Unfortunately, I’m ending the year about the way I began, with my health dominating. I just had ankle reconstruction and have not gotten through all the products I’ve gotten the last few months. Truthfully, this is the only story I’ve done since the surgery and painkillers do not go with wine and spirits, so I’m afraid most of those are going to have to wait. Here’s what I have enjoyed lately. Coconut for a purpose… The benefits of coconut oil can go on and on. The top of the list for me is as a moisturizer. I’ve yet to find anything that can make my skin retain moisture like it.  It’s also a great hair conditioner, sunblock, cooking oil and more. Dignity Raw Coconut Oil does all these things as good, or better, than the rest, but its history makes it much more in need of purchase. As the name suggests, it’s about bringing dignity to by helping those living in poverty with a sustainable business. A partnership of engineers from the Philippines and the United States work...

I know most people associated getting healthy with January, but it’s something I try to think about every day. I love my desserts while making sure my body also gets healthy foods and products. It’s all about moderation and I believe that’s what should be stressed from the beginning.     Just what my eyes need… When I was approached by Cornea Care to try their products, I didn’t have to think long about that one. I am under treatment for dry eyes as well as heliotrope eyes and have a lot of eye pain. I can honestly say I am overwhelmed with how soothing these products have been for me. I start my day with the Rise Wipes , which have hyaluronic acid and tea tree oil. After wiping my eyes, I then use the wipe on the rest of my face. I use Rest , the self-heating eye mask, every night before I go to sleep and Rescue cooling masks whenever my eyes need a little extra relief. While Cornea Care products do not contain any medication, I still suggest you check with ...

July has always included a lot of tequila, since National Tequila Day is on my birthday (24 th ). Things are a bit different this year as I’m cutting down on spirits as I have started a new treatment. I’m hoping to get to the point where I am not apologizing for running late on everything because I wasn’t feeling well! In the meantime, be patient with me. Everything I like will eventually make it to this blog. There was some wine… The photos of Trapiche Winery of Argentina, where they do not use any chemicals or herbicides near the grapes, are incredible. It’s a winery that started in 1883 and followed automated as needed through the years. Despite doing all this, they have managed to keep to a very reasonable price point. If you are looking for a budget Malbec, Trapiche’s 2021 is a good deal at $7.99. It’s full of dark fruit, yet is quite light for a red wine. The Vintage Cabernet Sauvignon is a similar price and a bargain if you are looking for a richer wine. You’ll find mor...

I’ve seen a lot of my mail carrier and FedEx this last month. I haven’t even gotten to half of it, but I did discover some fantastic products that I wanted to pass along.   The perfect tote… You can use this Urban Originals for just about anything. It’s even large enough for my 10 lb. Yorkie! It’s vegan leather, making it light and easy to clean. I especially love the color combinations in this Riviera Stripes Tote . It also matches my luggage and just about anything I would wear. Visit the Urban Originals website to see more of their unique and fun bags. They can also be purchased at department stores such as Macy’s and Nordstrom.   Speaking of vegan… Parma , the vegan parmesan cheese, has some new flavors. One that you must get is the Parma Jalapeno Bacon. It is perfect on popcorn! You can buy Parma Jalapeno Bacon , as well as their other options, on Amazon.       Turn on the grill… or air fryer… or crockpot… I received a lot of b...

When a trend hits, it hits, and that’s the case in the past year with two popular products: canned wine and spiked coffee. I received some more this past month and enjoyed them enough to pass them along.   The ideal spritzer… I’m old enough to remember the white wine spritzer days, when adding club soda to wine was an acceptable way of having a “light” drink. This idea has come back in an even more convenient way. Wine Water is perfect for your summer tote. It’s just French wine and sparkling water. There is no sugar or artificial flavors. A can is only 69 calories and a low alcohol of 4.9% so you can imbibe without feeling like you are drinking too much. The Sauvignon Blanc Wine Water is my favorite. It’s very flavorful with distinct citrus, notably grapefruit and lemon.   A special cold brew...            The other trend I am seeing a lot of is spiked coffee, but Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream is the first cold brew one I’...

I know the last few years have been very strange for all of us. I hope that things start to normalize soon, whatever the “new normal” may be. I’m trying to catch up on the products I have for testing, but also wanted to write a bit about a not so new bargain brand of cosmetics I fell in love with. As usual, there are affiliate links in this column and I always appreciate earning a little when my readers click on them. Spread the fruit… A selection of jam is something that’s always in my house. Whether it’s on an English muffin or a waffle, with peanut butter, cream cheese, or on its own, I love spreadable fruit. The only problem is that many brands are filled with tons of sugar and additives. I was more than happy to try Crofter’s Organic in three of my favorite flavors: cherry , raspberry, and peach. Crofter’s is a family business that not only makes organic fruit spreads that are low in calories and sugar, and don’t cost a fortune.   I loved all the flavors. You can purc...