In Which I Get All Excited About Something Shiny.

Have you ever just been happy to have fingernails?

I've had exactly three professional manicures in my life: last year while waiting to catch a plane during my last book tour, another on my last honeymoon, because I thought I should. I don't remember the circumstances of the third. I was probably someone's bridesmaid. Fancy fingernails have just never been a priority for me. And, well, if you are a fancy-fingernails kind of person, this might kind of irritate you: I have appallingly healthy, rarely-break nails at least forty-six weeks a year. (Late February and March are awfully dry.) They just grow and grow until I get frustrated and prune them back to the quick and start all over again. My cuticles may look like ragweed, but does anyone really care about cuticles?

My problem is that I tend to use my nails as gardening tools, screwdrivers, and pan scrapers. So any polish I put on them renders me frustrated and helpless.

Helpless? Am I seeing a theme here? Sunday's post had much to do with a girl looking good for her man. It takes a lot of effort to maintain a girly persona. And is there a more helpless feeling than having one's fingernails or toenails glossy with wet, wet, wet polish? You can't use the phone or a camera, dig out silverware, take a shower, take something out of your purse (like money to pay the manicurist--though I suspect regulars always take care of that on arrival), get dressed, pet the cat, etc., without causing a major damage to said polish. For a while there when my daughter Nora was little, I tried some girlification, but every time I'd groom and polish my nails, she would wake up, throw up, or demand to be picked up.

While on a book tour, I do try to keep my nails trimmed and shapely. No one wants to have a crone with jagged claws and ragweed cuticles sign their book.

Glamor is so demanding!

Now, I'm going to sound like a commercial here, but I think I've discovered it: Best. Polish. Ever.

Last week, I was feeling blue and fashion-deprived. There is NOTHING worth having that's new at either Wal-Mart or Sam's Club right now. At Wal-Mart, their George line is mostly full of thin poly jersey, and their wholly-owned White Stag spring clothing line looks a lot like this:

But I digress. I refreshed my makeup supplies (another post) to the tune of about $80. Surprisingly easy to do even at a discount store.

Here's Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure. The reviews I've read on various websites have been all over the place. There are lots of close-ups of polished nails and shiny bottles. (And my, those nail polish sites are popular. Maybe I should get into the beauty promo business!) For me, who really just wants a little girly sparkle at the ends of my fingers, this stuff is fabulous. I wore it for four days with nary a chip, and it only took two coats. Dries fast. Took a while to remove. It promises that it's base, color and top coat all in one. I'll wear it without a base coat for a while to see if it stains my nails.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure: $6.50

Here are my ragweed fingers in Pedal to the Medal. I like it.

 

Day 134.

A couple days before last week's snowfall. It was very cold.

George Turtle: $10; RL Sweater: $21 (Sam's); Nine West Jeans: $17 (Sam's) ; Calvin Klein Down Coat: $50; Earth Spirit Boots: $35; Earrings: $12    Total: $145

Day 135.

This is how I spend a lot of my day--you can ask Bengal, who took the picture. The white sweater looked a much looser when I bought it seven pounds ago. It came out around the holidays, but I don't think it's too sparkly for later winter wear.

George sweater: $12; George tank: $10; Norma Kamali Career Pants: $15; Earth Spirit shoes: $30; Earrings: $10 (clearance from $13)   Total: $77

Hope your life is full of blessings, today!

P.S. Remember to follow WBS here or on FB Networked blogs. I'll give away five mystery books for every five new followers--everyone is eligible!

First Five:

NEW WORLD MONKEYS by Nancy Mauro
THE MURDERED HOUSE by Pierre Magnan
FACES IN THE POOL by Jonathan Gash
THE WATER'S EDGE by Karin Fossum
ILLEGAL by Paul Levine