The Fantasy

The Fairytale

I think as women, we all have some secret fantasy or fairytale in our minds. We were read these wonderful stories of love conquering all when we were growing up, and we want so badly for those tales to be true. We want that fairytale ourselves. We want to believe in the magical kingdom and the knight in shining armor. Sadly, it isn’t true.

I can remember my own fairytale. I always believe that I would grow up to become a famous write one day. I would do teaching just for fun. I would live in a moderate sized house with 3 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 kids and a husband who absolutely adored me.

Well, now I’m grown. Now, I don’t live in my dream house with the 3 bathroom, 4 bedrooms, and the little nook where I write my books. I don’t have 3 kids. I did have 2 kids. And, suddenly, I have a rumbustious little kitty cat.

I am a write. I have had the privilege of writing online for Yahoo and Helium. I do have some book on Amazon. I also have the privilege to start my own online store on Teacher Pays Teachers. I have gotten to write for my local newspaper from time to time.

I did not get to walk down the aisle in a beautiful white dress with the man of my dreams. I have not met the man of my dreams. I have learned that there is no knight in shining armor. There are only choices we make.

As an African American woman, my chances of getting married are slimmer than women of other races. I know I’m going to get in trouble for saying these, but I sometimes wonder if I am wasting my time with African American men. I constantly ask myself why can’t they just “man up”.

Anyway, I would love to just live in the fantasy. I would love to live in the beautiful house with wonderful husband and the great kids. I would be so great to come home from a wonderful day at work to the welcoming arms of a man who loves me…and who I love. I must add that I must love him too. 

Ah…yes. Now, I get to make a quick and fabulous dinner for the family. We get to all sit down and eat together as a family.

Oh, the kids…one son is grown and on his own. However, he is not living up to the dream I had for him. I wanted him to grow-up and go off to college. I wanted him to get a great job and be financially stable. Well, since he just graduated from high school only 2 years ago, there is still hope that he will go to college instead of going to work full-time. My youngest son is still in school and doing fine.

Well, it was great to live in the fantasy. Now, it’s time to head back to the reality. Who knows? Maybe, one day the fantasy will come true.

My Favorite Summer Beauty Products

Summer Beauty

 

 

Summer is here, and so is the time to take care of your body. For this post, I decided to talk about some of my favorite beauty products this summer. First, my skin. I love to take showers. There is just something about the feel of warm water and tons and tons of suds. Here are my favorite shower gels:

 

 

I absolutely love Dove body wash. It feels so creamy and smooth. When I want to think of what to write in my books, I grab the Dove and jump in the shower. It really gets my creative juices flowing. I also love the feel of the Nivea. It is also smooth. I also love the fragrance of the Nivea. One time my guy friend thought it was perfume. And, last but not least, is the Suave. I love it. It is inexpensive and smells awesome. I love all the different fragrances.

 

Hair...hair...hair! It is no secret that I wear hair extension and accents. To keep my natural hair blended and looking smooth, I use gel. My favorite gel is: Shine n' Jam. This stuff works great.

 

Of course, you have to wash clothes in the summer. So, I decided to talk about my favorite laundry detergents. Here are my top picks:

 

 

Here are 3 of my favorite detergents. I love Cheer, Tide, Purex, and Gain. I am out of Gain at the moment. I will admit my favorite one is Cheer. I love the smell. I love the way it does my clothes. I just love it. I also love Purex. Purex is the cheapest, but it smells great and cleans just as well.

 

 

Well, these are my summer picks for the moment. Back with more later!

 





Winter Storm Outage Tips You May Not Have Thought Of

Winter Weather Outages Preparation Tips You Might Not Have Thought Of

Winter is finally here, and along with winter comes the possibility of power outages. Sure, you know to insulate the windows and purchase batteries. But did you think of these other important things?

*Have extra blankets and thick clothing available

Have extra blankets and clothes available to use during a winter power outage.  When the power goes out, your home could easily lose its heating source, and you will need the blankets and clothes to keep warm. You and your family should dress in as many layers as possible to keep warm. Keep your head covered since a large percentage of one’s body heat is lost through the head.

It is also a good idea to keep blankets in your car. If you have too, you can use your car for brief periods to access its heater. If you have a wood burning fireplace, it is a good idea to stock up on wood before the weather turns cold.

*Section off the house

Close off most of the rooms in your house. You and your family should gather in one main room like the living room or a bedroom to stay warm.  It is easier to try to heat one room than a whole house. 

*Fill up the gas tanks

Fill up your gas tanks before extremely cold weather strikes.  Gas heaters and gas stoves can help you and your family stay warm. They can also be used to prepare food during the power outage. Don’t forget to also fill up the car with gas. Your car can prove to be a source of heat.  You can use its heater for short periods to keep warm.  Just don’t try to sleep inside your car with it running as this could result in carbon monoxide poisoning.

* Flameless candles and flashlights

With the power out, you and your family will need a way of lighting your home.  Purchase several flashlights and flameless candles. Flameless candles eliminate the dangers of a fire. Have enough flashlights to light several rooms in your home. These will provide a source of lighting.

*Cook perishable food

If you have a way of preparing food, go ahead and cook your perishable food. The food can stay cool for a little while because of the freezing weather, but if the power remains off, it will ruin. Once you have consumed all of the perishable items, then start on the canned goods.

*Bottled water

Stock up on bottled water. Power outages can cause the water to also be off. Purchase enough water to last for at least a week. You will need this water for drinking and preparing food.

*Have a landline phone

When the power goes off at my house, the cordless phone is dead. Cell phones are great, but they also needed to be charges. So, keep at least one landline phone in your home.  .  Having one landline phone will ensure that you still have a way of communicating.

*Prevent frostbite

Protect your extremities and move around as much as possible to keep the blood circulating to your extremities.

* First aid kit

Before the cold weather strikes, have your first aid kit stocked and ready to use. This kit should include gloves, alcohol, cotton balls, bandages, Neosporin, gauzes, and other emergency items that can used if an emergency strikes.

Preparation is the key to surviving a winter power outage. So, be prepared!