PATRICIA O'NEILL

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY! TAKING CARE OF YOUR SKIN.

TGIF Guys!

Are you looking after yourself? Being a Good Momma Bear to YOU? I hope so!  With that in mind, I’ve been updating my beauty routine, trying new products, etc. I was getting a little curious to see what I may be missing out on. And I was!!

Today, I want to share with you three of my very FAVOURITE new products. They are unbelievable! I never go without make-up but with these new products, my skin is looking good enough to go bare naked! I can’t say the same about my bodeee!! I’m no J-Lo! But, hey, as you get older, it’s the face people notice first, and how good your skin is looking. The cheeks that meet the eye. Right? These new products are MAGIC!! And at my age, I’ll take magic whenever and wherever I find it!

There is something glamorous about a product that is produced in France. When it comes to fashion, beauty, food and perfume — Vive La France! They are the aestheticians supreme! (the men aren’t bad either!) At one point, I lived in Paris. The only thing I couldn’t endure was escargot!! Yuck!! And the Monsieurs with the very garlicky breath! Oh yes, the raw bloody meat too… Apart from that everything else was tickety boo! It was in Paris I had my first experience of using gel nails. I remember it well!

The best of French products for me are Vichy. I cannot believe how I did not discover them earlier! Their prices are very affordable too. I think they have come a long way in recent years. I especially love these products below:

 Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Anti-Age ampoules.

Vichy Neovadiol Phytosculpt Neck and Face Contour Creme

Vichy Neovadiol Rose Platinum moisturizing day creme

I began using the anti-age Peptide-C ampoules recently and already I’m noticing a huge difference. My skin looks and feels smoother. I get three uses from each capsule, though they say enough for two uses, morning and evening. So unlike French cuisine, their portions are generous! I think the idea here is you use them for a month to boost your skin and then every so often when your skin is looking and feeling tired. At least that’s what I am doing.

I regret not being nicer to my neck a long time ago! It keeps my head and body together, yet I never felt it deserved expensive treatment. Poor neck! I remember a blogger I follow relaying a very sad story about when her mother-in-law was being wheeled into surgery (she later died!) her last words to her were “Don’t forget to take care of your neck too!” They had been talking about beauty treatments, etc. as a distraction I guess. I think that’s when I began being nice to my neck!

The BEST by far neck creme I have used is Vichy’s Neovadiol Phytosculpt Neck and Face Countour Creme. I apply it also to the contours of my face. It is thick and rich and as I apply it, I can really feel it is making a difference. The texture of the cream is really nice, not soft or messy. This one sticks!

If I was told I could only have ONE Vichy product — Only ONE! — I would choose the Vichy Neovadiol Rose Platinum day creme. It is a complete experience. I love the visual of the pink fluorescent jar, the sweet delightful scent of roses from the creme, and if that is not enough, the creme has a pink colour, which gives a soft pink glow to ageing skin. I feel like a blushing teenager again! Seriously, you gotta try this one!! The perfume of the roses reminds me of my mother’s guest bathroom. She always used rose scented hand wash! So this product scores on many levels. It also feels wonderful on my skin too. I really love it!

If you use any of the above, I would love to get your opinion too! Great price. If you’re a Senior like me (55+), you can get 20% off everything at Shoppers Drug Mart, a wonderful store here in Canada.

On that very happy note, Au Revoir for now! Have a fabulous weekend and take care of yourselves! Do what you love and love what you do!

Hugs,

Patricia and Coco xxx

MONDAY MUSINGS: NOSTALGIA

Hi Guys,

Hope you enjoyed your long weekend and had a chance to chill and relax! We had the girls over for a visit from Vancouver and what a fabulous weekend it was! I get moments of nostalgia for the good old days when our girls were little and we’d go out for adventures around the town and do lots of things together. They were — and still are — ‘My Besties!’  Being a Mom to three amazing daughters reminds me how lucky I am!!

Nostalgia for the good old days hits me in waves, especially during the C-19 pandemic and all that social isolation. I don’t let it bring me down, but rather handle it like a grown-up now — or so I like to think! Eckhart Tolle once said that the past is useless to us, unless it helps us in our present moment! After all, to live a positive life, it is essential to live in the NOW! Right?

With all that in mind, I keep a Pandora’s Box of very happy memories stashed away in my head. In moments of nostalgia for the past, I open the box, and choose my favourite memories to pull out. I re-live moments from my childhood with my parents, siblings, friends, loved ones no longer with me, and my kids when they were all younger and still living at home. These memories sustain me. I know that one day we will all be reunited in Paradise, along with my pets!

This weekend, my darling daughters and I re-lived some of our fondest memories with a visit to all our favourite haunts, such as Beacon Hill Ice-cream Emporium, Naughty Nelly’s yummy fish ‘n chips for a take-away, Chinatown, Le Roux French Cafe for coffee and decadent desserts and of course our drive all around the town and beach like we love to do. It was truly wonderful. I was sad when they left so Coco and I hung out together. She was sad too but glad to have Momma all to herself again!I hope when you have moments of nostalgia for the past, that you don’t let those memories overwhelm you with sadness for departed loved ones, but rather ‘Treasure the Memories’. Keep them in a special place in your heart. Open that box  and enjoy the good ones, just like a box of chocolates.

That way Nostalgia is healthy and not sad!

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Hugs,

Patricia and Coco xxx

MONDAY MUSINGS: THE JOY OF SIMPLICITY!

 
Hi Guys!

I don’t know whether it’s all the crazy C-19 restrictions, or just getting older, or maybe it’s a mix of both, but recently I’ve become help-bent on keeping my life simple! Easy peasy, simple pimple. And it’s such a peaceful feeling. I began this journey with the NMS Challenge back in October. Seeing the success of that, I’ve been motivated to look at all areas in my life that could do with some simplification! Namely, cuisine, wardrobe and make-up! Clutter zones!!

Looking at our coffin freezer in the garage (hate the name!!) filled with food, was stressing me out. It was like a filing cabinet that needed to be weeded! We emptied it out completely, and decided enuff is enuff! Now I just shop for food once a week — just once! I make a list of all my meals for the week ahead. Wow! Why did I never do this before? Am I just waking up now?

Monday – Wednesday: Meatloaf for Kevin (lasts 3 nights!) Veggie Lasagne for me. I don’t have to cook Tuesday or Wednesday — how easy is that!! Every other week, I’ll change it up with a Shepherd’s Pie for Kevin. I could eat falafels every night!!

Thursday: Meat burgers for Kevin (left over mince from the meat loaf). Veggie burgers for me or fish tacos. Side salad.

Friday:  Fish and Chips night with coleslaw. Home cooked and yum!!

Saturday:  Omelette, chips and beans.

Sunday:  Steak for Kevin with spuds and veggies. Traditional Sunday dinner! Followed by ice cream tubs or ice-pops! I’ll have a veggie option, falafels , dhal curry, or veggie curry with rice. I freeze them after I make a big dish. Sticking to this weekly routine is not only saving us money, but also saving time on shopping during the week. One weekly shop. I actually enjoy planning the meals for the week ahead.

Sticking to the same formula is SO easy! I was inspired by the character in a book I’m currently really enjoying. His name is Ove and every night he has the same supper — mashed potatoes and sausages! LOL! ‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrik Backman. Great read!

I’m doing the same with clothes and dressing too! I don’t shop for those any more until my current supply has been well used!! Now I just plan what I am going to wear for the week ahead and sometimes will wear the same thing for 2-3 days in a row! How easy is that? I’ll change the underwear of course! LOL!!

Ditto with the make-up station! After all the years, I now know my favourite mascara, favourite eye-make up colours, favourite lipsticks. No more experimentation. It’s the old fogey in me! But hey! it’s working!! I’ve housed all my brushes in a neat pile. One lady vase for the brushes. One neat little container for the make-up and That’s it! No more!! I’ll replace the same products when they are finished. Smart? Eh!!

What are you doing to simplify your life?

What things stress you?

How can you make your life more peaceful?

As we approach a brand new week, full of endless of possibilities, I hope some of my suggestions above may help you find peace and calm in your life.

Hugs,

Patricia and Coco xxx

MONDAY MUSINGS: DOGGONE IT! I’M IN LOVE!!

Hi Guys!

How was your weekend? Did you manage to do something that lifted your spirits? Brought a happy smile to your heart? A good Netflix ‘Fix’? A yummy meal you cooked, or somebody else did? A good bracing walk? Some sunshine? A relaxing glass of wine, or a soothing cup of tea? Music? Dancing? Brilliant book? Yoga? Body pampering? Dog petting? The list is endless, isn’t it?

Talk about dog petting, I’m so in love with Coco. I never knew I could love another dog again. Especially after Lulu and Chi Chi crossed over the rainbow bridge and left me with a broken heart. Whether it’s a beloved pet or a significant other who departed your life, take heart! You will find love again! YES!! You will. Of that I am sure. Because Coco has helped fill the void left by Lulu, Chi Chi, and Tessa! If you are nursing a broken heart, I hope you will find the same. Please don’t be afraid to love again…

I opened my heart to Coco and the love she is giving us is beyond compare! We give one hug, she gives three in return. Even though my darling canine daughter is tiny, she has a giant heart. They say size matters. Does it really? Because being big in stature does not give you a big heart, nor does being small in stature give you a small heart. The heart is something we control and the more love you spread, the greater the return! So Coco has taught me.

Even my neighbourhood has come alive since her arrival! I have got to know my neighbours and their dogs really well, and they are more friendly than I realized. We know the names of nearly all our canine neighbours now. Here goes…see if I remember! There is Murphy, Finn, Riley, Koko (not my Coco!), Maddie, Ziggy, Rupert, Sophie, Rory, Lulu, Daisy, Bingo (his real name is Bingham-Jones lol!) Finn (2 Finns on the street), Emily, Pepper, and Wilson, a cute little fellow who Coco has a crush on! But, of course, there is nobody to equal my Coco!

Since C-19, I had to curtail all my Bingo volunteering at the homeless shelter. I miss it and my Bingo Buddies, but c’est la vie! God had something else planned.

Coco sparked an ingenius idea in my head! Everytime we go out walking, or ‘adventuring’ as I like to call it, we meet people. Lots of people. Lonely people. Weird people like myself — the whole gamut! If we spy somebody who seems lonely, over we trot… Coco puts on her best performance and wags her tail at them. They can’t resist her charm, so they come out of their little comfort bubble and pat her. I have learnt to add a few words — “Wow, she really likes you!” A smile appears on the person’s face, as I continue “And it’s not everybody she takes to!” That last sentence seems to go down really well! The response is “Oh, I’m so glad to hear that. Dogs and babies love me!” Suddenly, that lonely person feels lovable again. Especially in the knowledge that dogs and babies love them!

I know it works like a charm, because people come up to us now to chat all the time. One day a lady stopped us in the street and smiled “I remember my lovely visit with your little puppy”. Others say “Did you ever consider training her to be a Service Dog?” Absolutely, Yes! That’s my POA when C-19 is done and dusted d.v. I’m going to have Coco trained to be a Service dog and off we’ll trot on new adventures, to Elderly Care Homes, hospitals, etc. So many interesting people to meet on our travels, so many stories to hear… d.v. (d.v. in case you’re wondering means God willing in Latin — Deo Volente).

That’s the magic of Coco!

Thank you God for sending her our way. You’re the best!

Have a great week guys! Be sure to do something that makes you happy. Love what you do and do what you love!

Cheers!

Patricia and Coco xxx