My nails...

 Love 'em!

 

 

Just wish they could be done in pretty red gel...but that's not going to happen!  I'll settle for pinkish-white!

Hugs, 

Mandy

 

At last...

A perfect chance for some solo sightseeing...my favorite way, in a skirt!  No sandals today, though.  Due to the nature of my trip (antiques), Wifey gave me a pair of ballet flats to wear with my shorts and tunics.  But they look good with skirts, too!

 

   It was a fun trip...first time in flats in a long while!

I love this outfit...the skirt was soft and floaty on a hot day, and the flats comfortable...but I really would prefer to wear dresses and sandals!  So  many other women wore them, that I was a bit envious...   

Hugs, 

Mandy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They arrived....

Finally...the sandals I've been waiting for:  cute but with simple lines, very comfortable, in a darker tan and without the white soles, for less-casual occasions.  And, quite suitable to wear in cooler weather,with leggings.

I had a pair of similar sandals a couple years ago (a different brand), but they weren't at all comfortable, thus I purged them.  These fit very well - so well that I've worn them all day a number of times.  And best of all, Wifey likes them!

Because of my thin big toe nails and repetitive nail damage to them, you may recall that I have to wear acrylics.  To disguise the repairs,  my nail tech has kept them painted them in opaque colors.  And, she's now applying gel white to all 10, for longer wear and to  help them grow longer. 

To date, Wifey-approved nail colors are white for spring-summer-fall, and black or brown for winter.   I love the white...lots of girls wear it!   Bright toe nails look very nice with capris and shorts, and when the weather cools, I'll be showing them off with ankle-length leggings and turtleneck tunics!

That should be interesting...

Hugs,

Mandy

A visit to the Dentist...

Recently I've had to make several visits to my new dentist's office (moving complicated things a bit.)   Several different things needed taken care of.  Since they believe I'm female (or are being exceedingly polite), they always address me as female, and compliment me about my choice of attire.  (That's easy to enjoy...)

This visit was no exception.  (Sorry there is no picture - description will have to do!)  Past visits have found me wearing various shorts and blouses, with sandals and lots of white toe nails showing! The girls always compliment something - last time, it was my new sandals.  

That morning, Wifey unearthed a pair of ballet flats for me, since rain was forecast - she didn't want my new sandals getting messed up in standing water.  And naturally, I polished them to like-new condition...gotta look my best!

But for this appointment: instead of shorts, I put on a pair of dressy black capris, with a light blue tunic which gave a hint of my breasts (and nipples - which stood proudly at attention in the office's cold air conditioning.)

Each girl grabbed one of my hands to admire my long pink fingernails, and reminded me that "you'd look even prettier with 1" extensions on eeach finger, with red gel color on both fingers and toes."   "Wow, do you mean wear them nearly 2" long?"  "Absolutely - I would if I could, but not in this profession!"   Then the girls added that "longer nails are so glamorous - you'd love them!"  To which the doctor added:  "And those pretty ballet flats look fabulous with your outfit!"

After all that, Novocaine wouldn't have been needed...I wouldn't have felt a thing!  (And though Wifey wouldn't allow it, I'd be in heaven with those longer nails...if I couldn't type with them!!)  However, not sure how long I'll have them even this long...typing gets harder by the day!

Hugs,

Mandy

 

Sightseeing again...

 

 Abandoned motel along US 11 near Chattanooga, taken in 2022.  Before some major changes:

Was passing through town again on another trip, and did a double-take.  The motel was completely  GONE!!!  (Including most of the parking area!)

Guess that's progress for you!

Hugs,

Mandy

No, iI's not what you think!

I'm fully clothed!  It's simply a picture of my legs and feet while a passenger in Wifey's car, wearing a pair of 3" inseam women's shorts,  tunic blouse, and my new sandals!   

Shorts or capris, tunic blouses and sandals are my everyday summer outfits - no pants!  And with my long hair, long pink fingernails and purse, I'm lovin' being addressed as a woman! 

Hugs,

Mandy

Not sure of the occasion...

...but I couldn"t help noticing a bevy (probably about 15) of attractive young ladies at a historic site as I was traveling in the south a few days back.  Not sure what was the occasion for such attire at lunchtime, but temperatures in the 90''s might have had something to do with it...

 

  

And I was more than a bit jealous of their cute micro-dresses and heels, while I was "stuck" standing there in a casual blouse, capris and my new sandals.  One of their outfits would be so much more stylish, fun to wear, and much cooler, too! (And those pink heels were adorable!)

If I could, I'd be dressed like that, too!  Perhaps someday...

Hugs, 

Mandy

PS: Two things we all had in common: cameras...and, you guessed it: white toe nails! (I may have had my picture taken as I passed by them!)

A comfortable everyday look...

I own several short-sleeve dresses of this style, which are my everyday wear around the house.  Wifey likes to see these new sandals with them...   My dress (and sandals) are clearly feminine, and casual enough to look nice, even while doing housework.   Family and friends have seen me dressed this way - they're used to it.  Others (deliverymen and the like) simply address me as "Miss" or "Ma'am." 

 

For now, I wouldn't want it any other way!  But I hope that someday soon I'll be wearing dresses - long and short - full time.  They're so much prettier, and cooler, than shorts, capris or leggings!

Hugs,

Mandy

 

A bit of a Blast From The Past!

This used to be my daily (as well as dressy) footwear all the time:

•  

Not any more!  Not even during cooler weather in the spring & fall.  Now, with my purchase of several pairs of cute sandals, these leggings and flats are spending their time "in the closet." All my closed shoes (with the exception of a pair of Keds (for walking on uneven surfaces) and long pants are out of circulation for the rest of the summer, and as much of autumn as possible.

Long live capris and sandals!  It's fun showing off my pedicures...and manicures!

Hugs,

Mandy

 

Amazing...

Since my new sandals arrived and I've been wearing them all-day, every day, with capris or womens' shorts, tunic blouses, smooth legs/arms, long hair and my long, feminine painted nails and purses, I haven't been addressed as "sir" even once. Mostly it's "Ma'aam" or "Miss."  Though sometimes they omit gender reference completely.  That's OK, too.  

And that extends to when Wifey and I are out together.  It's "ladies" or "folks" -  and "Ma'am" when addressing me.   I'm lovin' it!

Hugs,

Mandy

No, Not THAT White Sulphur Springs

 

"That" White Sulphur Springs  (the one in WV) grew in the first half of the nineteenth century as the southern "Queen of the Watering Places". It first became the standard summer destination for wealthy Virginia residents seeking reprieve from heat, humidity, and disease of the "sickly season". As its popularity increased and it gained status as a socially exclusive site, the springs attracted elite guests from all over.

The resort, now known as The Greenbrier, remains one of the country's most luxurious and exclusive resorts. For many years, Sam Snead was the resort's golf pro and later golf pro emeritus. The resort has another significant place in golf history; in 1979, it hosted the first Ryder Cup to feature the current competitive setup of the US and European sides.

In 1992 The Washington Post reported that, during the Cold War, the resort had been the site of a "bunker", the Emergency Relocation Center known as Project Greek Island, which was intended to house and protect the U.S. Congress in the event of a nuclear attack.  The Greenbrier also has served as the location of training camp for the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints.

Wifey and I spent some time there many decades ago when first married, and had a great time! 

But on our recent visit to North Carolina, we stumbled upon this place:

 

There's a  bit if history with this one, too - though it met the typical fate of most old resorts!

 

When Rufus Roberts built a hotel there in the late 1880s, he had four things going for him. First, located about four miles northwest of Mount Airy, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it afforded guests a view that included the Ararat River flowing only a couple of hundred yards from the front porch. Second, the cooler temperatures made the hotel — which was primarily a summer resort — an ideal getaway spot for guests looking to escape North Carolina’s dog days before the time of air-conditioning. Third, by 1880 the railroad conveniently stretched from Wilmington to Mount Airy, providing fast, affordable transportation for easterners wanting to visit.

“Back in the day, if you lived on the coast or in the eastern part of the state and you wanted to come to the cooler weather, before the automobile you rode the train and the farthest west you could go was Mount Airy,” says Burke Robertson, a local businessman who is developing 150 acres of the old White Sulphur Springs property to include home sites and rental cabins. “So the train brought people here, and that’s why there were hotels in Mount Airy.”

Finally, and perhaps most significant, the hotel had that magical spring, that “very fountain of health,” that lured visitors with its touted healing waters. Since as far back as the 1850s, if not earlier, the locals had been frequenting the spring to enjoy the natural, free-flowing elixir, so Roberts had little doubt the spring would draw guests when he built his new hotel near the spring in the late 1880s.

And he was right: The hotel, built to accommodate 150 guests, became somewhat of an oasis, even in its earliest years. In 1892, The Yadkin Valley News reported, “The White Sulphur Springs Hotel is full to overflowing, and we understand that over a hundred guests have been turned away.”

In addition to being a boon to Mount Airy’s tourism industry at the time, the hotel indirectly brought new industry to town.  The hotel was also popular among the locals, who frequently gathered there for picnics, church socials, and other functions. An exhibit about the hotel, on display at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, states, “Local residents remember dressing to the hilt and riding to the hotel on flatcars outfitted with straight-back chairs. It was not uncommon for the conductor to stop the train for a lady to recover her wind-blown hat.”An open-air, latticed springhouse was built to cover the spring, providing shelter from the elements for those who would come to collect its water. The folkloreabout the spring existed long before the hotel was built. Elsewhere on the hotel’s expansive grounds, guests enjoyed activities such as horseback riding, fishing, rowing, and hunting; and amenities such as walking trails, hammocks, and swings. At the foot of the lawn, overlooking the river, sat a 2,000-square-foot outdoor pavilion that offered dancing upstairs and a bowling alley downstairs, as well as a billiards room. Orchestras and smaller music ensembles frequently played at the pavilion as hotel guests danced in the moonlight. Nearby stood a small gazebo, also within view of the river.

The elegant, three-story hotel itself, with a pair of four-story wings bookending the facility, had a finely appointed front lobby and a massive front porch that stretched the entire length of the hotel. All of the rooms were exquisitely furnished and had electric lights and private baths. Most of them opened onto a wide veranda. “In 1910, the hotel had 165 rooms,” Robertson says. “That’s pretty phenomenal for little ol’ Mount Airy.”

Guests apparently lived and ate well during their stays, too. An 1895 newspaper advertisement listed the rates at $20 per month, or $1.50 per day for adults, and half price for children and servants. In today’s dollars, that’s only $530 a month, or $40 a night.

Unfortunately, as successful as the grand hotel was during its prime, it also seemed to be an ill-fated attraction. Fire destroyed it several times. Each time it burned, someone rebuilt it, and the hotel thrived again. It wasn’t until the mid- to late 1920s that the demise of the White Sulphur Springs Hotel began to occur. The advent of the automobile opened more travel opportunities, and other mountain communities began to compete for tourism dollars. 

The Great Depression further crippled the hotel’s future. A July 1929 newspaper article indicated new owners were renovating the hotel and planned to reopen it, but the stock market crashed three months later. Several more attempts to resurrect the hotel were made during the 1930s, but they failed. The hotel was sold in the 1940s and converted into a giant chicken coop, until yet another fire claimed the building — and some 28,500 chickens — in January 1955. One reporter’s obituary for the grand old hotel read, “It began as a gracious resort for the well-to-do in the 1880s and ended as the biggest chicken roast in the country.”

Today, all that remains of the hotel is a row of brick columns where the rear foundation of the building once stood. Though the grounds contain nearby exclusive new home sites and a commercial "event center" for weddings and the like.

Of course, the natural spring down near the banks of the Ararat still survives.  Robertson, who’s developing the property, says people still come to the spring daily, seeking its curative waters. “I’ve seen people out here with 20-gallon jugs,” he says.  It’s stories such as those that fuel Robertson’s enthusiasm for developing the property. And because he knows he’s been doing his part to preserve a valuable slice of Surry County history, Robertson’s been sleeping soundly.

 

 

What Is It????

No, it's not some strange-looking mini-travel-trailer!

This is the remains of a tram which back in the 1960's and '70's used to run from a campground (on a back road) to the top of a mountain near Chattanooga, TN.  The silver frame beside me used to attach to the roof and suspend it from the moving cable!  Amazing what oddities can be found out there, as one is exploring the southeast!

Hugs,

Manndy

More New Sandals...

 

Since I couldn't buy a second pair of the sandals Wifey liked best (ran out of my size),  she had me buy a pair of her "second choice."  

Haven't worn thong-style sandals for years, so I wasn't sure how they would fit.   But it was not an issue...they fit fine.  I wear them all day, and like my other pair, keep shoe pressure off my damaged big toe nails.  Best of all, with the decorative arch strap, they're clearly feminine.  And I love the compliments from other women about them!

 

My next task is to find some sandals for dressing up a bit as the weather cools off.  "You need  a cute pair which will look nice with your leggings, tunics and cardigans for the fall."  Wish me luck!

Hugs,

Mandy

 

 

 

 

Too Short?

 

 

After my most recent manicure I checked - my nails are now over 1/2" beyond the ends of my fingertips.  And I love them!

 

t 

 

Those positive comments from other women when I'm (or Wifey & I are) out and about are fabulous, and the "girl talk" which often follows is nothing like they would ever say to a man.  Being treated as "one of the girls" is always so affirming!  As is "having men hold the door held for me" and "having men move me ahead of them in line" at stores.  And having servers ask "Ladies, one check, or two?" when dining out, instead of automatically giving it to me.  So nice...

 

My nail tech has mentioned several times that she'd like to apply extensions to make my nails over an inch long, and use white acrylic instead of pink, so they match my toes.  And change the color of my ring fingers (and ring toes) from white to bright red, thus making them into pretty accents  "Your hands would look so elegant that way."

 

I'm still able to type OK with them the length they are above, but I'm not sure if that would change if she makes them that much longer.  I'd love to wear them that long for a few months, to see how they work.  Of course, Wifey votes for keeping them as they are.  What do you girls think?

Hugs,

Mandy

 

The latest...

I've  been wearing sandals daily for almost 2 months this spring, but Wifey decided it was time to make some of her "annual changes."  My closed shoes have once again all been locked away for the summer (well, exept my pair of Keds - for walking on gravel surfaces such as trails!)  I guess she got tired of me having to stop and remove gravel from my sandals!

She chose this new pair of sandals for me, as being cute enough to work with shorts and a blouse for going out during the day.  "Best of all, they're dressy enough to wear with capris and a tunic for dinners out, or with friends!  And they look great with your everyday house dresses, too."

They're comfortable, so I'm fine with them, whatever I happen to be wearing!  And they'll never be interpreted as masculine.  The girlier the better!

Hugs,

Mandy

Traveling...

 We've been doing some traveling  lately, which has kept us busy.   

Thought those of you who haven't been to North Carolina might like to see a very major landmark we  visited: Pilot Mountain:

Pilot Mountain has long remained a striking mountain landmark in Surry County, NC. Towering over its surroundings at over 1,400 feet, Pilot Mountain’s distinct geographic features served as a beacon for both Native Americans and incoming settlers for centuries according to historian William S. Powell. The Saura called the mount Jomeokee, meaning the “Great Guide” or “Pilot.”

The Saura tribe, along with other Native Americans in the Piedmont, used Pilot Mountain as a landmark to navigate their trade routes. As European hunters entered the region they benefited from the mountain’s guidance. In the eighteenth century, northern settlers traveled down the Great Wagon Road which passed along the mountain’s base. Pilot becoming a welcoming sight to traveling newcomers.

One such group that noted Pilot’s guiding help were the Moravian settlers...countless Moravian settlers used the Great Wagon Road to arrive at their nearby Wachovia settlement in the 1750s.

The above view  was taken from a nearby viewing point!

Hugs,

Mandy

 

A fresh Pedicure!

 This is fun to wear:

And the girls love it, too...

Hugs,

Mandy

Nailed it!

 

The day before my most recent nail appointment, I had occasion to visit our bank, where the female clerks know me from prior visits.  In the idle chit-chat during the transaction, both of them complimented my long finger nails, think i should grow them longer, and keep them in red!  Their compliments were a bit surprising, because my nails were in need of a fill.  But I never argue hearing nice things!

Several fills ago, Wifey decided that my nails will look prettier if done in matte finish from now on.  She had me buy a trial bottle of clear matte polish and add it myself.  The results passed muster with both of us, but it needed re-done every few days.  So I told her I'd have it done at the salon from now on, to make it permanent and avoid that issue.

At my fill last week, my regular tech wasn't there due to a family emergency.  The male tech who did my nails treated me properly and did a fabulous job.  I inquired about shortening them a bit, but he said "No way, Ma'am.  She's going to do that herself when it's time, since they need to be lots longer."  

 

His finished product was definitely worth waiting for:

 

 

Hope you like!

 

Hugs,

 

Mandy

 

 

Been so busy here that my writing has suffered more than a bit. Traveling, the grandkids - you know how it goes!

But the other day was particularly notable.  I was shopping at a nearby mall just after it opened (wearing gray capris wirh bare legs, long brown turtleneck tunic, black ballet flats, cardigan, purse) and realized that I needed to use the potty.  The store proprietor directed me to the mall restrooms.  When I got there I went into the men's room,  and was greeted by the maintenance man - who was cleaning it.  "Ma'am, this is the men's room - and it's closed. Your restroom is next door, and it's open."  "Oh, sorry, Sir...thanks for pointing me in the right direction."

"Not going" was not an option. And, best of all, I was seen as a lady, So in I went.  Fortunately, I was the only girl in there - at that point.  I took the second stall, and proceeded with my visit (sitting, of course).  Another woman came in, and took a stall 3 doors away from me. I finished quickly, pulled myself together, flushed, then quickly went to the sink and washed my hands, turning to leave just as the woman was leaving her stall. She smiled and said "Hi!"  and I responded "Hi, hon, have a nice day!" back in my softest, most feminine voice as I quickly exited...  And we waved, as I disappeared around the corner.  Phew - no issues!  (Fun indeed, but I still prefer one-holers!)

Later in the shopping trip, I had to "go" again...too much diet cola!  I stopped at a gas station, found the restrooms and tried the men's room door.  Ir was locked!  So, I opened the adjacent (unlocked) women's room door and locked it behind me. Fortunately it was a one-holer - with no occupant!  Couldn't believe my luck - twice in one day is a new record!

Women's rooms are typically nicer than men's...would love to have to use them all the time!  Maybe someday...

Hugs,

Mandy

Love this new housedress!

Ir's a nice thick flannel, perfect for cold weather!   So very warm and cozy!  Looks fine with bare feet and my black toe nails. Wifey is fine with my wearing it around the house and when we're visiting son and family.   (Before you ask, yes, shoes are worn for those visits!)

 

 

The grandkids love it, too!    Now I just need to find one in another color!

Hugs,

Mandy

They're getting longer!!!

 

 

 My nails, of course..and I love them.  From last spring:

And now:

 

Not sure how much longer Wifey will let me grow them, but the nail tech has an eventual goal for my fingers - she wants to eventually work them up to  at least 1 inch  beyond the ends of my fingers (or more), and keeep both fingers and toes in red (or other) matching colors.   We'll see how that goes!

More later!

Hugs,  Mandy

 

 

 

Playing in the snow...

 Sorry about the delay in posting..."life sometimesw gfeets in the way!!

Wifey and  I recently spent a few days in the mountains of western North Carolina.  The weather "wasn't so hot." (Pun inteended!)  Good thing I brought a pair of closed shoes....would have been too cold for sandals!

So  I got to make my "first snowball of the year..."  And before you ask. we didn't do a typical; "snowball fight!" 

Hugs,  

Mandy

 

About 9 months ago, we moved south to TN, to be closer to our son and grandkids.  So the sandals and capris work almost to Christmas!  And everyone’s fine with it, as they are with me in comfortable house-dresses and bare feet around the house and yard.

 

I now wear only shorts (hot weather), capris, and stirrup or traditional leggings.  No more regular pants. And am lovin’ it!   (No wonder Wifey and I are almost always addressed as two women.)  But still - no skirts or dresses allowed in public.

 

Since the pandemic set in about the same time as all the above, there haven’t been any solo trips (though I’m planning a couple in the future.)  And we’ve had only a couple recent trip together, and with my leggings and ballet flats, pink nails, long hair, purse and so on.

 

We had no trouble being addressed as a woman most of the time.  Wifey’s become somewhat tolerant of it…

 

Hugs,  

 

Mandy

 

 

Good to be back!

 

As I mentioned in my previous post, I haven’t been very active on Blogger for well over a year.  What got in the way?  

Well, life – yes, I’m still retired.  But a lot has occurred since the end of 2019/beginning of 2020…and to be honest, I had a brief experiment with another blogging program (which shall remain nameless), and it did not go well.  

 

So, here I am…back again!  (In one of my favorite dresses!)  To avoid a lot of writing, the next few posts will be a short refresher of what’s been happening.

Happy New Year!!!

 It's been too long since my last post...but "I'm back!"  Just in time to wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year, a bit belatedly!  More to follow...

Hugs,

Mandy