Fly On The Wall On With The Noseeums

Welcome to another edition of Fly On The Wall group blog postings hosted by Karen of Baking In A Tornado. Today, there are three of us bloggers inviting you into our homes to see what a fly might see (or overhear). 

As much as I dislike the nosey fly, I've discovered I hate even more his mini cousins, the Noseeums.  Sounds like a rock band, right?  However, the Noseeums are anything but musical. In Florida, we start getting inundated by swarms of them in spring. And I had the bites last month to prove it because this is what camping does to you.

Last month we parked our RV at Koreshan State Park in a small lot with overgrown palmetto shrubs. Not my favorite scenery but that's all that was available at the campground. However, we made the best of it with our decorative outdoor lights and faux candles. It wasn't until the second afternoon that I started to itch and swat at dozens of teensy-weensy bugs flying around outside our camper. But after a few glasses of wine, I didn't think about them anymore. We had too much fun playing games, visiting the historic Koreshan compound museums, meeting other RVers, and taking our pug for a walk in his doggy stroller (an awesome gift from our son!). The funny thing is that Yoda's stroller has a mesh covering, so while we were exploring the campground with him, several people thought we were grandparents pushing a grandbaby. Imagine their surprise when they peered inside the stroller and saw a small black, fuzzy canine!

Despite the bugs, we had a great time, but once I got home, the itching became worse. Mac was also scratching as if he had fleas (which is totally possible for him if he skips a shower or two while camping). Sure enough, I woke up the next morning with my legs covered in dozens of tiny red dots! The relentless Noseeums (also known as "biting midgets" or "punkies" **see, you just learned something new today**) had gone after me like a hungry kid in a chocolate shop. 

It took a week before the spots disappeared and the itching stopped, but hey, we still had a good time, so it was worth it. I would never let Noseeums (or the nosey flies) ruin my RV trips! Anyway, I'm more focused now on March and the fun that comes with this beautiful, blooming time of year: My daughter's 34th birthday, The Florida Renaissance Festival, St. Patrick's Day, and another RV trip! By the time you're reading this, we will be at a stunning new RV resort in Bowling Green, Florida, along the Peace River. By "peace," I hope they mean bug-free...or at least Noseeum-free. Either way, I'm bringing plenty of bug spray!

Here's my latest batch of photos while hanging out with family, friends, neighbors, and all the fun in between:

Wish us luck in Bowling Green. I'm off now to do some bug spraying---which is way better than spraying for bears in the woods!

***Want more Meno Mama? This month you can find me at AARP/The Girlfriend discussing my all-important skincare routine HERE

Make sure you stop by Karen and Diane's house to see what the nosey fly saw while buzzing around their homes!

Baking In A Tornado                                https://www.BakingInATornado.com

                                

On the Border                                         https://dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com/

Dressing For Casual Comfort: Bright Tees, Comfy Shoes, Relaxed Fit Jeans, And Hoop Earrings

In the early '80s, when my girlfriends and I hit the bar scene for a night of punk rock and dancing, I never left my house without my hoop earrings, Candies slides, sparkly shirt, and the tightest jeans I could squeeze into. In fact, the jeans were so tight that they had to be zippered while I was lying flat on the bed. If you're anything close to my age, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. There was always something special about getting ready for the evening---the anticipation I felt with my friends as we applied layers of mascara and blush to our faces, curled and teased our hair, and spritzed ourselves with Charlie cologne spray.

As much as I embrace those wonderful days of my youth, I'm so happy I don't feel the need to torture myself with uncomfortable fashion just to impress people. Once I hit menopause, the last thing I wanted to wear was anything tight or made with heavy fabric (not a great mix with hot flashes) or wobble around in stilettos that might cause me to twist an ankle. No thanks! 

Like so many other menopausal and post-menopausal women, I dress for casual comfort. This means lightweight tee-shirts, comfy shoes with great arch support, relaxed fit jeans and of course, a small pair of hoop earrings to finish the look. My husband and I spend a lot of time on the road in our RV, so comfort is of the utmost importance for me. Although I'm post-menopausal, I still experience the sting of hot flashes, so I prefer wearing clothes that are timeless yet have breathable fabric to minimize sweating when the hot flashes hit. Colorful tee-shirts are perfect for this, and I can match them to just about everything in my closet. 

And let's face it---metabolism just isn't the same after menopause (I think mine packed its bags and moved out of the country!), so those pesky extra pounds I've gained over the years prevent me from visiting the skinny jeans aisle at the department store. I'm all about stretchy denim now because the soft pants feel like pajamas and allow more freedom of movement. Unlike the tight Jordaches I wore in the '80s, I can actually sit or bend down in my relaxed-fit jeans without cutting off my circulation!

Arch support footwear has also changed a lot since the days of our granny's orthotic shoes. I have several pairs of cute slip-on/arch-support shoes that I wear for all occasions---dinner out with friends, relaxing at home or exploring the walking trails at our campsites. Unlike my stiletto collection from the '80s, these shoes actually help keep me balanced, and they never cause blisters. I could dance in them all night! 

Easy accessories are important, too, and that's why I love all my hoop earrings. They never go out of style, and they match EVERYTHING I wear. Most days, you'll find me in a colorful cotton tee-shirt, my light denim jeans, some comfy slip-on shoes, and a pair of glittery silver or gold hoop earrings to accent my face. 

                              Lovely gold crossover hoop earrings

That punk rocker girl I was in the 80s may not approve of my post-menopausal fashion, but who cares? All that matters is that I'm rocking the comfort look while dancing to the Ramones and flashing a smile now instead of fanning a hot flash!

*****Disclaimer: This partnership is between Responsival and the Menopausal Mother blog. 

Fly On The Wall In Love

Welcome to another edition of Fly On The Wall group blog postings hosted by Karen of Baking In A Tornado. Today, there are three of us bloggers inviting you into our homes to see what a fly might see (or overhear). 

The fly has been very happy during this month of love at our home. We had a sweet, romantic Valentine's Day dinner out, and as fun as it was, that wasn't the BEST part of the celebration.....because I have news..... I'M A GRANDMOTHER AGAIN!!! Grandbaby number #5 was born 2 weeks ago to my oldest son and daughter-in-law. Sweet Rory is the cutest little girl, rounding out the family now with 2 grandsons and 3 granddaughters between my oldest daughter's family and my oldest son's family. We are in love!

Another reason for the feelings of deep gratitude and love is due to a little health scare I faced (but I'm fine now, I promise!) and then a nasty tumor that showed up 2 months ago on my precious pug. You may recall that I lost 2 other pugs to cancer (which was emotionally devastating) but this time I educated myself on the best protocol (first surgery, then oncology appointments, and then a 100% switch to holistic treatments as well as my organic, home-cooked meals and supplements) and our fur baby is now cancer free... and THRIVING! Hopefully he will be wth us for many more years. I have made it my mission to help other pet parents now who are dealing with MCTs, so if you need treatment advice and resources, hit me up!

 

As usual, we like to fill our weekends with lots of family time and hanging with our friends---it's nice to have something to look forward to on a regular basis. Of course, the RV season has begun for us again so each month we will be parking Lucy at a new site. In fact, by the time you read this, we will be donning our traditional  "camp muumuus" and enjoying a game of cards by the firepit at Koreshan State Park on Florida's west coast. I live for these mini vacations!!

The only downside to this month was the Chiefs losing their 3-peat chance at the Super Bowl when they were slaughtered by the Eagles. OUCH. But many of my friends are Eagles fans, so I can't be too mad....right?

So while the fly is still buzzing around my box of Valentine's chocolates (shoo fly, SHOO!), I'll end my post with some of this month's photos. 

Hope y'all had a great "lover's holiday" and I'll see you next month with my nosy, winged companion (and no, I'm not talking about Mac). As always, be humble, be grateful!

WANT MORE MENO MAMA?? If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner recipe, check out my latest food feature for AARP/The Girlfriend HERE  If you want some yummy crockpot dinner ideas to warm you up during this chilly season, I have another featured foodie piece at AARP/The Ethel HERE

Now check out Karen and Diane's houses to see what that pesky fly has been up to!

Baking In A Tornado                                https://www.BakingInATornado.com

                               

On the Border                                         https://dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com/