The Friday Files

Hello, dear friends.  If I sound a little down it's because we are experiencing that four-letter word today: s-n-o-w.  Ugh.  I'm not that person who sees the beauty in the first snowfall.  Give me a warm, sunny Summer day anytime.

Here are a few things on my mind this week. 

Great stuff I got for Christmas

My #2 knows the way to her Mama's heart.  She got me hooked on Edna Valley Chardonnay.  You can find it at Trader Joe's.

I've been using the same moisturizer for years.  Lately, my oily skin has gotten very dry.  Hmm... I wonder why.  My #1, our family cosmetic queen, gave me a bottle of Midnight Recovery Concentrate by Kiehl's.   This serum did the trick for my dry skin.  I use it every other night.   I look at least 10 days younger.

Amazon

The girls and I all got a new Beauty Blender in our stockings.  It's a great applicator for liquid foundation.

Amazon

Leave it to your adult children to tell you what is wrong with your house.  The girls informed us that our internet needed some serious improvement.  The Mister took it to heart and did some research.  He installed this system which has increased the speed one hundred percent.

Amazon

The Mister surprised me with these earphones.  The sound quality is beyond compare.  It almost makes me want to spend another ten minutes on the treadmill.  Keyword:  almost.

Stuff I Wish I Got

Ostrich Pillow

I need this for the next three months.

Wine Glass Holder for the Shower

This is another necessity for the bitter days ahead.

Best Ugly Christmas Sweater Award!

I'm glad I didn't stay up to witness this fiasco.

I watched the Today Show for years.  I converted to GMA after Matt pulled that stunt with Ann Curry.  But I really enjoyed Katie Couric when she co-anchored.  This past week, she sat in for boring Savannah, and it was great to see her back.  No doubt about it, Katie and Matt still have the same unmistakable chemistry.

My girl, Meredith will be co-hosting next week.
Another week GMA will have to do without me.

Spring Fashion Trends

It's all about chokers for men this Spring.  I can hardly wait to buy the Mister his first one.  Good bye bow tie -- hello choker!!

Big shoulders are back.  So glad I held on to my foam shoulder pads.  The bigger the shoulders... the smaller the waist.

And rumor has it... ugly shoes are coming back.

According to Automobile Magazine, babies born today may never drive a car, let alone own a car.  Too bad they didn't invent self-driving cars fifty years ago.

If you are looking for me this weekend...

I will be watching this documentary on Saturday night.

And glued to the TV on Sunday night.

Amazon

And relaxing with a good book.
Just started this thriller and now all I want to do is read all day.

Have a great weekend and stay safe.


Until next time....

The Shirk Report

A Worry-Free Hodgepodge

Hello, dear friends.  Is everybody back into their routine yet?  Yesterday, it poured all day long which gave me the perfect excuse to have a jammie day.  I caught up with some of my favorite blogs, spent a few minutes on Pinterest, did a 7-minute workout, and homeschooled Chowdah and Chili.    

Another year, another Hodgepodge.  
Pop over to Joyce's blog to read other blogger's answers.



1.  Share one favorite moment/memory from your Christmas holiday.

My girls are going to kill me for posting this pic.  Sharing some relaxing evenings in the sunroom with the girls and the pups is the precious memory that I hold close to my heart.

2. What is the best thing you ate over the holidays?  Was it homemade or store bought? If it's homemade, did you make it?

We had waaay too many yummy meals ala the Mister over the holidays.  Thanks to him, my bathroom scale hides when it sees me coming.

D'Artagnan

The Tasty Island

My favorite thing to eat was steak tartare and toasted Naan that the Mister made on New Year's Eve.

3.  What was one of the most beautiful things you saw over the holidays?

One of the most beautiful things I saw over the Holidays was an empty parking space at Whole Foods on Christmas Eve day.  I get emotional just thinking about it.

4.  What does fresh start mean to you?

5.  On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being very positive and 1 being not so great) how would you rate 2016 in terms of personal achievement and well being?  Explain.

Any year where my family has been happy, healthy, and employed is a "10" in my book.

6.  Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English.  Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse, or just general uselessness.  Go here to read more about how the words were chosen or, if you're like me, to find out what in the world the word or phrase even means or the context in which it's used.  There were quite a few on this year's list I'd never heard before.

Here's the 2017 list of banished words-

You, Sir-focus-Bete Noire-Town Hall Meeting-Post Truth- guesstimate-831-historic-manicured-echo chamber-on fleek-bigly-ghost-Dadbod-listicle-get your dander up-selfie drone-fankenfruit-disruption

Which word on the list would you most like to see banished in 2017?  What word or phrase would you add to the list?

I've never heard most of these words before.  I have heard of Dadbod because I happen to be married to someone who has got one.

I would add the word awesome to the list.  Usually, a person who uses the word "awesome" is one who over uses it. 

7.  Large or small, light or deep, share with us one goal you have for the new year.

etsy

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

This year, I have decided not to put the family into the poor house financing my get thin quick schemes with gym fees, food programs, and diet books, that I lose interest in after a week.  Everything I do in my weight loss journey (my 2nd most hated word) this year is going to be f-r-e-e so I won't feel guilty when I give it up.  

On Monday, my two best friends who I usually have lunch with, Kathie Lee and Hoda, talked about this work out app which I downloaded.  I am sharing it with you because I don't want to be the only one that looks thin and gorgeous in 2017.

Notice my progress so far.

I'm going to add one more exercise - a 15-minute nap after my work out.  I feel thinner already.


  Until next time...

I should be working out with this guy.

What To Do in Boring January

Hello, dear friends.  This is the first time that I have been home alone in two weeks, and it feels pretty darn good.  Don't tell my family I said that.

I took down all the Christmas decor yesterday with very little help from the Mister.  The house looks so bare now.  I think a shopping expedition to Homegoods is in order.

I hate this time of year.  It is so gray and depressing, and it lasts forever.  Oops.  Never mind. One of my resolutions is not to complain.  Forget I said that.

Here are a few suggestions for filling your idle time in ugly January.  

On my gotta read list

Amazon

This novel is described as a psychological thriller ala Hitchcock and takes place on Beacon Hill.  Can hardly wait until this one is released on January 10th.

Amazon

Described as rich in suspense, the plot centers around a young couple who are living in NYC searching for success.  This one comes out January 17th. 

Amazon

Four friends agree to write anonymous letters about their deepest, darkest secrets.  Sounds like Real Housewives on paper to me.  This one is out on January 24th.

Amazon

This book is described as witty as well as heartbreaking.  The main character is a stay-at-home Mom that seems to have everything.  Everyone is shocked when she takes her life.  From beyond, she works tirelessly to find her replacement. You've got to admit, it's an interesting premise.

  

Amazon

Louise is a single mom and working as a secretary.  After a rare one-night stand with a guy, she later learns that he is her boss.

Did I ever tell you that the Mister was at one time, my boss?

Not to worry.  This is not a tell-all expose on the Mister and me.
P.S.  I'm the boss now.

Amazon

This novel is full of twists and turns and is already being compared to Gone Girl and The Silent Wife.  Ron Howard bought the rights and is producing a film based on it.  

If it's good enough for Opie, it's good enough for me.

In the theaters...

Trailer

Oscar buzz on this flick which is based on Ray Crok, the founder of McDonald's.  I'm hoping that they will give out free fries with the show.  It is in limited release now and scheduled for wide release on 1/20.

Trailer

synopsis

This one is on my must-see list for this weekend.  Octavia Spencer is one of my favorite actresses.  

Rumor has it that she makes a mean pie.

Trailer\

synopsis

Ben Affleck is the star of this American crime drama about the underworld in the Roaring 20's.  Sounds like a good one to me.  Wide release on January 15th.

Trailer

When my #1 watched the trailer for A Dog's Purpose at the movie theater over Christmas, she sobbed through the whole thing.  It looks like a sweet, heartwarming story to me.  The wide release opens on 1/27.

synopsis

On the Boob Tube...

January 15th is a big night for premieres.

January 15th 

I just think that Jude Law playing a Pope is practically a sacrilege.   
Resolution #34: don't exaggerate.
But I wouldn't miss it for the world!

January 15th

Counting the minutes for this one.  
Hope I like it as much as The Crown.

This is the Mister's favorite show.  
Didn't the guy on the left die in one of the episodes?
The Mister loves shows where they kill people and then bring them back.  

Nashville is back and premieres on January 5th on CMT.
I love the music especially when Deacon is center stage.

Olivia Pope and that gorgeous hunk of burnin' love POTUS will be back on January 19th.  You can watch the trailer here.

If Tobey isn't included in the rest of this show, I'm going to have to go on medication.  
Not that I'm dramatic, or anything.
Oops... 
Another resolution:  
Calm down and stop taking TV so seriously.


Until next time...