I've moved...

My new blog home is: http://putyourflareon.blogs.com

Come and say HI!

I woke up this morning and my teeth were aching. Not a dull ache but a modulating aching feeling resonating from each tooth in my mouth. I actually brought this on myself. When my sister came to visit me, she brought me a Crest white strip whitening kit (requested by me).  I had used them before and never experienced any kind of sensitivities problems until now. Perhaps they have changed the formula but all I know is my teeth are hurting me to the point it's making my eyes water. What can I do short of going and paying a fortune for a dentist to look at my teeth? Dental work in France is very poorly reimbursed by the social securty.

Do any of you know any home remedies for aching teeth? It's not so much my gums but my teeth.

On the topic of teeth, a fellow expat's son is experiencing tooth issues and it sparked a rather funny memory to back when I was still losing my baby teeth.  I remember my front left tooth was loose and all crooked and unwilling to come out.  I had tried to pull it out myself but was unsuccessful.  I showed it to my mother who slightly wiggled it and said that it wasn't ready to come out yet and then took me to see my father for a second opinion. 

My mother marched me down to the basement where my father had set up his office. Already, the basement was a scary place in our house and my father's office was even scarier.  I remember clearly that he was busy reading a book, my mother told me father what was going on and then left me alone with him. He peered at my over his glasses and beckoned me over so that he could have a look at this rogue tooth.  I asked him not to take it out as I was afraid it was going to hurt and he reassured me that he wasn't going to take it out.  He wiggled it and then told me to sit down on his lap.  He said he was going to pinch my gum a little to make it feel better but wasn't going to take the tooth out because it wasn't ready (so he said...).  So, I willingly sat on his lap, sure that he was going to do me no harm and let him have a look at my tooth.  Less than a few seconds passed, he pinched my gum, I felt no pain and he sent me on my way.  I ran upstairs to look and saw a GAPING HOLE in my mouth.  The tooth was gone! I went back to the stairs to ask to see my tooth when I overheard my mom and dad talking and my mom saying that she was glad that he pulled it out so that he would be the one to blame if it hurt too much.  And my dad laughed and saying that what he's there for.  

Many more teeth found their way into my father's hand. He had his special way of pulling out baby teeth without us ever knowing it.  Thinking back I never question how my dad did it but now that I'm older and will have kids someday I wonder how we become good parents? At least, I have two good examples to follow.

I <3 Sephora

My skin care ritual is like a religion to me. My bible is the each notice of use included with each skin care product I use and my temple of worship is Sephora.  As a member of the Sephora religion it means also being a fidelity card holder thus promising I only shop for my skin care and beauty needs at Sephora.  Which in return they reward and spoil you for being a loyal follower with the following goodies:  Every quarter I am given a day where all my purchases are 20% off. Every time I spend 100€, I am gifted a 10% coupon good for one entire day of mad shopping at the Sephora of my choice (mine's on the Champs Elysees!) and don't forget the random goodies they send to you in the mail. And finally, for my birthday, I was sent a 10% coupon good for the entire day that also doubles the points I earn on any of my purchases and this very hip and practical bag.

I *heart* Sephora.

I <3 Picard

After work tonight,  I had time to run to the store to prepare for our delivery from Picard.  Prepare? Yes, of course, let me explain... A few weeks ago J bought me a blender. A shiney, silver blender. Probably the prettiest blender I've ever owned. Ahem, the only one, actaully. Anyway... I had been complaining that I wanted to make a smoothie. I wanted to drink a cool, fruity smoothie but alas we didn't have a blender thus no smoothie for moi.  The blender arrived a few weeks ago and has sat in the kitchen unused until today.   The day before yesterday J and I ordered our groceries online from Picard. I don't know if there is anything like Picard in the states but let just say that the French know how to cook and they know how to freeze it well for later.  Now that J and I are working in the evenings we're not in the mood  to cook anymore. Besides, J doesn't really cook, he re-heats (hi, love!) though he does it very well. So, here's where Picard saves the day.  They have everything you can imagine, frozen. Perfect for us as we are fairely incapable of keeping fresh food in the house. That would require going to the market which would require getting up early and cutting into our much needed beauty sleep and I digress... Anyway, our wonderful delivery from Picard tonight consisted of everything from chicken breasts, scalllops, bio peas, choy suey, curry sauce, ice cream cones, raspberries and rissotto.  I could hardly contain my excitement as the delivery man unloaded all these frozen goodies onto my kitchen table.  Imagine me boucing around the kitchen the second he was out of sight and  before the delivery man clacked the door shut, I was dumping yogurt, milk, raspberries and ice cubes into my virgin-shake-making-blender and pulverizing my way to smoothie heaven.

Here's the result:

Isn't my blender pretty? And the smoothie was damn good!
All visitors chez moi will be graced with a Flare shake, I promise!

*edit* in all the excitement of writing about Picard I forgot to mention what I had to prepare for, I had to run to the store and pick up some yogurt and milk to make the smoothie. And also, dance around the kitchen a few times before the Picard guy came.