My favorite thing about this blog post is the recent photograph of me and Annie, taken by my dear friend and professional photographer, Jennifer Denton. Jen was here, taking author photos for my book jacket, and I asked her to take a photo of me and my favorite girl. And my other favorite things? This month I’ve put together a variety of items that may interest you, including books, cosmetics, shoes, and several medical alerts you might find helpful.
What if we start with the most beautiful bronzer I’ve ever used?
A BEAUTIFUL BRONZING POWDER
I’ve tried lots of bronzers and until now, I haven’t like any of them. I have fair skin–I stay out of the sun–so I need a little extra color on my cheeks and my forehead. However, I don’t use bronzer to sculpt the hollows of my cheeks because my face winds up looking like it’s dirty, or I’m trying to be Kim Kardashian, or maybe, I just haven’t gotten the hang of contouring.
Hands down, my favorite bronzer is the best-selling bronzer at Ulta. It’s from Benefit Cosmetics and is called Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer. It’s a powder that goes on like a dream and looks natural. You can start with a light dusting and build from there, or it’s easy to brush it away if you put on too much. I especially like that it doesn’t have any sparkles or glitter. Benefit has four shades, and I chose the one called “Hoola,” which I think would work for most of you. Hoola Lite is super light, think Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Hoola Caramel and Hoola Toasted are too dark. The other thing I love is that it comes in a small 2.25” square, fliptop cardboard box with a mirror inside, which makes it more environmentally friendly.
A WORD ABOUT SNEAKERS
My favorite sneakers are ones that are low and sleek as opposed to tennis shoes, which to me, look clumsy and too big. One of my favorite sneakers is the Adidas Sambas OG. They come in dozens of colors, and over the last couple of years, they’ve been everyone’s favorite sneakers, because my size is always sold out.
If you like this style, don’t confuse them with the Adidas Sambas. While they look alike, there’s one huge difference: The Sambas have an extra-long tongue that sticks up above the laces a couple of inches. Originally, the long tongue was designed to keep soccer players from getting the front of their ankles injured during a game. Today, a lot of wearers slide the tongue off to one side or fold it down over the laces. Either way, it doesn’t look right, but if you don’t do something about the long tongues, they’ll rub a blister on the front of your ankle.
Then there are the Adidas Gazelles. But beware! At first glance, they look like the Adidas Sambas OG, but the tongue on this shoe is made of plastic, instead of leather, so every time you take a step, the tongue rubs against the shoe and all you hear is squeak, squeak, squeak. Yesterday, I took my Gazelle’s to Goodwill. I’d only worn them a few times. I was sorry they didn’t work because they were a pale blush color suede with white trim and went with everything. I hope the new owners don’t mind the squeak.
I could devote several blog posts to comfortable sneakers I’ve tried, but here’s a pair I would buy again. Cole Haan’s Women’s Grand Crosscourt Daily Sneaker.
BOOKS
For the most part, I read only nonfiction and you know my favorite genre is memoir. One of the best memoirs I’ve read is Adrienne Brodeur’s best-selling book, Wild Game: My Mother, Her Secret, and Me. The subtitle used to be “My Mother, Her Lover, and Me.” I’m guessing the publisher suggested they change the title… You’re going to be shocked about what happens on page 12. Brodeur is an accomplished writer and executive director of Aspen Words, a literary arts program of the acclaimed Aspen Institute. Wild Game will have you turning pages to see what happens next!
Even though I’m primarily a nonfiction reader, I decided to see why Kristin Hannah’s novel, The Women, is the #1 bestselling book in America, and I’m glad I did. It’s more than well written. The story is about Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a nurse who joins the Army in the late 1960s and is sent to Vietnam during the height of the war. Her medical unit is on the front lines of the fighting. The novel is a compassionate, but realistic look at these brave soldiers who, for the most part, have been forgotten… More like they were never mentioned at all. It’s historical fiction at its best, and I’m the better for having read it.
FLU and RESPIRATORY SEASON
It’s that time of year to get your Flu shots, especially if you’re over 65. Did you know there are different shots depending on whether you’re over or under this age?
Then there’s the RSV vaccine, short for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, which affects 64 million people annually and causes 160,000 deaths worldwide each year. Like the Flu shot, the RSV vaccine is especially important if you’re over 65. But unlike the Flu vaccine, the RSV is a “one and done.” Get it once and you’re good to go.
If you get the Covid vaccine, there’s a new one that incorporates the strains of the latest Covid variants. Since I have asthma, and now Congestive Heart Failure, I get regular Covid shots. Some people say the shot has caused them problems, but I’ve never reacted to it. While you may still get Covid, the vaccine lessens the severity.
Last week, I got the Flu shot and the updated Covid vaccine at the same time. Tiny tiny needles. Didn’t feel either one, and I had no aftereffects.
CHRONIC SPONTANEOUS DIARRHEA
Yes, you read that right, and yes, it’s a nightmare! Chronic spontaneous diarrhea is not something people usually talk about, but I’ve discovered there are a lot of people, including me, with this horrific condition. It’s something I’ve developed in the last year or so, and it’s awful because I’m housebound until I’m “all cleaned out” which is usually about 9:30 in the morning.
My gastroenterologist says my recent colonoscopy was perfect, as were my blood tests. And since I carry one of the breast cancer genes, which makes it more likely I could get pancreatic cancer, we tested for that, and I’m relieved to say all is well. I don’t have celiac disease either, although when I follow the celiac diet, I feel better and have less bloating so I’m a believer.
If you have this embarrassing and debilitating condition, what do you do about it?
According to my doctor, chronic spontaneous diarrhea is something many women of a certain age develop. He suggested I order Medtrition Banatrol Plus, A Medical Food, a specialized nutritional support for the management of chronic diarrhea. It’s pineapple and banana flakes. Everyone needs to tweak in the number of scoops they take with 4 ounces of water in order to achieve optimum results, but I’m excited, beyond words, to tell you it works!
Till next month, when I bring you more favorite things: Stay safe, be well, and #makelifecount #whatareyouwaitingfor
