She's My Inspiraton

My Mom, Helene Agorastos Rose, was born in Galveston to a working class immigrant family. At the young age of 13 her bust-line had developed to a D cup; and consequently she spent many years pining for a smaller bust-line, one that was easier to fit in stylish clothing. Suffering from an absent mother, Mom had no one in her life to offer guidance about bras, shirts, breast health, etc. She graduated high school in 1958 and went to the University of North Texas to study Fashion Design, where she didn't enjoy all the extra attention from men that came with her nice rack. Mom's picture is the middle one on the top banner of the home page, the head shot in the ruffle blouse.

To say that my Mom was my best friend would not be an understatement. Although she struggled being a single mom in Dallas and working two jobs, she never complained about it. When I was in college we corresponded weekly, and she came to visit me in all my strange travels. She termed us 'running buddies'. She was kind to me, never saying critical things about me (or my figure), she believed in me, telling me I could do anything, and she was proud of me, continually saying I was smart, beautiful, etc. What more could one want in a Mama?


You can imagine my devastation when, going to pick up Mom to come to the childen's swim class with us, I found her dead body. Eight months pregnant with my fourth child, I ran down the apartment stairs back to the truck to tell the children, "something's happened to Mamaw". I'll spare you the emotional details, lets suffice it to say that was the longest afternoon, evening, and night of my life. After the coroner's autopsy we learned she suffered a ruptured aortic aneurysm.

Through the next several months as I mourned our family's loss, I realized that if GOD can walk me through a nightmare, He can walk me through a dream as well. Thus, when I received the proceeds from Mom's Home Depot 401(k), I decided to use them to start Bratique Helene. Bratique Helene is both a dream of mine and an homage to my best friend whom I know looks down on me and says "YOU GO GIRL".

Road Trip To Toronto - Part I

For SOME reason, Drowsey would not let me drive Ruby

on our trip into downtown Toronto...

But I quickly got the hang of being a

snazzy rear-view mirror decoration instead.

Oh Terrific...Toronto traffic!

Shouldn't that be Younge Street?!?!?

I gave Winston Churchill a hug, and he gave me some great advice ~
He said, "Olga...
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

Well, that got me to thinking...and hey look!...there's the CN Tower!

I think I'm feeling a little attitude coming on!"No idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered

with a searching but at the same time a steady eye."
~Winston Churchill

"Never, never, never give up."
~Winston Churchill

“Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

~Winston Churchill

"Don't listen to statues."

~Olga, the Traveling Bra

(But do see what Drowsey says about this adventure!)

When in Canada...

Ummm, yeah...so what can I say?

I'm in Canada...and I like Moosehead (& Tim Horton's) - eh!

Click the photo to read more about our trip to

the CN Tower over on Drowsey's blog!

Thanks for your votes!

Last Call!

This post now resides over on my Blog Overfloweth Page

And the post for this award can be found in my Big Ol' Bodacious Trophy Room!

ALL Reved Up And No Where To Go!

So while Drouwsey was at wourk, I tanked up on the Canadian Natiounal Beverage, Tim Hortouns coffee! (I like mine with 2 lumps and extra cream, eh!)

(I also learned how to speak Canadian just by adding a extra "u"

and saying "eh!" whenever poussible, eh!)

Soon I was all reved up and ready to go....soumewhere, eh!

Sure, she's cute, but Drowsey's car, Ruby, just didn't have the

GET UP AND GO I was looukin' four...eh!

So I went downtown and found this bad bouy!

Vrooom-Vrooouuuuum, EH!!!!

Good thing my Official Canadian Drivers and Flying Planes License

also allows me to drive a Harley!!!

Eh?...what's that you say?...take a clouser look at my license???

(click to biggify)

I THOUGHT it did anyway....

Can I get out of "time-out" now Drowsey? I gotta pee!

Carwhatogus?

And the winning caption for this photo is.....Is that a carsophogus or are you just happy to see me?

(Or...is it a sarcophagus?)

EITHER WAY...we think it's a winner!

And so is the very witty Jeanna of Wisconson Candy Dish!

Congratulations! Your truly tacky Niagara Falls souvenir is on it's way!

And a special consolation prize (we don't know what it is yet)

goes to our dear pal Speedy for submitting the MOST (15 total) captions!

My personal favorite was:

It's my anniversary? Too bad my hands are glued my leg!

Silly boy.

Now go check out what Drowsey has to say about this!

I HEART Hump Day...& Monty!

Meet my latest heart throb ~

(and this week's official Hump Day poster boy)

Monty the Moose!

(click to make big)

When Drowsey pointed out Monty to me in the Niagara Falls Souvenir Shop, I saw her checking out his maple leaf...but I was more impressed by the size of his rack! (Rrrr-rarrrrr!) And I'm happy to report that the feeling is mutual...because Monty and I hooked right up and have been together ever since! And unlike this old flame (who just left me hanging in a bar in Petaluma) I know Monty will never leave me because (a) I have his receipt, and (b) he fits in my Traveling Lingerie Bag! So, woooo-hoooooooooo!!!!!...no more lonely Hump Days (or nights) for moi!

Please visit

The Official Hump Day Headquarters for the full scoop!

(or is that...the Full Monty?!)

*REMINDER: Today is the LAST day of our Photo Caption Contest!!! Click here or here to view the photo & enter for your chance to win a

truly tacky Niagara Falls Souvenir!

(And NO...it's not Monty!)

And Drowsey Thought Her SIS Wanted To Kill Her! ~ Niagara Falls/Canada

Behold ~

The Niagara Sky Wheel of (almost) Death! I love Drowsey...really I DO!!!

And if she'd just wash her foot and give me a bath too,

I'd love her even more!

(Now don't be a fraidy-cat... go read her version of this story!)

Nightmare On Clifton Hill ~ Niagara Falls/Canada

Well, after I busted out at the Casino Niagara, Drowsey wanted to expose me to Clifton Hill, also known as "The Street of FUN at the Falls"...

...and where I learned that the term "FUN" is very subjective!

Things started out innocently enough....

here I am having FUN with the Tallest Man and

the Smallest Olga Chaperon in the World!

(Or even the blogosphere!)

Then we proceeded on to Falls Avenue (what a FUN name!)

and the Rainforest Cafe...which judging from the outside,

looked like a lot of FUN...

But once we got inside, things quickly turned dark.And kinda kinky.

(Of course Drowsey didn't seem to mind,

she was toadily diggin' the dirt floor - go figure)

But then a fricken MONKEY grabbed me

and starting swinging me around 'n around 'n around!!!

Until FINALLY the big, mean Bouncer trumpeted, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"

And tossed me outside...

and I landed on THIS fence!

AHHHHH!!!!

OH MY GAWD!!!

What a nightmare!

Stay tuned...it's not over yet!...next time...

Drowsey's Sis tries to KILL HER!!!

Just for FUN!!!

*"DROWSEY AND OLGA'S PHOTO CAPTION CONTEST"

(see previous post)

ENDS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th

What's YOUR Caption?

Drowsey and Olga, the Traveling Bra FINALLY Pair Up For THIS Photo!!!

Yes, Drowsey and I have paired up and are holding our very first joint

Photo Caption Contest!

(What did you think I was talking about?!)

Add your caption for this photo in the comment section

here or at Drowsey's blog.

The contest ends on Wednesday, September 24th

and you can enter as many times as you want.

We'll LOL! our butts (and cups) off at your answers and

announce the winner on September 25th!The winner will receive a truly tacky souvenir from Niagara Falls.

Woo-Hoo!!! Have fun!

Feeling Lucky at Casino Niagara ~ Niagara Falls/Canada

After nearly pushing Drowsey into checking out The Falls, we decided to go press try our luck gambling at the nearby Casino Niagara!

Bless her stinky sweet little foot heart, but Drowsey was just not playing with a full deck that night...(lol!)...so she decided to go drink Baileys in the bar play on the monkey bars...while I went into the casino to Playtex's Hold 'Em. Feeling like a bit of a wild card, I double upped AND downed, bumped, popped, pushed, pumped and raised all of my bets, and even flopped my top pair! TWICE! And then....I went ALL THE WAY!

And BUSTED!

Now here's ALL that's left of my nice big rack

of chips.

Be sure to check out Drowsey's HILARIOUS (& more detailed!) version of this story!

Drowsey Almost Pushed Me Right Over the Edge ~ at Niagara Falls!

...stay tuned!

Be sure drop on over to Drowsey's blog for her version of this adventure!

Anyone remember this?

No Car? No Problem!

While Drowsey's car is in the shop,

I'm findin' plenty of ways to keep myself amused!

Weeeeeeeee!!!

Click the picture to read all about it.