I've Meandered into a MIRACLE! ?

Hello!  As you know, I'm not one to hang out on my blog.  It's just not my nature to be consistent.  It's not a trait I'm proud of, but it's the way I am.  I'm only posting today because I wanted to share an experiment I've started.  A new and exciting venture!  Now if you've ever seen me, you know that I've not been fanatically concerned about my looks. This is because I started avoiding the mirror at the age of about 40, so I really didn't KNOW how far my face had slid - slidden(?) off my head. I do properly groom each day, of course, but beyond the general tooth-brushing, face washing, shower taking routine, I've not worried excessively over the wrinkles and sagging skin that come with age.  That is, until recently....Recently I noticed (thanks to a picture some clown took of me, thinking that THAT would be a good idea!) that my features are becoming more comparable to a bloodhound than, say, my high school classmates!  Anyway, I stumbled upon this product that is GUARANTEED to erase YEARS off my skin!  It guarantees, in only 3 minutes twice a day, to give me a face-lifted face without the face lift!  And on one certain day only, I could get this miracle product for not $1,200.00 - not $500.00 - not even $200.00 (!), but for only 3 payments of $39.95!!  Now I may be laid back, but I'm not stupid!!  They convinced me that, for only 6 minutes a day, I could have the face of a 30 year old!  I WAS SOLD!!

Well I have to tell you, I was ECSTATIC when this miracle product arrived at my door!!  In just a matter of 3 days, I accomplished 'ripping' that puppy out of the box, sped through the directions, and began.  I decided to share the results of this wonder with you, friends, so perhaps  you too, will be as impressed as I was!!

1.  They tell you to take a before picture of yourself.  Here is where it gets scary.  I try not to look in the mirror too often, let alone take a picture that focuses on my face!  (I'm not Amish or anything, it's just that the practice of  "looking away" works so well for me when I get a shot, I figured it would work just as well when I started looking in the mirror and saw my father staring back at me!  Especially the jowl area (refer back to the 'bloodhound' section, above.  If my ears start to droop, we're in deep trouble folks!!)  Okay, so, always one to follow directions, I washed my face and snapped a picture (WARNING!! The following may not be suitable viewing for peri-menopausal women...Yes darlings, you are headed in this general direction)

UGH...You can clearly see how time, gravity and allergies have taken their toll...Sad really - Look away - It's not as painful.

 

And now, the amazing part.  You turn this thing on and run it all over your face (AFTER applying this miracle PRE-FACE stuff they send you with the product.  I ain't gonna lie to ya friends, it stings!  Oh, I'm sorry, I mean, it TINGLES (per the instructions).  (Wow, that picture is like a bad wreck!  You WANT to look away, but you just CAN'T!)

 

ANYway, I slopped the stuff all over my face, "paying particular attention to the eyebrow area.  Start at the bridge of your nose and work your way out (using the orbital bone as a guide (? - huh! Didn't know there was anything 'orbital' about me!)) to the edge of your eyebrow.  Hold for 5 seconds and release.  You will see an IMMEDIATE lifting effect, making your eyes appear lifted and more open!"

Is it me, or should I put a pipe in my mouth and call it a day?

 

You have to admit - It looks like SOMETHING is working!!

 

They also have exercises.  Let's just say I decided the exercises were optional.  I'm not sure I want to look like Popeye for the rest of my life (or possibly Mammy Yokum), but then I still have the OTHER half of my face to do, so let's move forward....

 

WOW.  The results are FANTASTIC!  TOO fantastic, I'm afraid.  Now I look like Bette Davis.  YIKES.  At least Mammy Yokum fits my personality!

 

 

Well, you can't say my eyebrows don't "appear" lifted.  I wonder how long this will last??  It is also clear from this picture that my jowls have lifted, giving me the appearance of a chipmunk rather than a hound dog!

 

Alrighty then!  I've FINALLY found a product that really does do what it says, and does it better than it promises!  Maybe if I turn the dial down a notch or two..  I'll let you know how THAT works out!



 





May 28th, 2007
Memorial Day
Today we will spend some time at the cemetery. There are now more of my people beneath the mountain than there are living on it. We will place bouquets at my mother and father's grave sites, and at my uncle Eddie's. But we will visit many other loved ones and we will honor them without a floral tribute. My Grandpa Louie, my Grandma Edna....My beloved Grandma Hodges, Grandpa Hodges, my Uncle Virgil and Uncle Clarence, both which I never met in life but look forward to meeting in the afterlife. My great Grandma Powers, remembering Grandpa Powers, although not knowing where he's buried....And all of the loved ones who have come before me who I know about but never met. I love you all, and I will always remember you. You are a part of who I am...

   I found this in the 'drafts' section of my blog...Interesting, since it happened 5 years ago and yet, we did exactly the same thing this recent Memorial Day.  However, while we fondly reminisced about our dearly departed 5 years ago, this past Memorial Day, as we laid the flowers on each grave, we began pondering where our OWN remains might finally be placed, and who will come behind us to lovingly lay the flowers. 

  Times are not as they were in years past.  While my parents, and theirs, made it a solemn duty to visit the graves on Memorial Day, my generation, with our nuclear families, either moved  too far away to make the annual visit, or were simply too busy pursuing careers to have the time.  Our children consider it an even less important task, and since cremation often trumps burial nowadays, with ashes being scattered hither and yon, there is no need to pull the weeds, place the flowers or brush off a loved one's headstone.  It's a bit sad to me.  This task allows us, in a way, to do something for someone without being asked, to take a moment to ponder our own past, and to honor those who came before us.  It's something we really never seem to have time for nowadays, and it's too bad - for us.

GASP!  Could this truly be my first post of 2012???  Good grief, time flies when you've got nothing interesting to say!  And what on EARTH have they done to my blog!!??  EVERYTHING is different!  It took me a good 30 minutes just to find the place to post a message!  When all is said and done, however, I think I might like it!  I'll be changing some things, for sure!  Slowly but surely, it will be done.  I think also that I must change my "name" from Mountain Muddah to something a little less "aggressive", shall we say?  That will also require some thought.  I can say for certain, however, that the ostrich is coming back!  I love it's sparsely covered head, those big, inquisitive eyes and the long neck. It represents me well and I miss it.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see how long it takes me to get this all updated and running smoothly...Hopefully BEFORE May 10, 2013!!

Ok, I simply cannot keep this to myself. I received this email at work today from a co-member of a professional organization we belong to:

International Development is selling cookbooks put together from member submissions. I am almost sure that they have tested all of the recipe’s before putting them in this book or someone was particularly proud of the recipe and it was probably because one of their friends or their family told them it was great.

At any rate, we don’t participate in fundraising to get good recipes, that is just the bonus. Please support your organization, order a book, get a recipe that looks like it may have potential. Use the recipes over the holidays and if anyone complains about the food, you can always tell them that at least one person said that the recipe was a solid addition to your library of food preparation repertoire. Oh yeah, quote me on this, “These recipes are a solid addition to your library of food preparation.”

Thanks,

Jeff

I must tell you...I do not HAVE a library of food preparation, because I really don't cook. However, with this great sales pitch, I might just have to spring for the cost of a copy! So excuse me while I order my copy and go design my "library of food preparation".

Whew!

In all the hub-bub of daily life, it hadn't occurred to me until just now that I've passed 100 posts on this little blog! My goodness! To think this started out as a way to document my journey through a very difficult time in my life! Although the entries have been erratic, it is interesting for me to go back and see some of the snippets of my life over the last 3 or so years!

I've already missed a day in my quest to complete 'one post per day' during this month of Blogtoberfest! It didn't slip my mind, either; however, the day slipped away before I could get around to getting it done. I am so grateful that this is not a high-pressure idea where you MUST post something every day. Well, I probably wouldn't have ventured it had THAT been so. I know better than to commit myself to ANYTHING right now. I am learning, however, of the importance of committing to doing certain things you WANT to do, and not just making the MUST do things a priority. And I find that quite enjoyable - knowing that the pleasant, fun, "paisley" part of yourself deserves a place of importance, alongside the necessary mundane tasks of everyday life. I'm starting to realize that there are aspects of my "self" I didn't realize existed....Some fun, surprising, even intimidating things! I am anxious to explore them, to try them on for size. I might actually find that I love this 'late-middle' part of my life!

What is this "Blogtoberfest"?

Oh my, what have I done? I feel like I just got on a bus I have no business getting on, but I want to go for the ride! A few days ago while visiting one of my favorite blogs, Fabulously Artsy, I discovered that October is indeed "Blogtoberfest" and she included an invitation to join in. She even designed a cute little button I could (and did) add to my blog, advertising this month-long event. She promises to bring us many wonderful tips and blog-type tricks to make our own corner of the blog-universe more visitor friendly and author-fun! I copied that little code and stuck it right up on my side bar, just because I thought it was sooo cute! It might also remind me to check her blog daily to make sure I get every single snippet she offers, because I feel I know the Stamp Goddess well enough at this point to tell you that SHE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!
I must tell you, however (as you can easily see if you check the LAST time I posted), that I am not exactly a regular blog post-er. I mean, I love the idea of a blog, and I love READING other people's blogs, but when it comes right down to it....Hmmm, turns out I'm just not that full of fun information! I'm pretty sure that if I committed to blogging every day, you'd be getting a weather report, a daily blurb about the mood I'm in, and that's it! As I understand it, however, 'Blogtoberfest' is an opportunity to re-invest yourself in your blog - to learn more about blogging, writing and story telling, and just who can say no to that, I ask you?? I did wonder though, if this was another fantastic creation of the Goddess's, or if there was actually a national/international organization for Blogtoberfest? When in doubt, GOOGLE....right? And SURPRISE, SURPRISE! There are actually several links associated in one way or another with Blogtoberfest. I chose to click on Tinniegirl's link to see what she had to say and LO! I was certainly not disappointed! She invites everyone who would like to sign up for Blogtoberfest. After I read a few of the comments, I lost my head and signed up! I VERY much want to participate in this fun fest (I AM a fun fest type of gal...if you know me, you know that), so I intend to commit to entering SOMETHING here everyday. Something more entertaining than just a weather report (that is, unless my unleashed Id shows up and takes over...Lord knows where we may end up in that case!) Anyway, here's to a wonderful Blogtober!! To all of the folks I have joined, or who may join me in this adventure, I wish you the VERY best of blogging! TAKE MY TICKET, PLEASE! :) THE SEAT NEXT TO ME IS OPEN!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Good grief, it's been 8 months since I've posted anything to this blog! It's not that I haven't thought about posting, it's just that I couldn't think of anything much to post about. I still don't have anything earth-shattering to say, but I want to get that last post off the page, or at least a little lower down! I don't THINK I went crazy, for pete's sake (not that I've ever been totally sane). Maybe I should give a brief synopsis of how the year has progressed thus far:

My daughter, her son and their dog moved in with us just before Christmas last year. Understand that my house is about 900 square feet, and you can imagine the fun we all have stumbling over one another! I do very much enjoy having them with us. They keep life very interesting, which is something I need, considering how easily moved I am to boredom! This was not a voluntary move on Carly's part. She simply found it necessary to leave her position at work, and never DREAMED how difficult it would be to re-gain employment! She's had what seems like countless interviews - three, four, even FIVE interviews with a single company, only to find that she had ultimately been passed over by each employer! I can't imagine her frustration at this point, nor can I fathom why no one has hired her to date! She has a brilliant mind and a pleasant demeanor...A perfect candidate for any business (perhaps as her mother, I'm biased :))

In April of this year, Carly had a very serious illness which came near to taking her life. Fortunately, the doctors were able to correct her problem after what turned out to be a three or four hour surgery. She is still woefully thin and hasn't quite determined what foods she can eat without spending the rest of the evening or next day in bed!

Spring was practically non-existent here this year, with more rain than I thought was possible! It's been only within the last month or two that we've really enjoyed summer weather. I do hope summer will linger awhile after Labor Day this year.

On Wednesday of this week, a hillside just south of town caught fire, and for several hours, we all wondered whether our little town would go up in flames! It burned just over 17 acres, but was brought under control (for the most part) that evening, thanks to the valiant efforts of the Forest Service and firefighters from all over our little valley. I for one am extremely grateful to these brave folks for saving our little burg!

I'm hanging in there from day to day, as most folks are in the area. Is it possible for a person to go into a recession, as our country has done? I don't think I'm depressed, but I'm certainly not the happiest person on the planet!

Perhaps the saddest thing that's happened is that my son Josh and his wife Tia have separated. Josh is also currently unemployed following a few ventures in Vegas that didn't quite pan out. He seems to be having the same luck Carly, as well at a little over 9% (seasonally adjusted :)) of the people in our country, are having at the present time. Life is no bowl of cherries for anyone, it seems!

And so, we look forward to the rest of 2011. Hopefully, good things will soon be happening again on all fronts. Until that time, count your blessings and keep your nose clean!