You gain weight?

As we all know, I love getting manicures and pedicures!! And, I am generally a very loyal client once I find someone who perfectly polishes my elegant fingers.


I found a gal I loved. She went by Katie because I, along with many others, couldn't pronounce her Vietnamese name. Katie was sweet and kind. She would sing and hum quietly when I was tired. Ask how I was doing. Ask about Sam and what puppy antics he had been up to. She asked about my boyfriend and work. I think she genuinely cared.


I was Katie's client for years. I would rearrange my schedule to make sure she would be the one clipping my cuticles and shaping my nails into perfect squovals.



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Then one day everything changed. This was the day Katie looked at me slightly confused during my pedicure and said, 'You gain weight?'

I had. Probably 15 pounds. I was happy and in love so I ate and drank whatever I wanted. And, yes, I had gained weight. I was not happy about that but before I could answer she quickly followed with 'what you eat?'


I was mortified. Embarrassed. Red-faced. I already knew I wasn't happy with the extra 18 lbs I had put on. And, I certainly wasn't happy with Katie pointing it out either.


For  my next manicure I took my money and my extra 21 pounds elsewhere.

Counting My Blessings

I took a little blogging break as I was resting, relaxing, shopping, sunning and watching some hoops in the Virgin Islands over Thanksgiving.  The Littlest was playing in an islands tournament and so our family hopped a few planes to celebrate one of my most favorite holidays beachside.

 

Over the last month I've seen Facebook friends posting daily about all of things that have made their Thankful lists. I didn't partake in this trend but decided that on the last day of the month I'd jot down all of things I am blessed by and with.  Efficiency.  30 days of something I'm thankful for in one list, one post.  Done.  Read on.  And, this is not in order of least to most thankful or vice versa so don't be insulted if you aren't number 1.

          

My Blessings

1) Laughter (side-splitting, eyes watering, out loud laughter)

2) Kindness (in heart and mind)

3) La Famiglia (both sides and the 'family' that is not even biologically tied)

4) Sunshine

5) My pooch, Sam (although sometimes I want to send him off with the Gypsy's)

6) Girlfriends (enough said)

7) Baubles (bracelets, diamonds, cheap costume plastic stuff, heirlooms)

8) Ice Cream (Ben & Jerry's Phish Food in particular)

9) Bond No. 5 Nuit de Noho

10) Beaches (sand, turquoise water, sunshine, palm trees, Bette Midler)

11) Crushes (and the butterflies that come with them)

12) My trusty Volvo

13) Xanax (the calm that overcomes the storm)

14) Seashells (junonia's, jewels of the sea, catpaws, conchs, tulips)

15) Open Windows

16) Chardonnay (Rombauer is at the top of the list)

17) Gossip Magazines (and the trash they talk)

18) Grandparent memories (old spice, tab, velcro rollers, pontoon boats)

19) Church Hopping

20) Mani-Pedi's (and the Vietnamese women who are really good at doing them)

21) Wi-Fi and data plans

22) Sunroof - Moonroof (toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe)

23) Post-It's (thank you Romy & Michelle or maybe 3M)

24) Good reads (bound or nook)

25) Hand Lotion (Kiehls, l'occitane, love+toast, Archipelago)

26) Mentors (you know who you are)

27) Frequent flyer miles and hotel status (Thank you AA and Marriott)

28) Coca Cola (diet, zero, caffeine free and just plain ol' Coca Cola in the red can)

29) Old Sweatshirts (one GAP gray one that I love to wear inside out)

30) Gluten free cookies (who am I kidding, gluten free everything)
 

 

My (sometimes) High Maintenance Life

I am sometimes High Maintenance.  I am a girl.  I think most of us can be this way.  Occasionally.  Or, often.  Whatever.

I try to keep my high maintenanceness under control.  I am good at this. Sometimes.  Not as often as I'd like.

Like the other day.

I went to breakfast with some girlfriends last Sunday.  It was an eggs and bacon and biscuits&gravy and pancakes kind of place.  No eggs benedict. No frittatas.

We had a party of five.  The restaurant was not that busy.  There was no wait.  They seated us at the most awkward table.  It was situated between 2 benches.  One side of the bench could accommodate 2 people. The other side, 3.  But, the weird thing was that the table was incredibly long.  Like 10 feet long.  So, the 5th person would not be facing anyone.  It was like they would be eating at their own table with no one to talk with or look at.

I didn't want to sit at this weird, non-inclusive table.  I didn't want anyone to sit by themselves at the odd end.  I didn't want anyone to have to sit across from no one.  Weird.  Awkward. I hated it.



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So, I asked the host if we could sit at the other booth.  It was perfectly situated to allow us to sit near each other.  Everyone would be happier here.  I was certain of it.

Host:  "No, that's reserved".

Me:  "Really?"  "This exact table is reserved"?  "Well, is there somewhere else we can sit?" *snotty tone kicking in*

Host:  "No, you'd have to wait".

Waiting doesn't work for me.  Particularly when I am feeling high maintenance.  I was hungry. 


And, high maintenance.  We took the weird table.

10 minutes later a party of 2 was escorted to the table by the host.

Host: "It's so nice to see you again, Mary".

Mary wore a huge floppy hat and sunglasses.  Mary's perfectly manicured hand flaunted a diamond which was nearly 5 carats.  Mary was with her sweet adult son who likely just brought her from church. The waitress knew what Mary wanted. Mary was a regular.  Mary and son were served before our shared waitress took our order.  Mary's drink was always full.   I have a feeling Mary has a high maintenance side.

My motto from here on out:  Eat, Drink and (one day) Be Mary.

 

I Heart Manicures

I love getting a mani-pedi.  I love that I can relax and sit in silence and have my feet and hands pampered.

I don't love that I am SO picky when it comes to my mani-pedi.  I recently went in for this amazing service at my favorite nail salon.  So there I am.  Feet in the tub. Soaking off the gel nail polish from my fingers.  This is where you submerge your fingertips in acetone and the gel magically soaks away.  It never works like this for me.  They always have to take one of those metal sticks and scrape the existing gel polish off.  And, of course they do it with vigor. So it hurts.  And, if you don't get another manicure with the magic gel polish they charge you $20 to take off what they put on two weeks ago.  What a racket.  But I love it.

Before I start the mani-pedi goodness I always spend too much time debating the color I want. And, since I wanted bright red on my fingers I had to look at every gel color with extreme scrutiny.  The gel colors are painted on fake plastic fingernails so you also have to be careful because it never looks exactly the same on human hands.   

When we got to the point that my toes were painted with the 'matching' red in non-gel nail color I decided I didn't like it.  Like hated it.  It looked way too orangey red. I prefer a blue-red over an orange-red any day.  I hated it to the point that I wanted it off.  Immediately. 

Unfortunately I felt bad because the gal just spent time tending to my toes.  And, you have to always be nice to your manicurist. They remember when you complain or are difficult.  And, I can be difficult.  I don't like when my nails are too long or too short.  Or, too round or too square. Sometimes I think they look funny so I ask them to file it just a bit more. They always fix it.  Even if they think you are crazy.  And, they smile when they do it.  So if I asked her to redo it she would...but then on my next manicure she'd accidentally cut my cuticle and have to use that green stuff that burns like crazy but stops the bleeding. Or, take the metal stick and scrape with anger. 

After weighing my options I went ahead with the 'matching' red on my hands. You know, because I liked it SO MUCH on my toes I was sure that I would LOVE it on my hands. 

Fast forward and it's been 6 days since the mani.  I still don't love the red I picked.  But it has grown on me.  And, apparently other people like it because I was complimented by my friend on how beautiful my hands are.  Maybe she was still drunk. Or, it was dark in the room.  Or, she really thought my hands were nice.

I was also just complimented on the manicure by a co-worker.  She said she lives vicariously through me since I can get a mani. 

I started to complain about how much I didn't like it.  And, then thought..wow, she doesn't have the time to get a manicure.  And, then I was grateful. And, Happy. And, thankful for my orangey red manicure. 

And, even though I don't love the color of my manicured nails I love that I have the time to do it.