Okay, maybe it isn’t the last hour, but it’s pretty late.
Once again, all I have for you is a collection of small random things I’m thinking about. But first: I am typing this from the armchair (Stephany: Pottery Barn Kids, purchased in 2013) in the corner of my room while my husband entertains his parents. An owl is hooting halfheartedly outside, or perhaps it is a mourning dove; they have similarly soft voices.
From my vantage point, I can admire the new lamps for our nightstands, which arrived today! My husband set them up and they are lovely! I am still not 100% in love with the shape of them, I think, but I like the color (blue on ivory) and I really like the soft arcs of light they throw off. The dimmest setting is not as dim as I’d hoped (I wake up at the slightest provocation, so wanted dimmable lamps so my husband could see without jolting me out of sleep every night), but they will do, probably.
I haven’t had a lamp on my nightstand since we moved in, so I’m very pleased about the presence of LIGHT! and I feel like I will warm up to the shape of the lamps.
Furnace: My furnace emailed me today. First of all, I didn’t know it could do that. Secondly, it is the kind of furnace that apparently only deigns to talk to you if there’s a problem. No, “Hey, how’s it going?” No checking in on how *I* am doing, just reporting issues like we don’t live in the same house together.
It wanted to let me know that “your system briefly stopped heating your home several times.” What? Why? ARGH. I don’t know what’s going on with my furnace, but the whole thing is worrisome. We had our HVAC people out a couple months ago to do a check up, and they reported that the system is working fine. But it’s aging, as are we all, and the HVAC technician strongly suggested I register for the extended warranty on the furnace. But when I called, they said I only had 90 days from the day we bought our house to purchase the warranty, and they needed a copy of my title and the title transfer paperwork to get the process going. The title and paperwork we did not yet have. So I called the title company and asked where was our title, and they said it had been mailed, coincidentally, earlier that same week, and we waited for it, and it never showed up, and I badgered and it didn’t arrive and then the 90 day furnace warranty extension period evaporated. So. We don’t have the extended warranty on our furnace. (We do, finally, as of two weeks ago, have the title for our house. Not the original, which has apparently been lost to the whim of the US Postal Service, but a copy, which I had to prod and bother for.) This is all to say: of course our furnace is absolutely going to die now, isn’t it.
Someone asked recently if I am feeling more settled now, and the answer is yes: more settled. But am I loving our house? Not yet. I am still hopeful it can happen. But right now, it still feels like there is so much. So many things to take care of, new problems popping up all the time. And with my in laws here — well, this is the first time they have been to this house, so we are showing everything to them and revisiting the early days of owning this place. Plus, they tend to be… quick to see the negatives in a situation, and they seem to often feel like people are out to get us all. So I am plunged back into feeling pretty low about the whole thing. I think (I hope) that this is all Part of Moving, and I am holding on to Jen’s assurance (HI JEN) that it will take me a good six months to feel like this is home. Maybe by the end of February I’ll feel better? Let’s check back then. Maybe my furnace and I will be on better terms.
Face (again): I know I just talked about face-washing yesterday, but it’s top of mind because a) my face is in A Right State lately and b) I had to buy a new bottle of Cetaphil face wash from Target and c) I just had a dermatology follow up to my diagnosis of rosacea. The dermatology appointment was a little disheartening. I don’t know what I expected, honestly. My skin hasn’t improved. If anything, it seems to break out more frequently than ever. The dermatologist kind of shrugged and said that it’s a chronic condition and there’s nothing I can really do to get rid of it. So. That’s the disheartening part.
I also had questions about the sulfur-based face wash I have been using (works pretty well, makes me smell faintly of sulfur which is unpleasant and self-conscious making) and I also wanted to ask a Vanity question. Background: I have been using either Cetaphil or the sulfur face wash to clean my face. When my face feels like a desert dune, I also use Cerave moisturizer. As a result of this regimen, I feel like my face looks SO OLD. Crepey and wrinkly and bleh. Fine lines really get a good grip when the skin is dry, I think. (I really, really miss my Beauty Counter face oil.) So one of the questions I had for my dermatologist was WHAT CAN I DO. WHY HAST YOUTH FORSAKEN ME SO. Etc. The dermatologist recommended – brace yourself – Vaseline. On my face. Like. All over it.
I use Vaseline on my lips, and, yes, it seems to stave off the flakiness (although I don’t think I’ve used it yet in the dead of winter, so I will report back). But… on my whole face??? How would I sleep? My pillow would become an oil slick. Is this… a real suggestion? I feel like it cannot work and yet: I would try a lot of things in the name of vanity.
Fashion: My husband’s holiday work party is coming up and once again I have no idea what to wear. It’s sort of dressy, although people wear a wide range of clothing items. Last year I wore black Ponte pants and a black top and maybe a sparkly necklace. What should I wear this year?
By posting at night two nights in a row, I feel like I’ve really messed with the rhythm of this blog. And also, I still have houseguests, so I am guessing I will post again (if at all) late tomorrow night. But we are down to the wire of NaBloPoMo, and I am not going to fail now, Internet!
I am kinda sorta attempting to complete NaBloPoMo, with the full expectation that life will make it impossible any day now. If you want to follow along, or join the fun, check out San’s blog here.
I really like Aveeno calming face wash for my rosacea. I also love Clinique Moisture Surge— so gentle and so much moisture!
I have to tell you that my grandmother had the most beautiful glowing skin imaginable all the way to age 90 (like people would stop her on the street to gush about it), and her secret was…a full face of Vaseline every night! My friend who reads many skincare blogs actually recommended it to me also…apparently it’s a moisturizing trend called “slugging” (especially when the Vaseline is applied over top of a moisturizer such as the Cerave one). I haven’t done it myself since it seems so…greasy (just think of the pillow case if you put it on at night!) but maybe I should give it a try!
I love a good lamp. Your room looks so cozy and I now realize I need a corner chair + footstool in my room.
I can’t answer any questions about makeup or face care because I do so little (coconut oil to remove makeup and moisturize, wrinkles be darned…I suppose retinol will make an appearance eventually?). But I remember reading that Shania Twain’s “beauty secret” was covering her face in a Vaseline-like substance that was designed for CHAPPED COW TEATS (Bag Balm if you were wondering…let that name rattle around in your brain for a bit – https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/quirky-science-you-asked/what-shania-twains-secret-soft-and-supple-skin). I remember reading about that distinctly because my dad used the same stuff for chapped heels in the winter!
Ooh! I just saw this after I wrote my comment. I didn’t say what product I used because I didn’t want to sound weird and your derm already said to use Vaseline… but yes I totally use Bag Balm.
“Plus, they tend to be… quick to see the negatives in a situation, and they seem to often feel like people are out to get us all.”
This is a fitting description of a situation I know too well with my parents, unfortunately. But seeing it, is the first step to dealing with it in a healthy way, right?
I’m sure by February you know better what to expect from your new house and will be much more used to its quirks.
Happy NaBloPo Eve!
My face started to feel drier and drier with each word I read about the dermatologist, so I’m going to take his advice. I haven’t done a good slather up in a long time. The way I do it is to goop up my face about an hour before bed and then wash off before lights out.
I don’t know how you made it so long in the new house without a bedside lamp! Some of the airbnbs that I’ve stayed in didn’t had bedside lamps and the struggle was real. I feel like your furnace will last for a few more years at least so that it can taunt you about missing the window for the extended warranty. Grrr house stuff. We replaced our furnace earlier this year and at least the company that did it brought us flowers and donuts on the days that they came out to the house.
I am RIVETED by the Vaseline suggestion. In high school my skin was very dry, like flaky-dry, and I used to put Vaseline on my face every night before bed. My memory is not clear about my pillow; did I put a towel on it? did it just get greasy? I don’t remember it being greasy, but I was in high school, so I’m not sure I would have noticed/cared. I imagine the Vaseline would have gotten into my HAIR, too, but I did wear my hair back in a ponytail at night, and also at that stage of my life I shampooed it every morning, so I guess it wasn’t an issue.
Anyway, I have looked back on this as “something dumb teenagers do.” Like, VASELINE!! But! Apparently that was DERMATOLOGIST APPROVED!
These days, I sometimes put Bag Balm around my eyes (keeping it away from eyelashes, but getting the undereye and overeye) right before bed.
VASELINE ON YOUR FACE WHAT
Whoa, I…well…I guess they are the doctor but that seems…well.
People who are quick to point out the negative exhaust me. My mom is like that often. It’s really tiring and would absolutely catapult you into the early days of moving. WHICH SUCKS. Moving is so hard and everything feels crazy for a while. But it does get better and it does get easier. I was just thinking yesterday that my next-door neighbour seems to finally have calmed down/ the novelty of having us has worn off, because she can now walk outside by our house without walking in the door. WINNING!
Your bedroom is BEAUTIFUL!!!
Your bedroom is beautiful! It looks so calm and peaceful. I think the lamps are lovely.
My opinion on the face wash and Vaseline goes against the first comments. Vaseline is a petroleum product which is never put on my skin. It’s toxic. If you wouldn’t eat it you shouldn’t put it on your skin. An alternative is Live Clean – a non petroleum jelly, if you must. If your moisturizer is too drying try a hydrating toner. Also the fewer additives etc in a product, the less irritating it will be, so look for really “clean” products. They may be a little pricey but this is your face! It’s worth it.
I wonder if a creamier thick product would work like Vaseline minus the grease? I’m thinking something like Eucerin?
Well, I’m fascinated by the vaseline discussion. You’ll have to let us know what you decide to do!
I’ve been thinking about you lately because my face has been REALLY GOOD. Like, no new breakouts in a couple months. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to look in the mirror first thing in the morning without cringing. The thing I changed was- eliminating seed oils (mostly) from my diet, because supposedly they are very inflammatory. Over Thanksgiving I relaxed a little and had some, and I’ve had a minor breakout. So I’m thinking maybe- MAYBE?- I’m onto something? Of course, I can’t tell you how many other things I’ve tried, which seemed to work at first and then plunged me into disappointment eventually. So I’ll let you know how this works over the long term.
I do not care for this trend of appliances sending texts and emails. I do not care for this AT ALL. No need to nag me, dishwasher. There’s no EMERGENCY to unload the dishes. Listen, stove, you already have a timer that’s buzzing, there’s no need to text me that the potatoes need to be checked. STOP INTERFERING WITH MY READING, appliances. *Ahem* This rant brought to you by entirely hypothetical scenarios that have never happened in my life because I am anti-smart appliances.
One of my high school friend’s mother used Vaseline on her hands and face all the time. I suspect she still does. Also, she has skin like Dolly Parton, so maybe we should all be doing this. I always felt like Vaseline mostly just sat on the top of my skin and didn’t actually soak in, but what do I know? I have old lady skin and not beautiful porcelain skin.
Our new furnace has the ability to text me and I’ve turned that feature off. I don’t need more texts… from machines. As for rosacea and being disheartened, I understand. It doesn’t matter what the doctor prescribes, or suggests, or even laser treatments, my skin is basically the same reddish shade regardless. I try, but no success.
My in-laws are the same way. The day before their first visit to our new home, the first time I was going to see my in-laws since our wedding, a mushroom sprouted from our bathroom ceiling. Yes, a mushroom. A leak led to mold led to a mushroom growing from the ceiling. I just looked at it and thought, “Well, the pressure is off. The house won’t be perfect so I can just relax.” They still criticized other parts of my housekeeping (my housekeeping, mind you, not my husband’s, because why would a man contribute to a home’s upkeep just because we both work full-time …), but the mushroom helped me keep some perspective. Sending good wishes to you for the remainder of the visit!
Who would have thought that a mushroom on the ceiling has its upsides?!
I’ve so been here too: “criticized other parts of my housekeeping (my housekeeping, mind you, not my husband’s, because why would a man contribute to a home’s upkeep just because we both work full-time …)”
I keep standing in my not perfectly clean shower thinking of my mother-in-law easy cleaning suggestions – directed only at me, firstly, and secondly, from a woman who let her son grow up thinking showers clean themselves because there’s always soap and hot water in them.
“my furnace emailed me” I laughed so hard.
Every night, I used to put Vaseline on my horribly dry feet (as recommended by my pedicurist), and it worked. I’ve since stopped, and they’re horribly dry again. I stopped because Vaseline is so VASELINE, but man, it works.
The vaseline suggestion reminds me of a time when I saw my GP and she commented on my extremely dry skin that I am prone to in the winter and suggested that, after showering, I don’t towel off and instead apply lotion to my wet skin and then allow myself to dry naturally. This was before kids but even then I was like – who in the f has time for this and secondly, I would freeze to death. The vaseline suggestion is an odd one.
The furnace thing is ODD. Ours is not that technologically advanced. It’s quite old, I think 16 years or more? Every time we get it serviced (which we do once a year) they tell us we should consider replacing it during an off peak time. I am on board with this but my husband is of the “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” mind set. My dad owned an heating/electrical business so he ran it by him and they have decided we will replace the igniter or something like that to give it a bit more life. I just do not want the furnace to die in the dead of winter and it would take a lot to not say “I told you so” if that happens. Oh the joys of marriage. 😉
Your in-laws negative nancy attitude kind of reminds me of, well, my MIL. My parents are the glass half full kind of people and are kind of willing to see the good in things which I appreciate because I don’t really have that view point most of the time… My MIL is the opposite. This dynamic is why we enjoy traveling with my parents. Everything is just WONDERFUL and GREAT in their eyes, but not in an annoying way. They do not complain about their meals or the comfort of the bed in a VRBO etc etc. And what a great personality trait to have! I do think I am more like that when traveling. And I am like that with our house, mostly because I have to offset how much my husband doesn’t like it.
I remember that my mother, who is now in her early 70s, slathered Vaseline on her face every night before bed. Her face is YOUTHFUL, supple, and glowing. I’m not sure if she still does it, and I can’t bring myself to do it (THE STICKINESS!), but all I know is that her face looks absolutely fabulous.
Your bedroom is lovely.
Also, I love the first paragraph about the furnace.
My late stepfather was often negative and angry about every little thing and it was wearying.
Hello Suzanne! I can’t even imagine having my furnace send me a text! Too funny! I guess it’s nice to get a notice that there’s a problem happening, so you’re prepared to take action.
My mom used Mary Kay night cream, which was petroleum based with menthol and red dye! She doesn’t use it now – maybe it’s been discontinued? But her skin has always been beautiful.
I would be extremely nervous about the furnace emails. My boyfriend is very proud of the texts he receives from his washer and dryer. I wonder if they’ll send him similar messages when they have issues. I think your bedroom is beautiful and serene. I love those lamps! They may inspire me to replace my ancient ones. My younger daughter has rosacea and it is so disheartening. She tries everything and still has issues. 🙁 I like Vaseline but it seems like it would clog the pores and cause acne. although it would undoubtedly cure the dryness. I’m not a dermatologist however.
Your bedroom is lovely, and I think you might need a new dermatologist.
I think the number one anti-aging “secret” is, to quote an aesthetician, to “moisturize relentlessly.” Some products are more hydrating than others, but whatever you’re using, use it more often. I really love rose hip seed oil at night and squalane oil during the day, and I believe squalane is said to have benefits for rosacea as well. I also recommend Paula’s Choice 2% BHA toner. It sounds like it would be harsh but it’s not! It does a great job of softening, smoothing, and hydrating skin.
I love those lamps! I think you will too; once you get used to them.
Vaseline on your face seems perplexing; but on the other hand – Vaseline is good at soothing dry feet/hands. If you go that route, I’d suggest tying your hair back at night and either resigning yourself to a stained pillowcase or sleeping with a towel over the pillow.
I do not want my appliances having my email address or phone number!
I could have sworn I commented on this post, but my comment is not there… so, here I go again:
I am torn about the connectedness of appliances and their ability to communicate with you. I mean it can be good and bad, right? It’s just also very strange. I do hope you settle into your house very soon. It’s hard to settle into a new place after so much time.
The lamps – and your whole bedroom! – look really nice though.
Your bedroom looks really lovely.
The lamps look lovely!
Sorry about your dermatologist and not really getting the relief or answers you need.
I love vaseline on my lips, but maybe not so much on my face?
How about face oils? I do like those, but I have to wear a headband for an hour to keep my hair out of the oil while my face sucks it in. The Coach always comments: You’re so shiny.
If your furnace starts calling you, there might even more of a problem.
Pottery Barn Kids – who knew?!
Honestly, appreciate the dermatologist giving you a very affordable solution to your skin woes rather than trying to sell you a very expensive product. I, too, am fascinated about how you would sleep with Vaseline all over your face, though. You’d need a new pillowcase every night!
Oh, your bedroom is just lovely. I hope you grow to like the lamps!
Another thought on creams – vanicream or eucerin, and get the kind in the tub, not the tube or pump. You could do that with CeraVe or Cetaphil, too – the lotions have more water in them, vs. the creams, which are more moisturizing. Bag balm (as suggested) is also a good option, and I’m more of an aquaphor not vaseline fan, but ymmv. 🙂 I hope you find a good solution soon. Dry skin is so uncomfortable.
love this
[Keisha’s Blog]
Wow, your new lamps sound lovely! It’s great that you finally have light on your nightstand. I’m sure you’ll warm up to the shape of the lamps in time. As for your furnace situation, that does sound worrisome. Have you considered getting a second opinion regarding its performance? It would be interesting to know if there may be any other issues causing the heating to stop intermittently. Keep us updated on how things progress with your house! Great post! I hope you have a fantastic time at your husband’s holiday work party. What kind of outfit are you leaning towards for the occasion?
Ren
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