Truth Bomb Mom & Toilet Trauma

“Motherhood is Messy, Get Dirty” -- Kristina Kuzmic, US Social Media SuperMum

Hello Friends,

Life and Motherhood is not perfect, and Kristina Kuzmic is a woman who learnt the lessons first hand.  She’s another social media star whose life hit rock bottom from a divorce, depression, being homeless with two children, food stamps and poverty.

She found a way to turn her life around by cooking meals for others on a tiny budget using her food stamps. She no longer felt defeated, dared to hope and heal. More success came when she won a reality TV competition.

Kristina is now famous for her “truth bomb” videos. She loves her work and tells stories about the flawed, everyday life of parenting her kids. She hopes to remind other parents that they are doing an awesome job even though they might be struggling. Her videos have been viewed over 400 million times.    

Toilet Trauma is one of Kristina’s “truth bomb” videos. If you’ve raised children or had small people guests in your home you might enjoy this video.

I told my kids that I can relate to every experience in this video. How about you? Do you struggle to keep the loo clean and stocked up with paper?

I also promised the kids not to blog about the worst toilet traumas they’ve put their mother through. They are pretty stinky memories after all. But, there was nothing that a pair of rubber gloves, a scrubber, and a bottle of bleach couldn't fix…except, I remember when the little one dropped the nappy in the backyard…and did the business…in the dog patch of…    That’s not in the video!

Have a happy weekend everyone. 
♥ Ashlyn

Truth Bomb Mom on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/KristinaKuzmic/

The Happy Story of Topher Brophy

Happiness finds its own way.

Hello Friends,

Take a rest from the mayhem of the world for a few minutes. Here’s a story about a man who hit rock bottom and found a way to claw his way out of unhappy narcissism. Instagrammer, Topher Brophy, adopted a puppy, a shaggy Aussiedoodle who had a lot of love to give. 

Topher’s doggy son, Rosenberg, helped him find meaning in life. He learnt about caring for someone else, and making people happy. He overcame his problems with the companionship of Rosenberg. 

When Topher was out and about, walking the streets of New York City, people would comment on how dog and human father looked alike. Rosenberg is a pet that doesn’t mind dressing up as well as normal doggy doings. Topher employed a professional dog photographer, Chantal Adair, @TheDogStyler to take their lovable pictures in matching outfits and poses. 

Topher and Chantal started as creative partners and then become husband and wife. Now they’re having a baby.

Topher Brophy, Rosenberg and Chantal Adair, are positivity advocates.

Helping people get through hard times.

Creating smiles.

Bringing happiness, and trying to make the world a better place in their own ways.

Have a happy weekend everyone. 

♥  Ashlyn 

Images via Pinterest
Instagram @TOPHERBROPHY @THEDOGSTYLER

Movie - "Atomic Blonde"

Her bosses had a plan for her—seemingly, they set her up to fail.

But in the end, she followed her own plan,

and succeeded in a plot with a triple twist.

Hello Friends,

I went along to see the movie because I was curious about the story of a female super spy in “Atomic Blonde”. I wondered how the spy thriller genre would adapt to fit sexy, blonde mop top, Lorraine as the lead character.

Lorraine Broughton, is very capably played by actress, Charlize Theron. The British M16 agent, is sent on an assignment to Berlin to recover a list of double spies which is stored on microfiche. The movie dives into Cold War history from the 1980’s, when a concrete wall divided the city of Berlin into east and west areas. After the second World War, West Germany was controlled by America, Great Britain and France. The Soviet Union or Russia controlled East Germany. The Berlin Wall stopped people from passing from one side to the other without a permit.

As soon as Lorraine arrives at Berlin Airport to start her assignment, the fight for her survival begins. She’s directed into a car for a lethal ride. She has a choice to kill or be killed. The action and violence escalates from this point in the movie. Many times, I looked away from the fight scenes, which were too brutal for me.

However, Charlize Theron gave an outstanding performance, and the film showed some of the effects of thuggish fighting on the body.

The emotional tone of the Lorraine Broughton character was smart, sassy, ruthless and a cold-blooded killer, which was her defense against a group of corrupt men who attempted to murder her at every opportunity.

Lorraine had some softer moments when she was picked up at a bar and seduced by Delphine Lasalle, a female, French agent. Delphine eventually provided Lorraine with some incriminating photographs of another M16 double agent.  

Kicking butt in her stilettos, Lorraine gets battered and bruised. But she gets the job done with a plot that twists around the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

Here’s the movie trailer, and a warning on the violent action.

The music soundtrack was a trip back to 1980’s pop songs with bands I haven’t heard playing for a long time. In the movie, the people’s protest rallies at the Berlin Wall showed some punks, and I remembered a generation of teenagers and social movements made of punks, skinheads, grudge, Doc Martin boots and chain jewelry. Rebels who rejected society’s values and leaders at the time. 

The effect of the neon lit scenes and typography brought back memories of British band, WHAM’s—“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, and the fluorescent fashion of their boppy song.

“Atomic Blonde” is powerful and violent, raw and stylish. Super spy, Lorraine Broughton, is unique as a lead character, at this point in movie history.

Jitterbug,

put the boom-boom into someone’s heart,

and have a good weekend.

I’m off to listen to some WHAM & George Michael music.  

♥ Ashlyn

Atomic Blonde Movie Poster

By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53277721

Peach Melba Dessert & Dame Nellie Melba

A pretend conversation in an Oldie World Restaurant

Waiter:     Madame, what treat may I bring to your good table?

Lady:       I desire something peachy, sir.

Waiter:     May I recommend a new creation of haute cuisine from our French chef. Some blooming peaches plucked from the tree at the height of their season, cut to the core, and poached in sweet syrup. Gently drizzled with raspberry puree, and resting on a bed of vanilla ice cream within a sparkling crystal bowl.

Lady:       Oh, peachy delicious! That hits the right notes.

Hello Friends,

In 1892 or 1893, the late Australian, opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba got her just desserts at a London restaurant. The Duke of Orleans held a dinner party in her honor at the Savoy Hotel. Auguste Escoffier created the “Peach Melba” dessert for the special occasion. He displayed the treat on an ice sculpture of a swan—a symbol of the opera in which she’d triumphantly sung her notes.

Title: Proofs of Dame Nellie Melba, 1902

Photographer: Andrew Barrie 1878-1916

Summary: A photograph of five proofs pinned to fabric, depicting Dame Nellie Melba in various outfits, and consist of one bust, one full-length and three 3/4 length shots. 

Source: State Library of Victoria, Australia

According to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the mid-late 19 century was an era of great opera divas. Some of them were extremely popular and rich too. A Golden Age of Opera.

“Adelina Patti and Nellie Melba were all sopranos, the highest-range female voice, which had the clarity and flexibility to cope with elaborate passages of flamboyant music… Foreign star singers were considered exotic…and Italian opera was fashionable.”

 source: Victoria & Albert Museum 

Title: Din and Nellie Melba, sometime, 1910-1920

Photographer: unknown

Summary:  Shows Dame Nellie Melba and her dog Din standing on the verandah of her cottage house. Dame Nellie wears a summer coat and long skirt, and a hat with a motoring veil drawn back to reveal her face. The dog has very muddy paws.

This photograph, was owned by a companion and personal assistant to Melba before 1914.

Source: State Library of Victoria, Australia

Here’s a short video on the history of Dame Nellie Melba.

Thanks to youtuber, Stephanie history, who dedicated the documentary to Dame Nellie’s Melba’s life and legacy.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Peach Melba is a classic dessert from the 19th Century. A simple and elegant food which was created by French Chef, Georges Auguste Escoffier, a King of Chefs, and inspired by an Australian Opera Star, the wonderful Dame Nellie Melba. Peach Melba served in a crystal bowl will always remind me of the ice swan and history of the treat.

The dessert from the era of the two famous people is still being made today. Modern additions can include slivers of almonds or caramel sauce. Peach Melba is also made into a cake, a slice, a popsicle, or a cocktail.

The authentic French recipe may be used. Or other variations can be made using recipes from Martha Stewart or Nigella Lawson.

For a quick and easy recipe – buy a tin of peaches from the supermarket, place frozen or fresh raspberries into a food processor and sweeten to taste, and then add a scoop of ice-cream. Done. A taste of history! Yum. 

Enjoy your weekend. 
♥ Ashlyn