A friend of mine told me about these tweezers she got that have a built-in light source so you can pluck/tweeze your eyebrows (or whatever you wanna tweeze!) anywhere and have ample light to do so. LA Tweeze has found a solution for those who have a hard time seeing those tiny little eyebrow hairs. Built-in LED light, compact enough to fit in a lipstick case, apparently good grip, slip=proof, etc. My friend says she also bought a lipstick with the built-in light on e-Bay too. I'm ot sure what brand it is though.

While I think the concept is neat, I don't know if I would purchase the LA Tweeze. I get along just fine with my trusty 'ol tweezers and eyebrow grooming stuff my friend Jill recommended.

Anyway, what do you think of this new product? Worth the cash or fit for the trash?

1) Ever wonder what to do when you get an e-mail from someone you don't know and when you open it, it says all kinds of weird stuff like how your computer will now be corrupted? Does anyone know what to do when you get something like that? I normally don't open anything that looks suspicious or that's from someone I don't know, but every now and then one of those sneaky e-mails gets through. Do I delete it right away and shut down my computer??? (I JUST opened something weird and am worried it may have a virus...and I'm using my hubby's PC and not mine right now!)

2) When you purchase baby stuff, people automatically think it's for you! Today I bought the most darling little handmade outfit for my brother and sister-in-law's baby (due in March!) and the little old lady who made it said, "Is this for you, dear?" She was all smiley and happy until I said, "No, not this time. Not yet." We talked about how exciting it is to be an auntie though! I'm even thinking of taking up making baby clothing. All the other wives here are into crafts...

3) If you have a Brita water filter thingy, does that really purify your water? How pure does it get? Would you drink tap water?

4) Why do dogs scratch themselves all the time???? My silly little puppy is constantly itching the back of his ear. I KNOW he doesn't have any bugs or fleas because he's been to the vet and he's also taking stuff to prevent fleas.

5) Why is it that many women don't get along with their daughter-in-laws or mother-in-laws? I am sooooooooooo lucky that my MIL and I get along wonderfully. She lives at the farm next to ours and we see each other often enough. She's helpful, sweet, thoughtful...calls me to say she loves me! (awww) She teaches me how to cook hubby's fave meals and how to can and preserve all our fruits and veggies. We even went to a tea and bazaar together this morning. I can't understand why some of my girlfriends have such a horrible relationship with their MILs. I've heard a few nightmare stories!! The FILs seem to be okay most of the time. Many SILs and FILs I know get along well. Are men more easy going than women with these things? My dad and my hubby are buddies. It's so funny...and cute!

6) What would it be like to be a 'lady of leisure'? Meaning, to never have to worry about money...not having to work, being able to pick up and go anywhere whenever you wanted. Hmmm..today Venice, tomorrow Madrid. Maybe somewhere in Brazil mid-week and Australia on the weekend?

7) What would it be like to be a millitary wife? When I taught in Japan, we weren't too far from a few US bases near Hiroshima. Some of us teachers (aka: foreigners) would go to the bases and hang out with the millitary boys. I wondered what it would be like to live on a base while hubby was stationed somewhere. It was crazy being on the base since it was so 'Americanized'. There was a McDonald's, shopping places...there were even bars and night clubs. It looked like I was in the states, only in the background there were army guys with Japanese girlfriends (there were also army guys with their families from the states) and in the distance you could see the picturesque landscapes of Japan. Weird. One never really had to leave the base. It was a whole community in itself.

8) What would life be like if you'd married the first person you ever dated? (Yikes...makes me shiver the even think of it!) LOL

9) What would it be like to live in a different era? I am intrigued with the Medieval period. As romantic and chivalrous it may seem, it was also dark, violent, and harsh. I studied some of this in college, but sometimes wonder what life was really like back then.

10) What would we do if we didn't have the internet? :)
Our grandparents and ancestors never had the internet. I'm sure we'd cope without it, but it's just such a great way to stay connected to the outside world, keep in touch with family and friends who are far away, do research, shop, and so much more! I admit it...I'm hooked. I could survive without the internet, but I wouldn't want to! LOL

Really, I have been a huge dummy. When we moved up here, I thought that there was no crime in the countryside. I thought it was the safest place to be. Living in Toronto, shootings, stabbings and robbery and all that stuff was on the news on a daily basis, so I was used to hearing about those things. There were drug deals and drug busts across the apartment I lived in, and occasionally the police would visit our complex. I also didn't live in the nicest area of Toronto, so that explains a lot. Families yelling and fighting could be heard on a regular basis. One lady would always end up in the hallway outside her apartment, crying (possibly even beaten), with her children huddled close-by. What a sad reality it was. I was shocked. My folks were so upset with me for moving out on my own when they could provide all the luxuries of home, good cooking, a clean, safe and healthy environment...but being 'of age', I knew I needed to be on my own.

Anyway, when I moved to the countryside, I thought there was no crime. Everyone was really friendly and hospitable. Everyone knew each other. This place seemed so fresh and wholesome. People knew were city folk, because we always locked our car doors. So funny, I thought. "Good 'ol country livin'", I thought to myself. I love it! Well, the other night, we were at a dinner party. Several couples (former Torontonians) had bought property up here and we decided to share a meal and get together. The topic of safety came up, and boy was I startled at what my hubby had to say! There have been a few break-ins in the past few months. People have had cars stolen, money, and other valuables too. One of our friends was robbed recently too. The thieves even helped themselves to her kitchen because it appeared they had been making sandwiches!

This is a place where many people did not believe in locking their vehicles or their houses. People had a trust and relied on the honor system. The tackle shop near us even sells worms and live bait by leaving the stuff in an ice box outside of their shop with a sign that says "Please leave your $2.50 in the jar". Where I came from, I am not sure anyone would leave the money at all. Here, if you lose your wallet at a gas station or restaurant, the owners would call all over the place to try to get it back to you ASAP. Some old general stores still offer credit to their longstanding customers. Everyone waves to each other even if they don't know who you are. There's always a "Hello! How ya doin'?" or a "Good day!" and a smile. Things I was not used to, as in the city I never ever dared to look or smile at people on the subway in case it was taken the wrong way.

Despite all this, I was shocked to hear that there is crime (duh...I should have known- I mean crime is everywhere). Guess I was just a little naive. I feel like the little bubble I've been living in has been popped. I insisted to my hubby that we put stronger locks on all our outside doors. He says the locks are fine and if anyone wanted to get in badly enough, they'd just break the windows. Guess he's right.

After the bountiful crops we had this summer, I picked, cleaned and froze lots of our berries for the winter months. Hubby has a sweet tooth (luckily he works out everyday on the farm and with his saw mill and can afford to eat desserts without ever gaining weight),so here's a quick and easy "not too sweet" and oh so tasty dessert to make with all your yummy berries!

bottom:
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla
Beat all ingredients

1 c all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
Combine with the above ingredients until silky...no lumps!!
Bake in oven (preheated) at 350 degrees for 20 mins. Cool for 10 mins.

top:
1/2 c sugar
3 eggwhites
Beat mixture until stiff.
Fold in gently, 1/4 c raspberries, 1/4 c red currants, 1/4 c blueberries
Add the fruit and eggwhite mixture over top the cake part and bake for 30 mins at 350 degrees.

Very light and very tasty :)

Okay, this is going to be a wee bit of a ranting session. First of all, it really, really ticks me off when people from the city call me or email me and say, "Aren't you bored up there?" "What do you do up there?" Ummmmmmmm....It irritates me when they think that because I don't work a 9 to 5 job and commute two hours to and from work like I used to in the city, that I have nothing to do and that I'm bored. Lemme tell ya, there's nuthin' boring about living "up here".

Take today, for instance. I got up at the crack of dawn, hubby and I had breakfast, I cleaned the kitchen, fed the animals, split firewood, loaded the wagon with 5 cords of firewood, picked 4 big bushels of apples, made 11 tubs of applesauce, made lunch for hubby, did some more firewood splitting (we have a lot of orders to ship out this weekend), organized the curriculum for the next ESL session...and all this while hubby was doing his errands, attending meetings and then off to do chores at the barn. Luckily, we had supper at my parents' tonight, so I didn't have to cook :) It's nice to have a little treat once in a while. I was just so beat and my arms felt like jello! No need for Turbo-Jam anymore :)

So, imagine days like this, only combining teaching students English from 9-12 and then again at 1 to 3 PM AND helping with our family business (our quaint little inn...that's very busy in the summer)!! I also do story time at the library on Saturdays, amongst other community things. So, how can I possibly have nothing to do "up here"?

Lastly, (and for once and for all) Manitoulin Island isn't that far north!!! Contrary to popular belief, the Island isn't really far north at all. Where we are on the Island is even more south than Ottawa and Montreal are (but more north than Toronto).

Every generation and society has its own idea of what beauty is. Ideals of beauty change as the times change. Some societies worshipped the 'full-bodied', voluptuous, curvy, soft figure, and others glamourize the thin and waif-like form. Trends and notions of beauty change, but it's sad when in our society it's gotten to the point where teenagers and young girls felt that they were too fat or too ugly. Issues with self-esteem and eating disorders are important things to pay attention to. I'm glad that Dove has put on a Campain for Real Beauty to address these important issues.

We have two young nieces, aged 9 and 11. One of my wishes for them is that they never have to feel that they are not smart enough, talented enough, pretty enough, or whatnot. Looking at magazines and seeing photos of gorgeous, flawless models isn't always what it seems like. Lucky for us, our girls are well-adjusted girls. They're going to be teenagers in a few years, so we hope their outlook on these things always stay realistic and positive. They were shocked when they saw the commercial for Dove on TV- the one where there is this gorgeous woman getting her hair and make-up done so her photo could be on a billboard. After all the stages of the beautifying process were done and what looked like a perfect image of beauty, the photo was touched up by the use of Photo Shop!!! We were all surprised!

The photo was airbrushed, tinted, smudged, and the model's neck was elongated, her face was narrowed, her eyes were widened, her lips were plumped....she was totally transformed!! She was beautiful to begin with, but transformed even more so after the Photo Shop touch up. Therefore our nieces saw that magazine models aren't always as perfect as they appear to be. The ad is amazing. Has anyone seen the ad on TV yet?

by the wonderful and talented Curiosity Killer. It's a really cool "Know Thyself" quiz, so I decided to give it a go.


"KNOW THYSELF" TAG!

What is/are YOUR:
Easy how-to ways to beat a bad mood?
Never-fail lip color?
Personality type (via myersbriggs)?
Greatest strengths and weaknesses (like in a job interview)?
Names of the trees in your yard?
Mother-in-law's favorite flower?
Names of 4 friends whom you're going to tag

My Answers:
Beat a bad mood = Take a nice long walk with my dog, paint, bake, garden, climb the rock cut and sit amongst the trees, listen to my fave CDs.
Never-fail lip color = Rimmel London's East End Snob
Personality type via myersbriggs = ESFJ (Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging)
Strengths = get things done way before deadlines, excellent communicator, work well with others . Weakness: Don't like criticism, even if it's contructive.
Names of trees = maple, apple, iron wood, birch, white ash, walnut, cedar, and a whole bunch more that I can't think of off hand.
Mother-in-law's favorite flower = Urgh...definitely not roses, but I'm not sure if it's some type of Iris or maybe even Lily of the Valley. Does this make me a bad daughter-in-law? I know she told me once upon a time, but for the life of me, I can't remember!!!
Taggin' Jill MsMamma Stephen and Elisabeth (since both Curiosity Killer and Dina tagged me, I can't tag them)

A very dear friend of mine sadly looked into my eyes, waiting for an answer. What pearls of wisdom had I to offer? None, really. Wise I am not. She had been struggling a few years now with not letting go of her former love. She knew she had made the right decision in leaving him years ago, but knowing and letting go are two entirely different things. She told me how she'd envisioned their life together and how she hoped one day that he would change. People don't really change just like that, no matter how much you hope they will. From experience, I told her to just let go and move on with her life. As much as I believed what I told her, I knew that she didn't really want my advice or opinion...more just for me to be there to listen to her grieve.

"A" had been with this fellow for a few years and he wasted away what potential he had in becoming someone she deserved to be with. He squandered his money and treated her poorly. With encouragement from friends and family, "A" finally cut the ties. It was a hard thing to do with all the yo-yo-ing back and forth. The tears, the fights, the promises...empty promises. I went through the same thing once, so I knew where she was coming from.

"A" tells me that he has since shown up in her life again. She had started to move on and now he wants to get in touch with her. I didn't know what to say. I felt that talking to Mr. Shitforbrains would just bring her back to where she was and after all the hard work she'd done to move on...it just spelled trouble to me. "Things do get better. You'll find who you're meant to be with. Things happen for a reason. Sometimes things aren't meant to be." All the familiar words I'd received years ago seemed to be seeping from my own mouth.

Can one ever be just friends with an ex? Will there always be lingering feelings and emotions? What would happen if they got back together? Do you believe in second chances (or tenth, twentieth, or a hundreth chances for that matter!)? What would you tell a dear friend in this situation?

The Shunning, by Beverly Lewis, focusses on the events that unfold leading up to the wedding of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman. Katie lives in a quiet, peaceful Amish community in Pennsylvania, where all the traditions and beliefs of the Amish are still practiced and kept very much alive.

Katie discovers a secret in the attic while looking for her mother's wedding dress. This secret will change her life forever and alter the way she looks at the world around her. This secret will affect all the beliefs and traditions she grew up with and held close to her heart.

This is a story of life, lessons, traditions, family, community, betrayal, hurt...and hope. It's an interesting peek into the life of the Amish and the struggle young Katie must deal with regarding who she is.

This book is not one I'd ordinarily pick up at a book store, but my MIL read it and passed it onto me to see what I thought. I've always been interested in the Amish, but never really did much research on the lifestyle and their faith. Less than 300 pages, this is an easy read to do in a day or so (in between work, of course)!

A few years ago, when our two nieces were very small, they used to hang out at the hospital after school because that's where my sister-in-law works. One Valentine's Day, little C was putting a whole bunch of Valentine's stickers all over the doctors' office. C even put one on my doc's stethoscope and he didn't remove the heart sticker because he didn't want to scratch the surface that's used to hear stuff with.

He goes in to see a patient and the patient's mom. The patient was a little girl. The doc is sitting in a chair examining the child. He's sitting in front of her and his stethoscope is resting around his neck with the hearing part in between his legs. (I don't know the actual names of these things) Anyway, the little girl excitedly yells, "Mom!!! He's got a hard-on!!!" The doc quickly exclaims, "No, I don't!!!" "Yes, you do!! Look Mom!" The mom and the doc start laughing, realizing she is pointing to the heart sticker on the hearing device dangling in front of his crotch. "He has a heart on his stethoscope...Not a hard on!!!" Poor Dr.B was mortified.

Too cute.