Baby and wedding showers never spell stress when you spread out the work. That's why I love cohosting celebrations with my girlfriends. With eight or nine of us involved, no one has to feel overloaded.
Reality TV series may ultimately be the death of prime time television, but they're also prime targets for snark-filled satire. Which is a good thing.
Age has unfairly become the whipping boy for loss of body shape - and gain of body fat.
My computer's OK, too. Thanks for asking.
There's a small Texas town that's been getting a lot of media coverage lately.
I know it well because my family's been a part of it since...let's see...if you count today...100 years. So, if you've channel surfed the evening news and seen the name GRANBURY, we're on the same page, pardner.
Granbury's famous for a lot of things.
It's got one of the prettiest lakes in Texas (Lake Granbury), great golf courses, beautiful homes, a courthouse and town square that are straight out of Back to the Future. It's also got some of the nicest people you'll meet in the Lone Star State.
A couple of weeks ago Granbury was hit with an EF4 (winds 166-200mph) tornado.
We're Texans, so we don't normally get too freaked out about tornados. We call an EF1 kite-flyin' weather.
An effin' 4 is something that'll get your attention. That's Wizard-of-Oz-Flyin'-Monkey territory.
As Texans, Bob and I grew up thinking every meal should include a little grease. Our iron-skillet-wielding mamas often fixed fried eggs and sausage for breakfast, burgers and fries (my weakness!) for lunch, and chicken fried steak, fried okra and apricot fried pies for dinner. Talk about heaven!
About this time last year, Bob and I enjoyed a great getaway at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort. Having a facial at their luxurious Lantana Spa was one of my all-time favorite treats because they use healing plants to renew your complexion.
If I'd been braver, I could have indulged in a similar experience to refresh my whole body. But I'd rather save getting totally nekkid (as Bob would say) for the privacy of my own home!
Fortunately, that's where Eight Skincare excels. This spa-licious bath and body line created by fellow Boomer Vicki Payne-Weaver helps you say goodbye itchy roughness; hello satiny, smooth skin. Vicki based her natural formula on a body lotion recipe her mother perfected during World War II. Packed with hydrating and anti-aging ingredients that work wonders for dry skin, it includes eight core components: Aloe Vera, Argan Oil, Monoi Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil.
Americans spend an estimated $30 billion each year on diet products - and (not surprising) many of them don't work. So, how do you cut through the clutter of those that are a complete rip off and find the ones that are actually good for you? It's easier than you think.
It's on the other side!
I've lived in Texas all of my life, where the cliché is "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute and it'll change." That's a true statement in this state where the weather can go from "Let's have a picnic" to "holy-shi*-we're-all-gonna-die" in about 30 seconds. Been there. Survived that. I'll 'splain.
Charlotte and I live in the 5th biggest metropolitan area in the United States. As you might expect, it's anything but rural. Except...it kind of is.
I'll 'splain.
I'm usually out the door before sunrise for a little exercise each day. I used to be a runner, but a fall off a 12' ladder pretty much ended my jogging career. So...I walk. And walk. And walk. Usually about 4 miles.
You'd THINK that in the 5th BIGGEST METRO AREA IN THE US my walking route scenery would be...to put it nicely...decidedly urban. But remember, we live in Texas. So my scenery is decidedly Texan.
The minute I leave our neighborhood I'm confronted with this iconic Texas image.
These longhorns belong to our Colleywood neighbor and I pass by them every morning. It's a sweet slice o' Texas and it takes the edge off our otherwise verrrrrrry urban landscape.
That's the nice image I see heading out of our neighborhood in the morning.
It's a different scene when I come back. Why? Because, I usually run into THIS jackass.
Thanks to our generous housekeeper Dolores, Bob and I always have homemade tamales at Christmas. Her cornmeal creations come stuffed with a to-die-for, spicy chicken or pork mixture. Talk about addictive! I'd ask for her recipe but anything you have to wrap in corn husks seems far too complicated.
I've been a fan of singer-songwriter Jose Feliciano since the '60s. His rich, powerful voice, flawless guitar skills and Latin-influenced rhythms make him the Godfather of brown-eyed soul. There's nobody like him. Or is there?
Summer is just around the corner and with it comes easier access to fresh fruits. With cherries and rhubarb reaching their prime this month, and strawberries coming into season in June, think red. It's a sure way to add some excitement to everyday recipes.
Thanks, but I'm not trying these on.
A few weeks ago, the girls took me out to celebrate my 56th birthday. Wanting to wear something fun, I reached for my favorite maxi dress. It's a pretty, blue-and-white, sleeveless number from Macy's ... one of my best buys ever because it works everywhere from girl's night out to graduations!
Sweets rule in the South. So when my family comes to Sunday lunch, Bob and I restock the candy box (always a hit with our nephews!), pack the fridge with Dr. Pepper and load up on alternative sweeteners. Everyone expects sweet tea but that's not where they want to spend their calories!
But wouldn't it be nice to serve a better-for-you option? The folks at Truvia want to give one lucky reader the chance to do just that. They've teamed up with us to give away a gift set including a super supply of their reduced-calorie sweetener. (Check the end of this post for details on this sweet sweepstakes!) Made from the best-tasting part of the stevia plant, Truvia contains only natural ingredients and zero calories. You heard right, "ZERO!"
It's a well-known fact that we like cheese & cracker night(s) here at Boomer Brief HQ. Since Charlotte and I are both cancer survivors, we're always looking for healthier snack options (OK, she really is, I can take some convincing).