Month: January 2026

2nd Photo: @jennifertilly

Style Stealers

!function(d,s,id){
var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;
if(!d.getElementById(id)) {
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + ‘://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js’;
d.body.appendChild(e);
}
if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {
window.__stp.init();
}
}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Originally posted at: Sutton Stracke’s Black Bustier Dress

You’d think that planning a vacation would be the fun part – choosing outfits, gathering travel-size toiletries, imagining yourself doing important things like strolling, lounging, and ordering dessert without guilt. But no. For some of us, vacation prep is a multi-day logistical triathlon.

The day before my trip, I was in full command-center mode. Plants watered. Refrigerator purged so no perishables would greet me with judgment upon return. Trash timed perfectly. Dog food measured like I was preparing rations for a lunar mission. Laundry done. Suitcases zipped. It was a symphony of competence.

Last-Minute Emergency

And then – because life always waits until the last possible second to test me – I realized I had forgotten one inconvenient detail: where to stash the cash and jewelry I keep in the house.

Of course.

Because why would my brain alert me earlier, when it could wait until I was practically backing out of the driveway?

With no time to get to the bank and no chance of locating my safety deposit box key (which tends to reveal itself only during unrelated life crises), I did what any frantic, responsible adult woman would do: I tried to think like a thief.

Shoebox? Too obvious.

Freezer? Too predictable.

Behind books? I read too much – dead giveaway.

Under the mattress? Burglars have podcasts now; they’ve evolved.

Under the sink? That’s where I hide things I don’t want to deal with, not things I actually care about.

After eliminating every cliché hiding place, I finally picked a spot that felt brilliant. Secure. Clever. Practically impenetrable. I left for the airport feeling smug and relieved.

I Did NOT Expect It Would Be Missing!

Fast-forward: great trip, beautiful time, no disasters. I come home, everything looks normal. Dog alive. Plants surviving. House intact.

Then I went to retrieve the cash and jewelry.

And I could not remember where I put them.

Not a glimmer. Not a hint. Nothing.

It was as if my brain said, “Ma’am, we do not store that information in this facility.”

So, I retraced my logic… then my illogic… then my panic-brain logic.

I checked everywhere a burglar might look, everywhere a dishonest friend might look, and everywhere I might look if I had been in a pre-vacation frenzy, believing I was a CIA operative hiding diamonds from an international crime syndicate.

Still nothing.

It took weeks – weeks! – to find them.

Relief washed over me, followed closely by embarrassment and a strong desire to sit myself down and say, “Ilene, what were you thinking?”

Which brought me to the much-needed question: Going forward, what is the actual plan?

Moving Forward: My Options

1. Write It Down Somewhere on My Phone

In theory, this is the most practical idea. A note on my phone titled “Where I Hid Things” seems simple enough. But in reality, I know myself – I’ll overthink the title, create something too clever, and then forget what I named it. Or worse, I’ll password-protect it and forget the password. Still, having a written record somewhere – encrypted, labeled, tattooed on my forearm – might prevent the next weeks-long treasure hunt.

2. Go to the Bank Before Every Trip

This plan feels very adult, very sensible, and very much like something other people do. The idea of calmly heading to the bank days before a trip, depositing my valuables, and checking something off a list without frenzy? Dreamy. Ideal. Aspirational. But I also know vacations tend to sneak up on me no matter how far in advance I book them, and “bank run” rarely makes it into the final hour.

3. Get a Real Safe

A heavy, bolted-down, fireproof safe sounds like the obvious solution – until I picture myself standing in front of it trying to remember the combination. Or hiding the key so well I create this entire problem all over again. Still, a safe would give me peace of mind, and maybe that’s worth the risk of needing a locksmith one day.

4. Adopt a Zen ‘What Will Be, Will Be’ Approach

This is beautiful in theory. Release control. Surrender outcomes. Become one with the universe and my misplaced valuables. Unfortunately, I am not yet spiritually evolved enough to shrug off losing jewelry I bought on a trip to Italy. Letting the universe handle it sounds empowering – right up until the moment the universe forgets where it put my earrings.

5. Leave It with a Neighbor

Community is wonderful, and I am lucky to have people I trust. But this plan depends entirely on both of us remembering where things are, and we’ve already established memory is not my strong point in these situations. Also, what if they go on vacation too? Or reorganize their house? Or hide it somewhere “safe” and forget like I did? I can’t be responsible for multiplying the chaos.

6. Stop Over-Engineering the Hiding Places

This one may be the most honest option. My hiding places are becoming so clever that even I can’t outsmart them. Simpler may be safer. A basic drawer, a labeled envelope, a predictable spot… something boring enough that Future Me will find it without unraveling into a detective novel. Maybe the goal isn’t to be clever – it’s to be consistent.

What’s Next?

Remember the lesson, stop overthinking the cash, and maybe just put it on the packing list so I actually remember it.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you remember to place your valuables in a secure location before taking a vacation? Or are you the last-minute type of person who totally forgets about them?

Click Here to Shop Additional Stock

Style Stealers

!function(d,s,id){
var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;
if(!d.getElementById(id)) {
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + ‘://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js’;
d.body.appendChild(e);
}
if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {
window.__stp.init();
}
}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Originally posted at: Dorit Kemsley’s Green Zebra Print Dress

It started with a quiet afternoon at home.              

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 4:12 PM

Subject: SURGERY!!

Just a quick note to say. I slipped while walking and fell. Next thing I knew, I had broken my right femur, It required surgery.

I received this email in response to my message to a friend and client about scheduling a website update call. I immediately responded:

OUCH! Thinking good thoughts about your recovery. Please be patient with yourself and let me know when you feel like a website dive.

Thinking that would be our communication limit for several days, I returned to Prime TV and “Daniel Deronda.”

But That’s Not What Happened

Ping! That was fast.

Thank you for reaching out. I’m in the hospital at the moment and appreciate your concern, Sorry to bother you. Do you usually make purchases from Amazon online?

Strange request, but I do purchase lots on Amazon, so replied:

Yes, I do.

Ping! She must want me to do something for her… an opportunity to do a mitzvah!

Actually, I need to get an UberEATS E-gift card for my Friend who is down with cancer of the Liver, It’s her birthday today. I tried purchasing them myself but my card got declined. Can you get it from your Amazon account and have them sent to her email address? Let me know so I can provide you with her email address.

I Thought This Through – or So I Thought

Hmmm, “down with cancer of the Liver” is a strange phrase. But I see my friend struggling to do a good thing for her friend, from bed, in unfamiliar surroundings, without her husband or daughter around. Never, in altruistic myopia, did I question why she would turn to me.

Sure, just send me the details.

I fixed a glass of good screw-top white. Ping! The details came after a few minutes.

Thank you very much for the help, Amount needed is $200(2) Quantities total will be $400 UberEATS E-gift card Email: lewis.ficheraa@gmail.com
message: Have a sweet Day ! Let the delivery date be Now. 

Following Instructions

There are lots of listings for UberEATS on Amazon. I selected one that offered a $200 denomination and the rest was easy. Amazon quickly confirmed my purchase, and I forwarded the confirmation with a message.

Please let her know that it is from you. I added your name to the message, but it also says “from Ann”

Ping!

She got it already, Thanks. But unfortunately she just told me that it couldn’t suffice what she needed to get on Amazon so I was wondering if you can help me to purchase another $200. So I’ll move a check over for the total sum of $600. and can you please send me the address where you want me to mail the check to. I really appreciate it alot. God bless you .

That Was My Cue – Finally!

What the heck? My head suddenly connected with my gut. I raced to my computer to see if I could cancel the order. To my complete surprise and delight, Amazon canceled the order! Their “systems” could see what my brain could not. This was a scammer!

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 4:12 PM, from my friend:

My account was hacked. Do not respond to prior email or click on links. Thank you.

My friend and I are both over 80. We need this sharp awakening. We need better computer security. We need to think before we act.

Thank you, Amazon.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What scam story have you experienced? Did you fall for it? Do you think you’d be clear-headed enough to recognize a scam for what it is?

Style Stealers

!function(d,s,id){
var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;
if(!d.getElementById(id)) {
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + ‘://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js’;
d.body.appendChild(e);
}
if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {
window.__stp.init();
}
}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Originally posted at: Venita Aspen’s Blue Floral Print Top and Skirt