Free To Be Lovely

After not traveling to Mexico for a few years, eight of us finally went back last November to our happy place, Isla Mujeres. During this trip, Karl and I also explored a new island called Isla Holbox. This island was more rustic and laid back than Isla Mujeres, but every bit as fun and exciting with phenomenal restaurants and shops that sold art and clothing from local artists. As I usually do when I travel with people I love and admire, I return home with a list of cool things that I need to check out either for myself or others. I originally wanted to post this before Christmas, but here we are at the end of January 2022. If you happen to be looking for a gift for someone, look no further. These goodies have been vetted and given multiple thumbs up! These Are Worth the Hoopla Rose had several Missoma hoops in her ears. They were cute, shiny, and classy. All of us girls, and maybe some of the guys, noticed them because they seemed perfect for looking polished at the beach. The final ...

I don’t know that I’ve ever had a year like this before--a year of fear, uncertainty, sadness, and change. But, despite the politics, pandemic, and fires, we survived. We made it! And we get to have a fresh start with new hopes and dreams for the future. 2020 wasn't all bad, of course. There were some beautiful moments. Karl and I learned to slow down and find excitement in our regular routines, special moments in the mundane, and adventures in our everyday lives. And we did this while quarantining, without going crazy! According to the New York Times and other sources, we (in the US) can expect spikes in COVID-19 cases in early 2021 due to Christmas and New Year’s Eve gatherings. However, we know what to do and we just have to hang in there a little longer and stay positive until we get our vaccines. Our pre-COVID lives are just around the corner.  Find Excitement in Your Routine Shake up your routine a bit. Just a little bit. For example, if you have an indoor workout routine in ...

These last few weeks have been an emotional storm as COVID-19 struck my relatives and parents. My mom had been sick for four or five days before she was taken to the hospital, where she remained for 12 days.  Today is day 17. She is now at home recovering, but very tired with little energy. Despite everything, she is back to her positive, smiling self.  My mom had extreme flu-like symptoms, massive body pain and aches, and trouble breathing. At her worst, the hospital had her on oxygen. She didn't need a ventilator and she never lost her sense of taste or smell. My dad, on the other hand, stayed at home with mild symptoms. He did tell Karl that he wasn't able to taste his food. Because my parents are in Canada, everything will be covered by their medical plans. Thank God! In the early days, I not only worried about my mom’s health, but I worried about the medical bills. Being in the States, we think about the medical system a lot. My medical plan is tied to my job. If I lose m...

I began last week with finally getting my hair “done.” I hadn’t seen my hair goddess since, I don’t know, last year? Yet once again, I agonized over whether to leave the color completely alone or continue to get some highlights to break up the gray. A few days before the appointment, in a gathering with our “quaranteam,” I heard various unsolicited suggestions of what I should do. One girlfriend said she loved how the color had grown out and that I should leave it. That’s one for Team Gray. Another friend said I should dye my hair dark. One for Team “Get Rid of the Gray.” This is my same friend who years ago offered to pay for me to get rid of the gray. We’re old friends so I can take his comments. For the record, I have no problem telling him what he can do with his money AND advice. :-) I admit, even after deciding many years ago to embrace the gray, occasionally I still waffle between loving and disliking it. Sometimes I feel like I’m way too young to have gray hair, but too old to ...

As people start to venture outside of the house, restaurants and bars reopen, and states loosen their social distancing rules, we begin our slow process of returning to our old life. But what if you don’t want to? I want to be social again, but, I also want to bring the good things from this crazy time forward into my new life. Look at Things Differently I noticed many things that I hadn’t before. There is so much wildlife in our backyard. Karl and I learned about different birds that hang out in our bushes, discovered two very different nests, and got to know the local bird sounds. I learned that Robins have beautiful sing-songy calls, while Spotted Towhees have a trill. Karl and I watched eggs hatch and birds start their new lives. We also saw remnants of robin eggs strewn on the ground. Another animal’s breakfast. This has made me think about the circle of life, not only for animals but for humans. Am I living to my full potential? Am I making the most of the time I have? Unleash Cr...

We are now into eight weeks of practicing physical distancing, or is it nine, and I have discovered something interesting about myself. In the safety of my home, a judgment free zone, the real Tamara is coming out. I feel like a little kid picking out my clothing...bright colors, pieces that don’t match, inappropriate clothing are now the norm and sources of great pleasure. Karl too has violated the rules of propriety. Remember “no wearing crocs outside of the house?” I believe my girlfriends are experiencing this too. Bright lipsticks, pops of bright hair color, and hair extensions all worn for their own enjoyment. Last week, for example, I wore a bright red lipstick with a tight, stretchy, light blue velvet dress. To finish off the ensemble, I wore socks and my blue animal print Dansko clogs. Take that, fashion police! I did end up wearing that dress to a friend’s outdoor birthday party later, sans socks and clogs. I guess I do have some fashion principles. To get another perspective...

I find my husband extremely delightful. He’s funny and warm, and he often buys me gifts. Sometimes they’re little, like lip balm or cream, and sometimes big, like new skis or the iPad I’m using to type this blog post. Funny story about this iPad. Karl actually bought it for himself, but that week when it was to arrive, he told me I was getting a surprise in the mail. Naturally, when the iPad showed up, I thought it was for me and Karl had no choice but to let me keep it. If I recall correctly, my actual gift was pizza-flavored Keto puffs. I loved both gifts equally. :-) Whatever the gifts, they are always thoughtful and presented as a surprise. Sometimes I have to close my eyes and put out my hands and other times I have to look for it. A few days ago, my delight meter jumped a notch when Karl brought home a package of mini weiners from the grocery store. I love this man! With being stuck at home so much, I’ve been trying out different Keto recipes as well as experimenting with...