Good Times

Good times to be had by all at Bar Billadeau last night. Kim was worried at one point that Pat might cancel because of an impending storm....I guess as a kid at any dark cloud he would sequester himself down in the basement with the essentials...a radio, flashlight, blanket (for falling glass) and a bag of Doritos. I decided to make him feel more at ease I'd let him borrow Sullivan's handy emergency generator-powered wind up radio complete with flashlight and siren, and of course the chips. (forgot the blankie. But I figured Kim would have that.) Here's a photo of Pat looking afraid, but really there was nothing to fear. Just some wind, not even a drop of rain. Poor Pat, I think he really wanted to take home that full bag of Doritos, but alas, big sister Kim ripped into 'em and he was forced to share. I didn't get home until midnight with a sore throat from all my laughing. I was a tired Metal Mommy this morning!

Busy day today. I have a lot of errand running to do during my last few days of freedom before the kids are home from school for the summer. One of my errands was to run to the Mall (gee darn) to get some make up. Stephanie got me hooked on an eye pencil from Bobbi Brown--it was one of her rejects that I stole from Vivian's stash--and as it is getting down to the nubbins I had to go get a replacement. I ended up getting two--one of that color, and one a lighter color that seems more suitable for summer days to me. Then I decided to head over to Lancome and splurge on a mascara. I hate spending money on mascara, it seems so boring and dumb to me. But, I will say, there is a difference between the spendy ones and the drugstore ones. I try to go cheap and I always end up with clumps. There is nothing more frustrating than clumpy mascara. Lancome was having a 'free gift' thing--man, I love those things--but wouldn't you know I was $6 under the minimum purchase to get it?? Good grief. Even though I really wanted it I refused to buy something else that I didn't really need or want purely on the principal of the thing. If a girl spends $23 on a flipping mascara then she should surely get a free gift. As if reading my mind, the sales lady then plopped a clear plastic tote on the counter chock-full of lipsticks and eyeshadow quads, telling me that they made some sort of 'announcement' over the loudspeaker and that I got to pick 2 things out of that bag. Nice! So I did get a free gift after all...maybe not the tote and the flip flops, but who needs flip flops when you've got pearly pink Crocs?? I had to kind of laugh at the announcement thing--don't get me wrong, I'm happy they do it, but what is Macy's now...Kmart? The whole Blue Light Special thing?? Too funny.

This afternoon Sully and I will head over to Vivian's school to hear her and her classmates read reports that they've done. It's a very cute thing that her class seems to do twice a year, they make a party out of it. According to Vivian's disappointment I guess I am not the cool Mom since I am bringing something healthy as a snack--I realize it's not very metal to bring grapes instead of cupcakes to a school function but hey, I'm just bringing was was asked of me. Don't you remember that, tho? How the snack you brought to school totally reflected your coolness-factor? Hey, it could have been the roasted cauliflower I am eating right now as my lunch. (thank you, Stephanie!) For some reason I am the only one who appreciates that in this family....

And tonight a retirement party for one of Vivian's old teachers. I'm very sad to see her go, I was hoping that eventually Sullivan could have her as well. Sigh, the passing of time brings change. Some good, some bad, some bittersweet. I think I'll go back to lunch with my cauliflower and my sweet son who just got home from school and revel in the moment.

Make-Up Bondage

So I go into Macy*s yesterday to replace my almost-empty (at least I think it's almost empty...those damn flesh colored pump bottles make it impossible to tell, I just kind of guessed by the fact it was feeling light and it farted at me last time I squirted a little on the back of my hand...) HG (holy grail) of foundations, the Lancome Renergie Lift Make-Up, and I am pleasantly surprised with being greeted by a 'Free Gift' display at the counter. Nice. Rarely am I lucky enough to run out of something just at the right Free Gift time--it normally pops up right AFTER I've been there.

The Gift is quite generous--my choice of 3 different little make-up bags, all filled with the same stuff. An eyeshadow 'quad' (which I have to say looks amazingly like the last Free Gift quad that was given out sometime over the summer), a mascara, a lipstick that I'll actually use, (although it does have a bit of that old-lady lipstick smell. One of the reasons I buy most of my lipsticks at Mac.) an eyelash curler that I probably will never use, some eye make-up remover, and a small jar of moisturizing cream.

I was curious about that cream. I've come a long way with my facial accoutrements, spent a lot of time trying this and that and getting it just right, that I don't try new skin-care things lightly. It smelled good, I liked the consistency. I decided to look it up on line to find out just what I was supposed to do with the stuff and what exactly it's supposed to do for me. Let's see here...oooh! It: "...fights visible effects of age and hormonal changes." Right on, I'm there. "...skin regains youthful substance, firmness, and radiance – as if signs of aging are visibly repaired." Bring it on! "Visible Repair: Wrinkles appear reduced. 85% experience improved elasticity and firmness. Intense Moisture: 91% feel skin is nurtured. Re-plumped with life. Clarity: A radiant, even skin tone is revealed." Dang, this stuff even has wild yam in it. (the sweet potatoes...!) And it's only....wha?? $108.00??!! That's almost as much as the latest Coach spring/summer bag I have my eye on, and they want me to use this on my face every day? Grief.

I never used to care much about make-up. (check out that hair-do!) Back in the day I never would have dreamed about using foundation--it didn't fit the whole rock and roll death look I was going for. A little powder, absolutely NO blush (again, too life-like for rock and roll) tons of black eye liner and the finishing touch of some bright red or purple lipstick. I splurged on lipstick from Aveda, but everything else could be bought at your local Walgreens. Of course back then youth didn't come from a bottle, and I WANTED to look made up. (there's Lori and I back in the day-ha!) Now I'm spending out the wazoo to give the illusion that I don't have much on. Oh, the irony. And it's all so addicting! What starts as a Free Gift here and there becomes an obsession for that beautiful sparkly eyeshadow that looks almost identical to the one you just thew away because you found you never used it. Craziness I tell you, craziness!

I can only hope I don't end up liking this moisturizer. So does my husband, I'm sure. You men out there, you're so damn lucky!