HOW LONG CAN YOU SURVIVE WITHOUT YOUR CELL PHONE?

I may be the only person in the world who feels like this, but carrying around a cell phone just isn't all that important to me.  I'm also the person who still keeps most important contacts in a Spongebob Address Book. Not worrying about a cell phone may come from severe burnout from once being in the Call Center industry for about a zillion years.  I was On Call 24/7, having to answer phones at any given time of the day or night for customer emergencies or staffing issues, in addition to being on the phone in the office.  I even had a frantic call once while having a GYN exam because my boss lost his calendar and had forgotten where I was! This was also the same boss who only had time for passengers to get just one leg and cheek in the car, before dashing off with a

vengeance. We learned to literally do full body dives inside his car to avoid driving off without our doors being closed. He was an intense and funny guy who happened to always be in a rush. (LOL)

Most people who are calling want me to do something, so I'm probably avoiding them anyway. (lol) Meanwhile, they'll leave detailed voicemails, (do people still use those?)which may not even get noticed until 2-3 days later because I can never remember where I left the dang phone! So the best way to reach out to me is usually through messages via Social Media, or by email.  Those I can never lose.

Rest in Peace, my funny friend

Everyone used to have house phones, but very few people have those these days.  There are giant phones, tablets and small phones that people use so they are easily reached almost every second of the day.  People are chatting in line at the grocery store, having conversations in the doctor's office, or going on hikes with phones.  They're in our purse, on our hips, in our hands or on stands beside us.

But what about you?  Can you live without your cell phone? Have you ever misplaced it? Would it cause a major disaster if you lost it?

 According to www.themeparkinsider.com, there are some things you should know before heading out to your fave amusement park this weekend.

For all the young people(or people my age-lol) who think they can proudly make out in those dark rides, think again.  Smile - you're on not one, but many cameras for safety and security reasons.  If you really want to get crazy in love, choose that moment to get into a fight, or make fun of the person in front of you, the employee who catches you on screen will grab popcorn, then ask the rest of the team to come check out all the action too (lol)

For some reason lots and lots of cats love to hang out in Disneyland once you've gone home exhausted and the park is closed.  Even better, the cats are treated like kings and queens, and it's a win-win situation.  They are fed and vaccinated, and the park gets rid of any pesky rodents who dare to visit.

The best way to save some of your money so you can spend more on treats, is to NOT purchase your tickets at the park.  You can get deals from AARP, by being a veteran, some companies offer them, and on-line at the park you want to visit.

CHOCOLATE DECADENCE

Have you been craving chocolate, and can't find that perfect treat?  We guarantee that once you try this outrageously delectable recipe from Out of the Box Desserts by Hayley Parker, your tummy AND your friends will be feeling the love. Make this an ice cream treat or a shake depending on the amount of milk you use. WARNING: 530 calories or more for 1 delicious serving. 
(lol)

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE DONUT SHAKES
Ingredients

5 Chocolate- Frosted Chocolate Cake Donuts
2 Cups Chocolate Ice Cream
1- to 1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Milk
Chocolate Syrup
Whipped Cream

Directions
Break 3 Donuts into rough pieces and place into a blender, along with the ice cream and milk.  Cover, then blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until combined and smooth, adding more milk if needed.  Chop up the other 2 donuts into bite-size pieces.

Drizzle the inside of your glass or mug with chocolate syrup(yummy), then fill with your milkshake mixture.  Top with whipped cream and chopped donut pieces.

Play around with how you want to serve if you're showing off for guests, and there's no need to spend a lot of money.  Get decorative or simple designs right from Dollar Tree or Wal-Mart.

If you want to purchase this delightful treasure for plenty of new dessert ideas, visit the link below at Amazon:

Search Results

Out of the Box Desserts: Simply Spectacular, Semi ... - Amazon.com

TINY, TINY HOMES
The trend to live in tiny homes started in 2003, but everyone is jumping on the bandwagon these days by doing some serious downsizing.  These homes average 300 - 450 square feet, which sounds super small, but when you look at the finished product, it just seems totally amazing that it works.  The builders can fit all sorts of things in those houses.  The cost to build one can start at just $10,000 and go up to much more, depending on your tastes. You can find out more by watching FYI or HGTV. If you had the choice, (and the funds) would you live in a tiny house, a regular home or a mansion?

HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN UNREQUITED CRUSH?

Yes, I have been missing in action for a while for various reasons, but here I am with another crazy question. (lol)  Before I forget, I have to give a major shout out to my girl Mary, from Dark Thoughts at http://scarymarythehamsterlady.blogspot.com/ 
and my fellow Freebie finding friend who stops by even when I'm slacking to find out out what's going on with the blog.  *Waving Hello and Thanks to Mary*

We've probably all had celebrity crushes at one time or another, and mine include Jason Statham, Michael Ealy and Roman Reigns.  But nope, I'm not talking about those kinds of crushes.

Have you ever really liked someone who had no clue you ever existed?

When I was around 13 or so, right about the time I was moving from tomboy status into the girly-girl world, I had a serious crush on this guy called Jon.  Yep, that's his real first name, but no way do you get his actual last name. *heh*

Back then, I was a hottie with a bangin' body. He was absolutely gorgeous AND funny AND smart. To me, he was just this perfect guy, and we hung out a lot studying, playing baseball, or talking on the phone.  One day, I gathered the courage to tell him that I really liked him and wanted to be his girlfriend.  BIG mistake!  He liked me, and had fun spending time together, but no way would his parents ever accept me.  He also told me that he wasn't looking for anything serious, and just wanted to be friends.  There goes that dreaded "Friend" word.  Needless to say, I was devastated.  How could he not feel the same way when we had so much in common? I was madly in love, or so I thought anyway. We still hung out for a little while longer, but things just felt awkward, and we eventually grew apart.  We graduated from a private school, and soon went our separate ways to high school.  Later, I heard he was arrested for a DUI, and was married.  I often wonder what happened after that.

What about you?  Have you had a crush that never turned into anything serious?  Are crushes real?

JAMES BEARD AWARD
If you're a foodie, or watch a lot of cooking shows you may have noticed that many of the chefs have been nominated or won the coveted James Beard award. It's like winning an Oscar or Emmy for food!  Who in the heck is James Beard, though?

"Anointed the “Dean of American cookery” by the New York Times in 1954, James Beard laid the groundwork for the food revolution that has put America at the forefront of global gastronomy. He was a pioneer foodie, host of the first food program on the fledgling medium of television in 1946, the first to suspect that classic American culinary traditions might cohere into a national cuisine, and an early champion of local products and markets. Beard nurtured a generation of American chefs and cookbook authors who have changed the way we eat." https://www.jamesbeard.org, Chef Heyer Recipe, Joan Garvin Photo

PEACH TARTE TATIN

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 6 peaches, ripe but firm, quartered or halved into 3-inch pieces
• 1 sheet puff pastry

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Combine the sugar and water in a 4-quart stainless steel pot. Cook over medium heat to dissolve the sugar, stirring gently. When the sugar has fully dissolved, turn up the heat to high and continue cooking to caramelize the sugar; swirl the pot occasionally to ensure even cooking, but don’t stir. This will take about 10 minutes; the sugar should be amber in color when finished. Remove from the heat and very gently stir in the butter, lemon juice, and salt.

Add the peaches and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. (If your peaches are on the firmer side, they will require a few more minutes of cooking time.) The peaches should be tender but still hold their shape.  

Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the peaches from the caramel and transfer them to a 9-inch pie dish. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the caramel over the fruit.

Cut a 10-inch disk out of the puff pastry sheet. Drape it over the peaches in the pie dish.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully place a plate on top of the tarte, slide your hand under bottom of the pie pan (be sure it’s cool enough to handle, or use a pot holder), and flip over the tarte. The caramel should ooze out and pool around the tarte. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

OLYMPICS

Have you been glued to the Olympics like I have for the past week and a half? What are your favorite events?  Were you surprised to know that certain events are considered Olympic sports? Here's some cool trivia.  These athletes stay in Olympic Village where there is a beauty salon, post office, florist and more.  Even better, they have access to a gym that's open around the clock, and a dining hall for those who want to eat healthy (also open 24-7).  When everything is over and there's time to cheat on those strict diets,  McDonald's is available for FREE for any member of the Olympic Team! Wow!  

Sadly, what is NOT free are those medals.  Winning athletes are responsible for paying a Victory Tax for Gold, Silver or Bronze medals, and according to Forbes, a gold medal is worth about $564.00 these days.  Cash bonuses are also awarded AND taxed. Gold winners receive $25,000, Silver winners will get $15,000 and Bronze winners will receive $10,000.

It may be warm outside, but that doesn't mean that the homeless are comfortable in 100+ heat index weather if they are outside, or happy that they are living with someone who can't wait for them to get off the couch and go someplace else.  They still need help, support and hugs....

STUNNING STEPHANIE FARIS TAKES OVER OUR BLOG TODAY!

If you haven't already noticed from this picture, Stephanie Faris is a gorgeous glamour girl who just happens to be a well known published children's author.   But what you may NOT know is that she writes in magazines, AND blogs passionately about cool stuff that will have you thinking, or laughing out loud like crazy.  This fascinating woman has a brain and isn't afraid to use it. Even better - she gets me! I don't know what in the world her beauty secrets are, but we're gonna find out ...one day. (lol) But today, we're sipping some lemonade, eating scrumptious cake and just chatting for a while.

Stephanie Faris

SF: I always know when I click over to read Ro’s blog, I’m going to have a fun experience. I’ll see yummy food and fun stories about her life. On top of that, she always posts a relatable news item or story. So writing a guest post for her blog is challenging, since I know her readers are used to major entertainment when we click over here! 

One of the best things about writing girly books for children is that they love the same things I do. I don’t know if that makes me an overgrown child or it speaks to some universal truth about girly-girls-turned women. All I know is that some my favorite indulgences (listed below) are huge in children’s books. Hopefully I’ll be able to work each of them into a book someday!

RO: Uh oh...I have to admit I was that tomboy who climbed fences, played sports and was generally banged up with broken bones and bruises most of my childhood. However, once I turned 16, I embraced my girliness and loved it!

Las Vegas

Louisiana

Cupcakes

SF: Okay, I’ll be honest. This indulgence can come in many forms. Cake, cookies, ice cream…you name it. But there’s something about little cupcakes covered a pound of icing that wins me over every time. Icing is my favorite part. Lately, though, I’ve discovered these miniature bundt cakes sold all around the area where I live. They’re amazing.

RO: Wow! I visited this site, and found out that this place is so well known for their cakes, that they are literally all over the country, not just Nashville. There's even one about 30 minutes away from me, here in NC! Thanks Stephanie for the extra goodies AND pounds! (lol)

Nail Art

SF: One of my favorite chapter book series, Sparkle Spa, is about girls who open a mini nail salon where they do mani-pedis for kids. I love that concept…and hate that I wasn’t the one who came up with it first! Nail art is one of my favorite things, but who has time to spend hours at the salon? Instead I buy these nail polish stick-ons and do my own.

RO: I thought that was a really good concept too, Steph. I've painted my nails on occasion, but I can't say this is something that excites me these days, despite having a million bottles of nail colors. By the way, don't ever try to paint my toe nails. I giggle so much that someone usually ends up being kicked like a donkey. (lol)

Traveling

SF: I tend to be a homebody and have to make myself travel. I miss my dog too much when I’m away. But when I do hit the road, I always realize how fun traveling is. I’ve been to Paris, London, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, Washington DC, and a large number of other places. There’s so much of the U.S. I still want to see, I doubt I’ll do many overseas trips in my lifetime.

RO: Totally get it. I used to love to travel, and have done it for several years, but now, I'm content to stay close to home too. I'll bet you have some great stories to tell about Paris and London, huh?

Yummy Food

Nothing makes me happier than a good meal at my favorite Mexican restaurant. If it weren’t for my extreme love of food, I’d probably be a size two thanks to my other indulgence, walking. As it is, I have to walk five miles a day around a track just to be able to enjoy an occasional bean burrito with cheese sauce.

RO: As you know, I love trying good cheeseburgers, so when I can find unique recipes, that is totally fun and exciting! Amen to walking, which is what I'm supposed to be doing these days. *heh*. Girl, that's a lot of going around the track!

We're done eating and talking for the moment, but if you want to check out Stephanie's blog, or find out more about her books, take a peek below. Thanks Steph and BIG Hugs.... *Waving Bye*

http://stephie5741.blogspot.com/