by JTwisdom | Jan 13, 2014 | Fashion |
My wife and I are big Downton Abbey fans. Season Four premiered last Sunday on PBS. We blogged about that episode, with our thoughts and questions. We have decided that we would recap the each episode with our observations and a provide questions for the rest of the season. Yes, we know that there are websites out there can give us the full synopsis of Season Four, but we refuse to find out what’s going to happen. We like the element of surprise and do not like knowing what’s going to happen before it does.
www.pbs.org
Episode Two looked to be a low-key episode, with few new developments. The Crawley Family tries to move forward after the Matthew’s death with a house party at Downton Abbey. The party introduces us to new characters and develops existing ones who will play an integral part in Season Four. But before the party has finished, the lives of some of the downstairs staff will be forever changed.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL8uCuLgum8[/youtube]
Observations / Thoughts:
*Lord Gillingham, a childhood friend of Lady Mary, arrives for the party and a spark has been ignited between the two. They talk about the business of Downton, the death of Matthew and moving forward.
*Mr. Gregson is having a hard time getting Lord Grantham to even acknowledge his existence. But Gregson wins back the money that Lord Grantham lost to Sampson while playing poker, things begin look promising.
*The new valet, Green, has taken a liking to Anna; but Bates does not like him or the mischief that he is causing with the downstairs staff. Green throws Anna’s life into peril as the dinner party concludes.
*Branson feels out of place at the house party and is heavily drinking to drown his sorrows. Edna is up to her old tricks and comes to his aid; but at what costs?
Questions for Episode Three:
*How will the relationship between Lord Gillingham and Lady Mary develop? Will it be more business or social? Will there be other men who come into Lady Mary’s life that will allow her to love again?
*How far will Gregson and Lady Edith go to find true? Will a life in Germany be in their future? Is this really Lady Edith’s chance at love? Or will she be heart broken once again?
*Will Anna be able to come to grips with her tragedy? Will she be able to share with Bates what has happened? How will this affect their marriage and their life together?
What will become of Green? How will he act towards the downstairs staff? Will his dirty secret be revealed?
*Will Branson leave Downton and return home to Ireland? Will he rekindle a relationship with Edna? Or will she just use him for her own gain? Did she put something in his drink while they were in the library?
by | Jan 12, 2014 | Fitness |
Thriftysue.com
No matter what technological advances come out to make our lives more efficient and effective, we seem to have less and less free time in our daily lives. With the daily responsibilities of being a parent, it seems nearly impossible to consistently make time for the gym. But don’t worry; there are exercises you can fit into your existing day that can be surprisingly effective. If you want to lose weight and have more defined muscles, fit the below routine into your daily schedule for 4 weeks.
The Wake and Tuck
After your alarm clock goes off, tuck your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around your knees. Now, just rock slightly from side to side. This will wake up your spine and stretch your legs a bit. After doing this stretch for about 30 seconds, straighten your legs and move them from side to side (keeping your back on the mattress). This will further loosen your back and also engage your core. Depending on how you feel, you can choose to do 10 or 15 crunches in bed.
The Doorknob Squat
This might seem silly, but it works well. For your morning routine (the time you spend in the house before you leave for work), every time you touch a doorknob do 10 squats. Personally, I touch about 6-8 doorknobs on average during my morning routine. So before I even leave for work I have already done about 60 squats, which are a powerful bodyweight exercises and a great calorie burner.
The Ab Flex
During your drive to work do at least 5 sets of 15 ab flex’s. Squeeze your abdominal muscles as though you’re trying to touch your ribs to your stomach, hold for a couple seconds, then release. Of course, it goes without saying if this exercise takes away from your attention on the road, then stop doing them.
At this point, you are arriving at work and you have already stretched your legs and back and exercised your legs and abs. The first time you do this morning routine, you might find you feel more awake than you have in a long time and more focused and attentive at work. The human body is very adaptive and responds to change well. Your body will reward you with even these subtle changes to your daily routine.
The Three Card Monte
I realize once you get to work you’re busy, but no one is too busy to take a 30 second break here and there. Grab a deck of Strength Stack 52 bodyweight fitness cards and deal three cards (called the Three Card Monte). Each card will give you an exercise that requires only your bodyweight. Three cards are just enough to get your blood flowing, keep your metabolic rate high and thus keeping your energy level up. An average workday lasts 8 hours (not including an hour for lunch). If you can focus on playing Three Card Monte once an hour you will have completed 24 exercises just during your workday. Do you realize that most people who go to the gym for an hour every day don’t do 24 exercises? You completed 24 exercises taking only a 30 second break every hour, wow!
The 10 Minute Lunchtime Battle
You know how to play War with a deck of cards right? Simply grab a friend and a deck of cards, or use your Strength Stack 52, and play a game of War. With Strength Stack 52, playing War is easy, whoever deals the lowest card number has to do both exercises on the card. If you are using a regular deck of cards, you will need to determine what exercises should be given to the person who loses the hand. After playing War for just 10 minutes you will definitely notice a heart pumping workout.
The Evening Drop
This is a fun exercise to do with your family. Assign a “keyword of the day” and don’t tell anyone. Let’s assume the keyword is dog. Now, whenever anyone in your household says the word dog, you have to drop and do 10 push-ups. The next time that word is used, do 9 push-ups, then 8 and so on. The first time you do this your kids will laugh wondering what keyword made you drop. And if your kids are normal, if they find out what that keyword is, they will use it to their full advantage.
So now you are at the end of your day, you have worked your entire body, never needed to go the gym, never needed to carry any equipment with you and didn’t need to schedule any time for a workout, yet you burned a bazillion calories and firmed every muscle in your body. Great work!
This article was written by Sergeant Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 fitness cards, a unique way to transform bodyweight exercises into a fun and competitive workout.
by | Jan 10, 2014 | Fashion, Review |
Hi Elegant Readers,
Snow January 2014
There has been lots of snow here in the Lou, as well as other parts of the country. Beautiful; but people have to learn how to drive on the roads and slow down. A total of 1o.6 inches of snow with wind chills down to minus twenty-five degrees. I am one of those peculiar people who enjoy snow and I play in it with my hubby and the doggies. However, when it gets down to the minus temps, you cannot be outside for too long and the doggies feet get cold.
If I want to feel refreshed and get going one part of my regime is to eat healthy, take the vitamins that my doctors recommend and exercise regularly.
EXCELEROL
I was recently asked to try EXCELEROL. On the box product description says, “Your decision to start using EXCELEROL demonstrates your superior cognitive potential. The product is $48.69 on Amazon.com. By maintaining a proper diet, exercising regularly and supplementing with high potency ingredients as those found in EXCELEROL; you may dramatically increase your chances of success. This product has been specifically formulated to support focus, memory, concentration and alertness.
This past year, especially October through December, I was going non-stop to Christmas program rehearsals at my church. I was intrigued with the thoughts of increased focus and concentration. I was willing to try the 15-day supply.
At the time I started taking the Liquid Vcaps my hubby and I would work a full day, come home to get a quick bite to eat and then back out for Christmas Rehearsals. The Christmas production and Christmas crew at church have been having steady rehearsals since October. It was every Friday and then towards the actual day of the program we would rehearse Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It snowed the weekend of the event; so it was rescheduled for the following Sunday. This meant that we had another set of rehearsals that were for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. In addition, we had to be at church at 7:30am Sunday morning on the day of the program. I was taking the Liquid Vcaps the whole time.
Sound board
After Christmas program over, I felt like I had been going non-stop because I am also involved my other activities at my church. I felt sinus symptoms on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, I was dealing with a head cold and it knocked me out. Thank the Lord that even though I was feeling symptoms I was able to enjoy the holidays. It was so nice to have some calm time and rejuvenate.
Accelerated Intelligence, the company who make these capsules, claim that the pill will increase your thinking process. I think I have been on point and very alert. It’s so important to pin-point cues, and note changes. My position for the Christmas program was working in the Audio Booth. In the past I have been working in the Computer Room; but this time it was Audio. In the audio ministry, the crew and I have to be on point and always alert to observe cues. During the Christmas program portions of the script may change, music needs to be shortened. For example, there was a puppet scene where the kids arms were getting tired from puppet dancing. My audio assistant head and I have to go in our music software to shorten the music. Voice overs need to be shortened or two speaking parts need to be merged together. All this involves a great deal of thinking, detail, coordination and preciseness. I felt alert and ready for the show.
The capsules contain:
Located on the box.
- Powerful ingredients
- Liquid suspension technology
- Standardized extracts
- High potency
- Contains botanical sources of caffeine
- Vcap 100% vegetarian capsules
Ingredients
Green Tea, Black Tea & White Tea
Guarana & Kola Nut
Huperzine
Ginko Biloba
Rhodiola
Vinpocetine
Citicoline
Acetyl L_Camitine
PS (Phosphatidylserine)
AGPC (Alpha0Glyceryl Phosphonyl Choline)
L – Tyrosine
DMAE
30 Liquid Vcaps 845mg Dietary Supplement
Take 2 Liquid Vcaps per day
If you have any questions about any of the ingredients, please check with your doctor before taking this dietary supplement.
I have only taken the product for 15 days. I think that although I have seen more alertness I need to take more of the supplement to see what the long-term benefits are of the product.
Disclaimer
I am not giving any medical advice, this is a review of a product that was sent to me to give my honest opinion.
Again, please check with your doctor regarding taking any kind of supplement. You are held responsible for checking with your doctor and Bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com will not be held responsible if you have any kind of reactions to this product.
by | Jan 6, 2014 | Fashion |
Good Afternoon Elegant Readers:
Downton Abbey is back with the Season Four premiere last night on PBS. My hubby and I have been watching since the beginning, following the Crawley Family who live at their English country estate during the 1910s and early 1920s. I so much enjoy period movies and television shows, like Downton Abbey. For me, watching Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice; and Manor House is a great way to spend a cold snowy day like it is today. With temperatures topping out at only zero today, I love to stay in the house, curl up with a warm blanket and watch a good movie filled with elegant women and sophisticated men.
PBS.org
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrYTZMYQdEA[/youtube]
In the first three seasons, we have watched as Lord Grantham struggled keep his family in order and his estate in the family. We watched the on-and-off again love story of Matthew and Mary, the struggle for Edith to find love, and the untimely death of Lady Sybil.
Season Four begins six months after the tragic end of Season Three, when Matthew dies in automobile accident soon after the birth of his new-born son, George. We see that Lady Mary is deep in grief and is struggling to be a mother her son. A nanny has been hired to care for Lady Mary’s and Lady Sybil’s babies. Lady Rose is now at Downton; but is living a free-spirited, non-aristocratic life. Mrs. O’Brien has left to pursue another lady’s maid job. Mr. Mosley is struggling to find work now that he is not needed after the death of Matthew. Anna and Bates continue being happy in their marriage now that Bates is out of prison.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBYQUlYp4EI[/youtube]
Some of the interesting things I found from last night’s episode:
* Lord Grantham continues to struggle to manage the estate as the death tax imposed on the death of Matthew has once again thrown the Downton into peril. Branson is working with the Lord to keep the estate moving forward.
* Mrs. O’Brien was gone. She was such a mean and evil person, especially with her relationship with Mr. Barrow. That relationship was quite twisted. But I still liked watching her because she added so much to the plots twists and turns.
* Lady Edith rekindles her relationship with a married man, who is determined to divorce his insane wife for Edith, even if it means leaving England and going to Germany.
* The new nanny did not last too long. When Mrs. Crawley overheard her call Lady Sybil’s baby a ‘cross breed’, I felt like I wanted to jump out of my bed and slap her real good but I kept my cool.
* Mr. Barrow is still pure evil, but I give it to him that he was right about the new nanny.
Questions remain as I wait for Episode Two.
* Who is the new Downton heir, now that Matthew has died? Is it his son, George or his wife, Lady Mary? The consensus is that it is Lady Mary. But how will she work with her father in running the estate?
* Will Lady Mary be able to let go of her grief to be able to love again?
* How will the new lady’s maid work out? Since she had previously worked at Downton and was trying to have an affair with Branson, will she try to pursue him again? Will she try to get the family turn against Anna?
Interesting that Branson can only confide in the Carson and Mrs. Hughes and cannot be real with the family?
* Will Lady Rose continue her unruly antics and cause more problems for Downton?
If you missed last night’s premiere, you can watch it by clicking here.
by | Jan 4, 2014 | Blogging / Technology |
Happy New Year Elegant Readers!
I pray that 2014 is the best and that you are showered with much joy, happiness and prosperity. I cherish you for taking the time to read my blog and hugs to all of you!
The case is so slim-lined and easy to maneuver. It has a very modern designed stand that works well for desktops, dressers or tables.
Labato gave me the opportunity to try out a stand for my iPad3 and also included a screen protector. I decided to try it out with me working out with the Zumba app (see I am in the lower right hand corner working out with Beto).
The Labato stand is great if I am working out, I can use it watching videos and movies that I have downloaded to the iPAD. I can also use the stand if I am working at my desk and I am listening to music via one of the many Internet radio stations or music apps.
The Labato stand can be bought from Amazon by clicking here!
Keep it moving.
Here is a view of me working out with the Labato case on my dresser.
I have been recuperating from a head cold. I have not worked out much over the holidays because I had not been feeling 100%, but praise God I am getting better. My hubby and I are extending the Christmas holiday for a little while longer. The tree will stay up and the decorations will not come down until the end of the month. For me, Christmas is not just about the day; but it is a season of joy and happiness that should be extended into the new year.
Follow!