We will get to the spooky business later, but let's start with Mimi's 88th birthday. We had a party for her - Luke barbequed ribs and Ashley brought tempura green beans, lemon meringue and chocolate cream pie. All of Mimi's favorites!!
Here are some pictures of Mimi and her great granchildren.
From left to right: Joseph, Calista, Benjy, and Preston.
I also got my Birchbbox. From left to right:
1) Commodity Gold perfume - a nice big sample vial
2) Balance Me Radiance Skin oil
3) Benefit Roller Lash Mascara
4) Georgette Klinger Vitamin C toner
5) Juara Tiare Jasmine Body Creme
Also, this week is Infection Prevention Week !! This year's theme is "Make Your Intention Infection Prevention". I received lots of lovin' from my colleagues. Just look at this mnemonic poster made by the team in OR and GI lab:
Then there was this pretty gift bag:
It had lotions and soaps wrapped up in it!!
And then the pan dulce from the EVS (Housekeeping) department:
And beautiful flowers from the crew in my own department:
I also got a very nice candle:
It doesn't smell like turkey - it's apple-cinnamon.
My work team surprised me with a tribute during one of our hospital wide meetings.
But you know what I liked the most? All of the sweet messages from everyone. It's so nice to know that my colleagues respect me and like me!!
Let's take a look at some of my latest outfits:
Monday the 18th gave us some rain!! We need it so much here in SoCal. I took the opportunity to wear a more "fallish" outfit. This is a pair of New York and Co knit pull on slacks with a gray, black and white tweed pattern.
On top, a dolman sleeved knit top. It has a surprise in the back !!
This shot shows one of my favorite costume necklaces. I have had it for years, and got it at JC Penney.
On Tuesday the 19th, it was still a bit chilly. I wore a scuba knit skirt with a tie dye pattern from Mossimo. On top, a pirate style sweater from Michael Kors.
Here's a better look at the sweater.
On Wednesday, I wore another scuba knit outfit. This is a dress from Eliza J that I got at Nordstrom Rack.
It doesn't need a necklace due to the beautiful pearl embellishment.
I spiffed the outfit up with my Gucci fishnets.
This was finished off with a black lace bomber jacket and my Louise Et Cie pearl embellished loafers.
It was a bit warmer on the 21st. This dress was a swap meet find.
The skirt has these cone shaped studs on it, luckily only the front, because I think that those studs would be painful to sit on.
I topped it with another swap meet find - my favorite red leather jacket from id.
Finally, I had the opportunity to wear one of my mom's Kenneth Jay Lane necklaces.
Friday the 22nd saw me wearing a sweater from Charter Club as the focus of my getup. I have always worn it with a white tank and white slacks. Today, I tried it with navy slacks.
The sweater has pleather trim around the front and pockets. I wore the navy belt that I picked up in Tucson, along with a gold necklace and a coin from the Vatican that belonged to my mom.
Look who has been running around our neighborhood!!
Wile E Coyote !!! One of my neighbors told me that he had seen two coyotes trying to corner Tom, the other neighbor's cat. Doc saw this little dude running down the main street in our tract at 8 in the morning. Scary.
Doc and I got a coupon from Savers that offered 30% off books and media. So of course we went !!
I usually use these coupons for work out DVDs but they didn't have any that I don't already own. So I browsed the women's clothing selection. I found two spectacular bargains !!
First, a silk blouse from Karina Grimaldi. The original price tag was still on the blouse - $223 !! It's 100% silk, so dry cleaning needed, but I am willing to accept this to save $218. I had never heard of this brand, so I did some research when I got home, and this brand is sold on Revolve, and is really that pricy.
Another fabulous find was a Badgley Mischka dress. I paid $13.99, which is "high end" at Savers. I researched this as well. I knew BM is an expensive brand, and I verified that their dresses retail for $400-500. It's a really nice dress - it's black with rust colored topstitching. I have been trying several belts and jackets with it, but haven't found the perfect look yet. But stay tuned for the big reveal !!
I have been looking for a contractor to do my driveway, front steps, and backyard poolscape with not much luck. So I decided to go for my Sunday run through a neighboring tract. Not only did I get a lead on the contractor, but I also saw some great Halloween decorations!!
One house had a skeleton horse.
Another yard already has Wile E Coyote dead in the front yard. They got him !!
But the prize winning yard was right around the corner- Check it out !!
I don't think they forgot any type of scary inflatable. I have to go see this display at night in order to get the full effect.
On Friday, we were asked to have a team activity. We decided to make our own Christmas decorations.
I was planning to order kits from Michael's online and then go pick up the order, but as I was looking, it seemed like a lot of things were unavailable. One of my friends suggested the Dollar Tree.
It was a mother lode !! For $30.45, I got enough stuff for us to have 3 ornaments apiece.
I got two Dry Rock Painting kits.
I also picked out four ceramic ornaments to paint.
Two sets of Wise Men finger puppets made the cut.
I found six wooden ornaments to be colored with felt pens.
And we have 12 felt stockings to decorate !!
Supplies for the activity include paints, glue and brushes.
Back to more outfits !! Monday the 25th brought us some much needed rain. It also rained on Saturday, so now California actually is above the average rainfall. I wore something cozy.
I always get a lot of compliments on this vintage turtleneck and today was no exception.
I paired it with some strangely colored pants from INC that I don't wear very often, as well as this weird plaid blazer with embroidery and sayings all over it. I don't wear it very often either. It is from some boutique sale up in LA.
On Tuesday, it was sunny again, so I wore the Karina Grimaldi top with some trusty black slacks.
A couple of people complimented my Nordstrom necklaces.
I wore a khaki silk anorak on top.
Surprisingly, it will be in the low 80s for the next two days. So today I went with a lighter weight outfit.
These patterned pants are from Ann Taylor, and this Ivanka Trump knit top is one of my all time favorites.
I wore a couple of my favorite costume necklaces with this comfy outfit.
Tomorrow is Doc's birthday, so we will be having cake with the grandkids. We are also having a treasure hunt for their Halloween baskets.
On Doc's birthday, it was very warm, so I wore some very old plaid trousers with a cold shoulder top from Love Fire. My new Susana knit shoes rode along - they are pink.
I wore a complete set of Black Hills gold jewelry courtesy of my mom- 2 necklaces, 2 bracelets, 2 rings, earring.
Time for the treasure hunt!! Clue #1 was on the antique desk from Doc's childhood. It said " I live in the library. I am brown but I am sitting on something black."
There it is, Clue #2!!! It said "My name is Bud. I live in the front yard. I cam here last winter when the pine tree died." So the kids ran out to Bud, our Eastern Redbud Tree, where there was another clue.
It said " I am dead. I live with my Zombie friends under the sewing machine." There rested Clue #4.
It said, " I am hairy. I am big. I am black. I am furry. I live in the library". Soooo.... while the kids were running out to Bud, I quickly set up their gift baskets exactly where they just were. Hee Hee.
They were surprised !! Joseph said that he didn't even see the baskets the second time because he was looking up and everywhere for a clue.
Note parents in hallway.
So the kids sat down and played with all the stuff in their baskets. They still love this form of gift, which is great, because I love making them.
Pandi was there to explain the gifts.
The boys really like these things that are little plaster blocks that have a hidden treasure in them.
I got Doc a cake at Pavilion's. It was called the Ultimate Chocolate Cake. I got Joseph a Cookies and Cream cupcake from Just Desserts, a nut-free bakery.
Doc blew out his tea light.
We all had cake.
Later on, Preston, Ashley and Luke dropped by. They gave Doc a personalized book bag !!
It also had snacks - chocolate chip cookies, beef jerky, and BBQ potato chips.
Friday at work saw me in a 4 hour Zoom class. Even though I like the class, it's a long morning.
I wore Old Navy joggers, a Bisou Bisou sweater, and White House Black Market shoes.
Well, next week should be another lively one !! Stay tuned for the hi-jinx.
