Category: Back in the day

It’s the little things…

Suddenly it’s the middle of Winter in Connecticut and even though we are not getting much snow this year I still find myself feeling just a little out of sorts…let’s see:  it’s cold, it’s dark and it seems like there’s not a heck of a lot to do for fun…

 

The older I get, the colder I get…

 

Here’s the good news: Spring and Summer are just around the corner and all of the outdoor activities we are missing are too (smile).

 

 

So since we have a little ways to go ’till then, allow me, the eternal optimist, to focus on some of the things you, your family and your friends can enjoy in the meantime in between time:

 

Skiing

There is plenty of downhill skiing in Connecticut to enjoy and the resorts are merely a car ride away.   Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall, Mount Southington in the Plantsville section of Southington, Ski Sundown in New Hartford, Woodbury Ski Area in Woodbury and Powder Ridge Park in Middlefield.

 

I love sking at Mount Southington Ski

 

Ice Skating

I went ice skating a couple of years ago on my birthday and like riding a bike, it really does come back to you.  Growing up Hollis we kids spent a lot of time on the ice as Winters seemed to be longer, colder and snowier back in the day (smile).   The difference between ice skating then and ice skating now is now it takes me a few days to recover…

 

No recovery time needed when I was ice skating as a young girl (smile)

 

Reading in front of a warm fireplace

This one’s easy because it doesn’t take much effort and it offers plenty of warmth and relaxation.  Not to mention down time…

 

Fireplaces were made for cold New England winters

 

Cooking and Eating Comfort foods

Anyone who really knows me knows if I had my way I would have my own personal chef cooking me healthy gourmet meals each and every day.

 

I’m nobody’s chef but I do enjoy cooking when the temps drop

 

Watching old movies

I love watching old B & W movies and binge-watching new series, especially when it’s too frigid cold to venture outdoors…

 

There’s not much better on a frigid cold winter day than a good movie or book, a good snack and a comfy chair

 

Going to the museum or a live theater

It’s wonderful to lose yourself in the experience of a museum exhibit or live theater performance – lucky for us the New Haven area is known for both…

 

Spa Day

Pampering yourself works for any season but it feels oh so lovely in the dead of Winter (smile).

 

 

So…that’s my list, what’s yours?!?

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

9 things I do not want to give up in 2019

My good, good work friend and fellow Connecticut blogger,  Jamie Taylor (jamieeverafter dot com) inspired me to write this blog today when she recently posted about the things she was not willing to give up in the year 2019.   I “liked” her Instagram post because this kind of thinking is the polar opposite of what you expect to hear from anyone in the early days of a New Year.

At any rate, it got me thinking about my own will not give up list for 2019 so here  is that list (in no particular order):

 

Coffee

 I cannot leave the house without my coffee – nothing fancy, just a dark roast, completely black with natural sugar does the trick – I tried leaving the house without coffee once and it wasn’t pretty – I seriously thought I was coming down with something (smile).

 

 

Edge Strong workouts

I cannot imagine doing what I do for a living without the benefits of a good workout each weekday morning.  It is not only a stress reliever but it also keeps me physically fit:  Check out my blog post:    LJ: Stronger than before…

 

 

Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Yelp, you name it – I’m on it and loving every minute of it.  Check out my blog post:    R U Social?

 

 

Pampering (hair/feet/nails)

It’s no secret that I have a weekly standing hair appointment at the salon every Saturday morning so getting my nails and/or feet done on a monthly basis is par for the course:  Check out my blog post:   Put your slippers on…

 

 

Wine

I make my living as a TV/Digital/Social Media Account Executive in a highly competitive, pressure-cooker work environment.  I do this all on 100 percent commission so a nice glass (or two) of red wine is more than welcome on the weekends – Check out my blog post:    10 things I cannot live without today

 

 

Movies

As I’ve posted about before in TVFL, Growing up Hollis my mother Jean would take her 7 children to the movies on Saturdays armed with candy and snacks: Check out my blog post:   Movie Buff   To this day watching movies on TV, Mobile tablets or even at the theater is a regular pastime.

 

Salad (with protein)

I absolutely loooooove salad any time of the year – not just the Summertime and I pile my salad with some or all of the following ingredients: romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, fresh veggies, mixed nuts, cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs, sesame seeds, chick peas, grilled chicken, homemade croutons and low fat dressing.   The low fat dressing is a semi-joke considering what goes into building my salads.  Check out my blog post:   New Haven, CT Fall(ish) eats! 

 

 

Golf

I finally learned how to play Golf last Summer at Lyman Orchards Golf Center in Golf Fore Women 101 and I must say I’m truly looking forward to the Summer again so I can hit the links with my newfound lady golf friends!   Check out my blog post:  Ready Fore Golf

 

 

Beauty Sleep

Over the years I have alternatively read or heard that a good night’s sleep is overrated and you really don’t need that much rest for your body to function at its best.  I disagree.  When I get at least 7 hours of sleep at night I tend to be more mentally alert and better able to handle multiple tasks at hand the following day.   Check out my blog post:   What it means to be a woman of a certain age…  

 

 

So that’s my list for 2019, how does your list compare?

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

LJ’s Style

LJ’s style…where did this conversation come from…oh, now I remember:  one of my gfs was talking to me about her 15 year old daughter and how she had so much style for her age.   Not just the style of her clothes but also how she wore each piece – well.  She made such an impression that she was constantly receiving praise from her teachers, family members, other girls her age, etc…It definitely got me thinking, Growing up Hollis I really didn’t have any style.  I was the baby girl of the Hollis family and one of 9.   My father Jonie B., my mother Jean, one older brother, one younger brother and 4 sisters.  And since I was the  “baby girl” of the family, my style was whatever clothes I could fit into that year that had been passed down to me (smile).

To this day, my style will forever be eclectic and sometimes even out of the ordinary.   I’m not complaining, merely stating a fact (double smile).

Here are some of the many styles that I possess today…

 

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner:

 

My Caffeinated Wake Up look

 

 

My Healthy Lunch Choices look

My fav Sushi Dinner look

 

Work:

 

My chit chat at the water cooler look

 

My Taking Care of Business look

 

My I’m Feeling Myself look

 

Church:

 

My 2 Blessed to be Stressed look

 

Gym:

 

My Daily Workout Gear look

Post Work Events:

 

My i Hope They Like This Arrangement look

My I Hope I Picked Out The Right Outfit For This Event look

 

Romantic Dates:

 

My Valentines Day Birthday look

 

My Dinner and a Movie Date look

 

Play Dates:

 

My jumping into the weekend look!
My Ski Date look

 

My pool party look

 

Vacations:

 

My On my way to vacay look

 

Bedtime:

My Hot Bubble Bath before bedtime look

 

And finally my thanks to God for blessing me with a good life, good family, good friends, good health, good work, good love in my life and a sunny, positive attitude.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

Brace Face

I am sooooo excited because I’m about to turn 56 years old next week and my braces are coming off – wait, what?!?  Really?!?

Like I have mentioned before in previous blogs, I do almost everything backwards (smile) so its’s only fitting that I would be sporting braces during my middle aged years (double smile).

As it turns out, I am in good company…

As a matter of fact, more and more Adults are sporting clear braces (or Invisalign) now than ever before.  In most cases Adults are comprising up to 50 percent of Ortho patients today!  And, according to the American Association of Orthodontics, any age is the right age for ortho care.

By the way, insurance usually does not cover orthodontics for adults over the age of 25…I found that one out the hard way…

However the good news for me was that my braces are light and clear, unlike back in the day when they were heavy metal.  Eeeck!

And I’m proud to say that I only have 8 of them – all on my upper teeth – (4 on each side) which is what my orthodontist suggested.

So here are the top 2 reasons why I decided to get braces (besides my regular dentist, Alan Friedler, DMD recommending them):

  •   Looking to close the gap between my two front teeth
  •   Looking to decrease my overbite.

My Orthodontist told me it would take up to one year to achieve these goals so I figured:  ‘I’m not getting any younger’ and ‘Now is as good a time as any…’ (smile).

 

Me before the braces – with a gap and overbite

 

Me sporting my light and clear braces

 

Here are some helpful tips if you are an Adult considering braces:

Daily Maintenance:

Good news: you may brush with an electric toothbrush – it doesn’t get in the way of the braces at all.

You need to rinse out your mouth and brush after each and every meal.

You need to floss daily and often…

You need to use the wax they given you in your “kit” on a regular basis to keep the wire from the braces from cutting into your cheeks.

Monthly Maintenance:

You have to make appointments to visit the Orthodontist at least once a month for check-up and tightening – look for an orthodontist that first of all comes highly recommended and secondly is convenient to where you live and/or work as those 4 week visits come up rather quickly!

Watch what you eat:

Here’s what I truly enjoy eating but have a tough time with right now:

  • Sushi
  • Pizza
  • Grilled Chicken
  • Steak
  • Popcorn

Here are foods the Orthodontist recommends you eat with braces:

  • Dairy – pudding and soft cheeses
  • Bread – sliced lunch bread, soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins
  • Grains – pasta, noodles, soft cooked rice
  • Meats/poultry – soft cooked chicken, meatballs, luncheon meats
  • Seafood – fish without bones, tuna, salmon, crab and crab cakes

Cost:

It cost me around $3700 but again that was just for a total of 8 braces on my upper teeth…most Ortho offices do offer monthly payment plans which helps…

Post Braces:

When my clear braces are removed next week I have to wear a thin wire removable retainer for up to 8 weeks (full-time) and then another 4 weeks (part-time).

That brings me smack into Summer – free of braces and ready for my next adventure~ Yay!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

Winter in CT

It’s officially Winter in Connecticut which for the most part makes me feel low-key SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) as it means the weather is extremely cold, the days short and the nights, super dark on my drive home from work…

To compensate, I try my darndest to look for fun, free, enlightening and/or educational things to do just to keep me from participating in my favorite pastime, i.e.,  sitting in my La-Z-Boy to watch TV and eat snacks (smile).

 

So here (in no particular order) are some of the ways (in the past) I have kept myself occupied (and far, far away from the snacks) during the dark, dreary days of Winter in CT:

 

Ice skating – Since I enjoyed this activity so much as a child growing up in Groton, CT  I figured I would try it out again as a full-grown adult – I must admit it was easier said than done (smile).

 

We spent the afternoon at Northford Ice Skating rink – what surprised me the most was the noise level, the coldness of the rink and the fact that I could not easily stop myself from falling (smile).

 

This is a fun and easy activity, especially in the Winter:  taking a hot bubble bath after a long day of work:  Check out my blog post:  Put your slippers on…

 

 

Visiting a local museum – this free activity is not only educational but truly enlightening.

 

Visiting a salt cave – this activity was so enlightening I had to write a blog about it – check out my blog post:  Cave Girl

 

Going to a live taping of The View in NYC – a truly magical day from beginning ’till end:  Check out  my blog post:  The View (from Lajeune)

 

Going to a free lecture at the local university.   I recall the event we attended at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT – Margot Lee Shetterly – the author of Hidden Figures – quickly becoming “standing room-only.”    To me this proved the staying power of the written word…

 

Spending a relaxing day at the spa – this never gets old…

 

Skiing  at a local ski resort – Super fun and exhilarating!  Check out my blog post:   Ski Date

 

Spending time (and money) at the casino…in Connecticut we are lucky enough to have two:  Mohegan Sun Casino and Foxwoods Resort Casino.

 

That’s it.  So whatever activity you choose to participate in this Winter in Connecticut, do try to make it memorable 🙂

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL