Category: Connecticut Blogger

Summer Love

I’m that girl who happens to love the change of seasons that living in New England affords me…However, if April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, what do May showers bring?!?

That’s the $64,000 question in Connecticut today as we head into the 2nd week of May and those pesky intermittent April showers trail right behind us…

 

 

 

Why do I care?  Well for one I simply cannot seem to decide what to wear to work anymore – should I wear dark clothes to reflect the dim and gloomy skies or light clothes in anticipation of  brighter days?

 

 

And this iffy weather is even affecting down time on the weekends:  our grass is growing like wildfire so our lawnmower service cannot keep up!

 

 

But being the eternal optimist that I am, I try real hard not to take it too seriously, i.e., let it affect my mood but sometimes I’m not successful…

 

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So here’s the glass half-full point of view:  Have you taken a look outside lately?!?   All of that icky persistent rain this past month and a half has turned the bare brown ugliness of Winter into a beautiful Green paradise.

 

 

And wait, there’s more:  Summer!  One of my fave seasons is only about 6 weeks away.   I have a lot to look forward to…

 

 

Early sunrises and late sunsets…

 

 

Carefree Summer work clothes with open-toed sandals 

 

 

Weekend Golf lessons with my female Golf mates

 

 

 

And a promise to not complain when it’s too hot outside (smile).

 

 

Sincerely,

 

TVFL

 

 

My Clean Living Life Part VI

As anyone who regularly reads TVFL knows, this girl has been blogging about taking care of her health and well being for the past several years.  It was precipitated 8 years ago when I was diagnosed with colon cancer:  Check out my blog post: A Place of Desert…(almost) 4 years cancer free   So it should come as no surprise to anyone that my most shared blog post,   My clean living life…  is up to Part Six.  Namely because health and wellness is something that I (and apparently others in or not in my age group) struggle with.  And I’m not ashamed to write about it.   However, don’t get me wrong, if I could wave a magic wand and become the healthiest girl alive overnight, I would’ve been there done that soooo many years ago (smile).

 

 

As is stands, working out at the Edge Fitness Center 5 mornings a week, eating clean and healthy, getting the proper ZZZs at night and imbibing only on the weekends can get old (smile).

 

 

Especially when you work on 100 percent commission in a pressure-cooker environment each and every weekday…

 

 

But I’m not one to throw a pity party for too long…I like to look on the bright side of life.  For instance, my quest for good health and wellness affords me the following rewards:  a brighter, sunnier disposition, faster metabolism, increased energy and overall improved health.

 

 

 

Not too shabby huh?!? (smile).

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

Daydreamer

It’s rainy, wet, chilly and raw outside today – an icky, icky combo – but excellent for daydreaming (smile).

 

 

 

So I will write about the things I would like to do in the future (if money and time were no object).   Here they are – in no particular order:

 

Hire a Personal Assistant to clean the house, pay the bills, run errands, etc.

 

 

Travel the world (by plane, train, boat, automobile).  And I would,  of course,  blog all about it (smile)

 

 

Eat lunch with a favorite celebrity or two (so many come to mind, not an easy choice…)

 

 

Go on a pricey Spa Resort vacay in Arizona for 2 or more weeks

 

 

Hire a personal chef to make me clean, healthy meals every day.   Plus hire a reliable chauffeur to drive me all around town

 

 

Hire a Certified Personal Trainer to work me out in my own Home Gym/Fitness Center

 

 

Have a movie theater/entertainment center installed in one room of my well-appointed home and a premium hot tub installed in another room…

 

 

 

Have a Wine and Tasting Room in my well-appointed home where I would host small dinner parties once a month and invite family and good, good friends

 

 

So there.  That’s my short list, what’s yours?

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

 

 

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