My Review of Merrell San Remo Sandals - Women's

Originally submitted at REI

The Merrell San Remo sandals feature beautiful, crisscross leather straps and supportive, board-lasted construction to bring you style and comfort for fun in the sun.

Merrell San Remo Sandals - Women's

Great Sandal!

By Camper-Girl, latest in super heroes from Covina, CA on 11/20/2009

 

5out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size

Width: Feels true to width

Pros: Breathable, Durable, Comfortable

Best Uses: Barbecues, Walking, Everyday, Beach, Travel

Describe Yourself: Conservative, Casual

I purchased these sandals before a trip to San Francisco 1 1/2 yrs ago. Just prior to that trip, I was on Catalina Island enjoying the day at Pebbly Beach. It was a more than a little bit rocky, and since I had no alternative, I wore my brand new (argh) sandals into the water. They held up surprisingly well though not intended for that type of use. I gave them a good rinse that night and let them air dry. I then took them to S.F., and walked EVERYWHERE in them. They were so comfortable that at times I would forget that I had shoes on at all. Actually, I felt like it was better than being barefoot because I had some arch support which kept my back and feet very content!

I was so impressed that when I returned home, I ordered them in a brown. I highly recommend these sandals, especially for traveling. They adapt well to many situations, pack easily enough, and you never have to worry about sore feet for those walking adventures.

Love my Merrells!

(legalese)

My Review of Born Blanche Leather Loafers (For Women)

Originally submitted at Sierra Trading Post

Closeouts . A braided instep strap is the star of Born's heeled leather Blanche loafers with adjustable leather buckles. Cushioned insole and raised arch Leather lining Rubber outsole Heel: 1-¾” Closeouts . China. Width: M (medium)

Born Blanche Leather Loafers (For Women)

Cute shoes, Buckle area painful

By Camper Girl- the latest in super heroes! from Covina, CA on 11/8/2009

 

2out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size

Width: Feels true to width

Pros: Classic, Attractive Design, Flattering

Cons: Poor design

Describe Yourself: Career, Comfort-oriented, Practical, Classic

Shoes get stars based on appearance only. The poor design creates too much bulk where buckle nears foot. I REALLY tried to give them a shot. I even loosened the buckle thinking that maybe they were too tight across the widest part of my foot. Nope. It seems that there is too much stitching or leather that comes together right at the point of the buckle. I loved the look of these shoes though and if you are considering them and are willing to pay the return shipping, give them a try. They are cute. Just didn't work for my otherwise easy-to-fit size 8 foot!

(legalese)

Heavy Sigh...

I just realized that I haven't written in SOOSOO long. What is wrong with me? Oh wait...do not answer that. We could be here indefinitely!

I have so many loose ends that really need tending to. I did take care of two things today that I was dreading. One had to do with contacting my union to address my recent work evaluation. Bleck. Apparently, I have gone from being "outstanding", bypassed "very good", and swiftly landed at "competent". The best part is that there was absolutely no justification for the much lower rating. The body of the evaluation reads much like my 2 previous outstanding ones. Hmmmm...?!?! I also sent an email to my attorney who is handling my worker's comp case. To say that I am thoroughly confused by the paperwork that I got regarding how I will be paid from here on out is a major understatement. Hopefully, my attorney will get it all sorted out and be able to 'splain it to me. I cannot wait to return to my regular existence which will now involve daily medication and inhalers. I have so much more to say, but since it falls under the griping category, I will hold off until I need to blow off steam one of these days.

Wow...I need to log on to my distance education statistics class. I need to put in 5 hours before tomorrow morning. I got 3 weeks ahead during the first week that I had to slack off for a bit. Now, I have to remind myself to spend more time on the site. Even so, I have 2 weeks until my next lessons are due. I'm grateful that I am grasping the concepts quickly, but it kinda works against me because of the time I need to put in "killing time" doing a bunch of nothing. I just hope that I continue to do well and I don't hit a wall somewhere along the way.

My last heavy sigh is that I can feel my job promotion slipping away...all because I helped out at a train wreck and got sick as a result. It makes me question the bigger plan for me. I want to say why me? And yet, I feel so blessed that I wasn't on the train. But the fallout is making me feel such animosity and I can't even determine who is to blame. I throw my hands up in the air and pray and just hope for the best. Some days I want to cry and other days I feel like I want to fight back. But most days, I just give a heavy sigh and try to go about my normal business and get through it all.

Simply Red

I love the color red. I don't mean that I like it. I. LOVE. RED!

My first car was red. If I ever own my own home, I will be fighting the urge to have red in every single room. When I shop for clothes, I swerve each time to the red option. My most recent hair color...guess...go ahead...YEP, I have gone red. Or at least, a very reddish-brown.

Don't get me wrong. I like the other colors. I think the world would be a hideous place without them. But, I think they were placed here just to highlight the reds in the world.

I recently was surfing some artsy craftsy website which sparked this rant. The picture that got me to thinking about my love affair with red was the cutest 20-something girl in a rather simple photograph, sporting red nail polish and really red lip color. And that is when I decided this:

I will paint my fingers and toes my favorite color. I may even wear that color lipstick even though all the experts say that someone my age should NEVER sport such a hue. I won't even care if it seeps into the fine wrinkles that now line my lips. I won't care about the people who think red is the color prostitutes sport or the negative connotation of a "red light district".

I LOVE MY RED...it is as simple as that!

Gripers Anonymous

I'm a griper...kinda always been a griper. I don't mean in the "I'm a totally negative person, all the time" way. I just complain. I mostly complain about things which I think can change. Like at work for instance, I try to address problems that can be corrected and leave the things that don't have potential for change alone. I complain about my parents...They both overly use sayings such as "the thing about it is..." or "anyways"-which isn't even a word. I like to think that I come by it honestly.

The best part is that I realize what it is like to be on the receiving end of it. On a trip with my now deceased paternal grandmother, Juanita, I pulled over to the side of the road in Texas where the only thing I could find was a puddle of mud in the desert dirt. I told her to get out of the car. She looked at me SHOCKED. I said, "Go on...get out of the car and into the mud!" She looked outside and back at me and we both started laughing. I figured I'd truly give her something about which to complain! I told her I was tired of her seeing only the negative in things. Don't get me wrong, my grandma was tons of fun even well into her 70's. But her way of relating to others was often through negativity. She had complained so much on the trip that I had my fill. If the sky was blue, but had one white cloud...she griped. If the little hole in the wall restaurant we stopped at, literally in the middle of nowhere, had chili not as good as the last time she had some, she had something to say about that. I put my foot down, and told her to stop it. We were on a vacation and dammit, we were supposed to be having FUN!

So why do I do it? Why does anyone do it? Some people vent, and then move on. Some people continually harp on the same ol' problem even though it will never change. Some people gripe instead of focusing on what they could do to make it better.

I do try to focus on the positive...I really do. Sometimes though, we get caught in a routine and surround ourselves with people who feed off of that same stuff. Sometimes our lives are just chocked full of crap that it is hard not to take notice. And sometimes, we realize that we come from a long line of gripers, whiners, complainers, and we just don't know how to make it better. Whatever the reason, I go through stages where I am so good at seeing every glass as half full. And there are times like right now, where I am doing well just to see the glass is half...neither full nor empty. What changes it for me, no matter how much crap I am dealt in my silly life, is my own attitude. I have the power to let things bother me. I have the power in whether I share the negative side of life. AND, I have the control to put the positive spin on things too. So that is what I'm going to keep trying to do. Otherwise, life will keep driving me up to my own puddle of mud.

BTW, one of my grandmother's favorite stories was about how I told her to get out in the mud puddle in Texas. She never looked at it as something mean I was trying to do to her. She saw the humor in it. But, I bet as she relayed the story to her friends and family upon our return, she thought, "...and you think your granddaughter is bad?" Something else she could laughingly complain about.

Hmm, this must also be where I get my warped sense of humor? A funny rant for another day!

One More Thing...Or Is It Two?

I read somewhere that how we place things in our homes dictates how things will flow in and out of our lives. Was it something about Feng Shui? I dunno...probably.

As I sit in my tiny bedroom, reading a friend's blog (everydayheartbeats.com), I remembered about "my two hearts". I bought them in San Francisco last summer at a store called Timeless Treasures. They are heavy, made of stone, and I just fell in love with them. As a strange bonus for me, Miss Frugal, they were all the way in the back of the store on some discount rack. I brought them home and have had each one sitting separately on top of a pile of scrappy books. One on the delivered monthly Scrapbook Trends and one on the stack of Cards publications.

I read on Chris' blog how she almost lost her son last year and of course, weepy willow eyes Donna cries. How scared she must have been. I can only begin to imagine. So I keep reading her posts and seeing her red glass heart (BTW, Chris...so jealous...I loves me the red color!) "posing" with many different people and things in so many ways. She talks about how much she loves hearts and right about then, it happens. KABOOM...

My brain pictures my two hearts and how they have spent the last year apart and the symbolism that could represent and how Feng Shui or whatever says we need to place certain things in our homes in special ways...

So here are my two hearts now...TOGETHER. Maybe this will help me in my own life? Or, maybe not. Either way, it really can't hurt to keep them together!

Respect The Blade...

I got the bug this morning to cook dinner for the familia. I'm a baker, so wanting to cook anything but goodies is a huge deal for me. I started out making a basic broccoli salad. I blanched the florettes (boiling water, 1-2 mins max) and then put them in their chilly ice bath. I fried up some maple bacon (Costco~ of course) and then chopped it up. I chopped some sweet onion and then went looking for tomatoes. WE HAD NONE. What??? We always have tomatoes...'cept today! So, into the fridge my partially made broc salad went. Tomorrow, I will pick up some tomatoes, chop them up, and had mayo so that can be had with dinner. It is such a basic salad and yet so good. That recipe came courtesy of my childhood friend, Lisa...well, really it was her mom. But, had we not been friends, it would not still be a staple in our house.

So my next dish was just your average comfort food. I roughly chopped carrots and quartered potatoes and onions and tossed them into a roasting pan with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. I then placed four boneless, skinless chicken breasts on top. The chicken had salt, pepper, and thyme sprinkled on top. Into the oven that went and part way through, I drizzled a little bit of melted butter on the chicken. It wasn't too shabby paired with a quickie mandarin orange and pineapple salad. TA-DA...dinner is served!!! Not very fancy, but roasted chicken and veggies, and the complimentary fruit kept my tummy content.

I think the whole reason I even felt like doing anything is because today we had a DRAMATIC cool down in our weather. My windchimes were a'singing. The birds were a' singing. Heck, I would have been singing too if no one was around. I love when the weather feels like fall. I know it will probably only last a day or so before we return to 100 degree weather. I won't complain...I will just try to enjoy.

Oh, and I feel obligated to share my latest review of a product. Yes, this one is another infomercial type gadget. It is the Titan Peeler. My mom apparently tried it out last night, and though I warned her repeatedly about being careful BECAUSE IT IS SOOOO SHARP, she managed to take a chunk out of her pointer finger while peeling potatoes. She tells me this morning all about her adventure and readily admitted that it peels well and is sharp like everything that I had read stated. I, being the sarcastic/obnoxious know-it-all daughter, immediately wondered how she could have possibly sliced a chunk out of her finger...BECAUSE I WARNED HER! So, Miss Know-It-All grabbed the new toy and used it for the potatoes in tonight's roasted chicken dish. I think I made it to potato number four before it happened...YUP, I ran that serrated edged blade across the palm of my left hand leaving a 3/4 inch long by 1/4 inch wide ladder pattern. The best part is that I had no idea...until I started cutting the onions. A lil' onion juice hit that slight wound and made me almost see stars. I only mention this because I care and want anyone considering a purchase of the Titan Peeler to be fully aware. Oh, and because my hand still stings and throbs six hours after the blade incident. That said, I did peel some carrots for my test peel yesterday morning and I didn't cut any body parts. So, moral of this product is to only use it on long items that you can hold at one end and safely peel away without nearing any fleshy human parts. I'm thinking carrots, or julienned squash and such. And as far as the review, I liked both the peeler and the julienne tool, but the mandoline accessory just didn't work well on carrots. I may try it on something else in the future, but I wouldn't go buying the tool just for this purpose. I may have to stick to the America's Test Kitchen recommended tools. They seem to get it right every single time. No sense cluttering up my cabinets with unnecessary items!

And one final thought...when reaching for the plastic wrap, always be cautious. My hand was still throbbing as I grabbed for the wrap to place over some pudding I was prepping to store in the fridge. Did you know that it has a fully exposed, serrated blade too? I'm just saying...

My Boring Life...HAHAHA

I really have next to nothing about which to rant these days. I keep hoping something fun & exciting will come my way. But, alas...nada!

I did have to laugh the other day when my friend, Donna, relayed a story about a trip to Knott's Berry Farm she made. She said that she decided to ride a rollercoaster that is known for being fast. We both agreed that it seems to scramble your brain, and I normally like fast rides. I end up with whiplash after riding it, so now I just avoid it altogether. Anyhow, she decided to get on it. And about halfway through the ride, she hears the man behind her yell out, "WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!" She said she was able to turn her head just far enough to see that the cute hairpiece that was previously attached to her head, was now spread across his face! She said that they take two photos during the ride and upon exiting, you get to view them. Her pictures showed two different hair-dos. The first had her hair nicely styled and the second showed her rollercoaster induced, messy look. I laughed so hard at that story. The more I tried to control the laughter, the closer to tears I was. Thanks for that story, Donna!!!

I have managed to attend a few small concerts at the OC Fair. I have seen Heart, Duran Duran,and The B-52s. It was so nice to get out, if onky for an evening or three. Hanging out with Rebecca, Sherry, and Donna was just what I needed.

I also squeezed in a very short trip out of state over one weekend. Just when I thought I was back to normal breathing operations, that quick trip proved that I will probably never be back to what was my old normal state of being. My inhaler and I were very close friends. That said, it was good for my mental health to get out of the house. I am trying to figure out how I can gracefully ask for some time off when I return to work after being off of work so long. I know it doesn't make sense, but I haven't been able to go too many places while off of work. I need to travel like I used to...no really, I NEED IT!

Well, it is dinner time, then off to yoga. I guess I better get cracking on more of my boring life...HA!