 

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@aprilskies 

Don't you dare disappear on us again!  Now's the time that you need to visit!  This is discount therapy.

I walk the dog and I come here to chat.  Oh -- and don't forget the shower therapy.  And the dishwashing therapy.  (I'm really enjoying handwashing the dishes -- no joke.)

You gotta be here.  New hires?  Training?  That's stressful stuff.  You need an outlet. 

We're always here!

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@aprilskies 

@just bee 

Glad to see you, aprilskies! 🙂  Hope you’re doing okay and not working too hard.

Speaking of disappearing, haven’t we lost a couple of posters?  Like, @Riversong?  Haven’t heard from her in a while.  I hope everything is okay with her husband.🙏🤞

And our poster from Hawaii—it’s been so long since she’s been here I forgot her nickname.  “Aloha-something” I think.  I’m terrible with names. 🤗 

I have to admit @just bee, I think I’m beginning to enjoy the hand dishwashing too!  I think I just like the idea that I’m prolonging the dishwasher’s demise, and eventual replacement.  I’ve had more than enough household replacement costs this year! 💰💸 

[River Song]

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@geezerette wrote:

Glad to see you, aprilskies! 🙂  Hope you’re doing okay and not working too hard.

Speaking of disappearing, haven’t we lost a couple of posters?  Like, @Riversong?  Haven’t heard from her in a while.  I hope everything is okay with her husband.🙏🤞

And our poster from Hawaii—it’s been so long since she’s been here I forgot her nickname.  “Aloha-something” I think.  I’m terrible with names. 🤗 

I have to admit @just bee, I think I’m beginning to enjoy the hand dishwashing too!  I think I just like the idea that I’m prolonging the dishwasher’s demise, and eventual replacement.  I’ve had more than enough household replacement costs this year! 💰💸 

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@geezerette  and all,

Nope, I'm still here, been reading along for the past couple of months, just haven't had the energy to participate and didn't want to be a Debbie-downer.

DH hasn't been doing well and I've been pretty stressed out and sad.  He completely lost vision in one eye a couple of months ago because leukemia invaded the optic nerve in one eye.  We didn't even know leukemia could do such a thing.  So, now he's permanently blind in one eye but can see fine in the other. 

Leukemia cells infiltrated his cerebral spinal fluid somehow so he's being treated for that.  Traditional chemotherapy drugs don't cross the blood brain barrier so it's been tricky to treat.  After he's done with chemotherapy he will get several doses of radiation.  Oh joy.  It seems the horror never ends.  All this treatment is weakening him and it's heartbreaking to watch.  Oddly, he has never been depressed during this entire ordeal.  I, on the other hand, am a wreck. 

And then Hurricane Dorian made an appearance and we weren't sure if it was going to impact us (we live in SW Florida).  I was ready with seven flats of bottled water from Costco and six five-gallon gas cans filled up for our generators just in case.  Nerve-wracking watching the Weather Channel while DH was in the hospital for a week getting a chemo treatment.  The hospital was going to allow me to stay there in his room if the hurricane came our way (mighty nice of them).  So, all of that didn't help my anxiety level.

Other than all of that, everything is peachy (yes, I'm being sarcastic). 

Skin care products-wise, I tried of couple of new-to-me oil cleansers because my favorite was discontinued and they broke me out so threw them away.  My skin doesn't like coconut oil and these two oil cleansers had that ingredient in them.  I purchased a couple of new Maybelline lipsticks, always a pick-me-up when I'm feeling stressed.  Gotta get some sleep as DH gets more chemo tomorrow and it'll be a long day as the treatment center is three hours away.  And I get to do all the driving up and back.  Oh joy.   

[just bee]

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@lil spot wrote:

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@just bee 

Yes, I like the CC cream very much. I actually decided to give it a try based on your recommendations! I hope Target continues to to carry it too. 

My next thing to try is Paris tea...I'll let you know when I order.

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@lil spot 

Black tea, oolong tea, black currant flavor, vanilla flavor, bergamot oil, caramel flavor.

Still my favorite!

So glad you like the Lumene CC cream.  If Target stops carrying it I won't be happy.

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

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@aprilskies 

@just bee 

Glad to see you, aprilskies! 🙂  Hope you’re doing okay and not working too hard.

Speaking of disappearing, haven’t we lost a couple of posters?  Like, @Riversong?  Haven’t heard from her in a while.  I hope everything is okay with her husband.🙏🤞

And our poster from Hawaii—it’s been so long since she’s been here I forgot her nickname.  “Aloha-something” I think.  I’m terrible with names. 🤗 

I have to admit @just bee, I think I’m beginning to enjoy the hand dishwashing too!  I think I just like the idea that I’m prolonging the dishwasher’s demise, and eventual replacement.  I’ve had more than enough household replacement costs this year! 💰💸 

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@geezerette 

Oshare-girl?  BExplorer?  A few names come to mind.

The dishes just look better.  We'll have to replace our dishwasher when we get back into the house.  We won't use it.  Our machine was used for storing dishes, not washing them!

[just bee]

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@River Song wrote:

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@geezerette wrote:

Glad to see you, aprilskies! 🙂  Hope you’re doing okay and not working too hard.

Speaking of disappearing, haven’t we lost a couple of posters?  Like, @Riversong?  Haven’t heard from her in a while.  I hope everything is okay with her husband.🙏🤞

And our poster from Hawaii—it’s been so long since she’s been here I forgot her nickname.  “Aloha-something” I think.  I’m terrible with names. 🤗 

I have to admit @just bee, I think I’m beginning to enjoy the hand dishwashing too!  I think I just like the idea that I’m prolonging the dishwasher’s demise, and eventual replacement.  I’ve had more than enough household replacement costs this year! 💰💸 

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@geezerette  and all,

Nope, I'm still here, been reading along for the past couple of months, just haven't had the energy to participate and didn't want to be a Debbie-downer.

DH hasn't been doing well and I've been pretty stressed out and sad.  He completely lost vision in one eye a couple of months ago because leukemia invaded the optic nerve in one eye.  We didn't even know leukemia could do such a thing.  So, now he's permanently blind in one eye but can see fine in the other. 

Leukemia cells infiltrated his cerebral spinal fluid somehow so he's being treated for that.  Traditional chemotherapy drugs don't cross the blood brain barrier so it's been tricky to treat.  After he's done with chemotherapy he will get several doses of radiation.  Oh joy.  It seems the horror never ends.  All this treatment is weakening him and it's heartbreaking to watch.  Oddly, he has never been depressed during this entire ordeal.  I, on the other hand, am a wreck. 

And then Hurricane Dorian made an appearance and we weren't sure if it was going to impact us (we live in SW Florida).  I was ready with seven flats of bottled water from Costco and six five-gallon gas cans filled up for our generators just in case.  Nerve-wracking watching the Weather Channel while DH was in the hospital for a week getting a chemo treatment.  The hospital was going to allow me to stay there in his room if the hurricane came our way (mighty nice of them).  So, all of that didn't help my anxiety level.

Other than all of that, everything is peachy (yes, I'm being sarcastic). 

Skin care products-wise, I tried of couple of new-to-me oil cleansers because my favorite was discontinued and they broke me out so threw them away.  My skin doesn't like coconut oil and these two oil cleansers had that ingredient in them.  I purchased a couple of new Maybelline lipsticks, always a pick-me-up when I'm feeling stressed.  Gotta get some sleep as DH gets more chemo tomorrow and it'll be a long day as the treatment center is three hours away.  And I get to do all the driving up and back.  Oh joy.   

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@River Song 

You say he hasn't been depressed and that's a good thing.  I don't know how I'd handle illness and a hurricane at the same time.  A six-hour drive would be enough pain for me.

But I guess that's how it works.  Something bad happens and we have no choice but to face it and then something else that's bad comes along.  It's like, "Here -- this hurricane will take your mind off your troubles!"

Is there anything on the three-hour trip that's fun?  A place to stop and get something good to eat like a slab of pie or a milkshake?  Or a place to stop and look at something beautiful?

It sounds silly, but I dread going to the house to water the yard.  To make it less depressing, BH and I play Crazy Eights while the hoses are running.  It helps take my mind off the mess our property has become.

That card set is very old.  There's Old Maid, Animal Rummy, Hearts, Authors and Snap, too.  I almost threw the cards away when I found them.  Now I'm glad I didn't.

All we have are the moments that take our minds off the battle and let us have a little something to enjoy and remember.  When all this is over, I'll remember those card games in the backyard, played on the garbage receptacle.

I guess we have to create the things to make us smile when there are so many things that make us think we'll never smile again. 

Just know we'll be keeping the two of you in our thoughts. 

[geezerette]

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@just bee wrote:

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@geezerette wrote:

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@aprilskies 

@just bee 

Glad to see you, aprilskies! 🙂  Hope you’re doing okay and not working too hard.

Speaking of disappearing, haven’t we lost a couple of posters?  Like, @Riversong?  Haven’t heard from her in a while.  I hope everything is okay with her husband.🙏🤞

And our poster from Hawaii—it’s been so long since she’s been here I forgot her nickname.  “Aloha-something” I think.  I’m terrible with names. 🤗 

I have to admit @just bee, I think I’m beginning to enjoy the hand dishwashing too!  I think I just like the idea that I’m prolonging the dishwasher’s demise, and eventual replacement.  I’ve had more than enough household replacement costs this year! 💰💸 

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@geezerette 

Oshare-girl?  BExplorer?  A few names come to mind.

The dishes just look better.  We'll have to replace our dishwasher when we get back into the house.  We won't use it.  Our machine was used for storing dishes, not washing them!

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@just bee 

Yes, that’s who I was thinking of.  The “Aloha” part was someone from another forum.  Told you I wasn’t any good with names!☺️

[geezerette]

@River Song 

Oh my gosh, @River Song , I was afraid something like that might be why you’ve been missing in action.  So sorry to hear all this.

Your husband must be an extraordinary man to be going through all that and still maintain an upbeat attitude.  You probably feel that you have to do the same and put on a brave face for him, while you’re roiling inside.  You’re both under so much stress, I can’t imagine.  And to add a hurricane into the mix!  

Your situation is yet another example of what we talk about in here all the time:  in the grand scheme of things, all the “stuff” we accumulate and worry about on a daily basis just doesn’t mean a thing when you get right down to it.  And these situations hit everyone: illness, fire, death.  Makes no difference who you are, no one is immune to tragedy at some point in their lives.

I can only say “hang in there”.  (Like you have any other choice, huh?)  We’re here if you want to vent, or just lurk if you prefer when you get the time and energy.  Just know that we’re all thinking of you and pulling for your husband, and praying for you both.

❤️🕊🙏

[BExplorer]

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@just bee wrote:

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@geezerette wrote:

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@aprilskies 

@just bee 

Glad to see you, aprilskies! 🙂  Hope you’re doing okay and not working too hard.

Speaking of disappearing, haven’t we lost a couple of posters?  Like, @Riversong?  Haven’t heard from her in a while.  I hope everything is okay with her husband.🙏🤞

And our poster from Hawaii—it’s been so long since she’s been here I forgot her nickname.  “Aloha-something” I think.  I’m terrible with names. 🤗 

I have to admit @just bee, I think I’m beginning to enjoy the hand dishwashing too!  I think I just like the idea that I’m prolonging the dishwasher’s demise, and eventual replacement.  I’ve had more than enough household replacement costs this year! 💰💸 

---

@geezerette 

Oshare-girl?  BExplorer?  A few names come to mind.

The dishes just look better.  We'll have to replace our dishwasher when we get back into the house.  We won't use it.  Our machine was used for storing dishes, not washing them!

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I'm still reading and trying to make the compact and HEP "stick" @just bee !  I can't imagine how bad I would be if I didn't have all of your stories to read for inspiration.  As I wrote that, it sounded incredibly selfish to me 😳.  I'm just not much of a poster or a talker in real life. 

I am glad to see (slow) progress is being made as you make choices to rebuild @just bee . I am usually nodding my head as I read @geezerette and @aprilskies posts as I feel like I wrote most of them. I am very cyclical in my purchasing (seems I just move from one item or category to the next) and healthy eating. It seems like once I fall off the good food wagon its darn near impossible to get back on. But I am eating raw broccoli with guacamole as I type. 👍  But don't think that doesn't mean I won't make a DQ run for a cookie dough blizzard with extra hot fudge. 🐷🐽

[geezerette]

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@BExplorer wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

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@geezerette wrote:

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@aprilskies 

@just bee 

Glad to see you, aprilskies! 🙂  Hope you’re doing okay and not working too hard.

Speaking of disappearing, haven’t we lost a couple of posters?  Like, @Riversong?  Haven’t heard from her in a while.  I hope everything is okay with her husband.🙏🤞

And our poster from Hawaii—it’s been so long since she’s been here I forgot her nickname.  “Aloha-something” I think.  I’m terrible with names. 🤗 

I have to admit @just bee, I think I’m beginning to enjoy the hand dishwashing too!  I think I just like the idea that I’m prolonging the dishwasher’s demise, and eventual replacement.  I’ve had more than enough household replacement costs this year! 💰💸 

---

@geezerette 

Oshare-girl?  BExplorer?  A few names come to mind.

The dishes just look better.  We'll have to replace our dishwasher when we get back into the house.  We won't use it.  Our machine was used for storing dishes, not washing them!

---

I'm still reading and trying to make the compact and HEP "stick" @just bee !  I can't imagine how bad I would be if I didn't have all of your stories to read for inspiration.  As I wrote that, it sounded incredibly selfish to me 😳.  I'm just not much of a poster or a talker in real life. 

I am glad to see (slow) progress is being made as you make choices to rebuild @just bee . I am usually nodding my head as I read @geezerette and @aprilskies posts as I feel like I wrote most of them. I am very cyclical in my purchasing (seems I just move from one item or category to the next) and healthy eating. It seems like once I fall off the good food wagon its darn near impossible to get back on. But I am eating raw broccoli with guacamole as I type. 👍  But don't think that doesn't mean I won't make a DQ run for a cookie dough blizzard with extra hot fudge. 🐷🐽

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@BExplorer 

Glad to see you’re still around too!  Guess if you guys are reading, I’d best watch what I say.  I tend to run off at the mouth!🤐😊

I know what you mean about sticking with HEP.  I’m good for a couple of weeks, then I tend to backslide.  Then it takes me a week to get back on track.  And the thing is, while I’m eating the “bad stuff”, it doesn’t really taste good to me anymore.  Yet I eat it anyway.  Go figure. 🤨

But I guess the key is to keep on trying.  Maybe one of these times, it will stick for good! 🤞

But now all I’m thinking about is when did I last have hot fudge?!🤨😋😄😈

[geezerette]

I think I’ve finally hit on a skin care brand that works for me.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that it’s Josie Maran, which is relatively expensive and most items only available (to me, anyway) online, rather than locally.  And I’m going to more than likely end up with more products than I would ideally like, but I think that would have been true with any line.

I’m just not going to be able to use the same products in the summer when it’s hot and humid than I will need in the winter when it’s dry and cold.  It’s not that I need a half-dozen different things, just a light and a heavier moisturizer, along with laying (or not) some products depending on the weather and my skin needs at any given point.

However, I can make do with a relatively few products that do work well together, so that should be okay.  What I have to remember is not to stockpile the only-seasonal products.  For instance, one small jar of heavy moisturizer should do me for the entire winter.  

Now I have to figure out what I’m going to do with the products that I’ve recently eliminated.  I’ve found some to be useless and others to actually do more harm than good.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to use them at some point before they go bad, or not.  Yet another lesson on not to stockpile too much of what I think are even my favorite products.