Green

You scored as Green. <'Imunimaginative's Deviantart Page'> Green 100% Democrat 83% Anarchism 67% Socialist 58% Communism 33% Republican 25% Nazi 8% Fascism 8% What Political Party Do Your Beliefs Put You In? created with QuizFarm.com

Tasting Wine

Whenever I try to buy wine, I tend to choose the same bottles. I have tried to educate myself on the subject by watching wine courses and reading about it. However, I am not usually brave enough to deviate from buying familiar fruity flavors. I decided to do a little reviewing today before I head out to buy something special to go with my delicious dinner. I don't want to become a Sommelier or a wine snob, but I'd like to discover many beautifully balanced bouquets.

I love all of the adjectives used to describe the taste of wine.

A Few of My Food Network Chef Crushes

Inspiration from these professionals gives me many reasons not to call for pizza.

• Alton Brown

• Bobby Flay

• Dave Lieberman

• Emeril Lagasse

• Giada De Laurentiis

• Mario Batali

• Michael Chiarello

• Paula Deen

• Peter Marr

• Rachael Ray

Fascinating and Frightening

I love watching the Discovery Channel. I recently saw most of an enlightening special called Global Warming, What You Need to Know with Tom Brokaw. I hope that it re-airs soon, as I wasn't able to watch the whole program. I hope that it re-airs often to remind people of the precariousness of our environment--and to facilitate major changes to improve it.

My Bossy Blonde Playlist

1) OK Go “Here It Goes Again”
2) Justin Timberlake “SexyBack”
3) Angels and Airwaves “Do It For Me Now”
4) Outkast “Idlewild Blue”
5) Kelis “Bossy”
6) Christina Aguilera “Ain’t No Other Man”
7) Blondie “Rapture”
8) The Cure “Friday I’m In Love”
9) Rhymefest “Fever”
10) Mayday! “Groundhog Day”

The Trendy Green Drink

• The Miracle of Green Tea

• Does decaf green tea have the same benefits as green tea with caffeine?

• In U.S., Green Tea Ranks Last

Tantalizing

Our family of four ventured out for an early breakfast yesterday. Afterwards, my husband suggested a Sunday drive up to a quaint shopping village on the Delaware River. I decided to go despite the pain in my face and chest. We walked around in the super clear sunshine until we were glossy with sweat and our bags were filled with preppy fashions. My darling daughter wined the entire trip, since I wasn’t in the mood to suck in steam from the old fashioned engine, while chugging around the surrounding towns.

Later that afternoon, an ice cream coned soothed her tongue and our tortured ears. Then we made the mistake of wasting two hours watching Talladega Nights. We chilled in the impressively air conditioned theater and I laughed twice. My husband and my son thought it was a funny film. I wish that I hadn’t exposed my ten-year-old daughter to this moronic spoof.

I love the idea of poking fun at racing, shallow nonsense and product placement. I was just hoping for more than a couple of chuckles. Ricky Bobby (Will Farrell) strips down to his tighty whities and runs around like a maniac. He also kisses his nemesis, Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen), on the lips. I was happy to see them smooch only because Jean’s annoying fake French accent was silenced for a few seconds.

My life hasn’t been too eventful this summer other than my visits to doctors and specialists, watching my daughter’s swim meets and my husband’s softball games--and waiting for my son to return from a week in Disney World and then five days in Nashville.

I took my daughter to the grocery store today, while waiting for my husband and my son to return from a volleyball tournament. A tall, attractive black man who was wearing a stunning suit approached me, as I pushed my sparsely filled cart out of the store. He smiled at me and said, “You know those scenes in a movie when you see a beautiful woman having her hair blown back from her face?" I probably had a surprised expression as I replied, “Yes.” He continued, “Well, It felt like one of those moments when I saw you walk out of those doors.” I felt a smile licking my lips, as my eyes glanced down at the floor. I whispered, “Thank you”, as my daughter followed me to my car. My posture improved a little, as I felt the strength of my long stride and the feminine sway of my hips. A full smile bloomed, as I loaded my groceries into the car.

The next time I cross the threshold of the air blasting vents, I’m sure that I will remember his handsome visage.

Now I’m drinking a leftover light beer from a poker tournament that I recently hosted for my husband and his pals. I don’t even like beer.

Mountain Laurel

Pennsylvania State Flower

King Kong

Giant Gorilla/Blonde Female

Walking Josie

from my daughter's perspective

(our adorable toy poodle)

Frustrated

I’ve been unwell again for several weeks. I wish that I could say that I have been on a sunny, warm and fun-filled vacation with my family. However, I’ve mostly been sitting in bed.

As soon as I stopped taking antibiotics, my symptoms returned. Chronic pain, stinging and swelling in my jaw and neck below the extraction site are a part of my daily life. The lymph nodes on the left side of my neck are tender, painful and swollen. I also have been running a fever from about 99.5 - 100.5. I’m also having headaches, pain running down the left side of the back of my neck and pain in my left ear. The back of my throat has a few white patches on it and some redness and lymph node swelling, which is more pronounced on the left side. Depression is beginning to set in because I’m beginning to lose my patience and hope.

It will take me a while to outline the battery of tests that I’ve been through…

• CT scan of my head and neck looking for an abscess, which was unrevealing except for swollen lymph nodes and a nodule on my thyroid and a cyst in my left sinuses. This test was done a month ago after I had been on Clydamycin for five weeks.
• Stool sample to test for Cdiff infection following colitis symptoms, which was negative.
• CT scan of my abdomen to rule out complications related to antibiotic induced colitis which developed from having been on Clydamycin off and on for more than two years to treat the infection in my gums pre and post extraction of my two left wisdom teeth. It was normal.
• Ultrasound of my thyroid, which revealed that my thyroid was normal and the nodule was benign.
• Camera/light on a wire cord was fished down my throat through my nose to look at my throat.
• Bone scan of my head and neck, which revealed increased uptake in the left side of my neck and brain, but it was not read as osteomyelitis
• Skull X-ray to rule out the cloudy reading/uptake in my brain was read as normal.
• Two EKGs, which were normal.
• Chest X-ray, which was normal.
• Echocardiogram, which was normal.
• Dental scan, which showed the swollen lymph nodes but no issues visible in my jaw.
• Battery of blood tests and cultures were all within normal limits and showed that I do not currently have a systemic infection.

I found all of the tests frightening, several of which required injections of dye or radioactive materials and my body being enclosed in a claustrophobia inducing machine. I’ve been exposed to a lot of radiation. I’ve had lots of blood drawn. Most of the tests were done at the hospital in which my mother died last year, which is still fresh in my heart and mind, so it’s emotionally challenging to even approach the giant brick monstrosity and it’s professionals who were unable to save her life after she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

I could complain for much longer about having been sent to the ER three times by my physician (once for a CT scan of my head and neck, once for back pain from colitis and once for chest pain which I believe is related to the jaw/neck infection)--and for having seen my oral surgeon, regular physician, an ENT specialist, a periodontist and an infectious disease doc, all of whom have not come up with a treatment plan or any answers for the reason I’m having these symptoms.

I’m not sure how much longer I can endure this pain. I don’t want narcotics to mask the pain. I want someone to figure out what is causing my symptoms and fix it.

The consensus of the doctors was that I should get a second opinion from another oral surgeon. I called the guy who my physician recommended and the receptionist told me that they would not see me. She told me it was their policy not to see patients who had work done elsewhere.

I believe that my current oral surgeon is a nice guy, but he doesn’t seem to be taking me seriously. He also seems somewhat defensive. I was told after my second recurrent infection post surgery that it was unrelated to the extraction. I patiently explained that the pain that I am having is most definitely coming from the same place where the tooth was removed, deep under my gums and radiating in my jaw. There is obvious swelling directly under the site on my neck and the lymph node chain is quite swollen and tender all the way down my neck and into my upper chest. The left side of my jaw is also visibly swollen and my face and neck are asymmetrical. The muscles on the left side of my neck are protruding due to the lymph node swelling. I am having obvious intermittent chest pain. A few days ago I had pain radiating from my chest into my left shoulder and down my left arm and into my wrist. My chest feels like it is throbbing on occasion. If I follow my lymph nodes down my neck and the same line down my chest with my fingers I can follow the pain on the left side of my chest. It does not feel like chest wall pain, but rather like arterial pain.

My family doctor is the guy who initiated my tests and referrals to specialists. He isn’t particularly warm, but he seems to be trying to help me find the answers. The specialists all seem to point me back in the direction of my oral surgeon who suggested that I rest, eat well and eat lots of yogurt. He told me that I needed to stay off of antibiotics due to the fact that I developed colitis from taking Clydamycin for so long. However since I have discontinued it, my colitis has resolved, but my lymph nodes have become more and more swollen and tender and the aching pain has become more acute in my jaw. It has gotten to the point where I cannot even sleep on my left side because the pressure on my mandible causes me pain.

I am assuming that all of the doctors have refrained from starting antibiotic treatment due to the fact that my tests have been unrevealing and because I had a bout with colitis that could return if they restart antibiotic treatment.

I am also allergic to amoxicillin/penicillin, which limits me to other more expensive drugs.

I am concerned that the infection will continue to worsen without treatment. However I have been told that there is no definite evidence of an infection by my family physician as well as my oral surgeon who suggested that my pain could be muscular in nature. However, that does not explain my chronic low-mid grade fever and pain, as well as the lymph node swelling in my neck. It also doesn’t explain why when I bite down I hear a crackling and fluid sound deep in my left jaw and feel fluid pressure behind my jaw bone and leading all the way up to my left ear. The entire left side of my jaw is also tender to touch.

My pain has never completely resolved post extraction, nor have the symptoms of infection other than while I was taking Clydamycin. Every time I discontinue the drug, my symptoms return and increase until I begin taking medicine again.

Post my second oral surgery in the beginning of June (ten months after my extraction), which was done to check for bone fragments and to clean/rinse out my gums and check the top of my jaw bone, I had inflammation and swelling in my jaw. The jaw inflammation and swelling from the procedure almost completely resolved. After I discontinued the Clydamycin on June 14, the jaw pain and lymph node swelling began to increase. I have been off of Clydamycin since that time.

My oral surgeon chose to do the second surgery despite the fact that the CT scan that my physician ordered didn’t show an abscess or any mass.

I was given one course of Metranidazole post Clyndamycin to treat the colitis. It resolved as my jaw pain increased.

After I took my last dose of Metranidazole, I woke up with hives all over my legs the following morning. I don’t know if it was an allergic reaction to the medication or a reaction to the radioactive material which was injected for the bone scan two days prior. It also could have been due to anxiety, although on the rare occasion in which I get hives from being anxious there is usually one or two on my neck rather than several all over my legs.

I am not currently on any antibiotics. I feel like I might require a dose of IV antibiotics to resolve the issue in my jaw, neck and chest, but I haven’t been given anything due to the unrevealing tests.

On the day of the second surgery, after my oral surgeon completed the procedure he hoped that this it be the answer to my long standing problems, although he stated that he saw no visible abscess and he said the portion of the bone he saw looked healthy. He questioned whether I could have a problem in my mandibular or parotid arteries or some kind of other issue, although he doubted it.

He assured me that my body had the ability to heal sans antibiotics and that I wasn’t going to die. He also told me not to see any other doctors, since they would likely prescribe more antibiotics. However I had to see my regular physician after I had several days of abdominal and back pain and mild diarrhea after discontinuing the Clydamycin. It took me a few days to realize that it was likely antibiotic induced colitis and that I would probably need Metranidazole. At that time, my physician also initiated most of the other tests regarding my dental issues.

Osteomyelitis was questioned, which was read as negative by the hospital physician. I don’t think that the films were seen by my oral surgeon.

During my visit to the hospital for chest pain, the ER doctor ran a battery of blood tests and cultures, which were within normal limits. I also had an EKG and chest X-ray which were both normal.

I contacted a periodontist due to a suggestion by my orthodontist. The periodontist told me that he would help me find some answers. After a brief exam and extensive discussion, he wrote me a prescription for Doxycycline which helps slow down the process of periodontal disease, but told me that it wouldn’t really treat my problem if I had some kind of infection. I dropped off the prescription at the pharmacy, but never picked it up. He recommended that I write down my case history, which is the reason I am writing this. He was the most kind of all the doctors who I have seen. He seemed to understand my distress and offered empathy. However he was unable to help me directly.

I most recently visited an infectious disease doctor referred by my physician. I briefly repeated my case history. I explained that I had had bouts with pericoronitis in my lower left gums around my erupting wisdom tooth off and on for about two years prior to having the tooth extracted. I finally had it removed after my mom died. I put it off at first due to fear of having it removed (and hope that it would resolve once my tooth finished pushing through the gums) and then because I was visiting my mom at the hospital every day during her sudden bout with blood cancer.

His was response was to explain that my temperatures are not in an alarming range. It was 99.6 at his office and has been about 100 each time that I visit my regular doc. It has remained in the same range each day when I take my temperature at home. My temp when I’m well is about 97.7-98.6. The ID doctor also told me that he had no idea about the mandible and to explain to my oral surgeon that while I value his opinion and help, would he please recommend another oral surgeon for a second opinion if he had no other suggestions for me. He stated that there is an obvious problem and pain and he acknowledged the swelling in my neck, but he said that he didn’t know why it was there. He also recommended that my oral surgeon take a direct look at all of my films and tests and told me that he might have access to a computer for the hospital which would show all of my tests. He suggested that I start taking something stronger for pain. I told him that I didn’t want pain killers, that I wanted the source of the pain resolved.

I left his office on Tuesday morning feeling kind of numb and hopeless.

I don't make an appointment to see a doctor unless I feel obviously ill for an extended period of time. Until my wisdom tooth issues began, I very seldom saw a doctor. I think that a lot of people overuse antibiotics and that my body will usually heal by itself. I’ve been lucky not to have had anything more serious than colds or sore throats. After my mom stopped making me see the doctor as a teen for every sore throat, I have rarely seen the inside of a doctor’s office other than for my children’s routine physicals/shots.

The past few weeks have been extremely stressful and emotionally draining. I feel guilty because I haven’t been able to take my kids to the pool or elsewhere. I’m kind of glad that it has rained so often. The yucky weather made me feel a little less like we were missing out on enjoying the summer sky.

Thankfully my dad has been taking my daughter to her swim team practices. I have managed to make her swim meets. I especially didn’t want to miss her first one. I figured that I’d feel sick at home or poolside. I wanted to cheer her on and hug her after every lap. She is a fantastic little swimmer. I’m very proud of her.

Fortunately my son has been helpful. His silliness and hugs have given me strength. Hugs from both of my kids melt my stress and leave me feeling temporarily giddy. I love the smell of their hair. I’m so happy to have two affectionate and adorable children. I just wish that I was all better so I could give them a better me.

My son is flying to Florida on Sunday with his buddy and their family. They will be enjoying Disney World, beaches on the coast and lots of sunny activities for one week. I am glad that he will be getting out and enjoying life even though I will miss his big affectionate and amusing presence.

My sister is a registered nurse and she is concerned about negligence in regard to my treatment. Her best girlfriend is also a nurse and works in telemetry at the hospital and they convinced me to listen to my physician and orthodontist who encouraged me to be conservative and visit the ER for the chest pain. They also both think that I should just be given some IV antibiotics, but I told them that the docs won’t recommend it and the insurance won’t pay for it without positive test results.

I am not concerned with placing blame. I just want someone to offer genuine help and concern. I need the help of a medical professional to find a way to resolve my health issues. I feel like I’m being treated like a hysterical female even though throughout this entire ordeal I have remained polite and patient with each and every doctor despite my chronic and worsening symptoms.

I calmly told my oral surgeon that I was worried. He told me that he has seen lots of patients near death from infections and the last time that I saw him three weeks ago, I was nowhere near that sick. I have been told that I don’t look that sick by my regular doctor and the periodontist, but I certainly feel quite ill.

I’m left feeling like my body is being poisoned by pain and bacteria with no answer in sight.

I have a follow up appointment with the ENT office on Monday. The doctor I saw last time diagnosed me with thyromegaly and told me about a nodule on my thyroid. It added to my concern about my jaw, neck and colitis issues, which turned out to be nothing worth worrying about following my ultrasound.

My regular physician explained that they may want to do a biopsy of my lymph nodes in my neck. However, I don’t believe they are the source of the problem. It’s coming from my jaw. The infectious disease doc said that the chain of lymph nodes in my neck is a response to the problem. But nobody seems to have any answers.

I think that I have done everything in my power to try and heal. I have rested as much as possible. I am drinking plenty of water and decaf hot tea to sooth my throat. I have eaten yogurt with active cultures at least once per day and maintained a well balanced diet. I have tried to go to bed early most nights. I gave up the one drink that I used to try and remember to have some evenings to try and prevent heart disease. I read that I shouldn’t drink alcohol while taking Metranidazole. The drink had been giving me some brief relief from the pain in my face and neck. I had to give up my regular exercise program due to the acute pain from the colitis and increasing pain in my jaw and neck. However I have tried to do some gentle yoga for relaxation. I take a daily multivitamin. I don’t smoke or use any recreational drugs. I brush after every meal and use mouthwash and did regular warm salt rinses post surgery. I use warm compresses to try and reduce the lymph node swelling in my neck about 3xs per day. I have been taking warm showers twice per day and allowing the warm water to run down my sore neck, which helps relieve some stress.

Immersed

We just got home from my daughter’s first swim team practice. I am excited that she asked to join the team this year. I told her that I was proud of her for trying something new. I was on a swim team for the same township at her age and I loved it. My daughter is naturally graceful in the water. She learned the strokes quickly and is a solid swimmer. I’m thrilled that she loves it because it’s fantastic exercise and she’ll make new friends.

My handsome sixteen-year-old son went to watch his cute ten-year-old sister swim her first laps as a piranha. He recently got his permit, so he drove us to the park. I’m having a hard time getting used to my baby boy becoming a responsible adult who happens to be a 6’ 3”, 205 pound, green-eyed gentle giant. He fills out the driver’s seat of my Volvo with barely enough room to move his newly trained limbs. If he continues to grow I think he’ll need a larger vehicle.

I listened to my son and daughter share the bathroom this morning. It was an amusingly friendly exchange. My daughter threw a wet washcloth over the shower curtain and onto her brother’s unsuspecting head, while she was brushing her teeth. She lovingly told him that he was ugly. He replied, “So are your eyelids.” She said, “You’re so weird. He said, “So are your earlobes.”

On another note, we didn’t get the house. We put a bid in for asking price, but we would have had to sell our home first. The sellers chose someone who didn’t have a contingency. We were a little bummed about losing the deal, but we’re also content to stay in our adorable home.

We spent our first afternoon at the local public pool yesterday. The splashing and sunning sparked my daughter’s interest in joining the swim team, so I’m glad that we went even though it was hot, humid and crowded.

My jaw seems to mostly healed. The swelling is almost gone. Unfortunately, I still have some discomfort in my gums. I really hope that I still don't have an active infection and that I don't get another one! I have a check up with my oral surgeon on Thursday afternoon.

I’m heading out to my grandparent’s house to let them watch our new Dane Cook DVD, Harmful If Swallowed. My son likes the idea of having them watch it, since they are Lutherans who rarely miss church--and donate a great deal of their money and time to their church. Dane refers to communion as ingesting a crouton of Christ or a Jeesit or Christchex.

I’m going to stop and pick up some coffee for them. I can’t wait to see their reaction to Dane’s religious humor. As my son says, “I love those old heads.”

Wizard Challenge

I have read all of the Harry Potter books along with my children, as they have been released. We have also seen all of the movies. We have become enamored with J.K. Rowling’s clever and magical tales. I am looking forward to reading the seventh and final book in the series.

I came across this cute Wiz Quiz today. It was a fun reminder of her enchanting world.

Vacillation

My husband and I took our kids to the June Fete on Saturday morning. I had a golf ball sized left cheek. I stood watching their smiling faces on every ride, since I was too sick to climb on with them. My daughter was especially thrilled by all of the rides, although she made herself a little nauseous by repeating rides that all seemed to go in a circle for three hours. My son stayed the whole day with his buddies.

We went to an extended family brunch on Sunday. It was pleasant despite my inability to eat.

We also attended an open house to scope out a lovely in ground pool. We put a in a bid for the home the same evening.

We are weighing the pros and cons of making the move. It is in the same township as our current residence, so it wouldn’t change much for the kids in that regard. We just have to decide if we want to take on more debt for new digs. We have 48 more hours to decide before we let the other family who bid on the home make their move instead.

It’s such a big decision. The split level home isn’t much bigger square footage wise than our current cape cod, but the big & beautiful pool is quite alluring. It also happens to be situated next door to my grandparent’s house/above ground pool and deck—and my dad and sister and her fiancé are in the colonial I grew up in next to them. We’d be three in a row. The block is very family oriented and busy. There are lots of gigantic additions with in-law suites attached to them. It’s multigenerational, which is very European.

The thing is I adore my humble cottage with all of its carefully planted gardens. My house is appealingly curb friendly and cozy. I would miss it if I moved.

My husband is willing to stay or go. He said that he just wants me to be happy.

My kids would be content with either living arrangement. They both said that they would like living near so many relatives, but they would miss the friends that are scattered around the neighboring streets and being so close to their schools.

The two mile difference seems to make more difference to me than anyone else in my family. I’m feeling indecisive--and my mouth is still swollen and sore.

'80s Flashbacks

If you played any of the following arcade games...

• Pac-Man
• Space Invaders
• Ms. Pac-Man
• Galaga
• Frogger
• Centipede
• Dig-Dug
• Galaxian
• Q-bert
• Pengo
• Donkey Kong
• Asteroids
• TronTapper
• BreakoutTetris

...you might like these '80s Music and Nostaligia Links.

Gimme a Break!

I’ve been sick with an infection for over a month. I had surgery this morning to clean out my gums where my lower left wisdom tooth was extracted last August. This is the second infection since my surgery ten months ago. I had a chronic problem with infection in the area off and on for more than a year prior to having it extracted. I waited because I read that pericoronitis is often a problem with erupting wisdom teeth, which can be resolved with antibiotics. Due to recurrent infections, the oral surgeon recommended that I have my upper and lower left wisdom teeth removed, so that I could heal and move on with my life. I waited a while to have it removed due to the fact that my mom was hospitalized with leukemia.

My oral surgeon can’t figure out why I have another infection in the area, since my gums looked like they healed well. Two panoramic X-rays revealed that there were no bone fragments or pieces of tooth left behind. I’m not sure why my neck under the site is swollen, as well as the lymph nodes on the entire left side of my neck, after being on antibiotics for a month. My regular physician sent me to the ER for a CT scan two days ago, which revealed that I didn’t have a visible abscess. It doesn’t explain why the infection became so uncomfortable in my jaw, throat, neck and chest or why it just won’t seem to go away.

I take the antibiotic every eight hours as directed. I’ve been eating well and exercising. I also take daily multivitamins and get plenty of sleep. I have very good oral hygiene. I brush thoroughly 3xs per day and use mouthwash. I have even been rinsing my mouth out with warm salt water, but the infection has persisted.

Despite not having an abscess, my oral surgeon decided to make an incision in my gums down to the bone and clean and drain them. I was terrified and the procedure was stressful to put it mildly. Fortunately, I’m still numb. Thankfully, he found no sign of infection in the area and said that the jawbone healed beautifully.

He gave me one loose stitch, so that it can continue to drain while it heals and told me to rinse with warm water and continue the antibiotics that my doc prescribed. He said to come back next Tuesday for a check up.

He is questioning whether I have a problem with the infection getting trapped in my parotid or mandibular arteries or if there is an infection in the bone. However, we are hoping that this procedure will clear the infection and that it won’t recur or I’ll have to have further testing to figure out what is going on with my body.

It has been very frustrating and scary and painful. The antibiotics have some nasty side effects when taken for long periods of time, but for now the benefits outweigh the risks. I want to be completely healthy again more than anything. I’m really tired of functioning despite being ill. It takes the joy and relaxation out of life. I want to be able to do things without feeling the aching, stinging and itching pressure in my jaw--and without having a sore throat, sinuses, neck, head and chest.

Prior to dealing with wisdom tooth issues, I never had any major health problems. I had seen my physician about three times in the past decade. I had never been admitted to the hospital other than to give birth to my two gorgeous and healthy babies and was discharged the next day. I never appreciated being healthy, but now I am desperate for restoration. I want to be a healthy and happy mommy, so that I can do fun things with my family.

Lovely Friday Random Ten

1) “Mas Que Nada” Sergio Mendes featuring Black Eyed Peas
2) “Stars are Blind” Paris Hilton
3) “Come Sail Away” Styx
4) “Isn’t She Lovely” Stevie Wonder
5) “Looks That Kill” Motley Crue
6) “Just Like Paradise” David Lee Roth
7) “Simple Kind of Lovely” Maroon 5
8) “Underneath It All” No Doubt
9) “Legs” ZZ Top
10) “Lovely Day” Bill Withers

Alfresco Ideas

The summer solstice is approaching, which is my favorite time of year. I think I will have a Malibu Bay Breeze to celebrate the sunlight. I hope that June, July and August will be a period of fruition, fulfillment, happiness and beauty!

I plan to go on a romantic picnic with my family this weekend. I want to drink a glass of summer Chardonnay, eat cold fried chicken, cheese and fresh peaches--then play Frisbee and softball in a field.

Lick and Swallow

In the mood for the distinctly tart and sweet flavor of a Lemon Drop Martini? I am!

Luminescent

Craving that gorgeous, sun-kissed summer glow?

I’m slightly sun-kissed from walking four miles per day. My skin is also glowing from a bottled bronzer and sweat. I decided to read about how sunless tanning products work, while I cool down and drink some water.