STUFF YOU DON'T NEED

Who's had to renew their license lately?  Even though I arrived super early, you already know I wasn't the first customer, and the heat was sweltering.

Once called to the desk, I begged the examiner to let me use my picture from 5 years ago,where I looked least like a deranged psycho but he wasn't having it.  He told me when he turned 70 he wanted to use his photo from when he was 36, but his request was also declined. (lol)  So in 2-3 weeks I can expect to be tortured again when I receive my brand new license in the mail. Ugh!

Those of us under 66 should all just move to Arizona.  Drivers' licenses don't have to be renewed there for 12 years!

FROZEN MIMOSA
Whisk together 2 cups of champagne, 1 cup of fresh orange juice and 1/4 cup ginger or orange liqueur(like Triple Sec) in a pitcher.  Pour the mixture into 2-3 standard ice cube trays, freezing until totally firm, preferably overnight.  Transfer the frozen cubes to a blender, processing until smooth and frothy.  Pour into 4 flutes or tall glasses, topping off with more champagne.  Garnish with orange wedges.  Yum!

Caroline Earle White and several other women helped to establish the first animal shelter  in Philadelphia on April 14, 1869, and it was called The Women's Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  Now known as the Women's Animal Center (WAC), they are still saving the lives of abused and homeless pets by providing forever homes and affordable health care.  To find out more info on how you can help, please visit https://womensanimalcenter.org/

YIKES!  Have you ever suspected that some of your fast food was missing when it arrived to your home? 

According to US Foods who recently surveyed food service employees and about 1500 people who enjoy fast food delivery,  28% of the drivers got hungry and took or tasted the food before it arrived to their customer's home.  Ironically, 21% of customers suspected this was actually going on, but couldn't prove it.  Despite this tomfoolery, customers have on average 2 food apps on their phones and still order from restaurants about 3 times per month.  

By the way, do you know that loud hunger rumble you hear from your tummy has a really strange name called borborygmi?  It sounds weird, but it's gas moving around in the intestines.

Are you a fan of shoes?  If you've got millions laying around the house, you can purchase 2 of the world's most expensive to grace your closet.

Tom Ford's all diamond men's shoe custom designed by Jason Arasheben took almost a year to finish and is worth $2 million.  With 14,000 round diamonds totalling 340 carats, I would be afraid to even wear them outside. 

Debbie Wingham went even further and designed a woman's high heeled shoe shoe with blue and pink diamonds, 18 carat gold thread, and platinum.  How much will these shoes set you back?  An astounding $15 million! www.beautifulife.com

Keep your eyes peeled for a special giveaway here on the blog later this month, but until then...Do you enjoy reading and can't get to add another book to your pile?  Our Blogger Bud Lauren is celebrating 12 years of blogging with a special contest where you can win a year's worth of books  at: 
https://shootingstarsmag.net/years-worth-of-books-giveaway/

Just in case you forgot - it's August, and look at what I received as an early birthday gift from Beautiful Blogger Bud Elizabeth of http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/

New 2020 Planner, Stickers, Gift Card to McDonalds, and the cool wrapping paper Elizabeth made!

This is the package it came. Where did Elizabeth find these perfect stamps?!

This is the opened calendar from up above that I started working on - Yay!

Elizabeth is an incredible talented artist, and exceptionally thoughtful person who I just adore, and her site is pretty dang amazing.  Not only does she talk about art, but museum visits, historical expertise and Tuesday Trips to various restaurants is just interesting to read about.  Even better, she has this witty sense of humor that makes me smile all the time.

Elizabeth made this!

Then, Beautiful Blogger Bud Adria from  https://adriasromancereviews.blogspot.com   sent handmade Harry Potter Washi Tape which is just perfect and fun! Adria is a book blogger and movie watcher who also happens to be artistically gifted.  Like me, she's addicted to washi tape!(lol)

SOME USELESS STUFF

I'll bet this pic that my girlfriend sent me really grabbed your attention didn't it?!(lol)  This is what happened when she froze her water in preparation for a road trip so it would stay cold, and it melted while driving around in the sweltering heat of Sanford NC.  I'm not saying what it looks like to me, but had to share with all my blogger buds to get your thoughts.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a HUGE fan of Martha Stewart. Not only is she a Leo  like me, but she's brilliant, super funny, and can do just about anything.  Who do you know who can cook, decorate, DIY, sew, create a profitable magazine, become the 1st female billionaire in the US, hang out with Snoop Dogg, develop a food delivery service, judge cooking programs like Chopped, act model, and just be a regular girl boss? So I'm giving a shout out to my girl crush Martha Stewart.  Happy Birthday, girl! (August 3)  By the way, there is a blogger bud I have who comes pretty close to being able to doing just about everything, and she's good at them all.  I tell her all the time that she reminds me of Martha. Check out Rain from http://www.rainfrances.com/

Most people think about the Sahara located in Africa as being the biggest desert in the world at 3.3 million square miles.  That's a lot, and it is certainly the hottest, but Antarctica is actually the largest at 5.5 million square miles. It's also the coldest, driest and windiest! 

I have no idea how, but despite temps that can sometimes reach 127 degrees Fahrenheit, people and even some animals do actually reside in the Sahara.  But if you're thinking about escaping the sunny weather where you are and moving to Antarctica, you're out of luck.   Seals, whales, penguins and other cold weather animals can live there, but other than the researchers who visit periodically, all that extreme cold weather and lack of water make it impossible for people to stay there year round.

Nikitje/Getty Image - Keukenhof (Lisse Netherlands)

Are you a garden or flower person?  These gardens are considered 2 of the most beautiful in the world.

Furyoku/Getty Image - Nong Nooch Tropical Garden (Pattaya, Thailand)

Only available in the US right now, www.boxed.com is a HUGE way to save money on products in bulk, with discounts on some items as high as 40% off retail. They also have plenty of sale items too.  No need to pay membership fees or lug all those heavy bags into the house.  If you spend at least $19.99 on your first order shipping is FREE and signup is super easy.

A group of ferrets is called a "Business" and a group of turtles is called a "Bale"?

If you ever doubt that romance exists outside of novels, here's a perfect example that it's flourishing, and a reminder that broken heart syndrome is an actual medical thing.  Herbert DeLaigle , 94 and his wife Marilyn, 88 passed away earlier this month just 12 hours apart after 71 years of wedded bliss.  Marilyn was a waitress in a cafe that caught Herbert's eye, and after gathering up the courage to ask her out, they married 1 year later.  They left behind 6 children, 16 grandkids, 25 great grandkids and 3 great-great grandkids.

If you're job hunting, but prefer the convenience of working from home, this is a great site that's FREE to use.   https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/work-at-home-jobs/

Are you a reader and always looking for new books?  I've been blessed with writer friends and book bloggers who give great recommendations, which I love, but every once in awhile I check in @subwaybookreview on Instagram to see what people are reading on their way to work, school or other places. Even if you don't have instagram, this is a great way to find out about new authors or to meet new friends while you're out and about. What are you reading these days?

Speaking of books.  Did you know that July 30 is National Paperback Book Day?  That's the perfect reason for me to add to my already huge book piles(lol)  If you'd like to score some free books, be sure to visit www.paperbackswap.com, www.bookmooch.com, www.bookbub.com, 
 https://read-any-book.com/ http://www.gutenberg.org/

Have you ever noticed the bottom of your dishes or pottery?  Did you know that if they have hand-drawn NM or a version of McCoy, these colorful items may be worth money?  Many of these pieces are sold on eBay, Etsy or pottery companies.  To find out more,  visit  - https://mccoypotterycollectorssociety.org/mccoy-pottery/trademarks/

In Manville New Jersey it is illegal to offer cigarettes or whiskey to animals in the local zoo.

In Newark New Jersey it is illegal to sell ice cream after 6pm unless the customer has a note from his doctor.

In Trenton New Jersey, pickles are not to be consumed on Sundays.

It seems like it was just yesterday, but another year is here, and if you've been reading this blog, you already know that next month means it's all about Leos who are celebrating birthdays.  

If you're feeling generous on August 12, I'll take any and all trips to the luxurious country of Switzerland which has been on my bucket list for years, and lots of cheeseburgers please. (lol)

If either of these don't work right now, could you please take a moment to donate your time, expertise, socks, hygiene items or cash to a homeless shelter or domestic violence center?  Or maybe hug a stranger or two just because?  Sometimes that's the push that makes someone feel better, and ready to press on for another day.

STUFF AND JUST MORE STUFF

My list is pretty long(lol), but the most recent embarrassing thing that happened was when I paid for gas, then immediately drove off with the nozzle still in the tank.  Then having to go back to put the nozzle where it was supposed to be was surely the walk(drive) of shame.(lol) That's what I get for rushing, right?

This happened 2 years ago, and my face is still bright red. Has this ever happened to you?

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory from 1971 and Charlie & the Chocolate Factory from 2005 have 2 really distinctive differences. 
             

a)  Willy Wonka used 150,000 gallons of water, cream and chocolate for the river, causing the set to really smell pretty gross by the end of filming.  Also, unless a scene called for eating it, the candy was all fake.
           

 b)  Charlie used 245,000 gallons of fake chocolate for the river, but the lollipops on the trees and the giant pink sugar canes were all very real.

Coconut oil seems to have a zillion uses, but did you know that it's considered antibacterial and may reduce the itchiness and irritation of a bug bite?  No need to waste money by purchasing it from a health food store.  It's reasonably priced in places like Aldi or Big Lots.

Raise your hand if you're a fan of eating late at night. Feel less guilty by ordering  Nightfood, the yummy low calorie ice cream without that high volume of sugar that could keep you up all night watching talk shows or reality tv.  Who wouldn't want to eat something as decadent as Midnight Chocolate or Full Moon Vanilla?  Here in NC it can be found at Lowe's Supermarket, but it can also be ordered online at www.nightfood.com.

Who's ready to admit they've been watching Family Feud since 1976 when Richard Dawson was the host?  There have been a total of 6 hosts since the show started with Steve Harvey currently filling the role now.

Mr. Dawson was known for kissing the women on the show, and sometimes it was controversial, but he believed it made them more comfortable, and after a survey proved him right, it was full steam ahead. In 1981 the 49 year old game show host met the love of his life and ended up kissing then 24 year old contestant Gretchen Johnson a whopping 4 times during the show. 

Richard clearly attracted to Gretchen

Fast forward 10 years later when he was 59 and they were married.  He considered himself a lucky man, and they were together happily until he sadly passed on in 2012 of esophageal cancer.

Speaking of kissing, International Kissing Day is on July 6, not to be confused with National Kissing Day which happened last month.

According to expert Danny Lipford, we can do our own preventive maintenance on washing machines and save money on service calls by rinsing 3 times every 3 months to get rid of the all the detergent that builds up over time. 

Make sure the machine is completely empty then rinse with hot water and 1/4 cup bleach, 2nd rinse is hot water and 1/4 cup white vinegar.  Then rinse with just hot water the 3rd time. 

Is your passport powerful? According to the Henley Passport Index, these are the passports that allow you to travel from country to country without special approval or Visas.  Can you guess the countries that tie for #1 on the list?  That would be Japan and Singapore who allow travel into 189 nations, with South Korea, Finland and Germany following at a close second allowing you easy access into 187 nations.   The US comes in at #6 with 183. If you're wondering who's at the bottom of the list, and considered one of the worst passports to have, that would be Afghanistan with the low number of just 25.

Speaking of passports, did you know it's possible to get a passport lightening fast?  If you don't mind paying the extra cash + additional government fees, visit www.rushmypassport.com.

Don't feel like waiting in that long line to get your checked luggage?  Ask to gate check your bag making it last to be loaded.  Luggage loaded last is normally the first to be placed on the conveyor belt, slowing down your wait time, and making you look like a star as you coast out of the airport.

If your kitty ever gets lost, www.lostmykitty.com and www.pawboost.com, are great resources.

Project Smile is a nonprofit organization designed to bring comfort to children who have been traumatized.  They gratefully accept new stuffed animals, books or coloring books that are not religiously themed and small toys which don't require batteries.  Donations may be mailed to:  Project Smile, PO Box 336, Hopedale, MA  01747.  They also provide suits to men in need who are applying for or starting jobs in the area. Please feel free to visit their site to get more info on criteria, or to find out how you can gift monetary donations.http://projectsmile.org

In the state of Connecticut, a pickle is not officially a pickle unless it bounces.

In the city of Hartford, Connecticut:
1) It's illegal for a husband to kiss his wife on Sunday
2) You can't cross the street while walking on your hands.

3) You may not educate a dog.