Popular Ice Cream Flavors

She considered, debated and studied her choices, 

taking a longer and more serious

deliberation over ice cream on a stick than she had over a

five-hundred-dollar brooch. After weighing the pros and cons,

she settled on chocolate and nuts wrapped around a slab of vanilla.

Loving Jack

_______________

By Slashme - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30505073

It turns out the classics are still as popular as ever.

Better Homes & Gardens

healthy alternatives to those breakfast foods you shouldn't eat

"Sit down, you can have some cereal." 
 "Cereal?" 
 "Man doesn't live by hotcakes alone, Nathan." 
She kissed him quick. "And some bananas."


Loving Jack 

_____________________

By Carissa Gan carissagan - 

https://unsplash.com/photos/YlwOMESLPQo, CC0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61665613

There are alternatives to some of those popular breakfast foods like granola bars or bagels that will give you the same satisfaction plus more nutrition that will keep your energy up all morning while leaving you feel fuller. Here are a few healthy breakfast alternatives.

mother nature network

_____________________

She turned, narrowed her eyes as Fiona took a box of Froot Loops out of another cupboard. “You’re not having that processed sugar for breakfast.”

“Fruit, as in Froot Loops.” Smiling hopefully, Fiona shook the box. “There has to be fruit in here.”

“Sit down. I’m fixing you a decent breakfast.”

“Syl, this is fine.”

“It might be, on occasion, if you were ten. Sit,” she repeated, and, at home, opened Fiona’s

refrigerator. “Um-hmm, um-hmm. I can work with this. You’ll have a nice egg-white omelet on whole wheat toast.”

“I will?”

The Search

How to Get Rid of Hiccups

Picking up the glass, she drank while running her

finger in circles over the bottom.

"What the hell are you doing now?"

"Getting rid of the hiccups. Surefire." 

She set the glass down and

waited. "See? All clear." 

Loving Jack

__________________

By Sarah R. Webb (U.S. armed forces) - 

This Image was released by the United States Air Force with the 

ID 091130-F-8115W-005 (next).This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. 

A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.

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Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14958995

Home Remedies That Actually Work

Hiccups come at the most inconvenient times, and when you're in public, you might need to use some very subtle methods to control them. Here are seven time-tested techniques to get rid of hiccups in a hurry.

Reader's Digest

Reasons You Should Spend More Time Alone

"Will you stay?"

"No." Meg pulled the drapes, spoke into the shadows. 

"I don't hate being alone. And I need to be."

Northern Lights

__________________

By U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters - avocet

Uploaded by Dolovis, Public Domain, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31315824

There are a multitude of studies that tout the benefits of solitude. Here are just a few science-backed reasons for spending time alone:

FORBES

__________________

Nathan had been perfectly happy catching up on his back issues of Architectural Digest. He burrowed in his office, content simply to be there with the warm paneled walls and the faded Persian carpet. Terrace doors opened onto the patio and out to the garden. It was his

refuge, with the faint scent of leather from books and the sharp light of sun through etched glass. If a man couldn't be alone in his office, he couldn't be alone anywhere. 

Loving Jack

10 Reasons to Sail down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)

With that she pulled smoothly away from the dock. "How do you feel about St. Thomas?"

"Jack..."

"Only kidding. I've thought what a kick it would be to travel the whole Intracoastal. 
Take a whole summer and just cruise."

He'd thought of it, too, as something he might find time for—someday. 
After retirement, perhaps. When Jackie said it, it seemed 
possible it could happen tomorrow.
And it made him wish it would happen tomorrow. 

Loving Jack

________________

By Skipper Michael 16:21, 12 May 2007 (UTC) - 

Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2096873

The Intracoastal Waterway, or ICW, is a 3,000-mile (4,800 km) inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States. It runs from Boston, Massachusetts, south along the Atlantic coast and around the southern tip of Florida, then following the Gulf Coast to Brownsville, Texas.

Sailing Britican

CELEBRATE 💮

“They’re wonderful. Charming and fun. Batman and Robin?”

Kay strolled over. “Mal gave me those for Mother’s Day back when he was about twelve. 
Gave me those humping dogs, too—didn’t think I’d put them out. 
He was sixteen then, I think, and trying to get my goat. I got his.” 
She glanced back, grinned at him and the

memory. “Embarrassed the hell out of him when I put them on the shelf.”

Happy Ever After

________________

By Scott Darbey from Canada - Mother's Day Flowers, by Melody, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42235841

We’ve also got 10 great ideas to treat your mom right—from a yummy breakfast in bed to a beautiful bouquet made of symbolic flowers.

ALMANAC

________________

"Right after I find something tasteful for my mother," she promised, and she proved as good as her word.

Some fifteen minutes later, she chose an ebony pin crusted with pearls. It was a very mature, very elegant piece in faultless taste.

Loving Jack

Home

He was dead tired, and happy as hell to be home at last. The final leg of the journey had seemed interminable. Being on American soil again after six months hadn't been enough. When Nathan had landed in New York, the first real flood of impatience had struck. He was home, yet not home. 
For the first time in months he had allowed himself to think of his own house, his own bed. His own private sacrosanct space.


Loving Jack

_____________________

But I want to go home

May be surrounded by a million people I,

Still feel all alone

I want to go home

_____________________

He drew her close. Her scent, so needed, was all around him. 
It was only then that he understood that you could come home even without the familiar walls.

Loving Jack

How To Be A Tourist In Your Own City

Stepping outside, Ariel took a deep breath of New York. She loved it—
had always loved it in a way usually reserved for tourists. Ariel had
lived on the long thin island of Manhattan all of her life, and yet it
remained an adventure to her. The sights, the smells, the sounds.


Dual Images

___________________

By Paolo Neo [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

No doubt about it, discovering other cities is an unbeatable experience - but a stressful one too (think traveling for hours before reaching your destination, packing your things or dealing with airport security). 

So why leave for another place, when there's so much yet to discover in your own town? 

Because staying at home doesn't necessarily mean you're not going to have a good time. 

Here are a few tips for spending a day exploring your hometown that will help you see it with fresh eyes!

BLOGLOVIN'

___________________

He'd never pictured himself biking along the oceanfront—much less enjoying it. The fact was, Nathan rarely even came to this section of town. It was for tourists and teenagers. Being with Jackie made him feel like both. She was showing him new things not only about the city where he'd lived for nearly a decade but about the life he'd had more than thirty years to experience.

 Everything about her was unexpected. How could he have known that the unexpected could also be the fresh? For a few hours he hadn't given a thought to Denver or penalty clauses or the responsibilities of tomorrow. He hadn't thought of tomorrow at all.

 This was today, and the sun was bright, and the water was a rich blue against the golden sand. There were children squealing as they played in the surf, and there was the smell of oils and lotions. Someone was walking a dog along the beach, and a vendor was hawking nachos.

 Across the street, beach towels waved colorfully over rails, making a tawdry little hotel seem exotic. He could smell hot dogs, he realized, and some kind of colored ice was being sold to children so that it would drip sticky down their arms as they slurped it. Oddly enough, he had a sudden yen for it himself.

 When he looked up, he spotted the black-and-yellow colors of a kite shaped like a wasp. It had caught the wind and was climbing. A light plane flew over, trailing a flowing message about the special at a local restaurant.

 He took it all in, wondering why he'd thought the beach held no magic for him.


Loving Jack 

More in Love

 "You know what I'd like?" she asked him.

 "Hmmm?" If he hadn't been so dazed, it would have amazed him that he could be dozing in bed this close to noon.

 "To stay here, right here in this bed, all day."

 "We've got a pretty good start."

Loving Jack

_____________________

By The Library of Congress - [Portrait of June Christy and Bob Cooper, 1947 or 1948] (LOC), 

Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42835958

9 Things That Make Him Fall Even More in Love With You

You might not think #3 matters, but to him, it's HUGE.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

_____________________

"Is that my shirt?"

"Well, yeah. I can't go walking around naked."

"Don't see why not. But since you didn't ask if you could borrow it, which is pretty damn rude, I think you'd better get your ass back upstairs and give it back to me."

"You're absolutely right." Everything inside her relaxed again. "I'm so ashamed."

"Ought to be." He took her hand, walked her back up the steps. "How would you like it if I paraded around in your clothes without permission?"

"I don't think I would. Although, it might be strangely fascinating."

Angel's Fall

Memorable Swimsuits

A friend had persuaded her to accept the loan of a swimsuit, and Laine studied the two tiny pieces. She slipped on what had been described as a modified bikini. The silvery blue was flattering, highlighting her subtle curves, but no amount of adjustment could result in a more substantial coverage. There was definitely too much of her and too little suit.

“Silly,” Laine muttered and adjusted the halter strings a last time.

“Women wear these things all the time, and I’ve hardly the shape for drawing attention.”

Skinny. With a grimace, she recalled Miri’s judgment. 
Laine gave the top a last, hopeless tug. 
I don’t think all the fish in the Pacific are going to change this inadequacy.

Island of flowers

_____________

The Most Memorable Swimsuits Ever

INSTYLE

_____________

 "What?" Distracted, he pulled himself back. 

She was wearing two thin strips as an excuse for a bathing suit. 

The water, and perhaps a trick of the light, made them glimmer against her skin. A great deal of skin.

Loving Jack

Romance in the air... literally

Stuffing her change in her pocket, she turned and saw Nathan.  He was holding a big orange balloon. 

"Goes with your outfit," he told her, then gently looped the string around her wrist.

 She was going to cry. Jackie felt the tears well up. It was only a ball of colorful rubber held by a string, she knew. But as symbols went, it was the best. She knew that when the air had finally escaped she would press the remains between the pages of a book as sentimentally as she would a rose.

 "Thanks," she managed, then dutifully handed him the ice cream before she threw her arms around him.

 He held her close, trying not to show the awkwardness he was suddenly feeling. How did a man deal with a woman who cried over a balloon? He'd expected her to laugh. Kissing her temple, he reminded himself that she rarely did the expected.

 "You're welcome."

Loving Jack

__________________________

Roberta F. [CC BY-SA 3.0 

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

A Bouquet of Balloons To Brighten Your Day

__________________________

"Would you care for a balloon?" His voice took on a formal note.

"Yes, thank you," she returned in a matching tone. "A blue one."

The next two hours were the most carefree Foxy had spent since she had begun her social duties as Mrs. Lance Matthews.

The Heart's Victory

Why Do We Laugh When We’re Scared?

Jackie slammed both hands over her mouth as she gasped and choked. 

"I thought you were six men with homicidal intentions. 

One of you had a scar, and the little one had a face like a weasel."

 "So naturally you came down to beat us all off with a souffle pan."

 "Not exactly." Still giggling, she propped herself against the counter. 

"I'm sorry, I always laugh when I'm terrified."

 "Who doesn't?"

Loving Jack

_____________________________

We usually think of laughter as being a response to pleasure or amusement—we’re supposed to laugh when we find something funny, not scary. So why do we laugh when we’re scared? 

It turns out scientists still aren’t sure what makes us laugh in seemingly inappropriate contexts—though they have some pretty compelling ideas.

MENTAL FLOSS

Dutch sniffed, gave Coco the once-over. She'd done herself up good and proper, he
noted. The fancy-shmancy dress glittered and flowed down, stopping plenty short to
show off her legs. Her cheeks were all pink, too. And he didn't think it was from
kitchen heat. His lips curled back in a sneer.
“So what's he, your boyfriend?”
The pink deepened to rose. “Certainly not. A woman of my...experience doesn't
have boyfriends.” Surreptitiously she checked her face in the stainless-steel exhaust
hood on the stove. “Beaux, perhaps.”

Megan's Mate

_____________________________

Style Advice from the World's Chicest Grandmas

 

 

 Style is one of those things that gets better with age, right? Well if that's true, then you have no better place to look to for inspiration than your elders.

 

>SHINE<

________________________________________________

 Nathan managed to nod through these rapid-fire statements before turning to greet Jackie's mother. This was what she would look like in twenty or twenty-five years, Nathan realized with a jolt. Still lovely, with her skin clear as a bell and the grace that only years could add.

Loving Jack