One night I heard some tiny noises coming from the back of the house. I listened for a while.  What was it? I decided to get out of my comfortable chair and check everything out. I would check the doors too. You never could tell in this city. Gladys is always teasing me about being a worry wart. Well, she’s the one who got arrested as a terrorist when she was coming back from Paris. She’s always telling me, “Loosen up, George.” Well, I think I am pretty loose. I was tiptoeing through the house when I discovered the source of the small noises. I hadn’t cleared stuff away after supper. What a sight! The glass top dining table was covered with little mice.  How cute! Gladys just didn’t know how loose I was. I had a pet white rat when I was a kid and I will never forget her. I always leave food out for the little mice that live inside my walls.

I wandered deeper and deeper into the forest. I was lost and I knew it. This was unfamiliar territory and I was beginning to wonder why I decided to come up here to this strange area. When I was driving up here, I could see in the distance a beautiful dense forested area. As I got closer I began to notice the many large flowering trees, something like the magnolia, but yet very different. The flowering trees, that's the reason I stopped and parked on a road hidden from the highway, and now I was wishing I had stayed close to the main road. The last time I’d been in the woods was when I was a girl scout, and then I was with a bunch of people. Well, I wasn’t going to panic. I pushed through some bushes and, there in a clearing was a small cafe. A round glass dining table

photo credit: SideLong

stood next to the little place. I could hear people talking inside.

photo credit: lu_lu

There are numerous fitness machines available and it may be hard to decide which one to make your investment. The treadmill is the best choice for a number of reasons. Here are 5 reasons to choose a treadmill:

1. A treadmill can support a walker or runner. Anyone that has poor knee joints or problems with many exercises, chooses to walk, which makes the treadmill ideal. However, if someone in the family still jogs, the treadmill fills their desires as well.
2. The treadmill can be used day or night, without worrying about safety.
3. A used treadmill can be bought with a warranty from dealers online, for nearly 50% off the retail price.
4. Treadmills can be used during any season without worry about the heat, cold, rain or snow.
5. Finally you can use a treadmill while watching TV.

The treadmill is the perfect workout machine for any family.

When you think of Disney, it's easy to picture innocent characters like Snow White and Cinderella. But modern day Disney costumes for adult women are a little less innocent and a little more sexy.

photo credit: ewen and donabel

While you may think of sexy Disney characters as women like Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, there are actually costumes for every Disney animated character in sexy form.

If you long to wear a Snow White costume with a mini skirt and bra style top, then you're in luck. Amazon carries the cheapest and best variety of Disney costumes. On their site you can find Cinderella, Jasmine, Alice in Wonderland and more with fun and sassy designs. The costumes range from $25-$60 and are available in extra small to plus size. Plus size is a great way for a man to wear a female costume, for a few extra laughs.

photo credit: aj_uva91

If you think long dresses are only for evening gowns, then you haven't seen the latest dresses designers are offering. There are dresses to mid calf and full length for casual occasions and semi-formal affairs. When buying a full length dress, one style does not necessarily fit all.

Fuller busted women should avoid empire waist dresses. Instead, v-neck dress styles with an A-line skirt are better options. However, for fuller hipped women, an A-line dress with empire waist is the perfect fit.

Thinner figured women have the perfect figure for ruffles, tiers and pleated skirts. A long style dress with a full skirt will add shape and body to a thinner frame.

For smaller busted women, ruffles along the bodice will add a fuller appearance, as will pleats.

A long dress is the perfect addition to the modern woman's wardrobe.

photo credit: Janet 59

Cats can ruin a sofa faster than a blueberry stain. Blueberry stains have the option of being removed by certain process, but very little can be done about torn fabric (besides replacing it). If your cats are destroying your furniture, there are options available to you.

The turbo cat scratcher is one of the best cat scratchers available on the market. Cat's love to sink their claws into the cardboard. A Turbo cat scratcher will keep your cats off your furniture, but it isn't the only solution.

Spray your furniture with citrus solutions, cats hate the smell of lemons and oranges.

Place plastic covers over your sofa ends. For a few dollars a clear plastic furniture cover can be applied to your sofa ends.

Cut your cat's claws often. Cats tend not to do damage when their claws are cut short. There are guides, online, to help you learn how to trim their nails.

photo credit: LoraineLou

Shopping for dresses does not have to be a painful experience. Usually finding a plus size formal dress is difficult, but today there are many more options available than even two years ago. The trick is finding a figure flattering dress that will stand the test of time. There are guidelines when it comes to choosing figure flattering dresses.

A-line skirts are the most flattering for every size hips and legs.

Circle skirts are feminine and flattering to women with larger hips and smaller waists.

Empire waist cut dresses are tempting for all plus size women, but for bustier women, this dress style is a big no-no. Empire cuts emphasize the bust area making it appear larger. For a bustier woman, a v-neck with a regular waist will enhance the figure without over doing the top portion.

When it comes to styles and colors, remember classics will never be pushed to the back of your closet.

photo credit: nicolecolecole

We're all looking for a bargain, but what constitutes a bargain? As my mother used to say, "Quality not quantity is what makes the best purchase". In a way I disagree. Of course quality counts, but so does quantity, in a roundabout way. Imagine, for instance, you just bought a really cheap evening dress, but that dress goes out of style next season. That purchase was basically for one night. Now picture an evening dress at a slightly higher price, but that gets worn several times over several years. Which one is cheaper? If you consider 'value', the second dress is obviously cheaper. So there is a smart way to buy an evening dress.

Choose a dress that is a classic style, not a trendy design which may come into season again in 20 years.

Purchase black, grey or off white dresses. Dresses which can be worn throughout the year come in specific colors. Buy a pastel yellow dress, and it might look odd in December. Buy a black dress and it fits perfectly year round.

Length counts when it comes to evening dresses. Remember that very formal occasions usually call for full length evening gowns. However, a short dress can function in a number of formal affairs, and also be worn to the office or a dinner date.

Consider value not price tag, when shopping for an evening dress.

photo credit: Stuart Chalmers

Is your exercise routine becoming stale? Sometimes it's hard to get up and do the same thing day after day, even when it's good for us. When the routine is old, it's time to step up and develop an new exercise fitness workout to spice things up. Here are ways to spice up your routine.

Change the type of exercise you're doing. By changing from jogging to swimming, you'll burn almost as many calories, build a different set of muscles and increase your endurance.

Add weights to your wrists. By adding wrist weights you increase the resistance when you walk or run (or swim), thereby increasing your muscle mass and heart rate. When the heart is pumping, it's difficult to be bored.

Try some high intensity intervals. If you're walking, try adding a minute of running every few minutes to spice up the routine. Put your machine on hill mode and climb as fast as you can for a minute.

There are plenty of ways to spice up your routine. Stay out of the rut and practice some different styles.

photo credit: kthread

There was the cartoon version of Wonder Woman, the comic book version and the TV series version of Wonder Woman. Which one of those Wonder Woman costumes, was the best?

Most of the costumes for Wonder Woman are the same, however, in the comic book series, Wonder Woman wore a series of different outfits. She had different sandals in one episode, instead of her boots. The sandals were given to her by a Greek god. And originally, on the cover, she wore a skirt, not a 'swimsuit' type outfit. To this day Wonder Woman is depicted in the TV and cartoon series outfit of a blue and red leotard type outfit, with white stars. (the red white and blue of American flags), and gold bracers, a gold band around the upper bust area, and a golden tiara.