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Thursday, October 27, 2022

Discover St. Charles in the Fall

One of my favorite places to visit, is a town that is only a few miles away from me. It is historic St. Charles Mo. It has a very vibrant Main Street that attracts visitors all year long. I have written about this area several times in the past and I will include those links later in this article. Today I want to review with you some of the photographs I took on a beautiful fall day in October 2022. First of all, here is a photo I took telling a little bit about the history of the area.

Main Street in the Fall

Main street is a wonderful area with cobblestone streets and sidewalks and lots of delightful little shops and restaurants. In the fall the shopkeepers do a wonderful job of decorating for the season. We saw lots of pumpkin displays, colorful leaves and some very imaginative displays. Here are a couple of the photos I took on Main Street.

Halloween Decorations and Activities

Halloween is a fun time on Main Street. There are a variety of activities for all ages and the shopkeepers have some wonderful displays for the holiday.

haunted history trail sign in St Charles, MO

You can click on the QR code in the above photo to find out about the Legends & Lanterns tours that take place on Main Street.

hay-stuffed skeleton scarecrows sitting on haybales

These fun characters are motion activated and you can hear them talk and sing when you pass by. Below you see some of the decorations around the gazebo, which is a gathering place in the middle of Main Street.

The Riverfront Area

A block down from Main Street is the Missouri river. This area has a wonderful park that provides some great trails and walks along the river. There is an old train station, and you can see some train cars on the tracks.

There is a lot of history that took place in this area including a departure spot for Lewis & Clark.

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

How To Get Bright, Younger-Looking Eyes In 60 Seconds

Today I’m delighted to share my review of a new-to-me beauty discovery, Bausch + Lomb LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops.

I inherited my dad's very sensitive, easily irritated eyes. The whites have gradually developed increasing redness over time, especially when my eyes are tired or after I have applied eye makeup. The redness in the whites of our eyes not only detracts from their appearance but also makes us look older and more tired.

My mom suffered from dry macular degeneration that left her legally blind, so I'm extremely careful about what I put in my eyes. Until recently, I limited myself to occasional use of sterile, single-use saline eye drops when my eyes ache. However, I recently learned about LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops from Bausch + Lomb from a knowledgeable and trustworthy YouTube beauty influencer I follow, Sheri from Graceful Beauty and decided to give them a try. (I highly recommend subscribing to Sheri's Graceful Beauty YouTube channel.)

I have been absolutely amazed and delighted by the remarkable difference one drop in each eye makes after just 60 seconds. My eyes instantly look whiter, brighter, refreshed and much more youthful!

Read on to check out my before-and-after photos!

Make Eye Redness Disappear in 60 Seconds - Before and After close up photos of eyes

These unretouched close-up comparison photos of my eyes were taken just one minute apart, before and after I applied one drop of Bausch + Lomb LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops to each eye.

LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops Are Like Photoshop For Your Eyes!

LUMIFY redness reliever eye drops are a brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.025% from Bausch + Lomb, the makers of the Ocuvite Eye Vitamin and Mineral Supplement that I have been taking for many years on the advice of my opthalmologist. They're a brand I know and trust.

Here's what I love about the LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops:

Safer Than Other Redness Relieving Eye Drops

These FDA-approved eye drops contain no bleach or dyes.
According to the LUMIFY website, what makes this product different from its competitors is that "Other redness relievers constrict the arteries in your eyes, which can deprive the eye of oxygen. And that works to relieve redness at first, but commonly causes rebound redness. But low-dose brimonidine...restricts the venules, which helps to relieve redness without limiting the flow of oxygen...[for] whiter, brighter looking eyes that last up to 8 hours - with a low risk of rebound redness when used as directed."

Unique Formulation

LUMIFY claims to be the only over-the-counter redness reliever eye drops product that contains brimonidine. I did a quick search on Amazon for the active ingredient, brimonidine tartrate, and none of the the other products that appeared in the search results contained this ingredient.

Works in One Minute, Lasts for Hours

LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops are clinically proven to to reduce redness in 1 minute. Just one drop per eye is all you need to see the drops work their magic!
The company claims the effects last for "up to eight hours." Although I find that they start to wear off sooner, I'm very pleased with how long the improved appearance of my eyes lasts.

Check out these close-up photos before-and-after of my eyes to see the difference they make in just 60 seconds!

Close-up of eyes before using LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops

My eyes immediately before applying one drop of LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops to each eye; as you can see, the red lines and the redness in the inner corners make them look older and more tired.

Close-up of eyes after using LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops

This close-up photo was taken one minute after I applied the LUMIFY eye drops. The red lines are almost entirely gone and the redness in the inner corners has disappeared. You can see how much whiter and brighter my 68-year-old eyes look compared to the "before" photo.

Doesn't Sting My Sensitive Eyes

As I mentioned, my eyes are extremely sensitive. I was delighted (and relieved) to discover that these drops don't sting my eyes at all!

Safe for Contact Lens Wearers

Although I don't wear contacts, according to the LUMIFY FAQ, "LUMIFY can be used with contacts, but be sure to take them out before putting LUMIFY in your eyes. Wait 10 minutes before putting your contacts back in after use of LUMIFY."

Flents Ezy Drop Eye Drop Guide Helps You Apply Eye Drops Quicker, Easier, More Accurately and More Hygienically

It's important to keep the tip of any eye drops bottle from touching your eye to avoid contaminating the drops with bacteria. However, appling eye drops to our own eyes without touching the tip to the surface of our eyes can be tricky (and sometimes frustrating).
Although we can get better with practice, it's much quicker and easier to use an aid like the Flents Ezy Drop Eye Drop Guide that lets you position the tip of the bottle directly over your eye while keeping it a safe, hygienic distance from the surface.
By ensuring correct placement every time, this application aid helps you avoid wasting expensive eye drops (and getting them on your face instead of in your eyes!).

How To Get Bright, Younger-Looking Eyes In 60 Seconds by Margaret Schindel

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Ken Follett's Never, A Book Review

If you love a political thriller, you should check out Ken Follett's Never, a book in which we find the world on the brink of nuclear war / disaster.

In the past, I have read and thoroughly enjoyed a few historical Ken Follett novels. Never, however, as a modern war or political thriller about the possibility of nuclear disaster, was a definite departure for me.

Never is a saga about a crisis that could lead to a third world war. Follett himself says that the story was in part a result of his discovery that no one wanted the first world war. This book spans the globe from Africa’s Sahara Desert to China and the United States. It is 800 pages of story filled with a large cast and numerous story lines.

The Washington Post calls Never “a cautionary tale of global catastrophe.” Exactly. They also say that it is “credibly detailed and alarmingly plausible.” Disturbing? Yes, but I agree.

VIDEOS

The first video shown below is a short trailer for the book, illustrating the Defcon system and alluding to the suspenseful nature of this novel. The second video, called Behind the Scenes with Ken Follett, is more interesting, detailing how he came up with the idea for this book.

RATING

Readers on Goodreads gave Never four stars; readers on Amazon gave it four stars as well.

Many reader comments show that people enjoyed the book, as I did. The story was extremely well researched and detailed and the storylines were interesting.

Many also found the book a bit longer than they thought it might have been and a bit slow or hard to be absorbed by at first and I agree on both of those points. I was also disappointed with how the individual story lines were sorted out and with the ending.

The premise of this book is disturbing. That is, seeing how a nuclear war might be played out. Let us hope that we never know the truth.

Like other readers, I give the book four stars and recommend it for those who enjoy political thrillers and for those who have enjoyed Follett’s previous contemporary thrillers. You can find Never here on Amazon in whatever format you prefer be that Kindle, audiobook, hardcover, paperback or audio CD.

See you
at the book store!

MORE KEN FOLLETT:

Ken Follett's Century Trilogy Reviewed

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Monday, October 24, 2022

Noel Next Door Review: Hallmark Christmas Movie

Hallmark begins the Christmas movie season with the premier of Noel Next Door starring Natalie Hall and Corey Sevier. Get ready for the tried and true Hallmark Christmas theme with neighbors, Grinches and the holiday season.

Noel is the next door neighbor who is attempting to reestablish her life with her young son. Jeremy is the Grinch next door neighbor with medical challenges as he attempts to navigate the season along with his grouchy holiday attitude.

As the two neighbors unknowingly interact outside of the neighborhood, the misunderstood neighborhood Grinch and Noel begin to establish a friendship and you know what happens in Hallmark movies!

Chemistry And Christmas Grinches

The key to any Hallmark Christmas movie or any Hallmark movie is the chemistry. Noel and Jeremy have good banter and believable chemistry. The storyline is Hallmark, nuff said which is why... Hallmarkies love Christmas Hallmark movies.

Overall I'd rate Noel Next Door a Hallmark B. Worth watching, but probably not on the rewatch list. And if you know Hallmarkies, rewatching is also key to Hallmark Christmas movie season!

More Hallmark Christmas Movies Reviewed

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2022 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2021 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

You, Me & The Christmas Trees by The Savvy Age

A New Year's Resolution by Cynthia

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

Finding Father Christmas by Cynthia

Christmas Tree Lane by The Savvy Age

Broadcasting Christmas by Cynthia

Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies by The Savvy Age

Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle Hallmark Movie Review by Cynthia

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Sunday, October 23, 2022

Have You Heard of DampRid? I Tried It, Check Out This Personal Review

Review of DampRid - Yes or No?

We don't have a dehumidifier in our basement.

We weren't in the mood to make that purchase yet.

We knew we had to do something with that typically musty smell you get in the basement, and I had seen commercials for a product called "DampRid."

So, of course, off I went to investigate.

What is DampRid?

Basically, DampRid is a hanging moisture absorber that helps to rid a space of humidity and, thus, odors.

You can use it just about anywhere; closets, basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, storage, garages, boats, RVs, and more.

They're designed to last approximately 60 days. However, they lasted at least 90 days in my basement.

How Does Damp Rid Work?

It comes with 3 hanging moisture-absorbent packets per box.

Yes, it has a hanger hook on each one, so it's easy to hang anywhere.

Essentially it's a dehumidifier that doesn't need electricity.

The top half of the bag has scented (or unscented) absorbent crystals, and the bottom has an empty bag that will slowly fill with water as the moisture is pulled from the air.

How I Used DampRid

I took the three hanging bags and put them in three different spots in our basement.

Then, I forgot about it.

After going to check it months later, I noticed that the bottom bag for each had, in fact, filled with water it drew from the air.

I figured it would work, but I was still surprised to see the water there - yep, it indeed worked.

Did It Make Our Basement Smell Better?

Yes, DampRid did, in fact, get rid of the stinky/musty smell in our basement.

Just be aware that when you first hang the product up, the scented crystals are quite strong, but the scent does fade.

I like the strong smell, but others with sensitivities may not.

If you're sensitive to smells, they do offer a fragrance-free product.

Would I Recommend DampRid?

Heck yes!