Tag Archives: mani/pedi

Wednesday 6-24-2026

@drritalouise-substack

This is such an important thing to learn. However, few of us has the confidence to stand out at a young age. I remember how hard I tried to ‘be like everyone else,’ and ‘fit in’ when I was growing up. I got so upset that I got sick before school because my mother insisted that I wear an outfit that had green and yellow in it and it was a Thursday. This was a huge ‘no-no’ in my group, and the nurse sent me home when I kept throwing up.

It was, I guess, when my husband and I lived on top of a ridge line in Arkansas, seeing very few people on a daily basis that I realized that no one really cared anymore what I was doing or not doing, and that I could and should make my own decisions about what I wanted.

When I got to Thailand and my husband’s and my retirement plans went up in smoke, I really broke free and decided, since I had a second chance at life, thanks to to the good people in the ER in the hospital in AR installing a pacemaker, and then my husband suffering a stroke 2 weeks after we arrived forcing a month long hospital stay followed by residence in a nursing home, and my living alone for the first time in my life, that I should build a life where being different is a good thing, doing what I want, spending time doing what means something to me, what gives me joy, is the way I want to spend the rest of my life.

Being different still seems to be a thing to be avoided when you’re growing up. It should be celebrated, revered, encouraged, and nurtured. Maybe one day…

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This morning I was treated to a mani/pedi. I found something really close to the ‘cyan’ Brian has been wanting me to get. My husband just said, “blue,” so he should like this, too. I’ve decided that getting sparkly polish is one of the things I will enjoy as long as possible. Every time I look at it, I smile.

I made a change and cut my fingernails short so that I can practice my guitar more easily and effectively, so I had the nice ladies at the salon cut them even shorter and just round them off, and then cut my toenails shorter and cut them straight across.

Instead of half grown out nails on my fingernails and toenails that snag my socks, I now look much more civilized – PLUS – I sparkle!!!

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Flame Tree Blog – Flame Tree Publishing

I’m working on several sketches right now. I’m doing some base painting on some so that I can finish them at the cafe this afternoon. I’ll be able to share those tomorrow. I’m having a great time working on things, plus the ideas are coming fast and furious now. I’m even dreaming about them! Do you think that’s a sign of something worrisome? 😜

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http://www.tiktok.con

I’m going to start TRYING to look at the chords and lyrics for Roberta Flack’s two songs that are my personal, long-time favorites to start trying to play them. It will be a LONG time before this is something I can really do, and I’m not even talking about the singing along with the guitar, but I figure if I’m practicing with a specific goal in mind, I MIGHT be able to persuade my fingertips to last a bit longer before yelling at me.

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Luvze

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Wednesday 4-22-2026

Nursery Nisarga

Thanks to my good friend Sheila Murrey we now know that the gorgeous blooming tree I was talking about a couple of days ago is called “Peacock Flower,” “Pride of Barbados,” and “Dwarf Poinciana.” The only thing different out the one I was pointing out is that the center cluster in mine is yellow and the spent flowers are more orange. The tree is stunning and the spent blooms grab my attention each time we pass it. THANK YOU, Sheila.

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My wonderful son treated me to a mani/pedi this morning. Both he and my husband were remarking that I needed work, so this morning was the morning. Now I am sparkly green! I’m still looking for sparkly ‘cyan’ to please my son, but I only saw a pale sparkly blue, not the more turquoise shade I was looking for. Anyway, I’ve never had this color before, so I’m grinning from ear to ear as I share my ‘elegance.’ We’ll show Harvey Saturday.

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We are planning to spend time at the cafe today, and I’ll try to get started on the sketch for the water gun that also shoots LED lights that Harvey expressed interest in to go on his wall. I’m REALLY out of my comfort zone on this, but I’ll just do the best I can and hope for the best. I’m supposed to take it to him Saturday.

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These are my two latest sketches.

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Can you see the Cheetah? Oh, come on, you can if you look carefully. Look on the left side of the photo toward the bottom, and you can see the tip of his foot. That’s the ONLY part of him that is anywhere on the border of the puzzle. Needs work, I know…. hahahahahahahah 🧩 😂

Bamboo Garden Yoga

Today is yoga stretches. I’m looking forward to a nice long session where I can loosen everything up.

oprah.com

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Tuesday, Dec 2nd, 2025

This is another of the mailbox decorations my husband and I made for the holidays.

I’ve had a good day.

I worked out at the gym. Then I went for a mani/pedi since my husband, Harvey, noticed I needed a redo. I’m still surprised. He never noticed if my fingernails were polished before his stroke. Yesterday he looked at my hands for a long time and then said, “You need to have new polish.” So, when we visit on Thursday, I can show him I listened and fixed the problem. 😁

I am trying to learn how to deal with the problem of no heat during Thailand’s “Cool Season.” Granted, the lowest temperature here is around 50 degrees F., but unless I’m sitting in the sunshine, I’m cold. Right now, for example, I have a sweatshirt on, but my nose and hands are still cold, so I put on my husband’s lined flannel shirt/jacket over the sweatshirt.

I WILL adapt to this. I just need to get more inventive. I’m already layering my clothes. This morning while I was waiting to go work out at the gym, I solved the problem of my cold leather sofa by sitting on the end of a towel and wrapping the rest of it around my legs. I’m raising the shades on my windows when we get back from the gym, letting the sunshine in, warming my place up. I put an extra throw on my bed at night. I wear slippers in my house with socks. (You don’t wear shoes in the house in Thailand.) When we got here, I scrubbed the soles of my slippers with soap and a brush so that they were as clean as I could get them. I only wear them inside, so they don’t bother my floors. They are saving my life. I’m adopting the Chinese idea of heating water and drinking it like tea. I’m doing that whenever I get too chilled. I take warmer showers, since I have an instant on water heater.

I know I sound like a wuss. I think I’m adapting to the culture, the people, the traditions, and such, better than I am the climate. Brian and I were laughing that in February I will be griping about being too hot, melting into a puddle, unable to find a way to keep cool….

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I’ve been painting Christmas cards today, as well as making more thank you cards for Khun Nong, my housekeeper. I’m having so much fun picturing people as I make another card. I’m mentally deciding which card should go to which person I want to thank, hoping they will be pleased. I’m also trying to figure out the best time to catch each person so that I can give them out in good time for the holiday.

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Brian is coming to my place for dinner tonight, since Khun Nong is cleaning his place this afternoon and evening. We’ve made a routine of backing up the data on my phone, plus the data on my computer while he is here. Earlier he checked the numbers on my air purifiers to make sure they are doing their jobs, deciding to bump them up a notch to deal with the ‘haze’ that is coming as farmers start to burn off the residue from their harvested crops.

I read that a lot of the United States is having early winter weather. Even my state of Arkansas was in for some ice. Selfishly, I am SO glad I don’t have to worry about getting iced in on top of our ridge line there, with trees falling down into the 650+ foot steep driveway from both sides, making us get out the chain saw to cut them and haul them to one side or the other when the ice will allow us to stand without falling on our heads…

I hope you are safe and sound wherever you are when you’re reading this.

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Nice Surprise!

“Sing It” – Dana Sredojevic – Pexels

I was planning on having a quiet day today. Brian needed to work and we didn’t have anything on our calendar that we needed to do.

Then Brian texted me, asking if I wanted to get my nails done. Well, YEAH! 👍

We went to a place we had visited two months ago, a place named, “K Perfect.” Brian had popped for the full luxury spa treatment for me then, where they did everything except cook dinner for me. I absolutely loved it, but told him that the next time I went, I “just” wanted the already pampering mani-pedi without all the bells and whistles.

Even their ‘regular’ service is wonderful. Since I’m old (😁) they met me at the door while I was leaving my shoes outside and slipping into their slippers. They made sure I got into the chair without falling on my head and two nice young women proceeded to tend to me (one on my feet and the other on my hands.) I pointed out that I had horizontal ‘splits’ on both of my thumbs that might need special attention. They handled these like the pros they are.

Wikimedia Commons

Brian keeps trying to get me to choose ‘cian’ gel polish, but manicures and pedicures are such a new thing for me I went with a more conservative color. Maybe next time.

An hour later they were finished. One of the ladies helped me out of the chair after going outside and getting my shoes and bringing them to me! She helped me to the door, then outside onto the porch, then down the two tall steps to the street. Talk about feeling special!

I can’t say enough about this place. I have left a review on Google Maps that will hopefully get others to try them, too. This will be one of my regular places to try to maintain my illusion of being a ‘civilized’ person. 😛

Brian and I went to have some chocolate after, capping off my beautiful morning. What a nice surprise!

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