Ready to Hit the Beach!

Thought I'd show off my new tankini by doing mix & match outfits a la Glamour magazine.

Here's the much wished for, long awaited tankini that I will be rockin' on the Michigan beaches this summer. Note the coordinating accessories (no surprise to those who know me).


Here is the tankini with capris for when I want a little more coverage.

And here's the outfit with a jacket thrown over for when it gets a little chilly.

Will I be a fierce, fabulous, fashionista this summer, or what? Now all I need to do is pick out this year's beach read and I'm good to go!

Oh Yeah, You Know You Want 'Em

As promised, here are the socks I recently received as a birthday gift from Bammer. These are hand knit socks, mind you, using the following fibers from left to right: Tofutsies, Alpaca, Cashmere/Wool blend. Slip these babies on and your feet say "Oooohoohoo!" Oh it's good....don't kid yourself.

Also notice that they are sort of Easter egg colors which is fun because today is Easter. Happy Easter everyone!! I ate the foot off a chocolate bunny today first thing (remember I told you chocolate almost always factors into any occasion).

Yeah, this birthday thing is a pretty good deal. Next post will feature my new swimsuit, another gift that arrived in the mail this past week.

Hey Bammer, I also have daffodil nubbins in my yard! I didn't bother writing an ode to them, however, because there is no way I could top yours. You really have become quite an accomplished poet. I'm so proud!

We say "Hello" but Spring says "Goodbye"

Well, today was gorgeous in the Chicago suburbs. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was so warm I had to shed my coat this afternoon. It was all just as it should be on the first day of spring. But...............tonight they are predicting 6 to 8 inches of snow. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT???? I can't take it anymore! One more snow storm is just going to push me over the edge, I swear. What is up with Mother Nature and why is she so pissed at us? Enough is enough already! What ever we did to make you mad Mother Nature, we're totally sorry! Now bring us some sunshine and blue skies PDQ! Geez!

OK, I feel better now (at least until tomorrow morning when I wake up and find all that freakin' snow on the ground!!!).

Thanks, Dogquilter, for your nice comment on yesterday's post. I'm glad to hear you also opt for the extended birthday celebration.

Today, I received three pairs of hand knit socks in the mail from my sister. Am I totally lucky or what? I will post a picture this weekend so you can all feast your eyes on the socky gloriousness and envy me sufficiently. I also received the package containing my new tankini from Land's End (also a birthday gift). I am SO dreaming of lazy days on the beach with a good book and a stack of trashy beauty magazines. When they say to "go to your happy place" that's where I go every time.

A Month Long Birthday Extravaganza

I have been spending most of the entire month of March celebrating my birthday. Why limit the festivities to just one day is what I say!

As you can see, I take a very casual, low key approach to this whole thing. But, after all, it's not every day that a girl turns 29 (but it IS every year)!

Last weekend, I cooked a special birthday celebration dinner. I've been going out to eat a lot too but I also love to cook for special occasions so I decided to do my Martha thing. On the menu was:

1. Chicken roasted with lemon, onion, rosemary, and sage.

2. Haricots Verts Almondine.

3. Tri-colored baby potatoes.

4. Chocolate Ganache Torte.

The dinner was served on my very favorite vintage table cloth. Can you say "yummy!" (I knew you could.)

Also (not pictured) was shopping for clothes and shoes. What more could a girl want?!? Thanks to Jenny Craig, I am currently rockin' a size 6 sizes smaller than what I wore this time last year. Yes, that's SIX sizes smaller - this is not a misprint! That makes shopping a whole heck of a lot more fun, I can tell you!

All in all, it's been a pretty awesome birthday month!

Family Update: Dr. Gitelis says "It's All Good"

I spent the day at Rush University Hospital today. I got to see an X-ray of my leg (plate installed on January 3rd) and it looks like a big spider with a very flat back. Totally freaky! Anyway, Dr. Gitelis says there is no sign of cancer from the pelvis on down and everything looks like it's healing well. He can't say how long this rehabilitation process will take .......but he DOES predict that when it is all said and done, I will regain full function. WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Can't happen soon enough for me, I can tell you! The weather is starting to get nicer and I want to get back to taking my nice long walks. Physical therapy continues to go well - I started PT with a 90 degree bend in my knee and as of today, I'm up to 102 degrees. As a comparison, the good leg can bend 130 degrees so I have a ways to go but yay for the progress!

A Public Service Announcement

AFTER YOU USE THIS:

USE THESE:

That splatter on the bathroom mirror is just gross.

Seriously.

Bath & Body Products Addiction

DO YOU THINK I MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM?

I'm just asking...

The Smell of Purple

I have read the connection between the sense of smell and memory is the strongest of all sensory connections and I believe it! Here is a perfect example - when I was pretty young, I had several Kologne Kiddles that I LOVED, particularly Violet (pictured here). I can clearly remember sitting in the back seat of my Mom's car, entertaining myself by opening the bottles and smelling the little dolls inside. Whenever I think of it I actually feel like I'm there again which isn't very common for me. Somehow in my child's brain, I connected the smell of Violet the Kologne Kiddle with the color purple and 30+ years later, when I think of how purple should smell, this is it.

As an adult, the memory of these early toys has stayed with me and it always seemed like it was an experience from the past that could never be re-captured. However, thanks to the magic of Ebay, I was able to own Violet for a second time. It was unbelievable to open the bottle and experience the "smell of purple" again so many years later. Connecting with your childhood self as an adult can be a very powerful thing.

Laziness is Under-rated

Who besides me just LOVES to hang out in their pajamas until at least noon on Saturday. There's got to be many who do this and they are definitely on to something good. I'm sure that once the weather gets warmer, I'll be out there enjoying it much earlier in the day but for now, I'm reveling in my inertia. To do it right, you must have the following:

1. A thick and cozy fleece bathrobe (I like Land's End's version).
2. Cuddly cashmere socks (mine are hand knit by my sister - you are on your own there).
3. Shearling scuffs - one of the greatest inventions of all time and useable almost all year round.
4. A great coffeemaker (goes without saying).

Optional items that will enhance the experience are:

1. A cozy fire.
2. A great Book or magazine.
3. Chocolate (chocolate almost always makes the list regardless of topic).
4. A scented candle.

Yes, I do tend to be a bit of a hedonist but is that necessarily a bad thing??? I think not.

Well, I'm off to pour another cup of coffee and dive into the March issue of Martha Stewart Living (the special gardening issue!). Life is good.

My Sister Would Be So Proud

OK, so I'm a little technologically retarded. Truthfully, it's mostly been due to lack of interest. However, I've been reading my sister's blog and it looked like fun so I decided to try it. So, now I've just been slam dunked into the 21st century. It's strange here - the colors are brighter and everything smells different but the air appears to be breathable. I should acclimate soon.

The first hurdle was to think of a name and a title. This is always a tough one for me. Everything always sounds either dumb or pretentious. Anyway, In case you were wondering I call myself SexyThroughAdversity and call my blog "The Queen Knows Best" all because of a line from Queen Latifah's version of "Mercy Mercy Mercy" (The Dana Owens Album). She says "You gotta stay sexy through the adversity" and I've kind of adopted that as my personal mantra lately (more on why later....baby steps/get on the bus).

Today my car broke down and that SUCKED!!! But the good news is the fix is not going to be that expensive. The bad news is I don't get my car back until Monday. Have you ever noticed that good news and bad news almost always hang out together - what is that about?

My other issue today is how to get rid of cigarette smoke from a house - I Googled it and have been reading the hits. Sounds like vinegar, baking soda, and a lot of elbow grease - maybe an ozone machine if you're desperate. If anyone has any other suggestions, all are welcome.

That's it for now. (How'd I do, sis?)