I was impressed with the relaxed style Ali McGraw has at 85 years old. Maybe you would like to see her style as well.
What did you think? I thought she had many good ways of keeping up the look, and still being relaxed, and comfortable.
We are all at the point where we want to look our best, and still be comfortable. I have said for several years that I want an outfit that feels like I’m wearing PJ’s, but I’m not. Something comfortable, but stylish. After that, I am what I am. I’m doing my best, and that should be good enough for all of us!
Thank you for watching, and hopefully commenting. Until next time, be comfortable, happy, and peaceful. Karen
I recently took a mini vacation up north to visit my daughter, and her family. They have a small ranch, and live in a very rural area. I love it up there because I can sit in the middle of nature, and talk to all the animals.
I usually fly when I’m traveling alone, as I did this time. But things are different these days. The airlines have changed policies, and it’s a bit stressful trying to figure out exactly what is required of you. After watching many Youtube videos on the airline’s “New Rules,” I still wasn’t any further along than when I started.
I just didn’t want to get to the gate, and be turned away because my case was too large, or I had something inside that was the tiniest bit larger than they required. I’ve had my luggage gone through before, had things taken out and tossed. Some of it was my fault, I should have known better. Other times they pulled something that wasn’t too large and tossed it. That one really got to me!
All in all, because it was my daughter, there were many things that I didn’t need to bring because it was already up there. Lucky for me, the cary on’s that are required are really small now, and one has to be a really efficient packer to be able to get away with a mini cary-on.
The next thing was for me to mark my luggage so it would be easily identified. After spending hours selecting a bag that was just the proper fit at TJ Max, I then had to decide what to put on the side so it could be recognized. That took another day or so. After all it had to be my signature look!
Finally, after trying many different things, this is what I decided on. It took me about three days due to drying time. I’m happy with it, and it didn’t get scrapped up even after being thrown around by the people that love throwing baggage around.
I stayed twelve days, and had a very relaxing visit. My Granddaughter turned eighteen the 4th of April, and I love seeing her on her birthday. She picked a dinner place for us all to enjoy, and just to top it off, she had a very excellent place for the three of us girls to go for lunch the following day. It’s never an inexpensive trip, but it’s always a memorable trip.
How do all of you find these little get aways, or even big vacations? Do you get stressed out, or are you a chill traveler? Is it more stressful unpacking when you get home? If you are traveling with family, do you end up being host? My husband joyfully play host, and hostess every time. After all, what is Grandpa, and Grandma for?
I love going, but it’s really nice to get back to the comfort of my own home. Never do I feel unwelcome, but I am aware of the fact that my family needs to make me feel comfortable. I always feel relief when I can get on the plane, allowing my daughter and her family to take a deep breath, and get back to normal.
Thank you for stopping by and allowing me to share my little adventure with you. Until next time, “United we stand,” Karen
These are just a few pictures of the ranch, there are many more, and many more animals to be seen…
This morning I picked a journal from my very large stack of journals, and found this. I thought it might interest you, so here it is…..
There are a few things one needs to know and remember…
Diamonds are a girls best friend! This I have known to be true, but in the most recent years I personally have found they are really expensive, and what I really love is their bling. So I have now settled on Moissanite instead. Moissanite is just as hard as a diamond, and they sparkle their little hearts out! I’m happy!
Shop ’til you drop! It’s easier to do once we reach a vintage age, however we can still make a pretty good effort doing retail therapy. Maybe stop for a coffee, ice tea, or soda just to rest up for a second round.
Travel, Travel, Travel! As long as you can pack a bag, grab a friend, or join a travel group do it! There are so many interesting things to see even here in our own country. Just do some research, and the places will find you even if you don’t find them. Personally I think research is the most fun, because it gives our minds a chance to dream. And dreaming is the best thing ever!
Always have a home to return to! Knowing there is a cozy, comfy home waiting for the day you return is also the best. I love traveling, but I also love returning to my warm, and comfortable place I created.
Always value your friends, and family! They will support, and give you strength at a time when you don’t have much energy, or inspiration for yourself. From my experience, my friends have supported me during my darkest times.
God doesn’t give you a dream without a way to achieve that dream! That dream doesn’t fall into your lap, you have to do your share also.
Eat lots of cake, and blow out all your candles! Don’t stop celebrating your birthdays just because you are getting old. Many of our close friends haven’t lived as long as we have, so in their name, celebrate long and hard. Blow out your candles, be proud of getting to the age you have, don’t look back. Look ahead with a positive attitude, and you will enjoy life just a little bit more.
This I wrote to our Oldest Granddaughter on her Seventeenth Birthday.
I hope you enjoyed my seven most important things to remember. Oh, I can come up with more, but for now these are a good start!
Thank you for stopping to read my blog. Don’t forget, “We Stand Together!” Karen
Hair… As long as it’s on the top of my head, I’m ok with hair!
It seems that we ladies are blessed with hair in places we never would have guessed. I once had a very “sturdy” single hair above my right eyebrow on my forehead. I was in my forties at the time, and quite appalled. Rightly so, who in their forties gets a whisker on her forehead? One day I pulled it out, and it never returned.
That’s not all. I routinely check for wandering hairs on my chin, cheeks, and in my nose. Oh yeah, they are there also! Interestingly, while we continue to grow unwanted hairs all over our bodies, the hair on the top of our heads either gets wiry, or thin and falls out. Hair stylists call the thin hair “Frog Fuzz.” And now we either have to deal with pubic hair on the top of our heads, or no hair at all.
This feels like a great time to start considering wearing hats!!
But that’s not all, After checking myself all over this morning, and deciding I was ok to leave the house. But, on my way to do grocery shopping I felt something on my right arm. Maybe it was a bug or fly that had come in through the window.
Glancing down at my arm to see what had landed onto my skin, only to realize (GASP), it was my very own hair flapping around. Some of the hairs had grown to a very healthy two inches. Yikes, not this too! Who is it that is playing these cruel and nasty jokes? In the over all scheme of things, this isn’t a big deal. But in my world, it’s just one more thing I need to shave, or pluck and I’m not liking that much.
By the way, if you are a friend of mine, and I see a hair protruding from somewhere it never would have grown from, I’m obligated by the laws of girlfriend hood to point it out! Don’t be embarrassed, I can’t help myself. And what’s good for the goose….tell me if you see something sticking out that shouldn’t be, please tell me. I’d rather a friend tell me than find out later that I did lunch with my financial advisor, and had a whisker growing out of the top of my nose! Thank you in advance!
How about you? Do you have the same annoyances, or are you going to deny any rogue hairs grow in places you never imagined? I don’t blame you, I don’t want to admit the appearance of yet another happy accident on my nose, or arm.
All in all, these aren’t the worst things that could happen to us. They are annoying, but not life threatening. So after we take care of those annoyances, just take a deep breath, and know you are beautiful, and doing the best you can.
I hope I’ve set up my blog so you can comment, and let me know how you feel. If not, I’m working on it.
Until next time, Together we Stand! Karen
The picture above, and all the videos are from You Tube
Since I don’t really participate in Halloween any more, I thought I’d post a little collection of Halloween treasures my girlfriends and I have made over the years.
The pumpkin is real with succulents hot glued to the top. As long as you spray the succulents with water every couple of days, they last quite a long time.
I’ll bet you can’t imagine how much fun I had creating skulls! Each different, with their own personality.
The little skulls are even fun to decorate…
This skull is my favorite. By the time I painted, and decorated it, it started to speak to me. Something only artists may understand .
I hope you enjoyed seeing all my skulls, now I just have to pull them out this year.
I’ve been reading a new book titled, The Man Made of Words, by N. Scott Momaday.
It brought to mind that the words we use, the words we say, and how we say them can be of great impact to others. Just think about the ways we can or do get a point across. Sometimes we will repeat a story 900 times, other times we forget and leave things out, but other times we can be impatient, and be cutting, or even cruel. We all have said something that we didn’t quite mean the way it came out, but did any of us ever think of how those words made the other person feel. My son tells me I beat a dead horse, and he is not happy about it!
I’m an impatient person by nature, so I’m usually trying to pull back and be more patient. This takes an incredible amount of self control at times. Most of the time I can do it, but sometimes I can be nippy, & regretfully bitchy! At that moment, I never stopped to think about how my sharp words have made someone else feel. (Patience is my New Years Resolution! Always) This book has brought so many things to mind, and the way words can cut deep into the people listening, or to whom the words are directed. I don’t want to do that to anyone, and that certainly would never be my intention.
I watched this man of the Nations, N. Scott Momaday on a talk show a couple years ago, and decided to purchase this book for my husband for Christmas. When it arrived I stuck it away to be wrapped later, and put it in a place that even I couldn’t find it. So the next week it occurred to me that I hadn’t wrapped it for my husband, and since I was sick all of that December, I hadn’t bought anything but a flashlight for him. I felt terrible, but my kids didn’t even get much. Lo and behold, I had purchased two books for him without realizing it, and neither of them were found in time. It was to be the Christmas that goes on giving!
Next time I feel myself loosing patience, I need to slow down and think about how those words are going to sound, or have an impact on the other person. Everyone has their own problems, and sometimes they don’t show them, so a little bit of kindness, patience, and the more careful selection of my words might put everyone in a better place.
Thank you for slowing down to read Karen’s Stone Soup, see you next time.
This is a post I had long forgotten, but I decided to publish it as a reminder to myself to be a little kinder, and more compassionate.
I also want to let everyone know that going forward my focus will be on aging gracefully, and loving who we are in the so called “Golden Years!”
Old as Dirt and Proud of it! 
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