More personal info…

[Spiky Bugger]

So, estranged from my VERY upwardly mobile, conservative, ex-aunt-by-marriage-followed-by-divorce, I found out about her death a year and a day after the fact. No fights, no debates, we just didn’t fit into her world. I have a letter from her former daughter-in-law who wrote that my aunt had a social gathering that involved only “two or theee hundred of her closest friends.” (She was being sarcastic.)

Anyway, she was also VERY into appearances. A genetically thin woman who, first thing every morning had to draw on her eyebrows (I’m more of the Frida Kahlo School of Eyebrows), but had three sons, so had we all been closer, she might have been able to coach me into taking proper care of myself.

I have ZERO patience for primping. I have never owned…and my sister has ALWAYS owned and used DAILY…a dressing/make-up table. Hairstyle choice has always been “what’s EASIEST?” I’m pretty sure that ALL of my make-up is at least a decade beyond any reasonable “use by” date. Really. I mean, it’s OLD. And because it is to me an unnecessary expense, I have trouble throwing it out.

But, there may be something to be said for primping. In the first photo, she had DIY make-up and hair, it was late in the day and she was…are you ready?…92. In the second, not sure of age, but it was professional primping and lighting and it wasn’t much earlier. She was 97 when she died.

 

[southernlady]

So, estranged from my VERY upwardly mobile, conservative, ex-aunt-by-marriage-followed-by-divorce, I found out about her death a year and a day after the fact. No fights, no debates, we just didn’t fit into her world. I have a letter from her former daughter-in-law who wrote that my aunt had a social gathering that involved only “two or theee hundred of her closest friends.” (She was being sarcastic.)

Anyway, she was also VERY into appearances. A genetically thin woman who, first thing every morning had to draw on her eyebrows (I’m more of the Frida Kahlo School of Eyebrows), but had three sons, so had we all been closer, she might have been able to coach me into taking proper care of myself.

I have ZERO patience for primping. I have never owned…and my sister has ALWAYS owned and used DAILY…a dressing/make-up table. Hairstyle choice has always been “what’s EASIEST?” I’m pretty sure that ALL of my make-up is at least a decade beyond any reasonable “use by” date. Really. I mean, it’s OLD. And because it is to me an unnecessary expense, I have trouble throwing it out.

But, there may be something to be said for primping. In the first photo, she had DIY make-up and hair, it was late in the day and she was…are you ready?…92. In the second, not sure of age, but it was professional primping and lighting and it wasn’t much earlier. She was 97 when she died.

View attachment 2713

Yes, there is something to be said for primping, but I like the time and money I save by not. I’m sorry for the death if your ex-aunt but she had a hell of a run. And did look fantastic.

I’m of the school of no makeup. Hell, I’m lucky to put on moisturize, and that’s only cause I’m not fond of alligator looking scaly skin. I don’t buy any makeup at all. Last time I wore any was on my wedding day and had a pro do it for me. My daughter tried to teach me but I was hopeless. I will wear clear lip balm if needed but never lipstick. The bags under my eyes are honestly earned from lack of sleep due to my back and as my daughter went through her teen years, worrying about her.

Since most of my hair is taking leave of my body, I’ve given up on eyebrow, eyelashes, hell, even hair up at the front hairline. I talked to my hair stylist last week about getting wigs now that I own closets to hide them from the cats. And what’s odd is at 12, I had what’s referred to as a unibrow. Now, I don’t even tweeze whats left unless it’s growing out in left field.

I'm the “what you see is what you get”. It’s easier and much cheaper.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I’m sorry for the death if your ex-aunt but she had a hell of a run. And did look fantastic.

this right here

I talked to my hair stylist last week about getting wigs now that I own closets to hide them from the cats.

I'm so glad you have a house now! are you loving it so far?

 

[southernlady]

I'm so glad you have a house now! are you loving it so far?

We are loving it but with any house, there are a million little things to do. We have a leaky kitchen faucet which I’m mitigating by keeping a dishpan under it and using the water it drips later on. But I got under there last weekend so we could fix it. We expanded the scope of work. We were told we had a small leak under there. What they didn’t say was the bottom of both p traps were completely rusted out. Made 11 trips to Lowes (about 5 miles away) and one to Home Depot (about 45 miles but near where we were that day) over the course of 4 days to fix it. It’s fixed now and the faucet still isn’t in. We stopped on Thursday cause Charles was prepping for a colonoscopy on Friday and he just didn’t want to face the faucet til afterwards. We have a ceiling fan to replace upstairs. We have to make shims to keep the doors closed. Right now I park stuff in front of the critical ones.

And the list goes on.

 

[JackieOnLine]

and yet I envy you all that work. you have a home! how is your Spring yard looking, do you have bulbs or shrubs blooming? will you have shade in the summer?
sorry if you've talked about the yard and I forgot. I'm forgetting a lot lately.

 

[southernlady]

T

and yet I envy you all that work. you have a home! how is your Spring yard looking, do you have bulbs or shrubs blooming? will you have shade in the summer?
sorry if you've talked about the yard and I forgot. I'm forgetting a lot lately.

The yard needs a bit of love but can wait for now. I have a tulip magnolia blooming in the backyard, a rhododendron outside the kitchen window and some periwinkle mixed in with the ivy which I want to get rid of. English Ivy under control is fine but it seldom stays under control, it likes to climb trees (causing all kinds of hate to the trees), sides of houses (ruining mortar of the brick), all over retaining walls ruining the mortar there. What’s worse is this has poison ivy mixed in. We need a handyman to get rid of that. Our neighbor has a 6 ft grey fence that was installed long before we purchased the house. Three sections came down in a windstorm and he’s putting it back but he told us that there use to be bushes along the fence on our side. I’m thinking of planting sunflowers along that fence. I think those would look good against the grey.

We also have a couple of fir trees, not your typical pine.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I have a tulip magnolia blooming in the backyard, a rhododendron outside the kitchen window and some periwinkle

I had never seen a tulip magnolia before moving to The Dalles; they are truly lovely.

overall, sounds like a ton of potential.

 

[hilary1617]

(1) Beauty comes from within - easiest way to tell if someone is beautiful is to see if people that know them genuinely smile when they walk into a room.
(2) Sunflowers are a wonderful idea. I'm inspired!