Ballerina's Toes

Having been a high heel wearer in my younger years and loving the way they made my feet and legs look, I now try to warn the young women today at church how they'll suffer for wearing the highest heels imaginable in their youth. I loved and still love moderately high heels. I had some absolutely stunning heels that friends wanted to buy if I would sell them. Unfortunately, my feet were bigger than theirs—size 8 1/2 and they wouldn't fit them when I no longer wore them. I sold some on eBay and some I just cannot part with. So I truly know how you younger women feel. But I've had to have surgery on both feet to correct what those heels did. (I fully anticipate any young woman reading this will "pooh-pooh" what I'm telling you by rationalizing that it could never happen to them. I laugh but feel sorry for them because that's exactly what is going to happen to them in a few decades, especially with the ridiculously high heels now that have women almost standing on their toes.

I saw some article the other day that sent me to another article that talked about ballerina's feet. Our niece was a ballet dancer and auditioned for the NYC Ballet. I cannot remember if she danced for them but she was a professional ballerina for a short period until she met her hubby and got married. She is a beautiful long-legged young woman with 2 boys almost grown. But when I think about her and what she gave up, I'm certainly glad she did.

Ballerina's suffer immeasurably from being on pointe most of their lives. The feet you are about to see are some of the worst cases I've seen, and they will never be normal again.

So if you're the mother of a little girl wanting to be a ballet dancer, think twice about what her later life will be like. The younger years will definitely determine how much pain she'll endure down the line.

This is what some of the ballerina's feet end up looking like. The legs are also distorted with most of them.

Never to be able to be repaired.

Ruined toes and feet.

Pain and wrecked toes.

Deformed.

This is the worst case I've seen.

Twisted and painful.

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Now, let's look at some eye candy and beautiful photos.

Sigh. Yeah, the first photo is one of a darling pair of shoes. Sorry about that. But they are cute.

A quaint, sweet home in Europe somewhere.

And another pretty home.

I would never have thought of painting my kitchen cabinets in stripes but I love these.

Look at all the windows. They all have the same curtains so this must be just one person's house above a business. Absolutely adorable.

Some of my favorite things to show—beautiful fabrics.

A charming office for a woman.

Isn't this cute? I don't think I'd want to live beneath a waterfall though.

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Tidbit:
The world's largest eatery: the Damascus Gate restaurant, in Syria. It seats 6,014 persons.

Driving In Snow

Snow has been sugaring our yard the past few days. It does look like a winter wonderland, only I hate driving in snow and ice. I've been doing it a few times these past couple of weeks because I need to be able to do it in an emergency, but I'm driving Love Bunny nuts. We are making a trip over to Washington in a few weeks to visit granddaughter, her hubby and the girls and we knew it'd be snowing somewhere along the way so I had to be prepared. But when we first moved up here, I'd never been in snow to drive; after all, we've lived most of our lives in California.

Well, the first 2 years up here I had 2 accidents in the snow. One was where I was driving Love Bunny's truck and hit a road post and destroyed his passenger side door. You know how well that went over, right? He had broken a couple of ribs a few days before so I had no choice. I needed to go somewhere. I had to drive. Plus I skidded out several times. So I gave it up as we've not had much snow here for a lot of years and it melts pretty fast. It was time, however, to give it a second chance. I probably have a reputation in our city as the slowest driver in snow but at least I'm safe.
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Another beautiful lamp and shade in this vignette.

Wonderful place to stroll.

Cute little vignette.

More eye candy for ya.

Wonderful outdoor living area.

Italy!

Another beautiful area of a lovely room.

Charming old home.

Pretty way to display fabrics—with folded roses sewn together.

I'd love to visit this cute cafe.

Another pretty setting with roses.

French vignette.

How lovely would it be to live here, almost like a castle.

Pretty entry way.

Another beautiful window surrounded by roses and lace curtains inside.

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Tidbit:
In 2006, a London fashion show called "Naked Fragrance" had nude models wearing different brands of perfume, walking in front of a blindfolded audience.
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Caroline Speaks

 I really recommend you go to my Pinterest and view almost 7,000 photos I've put on there. I think you'll enjoy viewing the ones I've come up with. Truly!
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Also, this is my 1300th post. Yippee! I'm nothing if not tenacious. ;-)
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I wish all of you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. I never make resolutions or set goals. Never have and don't see that changing in the coming years. I do, however, vow to immerse myself in Scriptures this year. I was most lax this past year. I try to lead a spiritual and Christ-centered life but I am far lacking. I vow to be better.
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It's 3 AM and I can't sleep, I so came in here to the computer room to blog. Isn't it pathetic when we can't sleep that we turn to blogging?

Anyway, got an email from granddaughter saying that Caroline is hurt because Santa forgot to bring her the Talking Mushroom. Well, that got everyone on her Facebook page looking for a "taking mushroom"! We think it's a book. Even her Poppop, my hubby, googled it to see what it could be. We think now it's a book that perhaps was read to her in her daycare class. This kid doesn't forget a thing!

Caroline was "sweeping" the kitchen with her tiny broom the other day saying, "forward" and "backward." She looked at her mother and said, "I can speak English and Spanish, mummy."  We don't know if forward or backward is the English or the Spanish! ;-)

Then a few days later she told her mummy that she could speak English, Spanish and Magic. I'd like to learn that Magic language myself. :-) Her daddy does speak Spanish, as do her other grandparents, even though he's losing the ability since he's lived in this country before he was a teenager but I don't think she knows much of it. (He is now a citizen and lost his diplomatic immunity when he had to give up his Guatemalan passport. So now he has to watch his speeding. Before, he'd just show them his diplomat passport from his mother working at the embassy. Now, he suffers like the rest of us! LOL) I think she just speaks the language of love to them and they understand because her paternal grandmother can't speak English. But it's so cute to watch them together.
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I love making these mosaics for blogs. I don't do real mosaics, however, but eye candy is always on my posts.

An unusual combination of colors done beautifully.

I love this upholstery.

Pretty pillows serving as a vignette are always welcome around this house.

You can see yourself here, right?! ;-)

I remember when those chairs were NEW; now they're vintage.

Bathrooms that don't require a door or curtain on the shower always intrigue me.

Now, these are some cowgirl boots!

And pretty little petit point purses? Uh-huh!

Gorgeous place to be.

Edible eye candy. :-)

Absolutely stunning colors in bedding from Horchow.

Another quaint street.

Tropical leisure.

And lovely dishes.

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Tidbit:
Legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne had his team's locker room painted an angry red and the visitors' locker room a soothing blue.
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Linking up with NMH Open House and Katherine's Corner.

Merry Christmas And A Few Stories

I'm sitting here tonight writing this while sending hubby off for a quart of milk and a bag of Werther's Caramels. I like the soft ones but they weren't available so he picked up a bag of hard creamy caramel filled ones. I just may die from Caramel Overload. Werther's are the best caramels in the world. Oooooh and the fact that I told him to read the label and only bring home the soft ones just flew out the door. These are delicious.

More on Miss Caroline. I told my granddaughter to frequently send me things she does because they live 8 hours away and we can't see her but a couple of times a year. Here's what she sent this past week.

Every night she tries a new ploy to get out of bed. Caroline calls Dad into her room after bedtime.
C: I have an idea. I think there's treasure under my crib. Want to get me out and look for it? (Didn't work.)

Dad is kissing her all over. She's protesting that she's a big girl and he needs to stop. She grabs his face with both hands and looks him in the eye.
C: I'm a big girl. Do. You. Understand?!

Naked toddler running around kitchen demanding skittles.
Mom: We can have skittles but the priority is getting your pajamas on.
C: Priority?! Priority?! I'm scared of priorities!

Mom and Dad having conversation. C holds up hand to us and in the best Valley Girl voice ever says:
Shush! You guys are being soooooo loud!

C is telling Dad about somebody (a friend) being bad and needing to be "written up." Dad writes them up in iPad rather than actual notebook. [This actually gets her to behave if told she's going to be "written up." None of us can figure out why but it works, so whatever works.]
C: That's not a notebook. That's an iPad, you silly man.
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Another red and pink bedroom for you. Notice the hanging bed by the window.

Can you tell I love eye candy? I'll always post it...FOREVER!

I love that sweet lamp.

A profusion of tulips!

Your own castle and island. Wowzer.

Cute place mats.

A vintage lunch hamper with French details.

A sweet cottage in the U.K.

I didn't make these but I did make one for each of my great-granddaughters...even prettier than these. ;-)

Another view of European cuteness.

Pretty soaps.

I want it!

And this sun room also.

Love the floating flowers.

No cars down these streets. :-)

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Tidbit:
Four real school names:
Butts Road Primary School
Goodenough College
Universidad de Moron
Pansy Kidd Middle School
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Linking up with SSS WOW.