My Bumpy Middle Aged Long Hair Journey

A Little Vacation

2010-12-26T13:13:00.005-05:00

Well, even bloggers need to take a vacation from time to time, and I'm no exception. I am taking a couple of weeks off of blogging and I will return sometime in the first or second week of the new year, with my January update photos.

I ended up trimming my bangs on Christmas Eve, because I just couldn't hack having them in my eyes. I may or may not decide to grow them out. I think the Holidays wasn't a good time to start the process. We'll see what I decide in the next few weeks.

If anyone has any photos that they want to share of hairstyles they've done, please feel free to email me about it.

I wish everyone a joy-filled New Year, and I'll see you in a couple of weeks!

'Til a few days into January, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling hopeless.
xo

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Wishing You Well

2010-12-25T21:21:00.000-05:00

Whether you celebrate Christmas or if you don't, I want to wish you all peace of mind, joy, good health, prosperity, and hope.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T23:34:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve is almost over for us. The kids were with us and we had a lovely, quiet family evening with a nice dinner, some singing and a lot of fun.

Today, I did touch up my roots, and afterwards I washed it with coconut oil shampoo. I am really happy with both the colour and the condition of my hair.

I had a big surprise this evening when I discovered that my mum has actually tried the coconut oil shampoo herself, and she is extremely happy with it. She purchased the coconut oil earlier in the week, but didn't use it on her hair until today. Her hair turned out extremely full of body and quite lustrous.

She's not certain on what her ratio was though. I do know that she used much less oil than shampoo.

A really great bonus is that in the meantime between buying the coconut oil and using it on her hair, she used it on a small patch of psoriasis that she's had for a while and it cleared it up in just a couple of days, after having tried many creams from the doctor that had proven ineffective. Coconut oil really has some amazing properties that make it a wonderful multi-purpose oil.

It's the coolest thing to turn my mum onto a new haircare routine!

Anyway, that's it for tonight. I'll be heading to bed and waiting for Santa to come shortly.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, another religious holiday or merely get to enjoy some extra days off work, I wish everyone the happiest of happy holidays.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Final Holiday Preparations

2010-12-23T23:38:00.000-05:00

Well, tonight we did the last bit of Christmas shopping, so all the gifts are taken care of and so are all of the groceries.

It's so nice to be sitting here right now with both of my kids on the sofa beside me and my husband sitting just across the room on his computer.

It's really finally starting to feel like Christmas now.

We still have a few things to do tomorrow around the house, but it will be taken care of. Both kids will be home and many hands make light work.

Also tomorrow, I'm going to touch up my roots, so I'll be prepping my hair with coconut oil.

I am so looking forward to a beautiful family Christmas Eve tomorrow night.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all and extra hugs to anyone feeling lonely today.
xo

My Daughter's Home For Christmas (And Her Length Pics)

2010-12-22T19:12:00.000-05:00

My daughter is home for the holidays, and I couldn't be happier. She arrived here just after 5 pm and we've been yapping ever since.

We did take a moment to take some length photos of her. Her dark blonde hair looks lovely, especially considering that she was on a bus for 7 hours.

Here are my daughter's hair photos:

Well, I hope you'll excuse me making this brief so that I can get back to catching up with my daughter.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Off-Topic Tuesday--Need a Break Today

2010-12-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

Today I'm feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and I have nothing to say, so I'm taking the day off of blogging.

I am healthy and fine and so are my family members, but I just need a break.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all and extra hugs to anyone who is living in fear.
xo

Busy

2010-12-20T18:44:00.000-05:00

Yes, I've still been so busy that I can't think straight. Added to all of my busy-ness is the knowledge that Christmas is only days away.

I haven't had time to participate in the online hair forums, and I have pretty much been practicing benign neglect with my hair.

I've just been wearing it up in a bun, and brushing it just once a day to change the style slightly.

I've noticed that when I do the Movie Star Shampoo (oil soap) in the correct proportion, I can actually stretch out washes for an extra day, which is a surprising bonus.

I'm still waiting for my hair to be long enough to do some of my favourite styles, like the Celtic Bun, but I am finding it easy to be patient, given that I'm so busy these days.

I'm just not really giving my hair a lot of thought, which is probably a good thing.

I hope that everyone's week is off to a good start.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Quotes About The Nature Of Life, Love and The Universe

2010-12-19T19:04:00.000-05:00

Here are some quotes that I've been pondering and mean a lot to me from a diverse array of authors. There might be one that strikes you.

"If out of all mankind one finds a single friend, he has found something more precious than any treasure, since there is nothing in the world so valuable that it can be compared to a real friend.--Andreas Capellanus

"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread."--Mother Teresa

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."--Buddha

"We have to take the whole universe as the expression of the one Self. Then only our love flows to all beings and creatures in the world equally."--Swami Ramdas

"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty".--Albert Einstein

"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope."--Robert Francis Kennedy quotes

"Wicked men obey out of fear; good men, out of love."--Aristotle

"Man is a being with free will; therefore, each man is potentially good or evil, and it's up to him and only him (through his reasoning mind) to decide which he wants to be."--Ayn Rand

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling misunderstood
xo

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Hairstyle How-To: Asymmetrical Figure 8

2010-12-18T18:56:00.001-05:00

This sleek hairstyle can take you from office to holiday party, depending on how you accessorize it.

Here are some photos, clickable for larger pictures as always, with instructions following them.

It's made by doing a Figure 8 updo as shown in this entry, however, instead of moving the top coil of hair straight down to create the "8 effect", you move the coil in a slightly diagonal direction.

After that, move the coils to position them for your desired look. This makes it look much less like an 8.

Put in hair sticks and you're done. In these photos, I'm using Mei Fa Hairstyx in Raspberry.

Hope you're having a lovely pre-holiday weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling alone today.
xo

Another Busy Day And No More Oil Slick :)

2010-12-17T18:06:00.000-05:00

Well, I have just now (hopefully) finished doing the personal business that has kept me busy for the last 10 days, at least for today. I'm hoping to have the weekend off of that, and the boys and I are going to clean the house and get things ready for Christmas. We will wait to decorate when my daughter arrives home, as is her wish. We like to decorate late anyway, so that the magic of the decorations is still in bloom on Christmas day.

My husband and I will be doing some Christmas shopping tomorrow evening. The last Saturday night before Christmas is absolutely the best time to shop if you don't want a crowd. Most people are out at Christmas parties, and the stores are relatively quiet. It's the best kept secret in retail! We can do five hours worth of Christmas shopping in an hour and a half. We know what we need, so it's going to be fun.

I washed out the oil slick with a 1.5:1 ratio of coconut oil to shampoo, and my hair is back to its happy self. It's amazing really, how much difference it can be from saturation level to the appropriate level of coconut oil to shampoo. I actually might have been okay with a 2:1 ratio, but I wasn't taking any chances, given how oily my hair was. I'm still working on finding the perfect mix.

Some people are having success with merely a 1 :4 ratio of coconut oil to shampoo. We're just all so different. It amazes me.

Right now, it's just me and the dog. My son is at work and so is my husband, although he'll be home for a dinner break later in the evening. I'm wound up like a top right now after a day full of phone calls and errand, and I'm bone tired.

Once again, I'm going to do my best to relax this evening in hope that I'm ready to spring into action tomorrow.

I wish everyone a wonderful weekend, and for those of you who will be partying, please be safe.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling frightened today.
xo

Can't Allow Panic To Set In

2010-12-16T16:58:00.001-05:00

Well, I have a migraine, I've been busy with taking care of things for my parents to the exclusion of almost everything else, the house is a mess, Christmas is coming, and I can feel panic beginning to arise.

I need to put a firm stop to that ASAP. I cannot afford either mentally or physically to go into panic mode. After I write this, I am going to chill, chill, chill and then chill until there is not a lick of anxiety left in me. I have to do it.

Logically, I know that all of the Christmas stuff will get done, and so will everything else. There really isn't all that much to do, so I'm worrying needlessly. I'm just overwhelmed right now.

I don't have a thing to say about my hair, as I haven't given it a single second of thought today.

Okay, my mind is a blank, so I guess that's it for today. Not much of a post, I'm afraid, but that's the kind of day it is.

Hope to be clear-headed and write a worthy post tomorrow. How I would love to have a hairstyle photo to show!

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Arrgggghhhh! I'm an Oil Slick

2010-12-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

I think by now it's clear that I'm in love with my coconut oil soap. From reading the reports of everyone who is using what is now being called "Movie Star Shampoo", everyone seems to need a different ratio of coconut oil to shampoo. Some use more shampoo than oil, others, like me, use more oil than shampoo.

However, the last time I washed my hair, I accidentally doubled the amount of coconut oil in my mixture.

Let me tell you, it ain't pretty.

The ends of my hair are fairly happy, but all of the hair from the forehead to the nape just looks plain oily. Wearing an updo barely helps, because it looks as though I greased my hair back. Yipes!

So, I'll be making sure to be more diligent about my measurements in the future. When I do the correct ratio, my hair doesn't look oily at all. In fact it just looks lustrous and full.

There's a lot going on right now in my life that's distracting me, so I'm not really in shock that I made such a goof. Anyway, one shampoo will take care of that little oops.

My bangs are already at the stage when I would ordinarily trim them. I guess I forget how quickly they grow. They're starting to irk me already, so I may have to start using gel to keep them out of my eyes.

I don't know how this bang-growing-out thing is going to work. I just might not have the patience right now.

I'm starting to get a bit nervous about Christmas. I've had so much on my plate that I really haven't made the proper preparations as yet.

I guess things will get done though, as they always do.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: Another Quote

2010-12-14T19:13:00.004-05:00

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”--M. Ghandhi

Sometimes we feel so small and helpless in this world and feel that we can do nothing to change things. We may feel that our feeble efforts are of little use. Yet, even in the smallest ways, if we behave in the way we wish the world to be, it does change the world, even if only one person learns a lesson or benefits from us.

You don't need to be perfect; heaven knows I'm not. However, if you can behave in ways that improve your own or someone else's life, even in the smallest way, you are making a difference.

Perhaps you give a smile to someone who needs it. Or maybe you say a kind word just when that person needs to hear it. Maybe you'll open up a door for a stranger at a store, and that's the first kindness that they've experienced in some time. You might stand up to a bully and tell them that what they're doing is just not acceptable. You may have been an abused child, but have made a firm commitment to never lay your hands on your child. That in itself is a little miracle. You have broken a cycle.

Even a genuine compliment given can change a person's mood and therefore their day. We can literally give a gift to every person we meet, if we choose.Who knows what chain of positive events we might start.

It doesn't take a world leader or a saint to change the world. It doesn't take money. We can make little differences every day. Don't ever forget your own power.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Thinking of Growing Out My Bangs

2010-12-13T18:40:00.002-05:00

I love my bangs, but sometimes I want to change up my look.

Since I won't be cutting my hair any time soon, getting a perm, or changing my hair colour, growing out my bangs seems like the only way to change my hair's appearance. If I grow out my bangs, I'll be able to include them in crown braids or other hair styles that I really like.

The last time I grew out my bangs, it was a hassle, even once they were fully grown out. Because my hair grows straight down, my hair was always in my face unless I clipped it back or put it behind my ears. It was fine for updos, but not when I wore my hair down.

Ideally, I'd like to "train" my bangs to frame my face, but as much as I tried, it just doesn't work for me. Gel was not an option at that time, because the only gels I knew made my hair stiff and dry.

Since then, I discovered my Morrocco Method gel, which is flexible, hair friendly has amazing hold and requires very little product. I'm hoping I'll be able to use that to keep my hair out of my face. In any case, it's going to be quite a while before I have to worry about it because I just trimmed my bangs about 2 weeks ago. Mind you, I generally need to trim my bangs every 3 weeks or so; maybe I'll need to start holding my bangs back artificially fairly soon, come to think of it.

Anyway, wish me luck. As many of you know, growing out bangs requires oodles of patience, and I'm already using up my supply.

So I guess we'll see.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Another Unexpected Benefit of Oil Soap

2010-12-12T18:05:00.001-05:00

I've been extremely busy taking care of some things for my parents as well as coping with a migraine for the past few days, and while I've been showering, I haven't been washing my hair.

In the past, whether I used shampoo and conditioner or conditioner only, I've always felt my hair is greasy by day 3.

Today, my hair feels as clean as it did on the day I washed it. I can't begin to tell you my surprise. That oil soap is becoming better and better, as far as the benefits.

Who would have thought that using all of that coconut oil with shampoo could make such a difference and leave my hair feeling so soft but not oily?

I couldn't be more delighted with my results, as I've already said.

I hope to hear from some of you who have tried the oil soap method. It's the most revolutionary thing that I've tried since starting my long hair journey.

It's important to know that everyone seems to need to use a different ratio of coconut oil to shampoo, and some people are using no conditioner afterwards at all, while some of us have to.

Anyway, if you've tried it, I'd love to hear about it.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Sometimes This Is Tedious

2010-12-11T17:12:00.002-05:00

While I have oft said that I am not trying to rush into the future and wish my life away, I must admit that this hair-growing can be tedious. It requires every ounce of patience that one possesses.

I know that some of you are lifelong longhairs, and can't relate, but for us growers, the difference from month to month is so frigging minuscule.

When I look at my progress from February to December, I realize just how far I've come, but I have a feeling that my next trip to waist is going to be a very, very long haul.

I guess this is an exercise in patience that I sorely need.

On the upside, I am still very happy with the present state of my hair. Aside from the fact that there are many hairstyles that I can't yet do, I am enjoying my hair as much as is humanly possible. I JUST WISH IT WERE LONGER!!!

Of course, I'll get there in due time, so I'm doing my best to relax about it. Unfortunately, once in a while I have days like these.

I suppose everyone has days like these whether it comes to hair, saving for a special item or losing weight. We get past it and don't let it get us down enough to give up.

Speaking of weight, I hadn't weighed myself for some time. I weighed myself 3 times this week, and there's no doubt about it; I've lost 10 pounds. It doesn't really show much, but I do know that the next 10 pounds will show a lot.

Realistically, I don't expect to lose more than another 10-13 pounds, unless I become a long distance runner. I will look quite good 10 pounds from now and I'll be able to wear my jeans!

So one thing frustrated me; one thing makes me happy. I guess we're all this way to some extent.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling alone today.
xo

Hairstyle How To: Double Vertical Braids

2010-12-10T18:26:00.003-05:00

This is an different variation on wearing a regular single braid or double braids. It doesn't look too interesting when you're standing still, but it creates an interesting swing when you walk.

I often do triple vertical braids, but for today i just did two. I didn't part the hair evenly enough into two sections that the braids were equal in width, but this gives you an idea of how it's supposed to look.

This is clearly an easy hairstyle to do.

Firstly, I parted my hair as if I were making a half-up, and I braided that area.

Secondly, I braided the remaining hair.

As I said earlier, this style has much more impact when one is moving. It creates an attractive swing, and has even more impact if you try three vertical braids.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Quick Entry

2010-12-09T18:33:00.002-05:00

Today I've been busy with family business for my parents. I've spent the day running around and/or on the phone, and I am completely spent. If I have any brain cells left, I can't access them.

I'm just popping in to say that while I didn't respond as yet to yesterday's comments, I really enjoyed them.

Just keep supporting your friends, what ever their style may be. And if someone gives you unwanted advice about your own personal style, let them know that it's not okay. We can't change the whole world, but we can effect change occasionally one person at a time.

Having a great hair day!

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

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Further to Live and Let Live

2010-12-08T18:08:00.001-05:00

On Sunday I discussed the seemingly constant cry for women to cut their hair that seems to permeate all media.

I really appreciated all of the comments left on that blog entry and the emails. A point was raised that of course, women cutting their hair into particular styles keeps the women going back to the hair salons and that is completely true.

The world of beauty and fashion would be nowhere without changing styles. With regard to hair, new hair cuts and styles leads to more business for hair salons, it creates a need for certain new styling products and appliances, and generally benefits all businesses who have a stake in the hair market.

So I do understand why beauty and fashion editors will discuss the latest trends in hair, which will then in turn benefit their sponsors.

What I don't understand however, is why they can't just show off the latest styles without putting down people who dare to be different. It's one thing to show what's hot right now; it's another to insult an entire group of people.

It seems to be a constant that long-haired women of a certain age are treated as unstable people who are either trying to recreate our youth or to trap a man. There are endless articles trying to uncover the "hidden reasons" why a woman over 35 or so would choose to wear long hair.

The really sad thing is that so many women buy into it. I wouldn't mind if they just bought into it for themselves alone, but it so often seems that women are on a mission to change other women who don't fit into the current fashion mold.

I myself have had hurtful things said to me about the length of my hair and my age, and by people very close to me. For the most part, I get compliments on my hair, but the negative comments, especially from friends and loved ones, do sting. I can't lie.

So once again, I ask you to support your sisters in whatever their style happens to be, whether they wear a brush cut or hair down to their ankles. We women are so much stronger when we are supportive of one another's differences rather than expecting everyone to be the same and belittling those who are not.

Wouldn't a world where we all looked and dressed completely alike be boring? I think so, and I like to celebrate every woman's own unique brand of beauty.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Off-Topic Tuesday: Domestic Violence

2010-12-07T20:30:00.001-05:00

I have been blessed to have a gentle and loving husband.

So many women have not been so blessed.

If you see any woman being abused in a domestic situation, please, please don't be the person who wants to mind their own business and stay out of it.

Please report any instances of spousal abuse to the police. You very well may save a life or more than one life.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone in pain today.
xo

Hairstyle How-To: Franny's Easy Holiday Updo

2010-12-06T21:04:00.005-05:00

I know that a lot of people are looking to try a new look in updos for the holiday season. I believe that the easier, the better, most of the time. This is another very quick and easy hairstyle that takes only a minimum of practice to achieve an optimal look. It's surprisingly impressive from behind, and shows quite nicely from the front. It's something like a French Twist with a large loop on the top and can make quite a bold statement if done correctly.

Here is a back view of the updo: (All photos are clickable for larger pictures and closer viewing.)

The Instructions:

1. Gather hair as if into a ponytail.

2. Loop ponytail around two fingers on left hand. (all of this will be opposite if your are left-handed.)

3. Twist the loop that you have created in a counter-clockwise direction.

4. Continue twisting loop until you run out of hair to twist.

5. When you've run out of hair to twist, tuck the ends into the French Twist-like portion of the hair and secure near the top of the twist and under the loop with a barrette or hair clip. In this example, I am using a medium Ficcare Maximas in Blue Jeans. I must mention that I did not end up tucking all of the ends into the twist in these particular photos.

6. Fan out loop, and leave it free, as I have done, or pin the loop in place to achieve your own desired look. You may want to pin some parts of the loop up and some in other directions for a different effect.

Here are two other photos of the finished product:

I hope that you'll give this updo a try. As I have mentioned it's extremely easy to do, and I'd love to hear how others have made it work with various hair types.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Live And Let Live--Please!

2010-12-05T18:50:00.003-05:00

I am really getting tired of articles written by beauty reporters and fashion consultants who think that very long hair simply needs to be cut. I was pointed to the direction of this blurb, written by the Allure Daily Beauty Reporter.

I really felt annoyed that the reporter had to put down a woman for proudly having hair down to her buttocks, and then going the extra mile to figure out the psychological reasons why some women are "afraid" to cut their hair.

While I have no doubt that some women cut their hair for psychological reasons, and others keep their hair long for psychological reasons, I truly believe that most women wear their hair at the particular length they wear it simply because that's the way they like it.

Of course there are also religious and cultural reasons why some women keep their hair very long.

Once in a blue moon, I read similar articles about women with short hair, but the focus is almost always on long hair. And by long hair, usually beauty editors mean anything longer than collarbone length.

Why is there this seemingly constant need in the beauty industry to suggest that women need to cut their hair? Particularly, women who have reached middle age are picked on for having long hair. If a woman feels beautiful with her hair at whatever length she wears it, that's good enough for me. I wish that we women would all be more supportive of one another's unique style.

Isn't that what it's really all about?

I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all and extra hugs to anyone who is ill today.
xo

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Another Quiet Saturday, and Still Loving My Hair

2010-12-04T18:43:00.002-05:00

It's been a lovely quiet day. The men of the household are both off today, and they took advantage of the day off to get some extra sleep. I was up early, so I had a lot of quiet time to read and to watch a movie. I did a few chores, but mostly I have spent the day relaxing. What could be more delightful?

I watched White Oleander today. I've seen it before, but it's being run again on one of my movie networks, and I thought it deserved another viewing. I had forgotten the beautiful long hair in the movie. While I am quite sure that both Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman are wearing extensions in the film, it is inspiring nonetheless to see straight blonde hair that is longer than waist length. While I'm not fool enough to think that my hair will ever look like the hair I saw in the film, it still gives me incentive to keep on growing.

My son and I caught up on the episodes that we had missed of The Amazing Race, which we've been watching together since the second season. We always have a lot of fun watching it, and we never fail to have at least one good belly laugh when we view it.

I am still using the oil soap shampoo, and I continue to be delighted with the results. I'm still playing around with the ratios. Most recently I've been using a ratio of 1:1 of coconut oil and shampoo, mixed with water in a squeeze bottle. I am finding it necessary to use only the smallest amount of conditioner, which is nice. This method is turning out to be quicker than even COing has been, and I really had that routine down.

You may recall that it was through reading Ktani's blog entry about hair care from movie stars of the past that I first became aware of the oil soap. If you haven't read Ktani's Hair Sense blog and you're interested in some interesting research regarding hair care, I suggest you check it out. She also wrote a very interesting entry debunking the myths surrounding silicones in conditioners, which I found very informative.

In any case, it's been 3 weeks with the oil soap, and the results are still amazing me. This is the closest I have ever felt to having hair that looks like the hair in hair care commercials. I think this is the future of my hair routine.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Really Enjoying My Hair Today

2010-12-03T18:08:00.001-05:00

First of all, thank you to all who commented on yesterday's progress photos. It made me feel very good, and I really appreciate it.

It's been a long haul just to get where I am, so having people cheer me on helps like you wouldn't believe.

Usually, when I'm just at home, I wear my hair up to keep it protected from wear and tear. While I do like to wear my hair loose when I go out, it's usually up when I'm here.

Today though, I wore my hair loose for part of the day, and I caught myself looking in the mirror with surprise a couple of times. I am yet again noticing how much longer it's getting, especially in the front.

It's such a great feeling to actually be able to see myself that my hair is growing. So often, we don't actually notice the changes in our own hair, because we see it every day.

Perhaps because I wear my hair up most of the time, I view my hair the way others might who haven't seen me for a while.

So I guess wearing one's hair up serves more than the purpose of protecting the hair and keeping it out of harm's way. It also allows us to notice the difference when it's worn down.

I'm really feeling positive about the way my hair feels and looks these days too. It's really been soft and shiny.

All in all, this has been a delightfully good hair day. I think I'll just leave it at that.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow my friends. Much love to all.
xo

December Update

2010-12-02T19:40:00.007-05:00

Here are my December length photos. This month my hair grew 1/2 inch, but I also trimmed 1/2 inch, so there has been no visible growth. For quite some time, actually a few years, my hair was growing 3/4 inch per month, but I've noticed that for the past few months, I'm only gaining about 1/2 inch per month. I don't know why I'm experiencing slower growth, but it's been pretty constant since early this year.

Nonetheless, I'm pleased with my progress.

As a reminder, here is a length photo from February of this year.

It's probably needless to say that I'm not thrilled with the thin ends (do I ever stop whining about that?), but I know that eventually they will be removed.

Also, I'm starting to think that since the slower growth has become a regular thing, I may not be at waist length for my 50th birthday next July. If that's the case, so be it. I'll get there eventually.

All in all, it's been a pretty good year so far for growth and trimming away damage, so I'm good with it.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling anxious today.

Happy December!

2010-12-01T16:57:00.002-05:00

It's December already. I can scarcely believe it. Does last Christmas really feel as though it was almost a year ago? No. Not at all, at least not to me.

Seriously, where does the time go? It feels as though I'm still getting used to it being 2010, and yet in a month, it will be yet another New Year's Day.

When I really think about it, I can see and feel that time has passed. A year ago, I was still on what had become a complete hiatus for 15 months, from any online forums, my own website and Facebook. I wasn't even writing emails. For some reason, I needed to be alone with my thoughts for a while, and it wasn't until mid-January of this year that I returned to LHC and it was in February that I became active on Facebook. It was in April that I began this blog.

Also, a year ago, my hair wasn't even reaching APL length, and now I've just gotten past BSL.

When I think of all of the individual events that have happened in my life and in my family this year, I do realize that it really must be December, but it really is true that time is a relative thing, and as we get older, time genuinely does feel as though it passes so quickly. It's so important not to look to far ahead and wish your life away.

That's why I really do my best not to think ahead much to my next goals where my hair is concerned. Yes, my next goal is in the back of my mind, and I do have some days when I am frustrated by my lack of length, but for the most part, I try to just appreciate my hair the way it is now, and focus on its health and not on the length.

It seems as though just about everyone I know either has a cold or has a family member who has a cold. I am one of the ones who has a cold right now. It started on Sunday, and today, I'm feeling an enormous amount of sinus pain, and I have some chills, although I only have a very low-grade fever. I am quite certain that I do not have a sinus infection, so I know that in just a day or two I'll be feeling better.

I won't lie though; a sinus headache along with a migraine is really not much fun. The weather went from a balmy 57F/14C yesterday down to about 32F/0C today, so I think the drastic change accounts for the migraine. That should stabilize soon too.

On days like this, I am very happy that my hair is long enough to put up so that it can be kept out of my face.

This morning I took my hair down from my bedtime bun, gave it a brushing to get rid of shed hairs, and I just put my hair back up in a bun. Voila, hair done for the day!

I know that a lot of people find that having bangs is a lot of work, but with my hair type and the thickness of my bangs, mine are completely maintenance-free. They just lie straight down from the time I comb them down after a wash and they stay that way until the next wash. Once in a blue moon, they stick up on one side after sleeping, but a quick pat with a wet hand, and a couple of strokes with a comb, and they're as good as new.

I guess I'm lucky in that way.

Anyway, I do wish a very happy December to everyone.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: The Season Begins

2010-11-30T17:03:00.005-05:00

Well, looking at the calendar and seeing that tomorrow is the first of December has really woken me up to the fact that Christmas will be here before I know it.

Unlike many of my friends who have all or most of their shopping done, and even their decorating, I haven't really even given much thought to Christmas yet.

We never really have been a family who decorates the house for Christmas far ahead of the actual day. We generally decorate and put up the tree about a week before Christmas. Sometimes I think that when the decorations are put up too early, they have lost their magic by the time Christmas actually comes. It can get to the point where you don't even notice them anymore, because they've just become part of every day living.

As for the shopping, well, I am definitely behind. If I were a different kind of person, I would have been out last Friday, when all the sales were on. However, I just don't do well in those kind of big crowds. I tend to get overwhelmed and frustrated. My husband and I have discovered that Saturday evenings in December are the absolute best times to shop. It seems that most people are busy at Christmas parties and there are relatively few shoppers. We can usually get pretty much all of our shopping done in just a few hours on a Saturday evening, as long as we have things well planned.

For me, the key is knowing in advance what I am looking for. I like to have an idea of what I want to get someone before I head out the door. I'm not a shopper who likes to just browse and stumble upon an idea.

The most important thing is that both of my kids will be here for Christmas, and we'll all be together. That's the real magic of the season. And now that they are young adults, Christmas is calmer and less tiring than it was when they were little.

At first, I missed all the craziness of Christmas morning with small children. However, it didn't take me long to appreciate the peace and quiet enjoyment of the family just moving at a relaxed pace on a Christmas morning and having the family actually sleep in past 6 a.m. It used to be the kids who were up first, but now I'm usually the first one awake, being the early riser that I am.

For the last few years, I've been up hours before the rest of the family on Christmas, which has been quite nice, to be honest. It's enjoyable to have some time alone at the beginning of the day for quiet reflection.

A week ago, I wasn't even ready to start thinking about the Christmas season, but now, on the eve of December, I have to admit that I'm looking forward to it.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

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Are Salon Shampoos and Conditioners Really Worth It?

2010-11-29T17:58:00.004-05:00

This is a question that most people who care about their hair want to know the answer to. There are a lot of people who only use products purchased at a salon, and many of us who use grocery store brands.

I remember the days when I was single and had the disposable income to get my hair cut or trimmed every 8 weeks and have highlights put in every 3 or 4 months. I used to love the salon experience, and of course, I always bought the products that my hairstylist recommended.

Later, once I was married, had kids, and no longer felt that it was appropriate to spend a lot of money on shampoo and conditioner, I was fortunate enough to have an aunt who used to give me just about a year's supply of salon-brand shampoo, conditioner and deep treatments each Christmas.

Did those products really make a difference?

In my case, I honestly have to say no. For the past few years I have been primarily using the least expensive conditioners that are available. Although until I started using the coconut oil soap I wasn't using shampoo regularly, I did have a shampoo to clarify my hair when needed. Again, it is a bargain shampoo.

And my hair has never been healthier looking or more well-behaved.

While it's true that there are other factors as to why my hair is in better condition than it ever was, such as not heat styling, not combing my hair when wet, and wearing my hair in a protective updo while I sleep, if the salon products were that important, my hair just wouldn't be as healthy as it is.

I know I can't speak for everyone, and perhaps people with different hair types than mine might benefit from salon products. I just know what works for me, and what is working for me right now is the bargain basement products.

While I felt really good using the high-end products that only could be purchased at a salon, I think it was the illusion of using only the best that made me feel good.

Of course, it's important to remember that as with anything, there are going to be drugstore or grocery store products that don't particularly agree with one's hair, but I'm fairly sure that there is going to be something in those stores that will work just fine. It's a matter of trial and error. The same goes with salon products.

Personally, I would rather use trial and error on inexpensive products than on expensive ones.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle: Lace Rope Braided Half-Updo

2010-11-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

No, I am not sporting beachy waves created by heat styling products today. :) I managed to resist

Instead I'm wearing a Lace Rope Braided Half-Up. As you can see in the second photo, I rope braided the sides of my hair, using the lace braid method, and then continued each rope braid until they met in the middle, where I fastened them together with a France Luxe Barrette.

Of course it's always in hindsight that I see all of the flaws in my photos. For example, the hair from the crown, above the braids, isn't as nicely combed as I would have liked, but as so often happens, things show up in photos that don't seem as obvious when I look in the mirror. Sometimes that flash acts almost like an x-ray, exposing every imperfection. Since it's dark outside now though, I had no choice but to use a flash.

I see that my perfectionism is trying to kick in. I am supposed to be breaking myself of that habit. Well, I guess that just posting these photos is proof that I'm at least making a bit of headway in that area.

In any case, this is a nice style idea for days when I want to enjoy my length, but keep the canopy hair somewhat protected by being out of the way.

This style could be varied by taking the two braids, combining them and then making a single braid from them. I'll be showing that type of combination braid in a future entry.

I am looking at the calendar, and I am almost in disbelief that November is almost over. Christmas is in less than a month!

I imagine that many of my friends managed to do Christmas shopping this past Friday, when there were some good sales on. I was not brave enough (or well enough) to venture to the stores that day.

I hope that everyone has had a good weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Missing My Heat Appliances

2010-11-27T17:25:00.004-05:00

It doesn't happen often, and I don't frequently get the urge, but today, I am just longing to use some of my favourite heat appliances.

There are so many beautiful photos of women with loose, beachy waves that are so popular these days, and I would just love to have that look.

The only way I could really attain that though would be to use a large-barreled curling iron, or use a technique with a straightening iron that I've seen done. I also have a triple-barreled curling iron that gives lovely waves.

I am not one of those people who thinks it's sacrilege to use heat appliances. While I have written at length about just why heat appliances are damaging to hair, I don't think that there's anything wrong with people using them, as long as they are making an informed choice. Plus, some people have strong hair that can withstand heat styling better than others.

Unfortunately, I know I can't have it all. I've already made an informed choice to dye my hair, knowing that no matter how much care I put into my hair, there is no way it will ever be as healthy and strong as if I didn't dye it.

Given that I do colour my hair, I really can't risk the additional damage that heat-styling would cause.

When I used to heat style, I would often have split ends even at shoulder length. Right now, I don't have even one split end.

Yet, I am just itching to pull out a curling iron right now and style my hair into the loose, sexy waves that only hot irons can produce.

Yes, I can create a type of curl with sponge rollers, and I do know of ways to create waves with bandannas, braids and pin curls, but the outcome isn't as easy to control as it is with heat appliances. Also, there is instant gratification with heat styling.

However, I'm wearing my hair down, and even though it was washed yesterday, it looks as lovely and shiny as freshly washed hair. And there are no annoying splits for me to obsess over.

So I guess my curling irons will stay in the drawers and cupboards where they've been for over four years now. As much as I'm craving those beachy waves, I know that I would regret it if I started giving in to heat styling. I should count myself lucky that my hair is as good as it is considering that I dye it.

Perhaps instead, I'll do some sleuthing for yet more new methods of creating waves without heat. If I discover anything exciting, I'll be sure to share it here--with photos, of course.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling ill today.
xo

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Hairstyle: Dutch Braided Bun

2010-11-26T17:46:00.004-05:00

The hairstyle I'm wearing today is a Dutch Braided Bun. If you can make a regular French braid, you can make a Dutch or inverted braid. I've mentioned before that to make a Dutch Braid, you cross the middle strand over instead of under for every round of braiding.

I Dutch braided my hair and continued the braid to the ends and fastened it with a hair-friendly elastic. Then I took the braid, coiled it around itself and secured it with a Ficcarissimo in Emerald.

The braiding in these photos looks a bit loose. I think my hair was a bit too soft today to do a really nice tight Dutch braid. Sometimes it's easier to have a tighter braid a day or two after washing. However, if you know me, you know that I like looser braids just as much.

It's been a very windy day here today, and this is the first time it is actually starting to feel cold. We got the tiniest dusting of snow flurries. It was so light that it looked like the powdered sugar on a doughnut. Here for a few moments and then gone.

I hope that everyone has a lovely weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

First Snow Flurries Are Coming

2010-11-25T16:48:00.007-05:00

Yes, it's true; we're expecting some minor snow flurries tonight and perhaps tomorrow. I don't think it will amount to much, but it certainly reminds me that it's not summer anymore!

Actually, where I live, we don't tend to get much snow. Sometimes there is a great deal of snow an hour to the southeast of us and sometime a lot an hour to the northeast of us, but it's rare that we get a huge snowstorm, comparatively speaking. I guess it's the way my city is situated on the lake.

Last year we really didn't have a really meaningful snow storm. It seemed that a lot of places in the U.S. got dumped with a lot of snow, but not us. That's fine by me. I actually can't remember the last time we had a blizzard.

While I'm not too concerned about the minor snow flurries, I do know that it often takes people a while to get used to driving in even light snow, so I hope that everyone keeps safe.

I have to admit that the change of the weather has brought on another mega-migraine. I struck a good balance between resting and doing a couple of simple but extremely important tasks today. Accomplishing anything at all when I have a migraine makes me feel good, and having done some things that really needed to be done made me feel great.

I'll be relaxing pretty much for the rest of the day, and I'll turn in early.

It's also been a bit of a holiday from thinking about hair and hair-related topics for me. I haven't even checked in on any of the long hair sites today. So I really don't have to much to talk about hair-wise.

I'm still feeling content with my hair, and today, it's just up in a simple bun, quietly growing without my being aware of it.

Well, it's Thanksgiving in the U.S., and I wish those of you who celebrate it a very happy day.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

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Still Refining My Oil Soap Method

2010-11-24T17:15:00.004-05:00

Yes, I'm still on the oil soap kick. I'm changing up my mixes to see just what works the best.

As I mentioned on Sunday, I touched up my roots, and often my hair is a bit dry afterwards. It wasn't as dry as usual this time, but I did a deep coconut oiling on the length of my hair last night.

Today I washed it out with 2 parts coconut oil, 1 part shampoo, and 3 parts water. I'm still playing with the ratios. I'll be happy when I've decided on one recipe that I can use all the time. Today's recipe was good. I thought that the 3 parts oil was good too though. I must keep experimenting.

It still amazes me that while my hair is being rinsed after the oil soap shampoo, it feels a bit oily, but when I get out of the shower and remove my turbie towel, my hair doesn't feel greasy or oily at all, and it dries beautifully. It doesn't look as though there is oil in my hair, but the shine and manageability is drastically improved.

On the other hand, if I apply even the slightest bit of coconut oil to my hair when it's dry, it looks very oily indeed.

I should also add that I only had to use a fraction of the conditioner that I would normally use, after rinsing out the oil soap.

It's been really interesting to see how many different people at LHC have been enthusiastically participating in the oil soap experiments. It seems to be an overwhelming success with just about everyone, from fine straighties such as myself, to people with extremely coarse and curly hair and everything in between.

I suspect that once my month of experimentation is finished, I will be using oil soap instead of COing. It's early days yet, but I think that will be the result. I just may have to change my regimen post to reflect this.

One of the great things about belonging to a long hair forum is being exposed to so many new ideas and the enjoyment that comes from participating in the experiments that one is interested in. It feels really good to know that I'm not the only person crazy enough to try these things, and it's a lot of fun to compare notes.

It's been such a long time since I felt the urge or need to try anything new, as I've been in a very happy hair routine for years. It's been quite refreshing to embark on something new, and it reminds me of the excitement I felt when I first joined the forum at the time that I first started my original long hair journey.

I just find it really exciting to know that as much as I've learned about caring for my hair, there are always new things to discover.

By the way, I have read and am extremely appreciative of all of the recent comments. I just haven't gotten around to responding to them as yet, but I will.

To my American friends who celebrate it, I wish you all a joyous Thanksgiving. To those of you who don't, I hope you enjoy your little vacation.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: A Bit On Being A Mom

2010-11-23T18:03:00.004-05:00

Is there any role that we women might choose to take on in life that has more possibilities for experiencing great joys as being a mother? On the other hand, is there any role that is more fraught with the possibilities of self-doubt and self-recrimination?

Obviously, many women choose to be child-free, and believe me, I'm not implying that every woman thinks that the greatest joys in life come from being a mother, but for those of us who have chosen to be mothers, I think most would agree that some of the most euphoric moments in our lives have centred around our children in some way or another.

But as I mentioned there's that shadow side. That side that has us second-guessing our decisions, the side that has us looking back and wondering if we made the right choice on such and such an issue many years ago. And the scary truth is that we'll never know the answer to that.

Maybe not all mothers have this experience, but I know I do.

I always wanted to have children. Becoming a mother seemed as natural a choice to me as breathing. During pregnancy I was so excited, but at the same time so frightened, Who was I, I would think on occasion, to raise a child and prepare him or her for the world? How could I teach and shape little minds when I had so far to go as a human being myself?

Yet, the children came and I gave it my all, despite my worries. I did the best I knew how to do. And I raised some pretty awesome kids, who are now young adults. So for the most part, I guess I did okay.

I look back though and I see the mistakes I did make and some that I may have made. I always tried to do right by them, but how does one know if one has succeeded?

Sometimes we have to make hard choices, and we really have nothing to go on except our gut feelings. That has to be good enough.

I just wish that it always felt good enough. Logically, I know it's impossible to be a perfect parent, no matter how hard one tries. In many cases there is no clear-cut right answer to an issue, and we have to go on instinct alone. But is our instinct always right?

One thing I noticed when the children were growing up is how they would remember so clearly some seemingly random, relatively unimportant events, yet they had little memory of events that I would have thought were life-changing.

One never really knows what goes on in the mind of a child, what they hold on to, and what they let go of.

Most days, I feel as though I did a pretty good job as a mother.

Some days, I just can't stop thinking of all of the do-overs I wish I could have. Some nights I lay awake, filled with regret and anxiety over a choice that I made five, ten, fifteen, or even twenty years ago. There is no changing the past however. That much is certain.

I just hope that one day I get to the point where I really believe that having done my best and giving them all my love was truly good enough.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle: Asymmetrical Boho Bun

2010-11-22T19:24:00.008-05:00

Today I'm wearing an Asymmetrical Boho Bun.

I did a rather loose Dutch lace braid from my right temple to my left ear. Making a lace braid is just like making a regular French or Dutch braid, except that I only add new hair to the outermost strands as I go.

And to be honest, the term "Dutch braid" is really a misnomer, but it seems to be the common terminology for an inverted French braid. With a Dutch braid, the centre strand is always braided over the other two strands rather than under as in a usual French braid.

After I finished braiding, I just twisted a bun under my left ear and pinned it into place. It has a bit of a messy look, but it just doesn't look right to me if it's too perfect. It should look as though it's just thrown together.

I hope that everyone's week is off to a good start.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

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Another Quiet Sunday

2010-11-21T18:11:00.007-05:00

It's been a nice quiet day here today, and I've enjoyed it.

I just touched up my roots and my hair is still wet. I waited 5 weeks between colourings this time, but really, my silver roots were far too apparent. It's really best aesthetically for me to touch up every 4 weeks, but this time, I wanted to give it a bit more time. However, if I had had a special event to attend this week, I definitely would have coloured sooner.

I was thinking today how nice it would be if there was just one tried and true hair regimen that worked for everyone. It always amazes me how even people with the exact same hair type differ with how they react to various products and treatments.

I feel so fortunate that I've found a regimen that works for me.

I am really starting to feel like my hair is long again for real. I am not jaded enough by the many extreme lengths at LHC to feel as though my hair is "short" at BSL.

Perhaps if I ever reach my goal length of tail-bone, I may eventually feel that BSL is relatively short, but I certainly don't feel that way right now.

I am looking forward to the ability to do more styles when my hair gets longer though, and I definitely don't think that my hair is long enough, but I'm pretty content right now. I must remember how this feels the next time I get frustrated with my hair.

Well, I don't really have anything more to blab about today. I'm going to have some soup and watch "High Society", which is a film I haven't seen in years.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Powerful Beyond Measure

2010-11-20T17:05:00.005-05:00

For a couple of weeks, I've been ruminating on this passage from A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles by Marianne Williamson. It resonates with me so much, because I realize how we women especially, often tend to minimize the importance of our presence or our impact in this world.

Although the passage speaks of God by name, I think that the passage is meant for anyone, regardless of spiritual beliefs. If you're an atheist, simply substitute the word "mankind" instead. Some may want to use the words, "The Universe". If your religion has another name for a higher power, then use that. The important thing is the message.

I have thought about these words line by line, and I really feel the need to share these thoughts on this Saturday evening. I hope you'll give them some thought:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people will not feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not in just some of us;
It's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and may you all shine.
xo

I Wouldn't Believe It If It Didn't Happen To Me

2010-11-19T17:19:00.006-05:00

I have tried all kinds of homemade treatments and different methods on my hair since joining LHC. I've never been one to spend a lot of money on expensive salon products or anything, but I will try just about anything if it's cheap and homemade.

Although many treatments and elements of my regimen have been good for my hair's overall health, I have never once done anything that was so successful that someone actually noticed the difference.

Until now.

My husband, knowing my interest in hairstyles and hair care, has been wonderful with supporting me in my long hair journey. He does notice a new braid or hairstyle, and he does notice when it's starting to look long, but this time, he noticed that my hair looked different after using the oil soap!

He remarked to me yesterday that he could see the difference after the first time I tried it. I asked him to describe what he meant. He said that my hair looked much shinier, and he noticed that it's just falling differently. I asked him to try to articulate what he meant by that, and it seems that he sees that my hair looks somehow fuller and that it falls like a sheet rather than going "piece-y" as it usually does.

Now, I don't know if you realize how HUGE this is. Using the oil soap, I did notice myself that my hair is more shiny and lustrous, and I did notice that it's softer and that my halo hairs are lying down a bit more rather than sticking upwards.

However, I never imagined that the difference would be so noticeable that it would be visible to someone else!

I can tell you that I will definitely be continuing to experiment with the coconut oil soap until further notice. I can't tell you how excited I am with the results!

Well, I had a very strange night last night again. It's still this dang migraine. I woke up at 2:15 a.m. and I was wide awake. I had not gone to bed early last night.

Needless to say, I was not feeling too hot. I was waiting to feel drowsy enough to go back to bed, but it just wasn't happening. Finally at about 11:30a.m., I was able to head upstairs and at last I had a very long nap. After so little sleep this week in general, I confess that I still feel exhausted despite the long nap, but I am sure that if I can sleep well tonight, I may well feel rested tomorrow. Which would be nice. This has been a bit of a rough week, and sadly those things that I wanted to get done that were hanging over my head are still hanging there.

Well, if I feel better tomorrow, I can go a long way to get these tasks out of the way. Okay, I'm going to sip some tea and relax away this migraine.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle How-To: Twisted Crossed Half-Up

2010-11-18T18:42:00.002-05:00

This style is just about the easiest half-updo that I know. However, I think it's elegant in its simplicity. (Photos clickable for larger image.)

I parted each side of my hair from the crown to the ears. I took the right side and twisted it inwardly three times, then took the left side and twisted it inwardly three times.

Then I crossed the left twist over the right twist and secured it with a Ficcare beak clip.

It really couldn't be easier.

For anyone who's wondering, I still have the migraine that started on Monday. I did however, get a better sleep last night. And once again, I'm happy to say that my spirits are good.

'Til tomorrow my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Just Coasting Along

2010-11-17T16:49:00.005-05:00

The title says it all. I'm just coasting on this long hair journey at the moment. I'm pretty happy with my length, and looking forward to the next milestone, but I'm not thinking about it too much. I am happy with my trim, and, well, just over-all pleased with my hair in general. I don't know that I'll feel that way tomorrow or next week, but today I do, and that's good.

I tried the oil shampoo again today. This time I thought I'd try a higher ratio of coconut oil to shampoo. I used 3 parts coconut oil, 1 part shampoo, and 3 parts water in my squeeze bottle. I love the way it comes out frothy almost like mousse. It makes it really easy to make sure that it spreads everywhere on my scalp readily.

Right now, I like the results of the oil soap with the higher oil ratio. The first thing I noticed was a huge increase in shine after my hair dried. Also, my hair doesn't feel too oily in any way. Of course, the true test will be how my hair is tomorrow. If I find that it's too oily or limp, then I will try at 2:1:2 coconut oil/shampoo/water ratio the next time. Really I should have done that today instead of 3:1:3, but I'm nothing if not zealous in my experiments.

I am back into a bit of a style rut. I just keep putting a bun on the top of my head when I'm at home. I do that because it's comfortable, really.

Unfortunately, my migraine did not go away, and it's still blasting away today. I set a new record of waking up early due to migraine, which was 2:30 a.m. I managed a short nap, but as you might imagine, that didn't do much.

I guess given how lousy I'm feeling physically, it's not surprising that I have not been busy practicing new hairstyles, or trying out some of the more intricate ones that I already know.

Again though, I can honestly say that my spirits are good, and as we all know, that's the most important thing.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

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Off-Topic Tuesday: Writer's Block

2010-11-16T17:19:00.001-05:00

I am staring at this computer screen and I realize that I really don't have much to say today.

Just as my tummy was starting to feel better, I felt a migraine coming on late yesterday, and by 4:30 this morning, it was such a blaster that it woke me up.

So I'm not feeling too comfortable at the moment, and the computer screen is not my friend right now.

I am a bit frustrated because there are still a couple of things on my to-do list that I wanted to get done and over with today, but I've been unable to, due to this migraine.

I'm hoping that this one will go away swiftly and not linger for days.

The house seems so quiet this week with my daughter gone back home and my son working full time hours. Even though he's considered a part-time employee, he's getting a lot of work. I know he's going to be really happy with the next few paycheques that he gets.

I am just wishing that I too could get out and work. It's migraine days like today though, that makes me wonder just when I'll be able to feel confident enough regarding my reliability in to take on work. I have way too many days when I can't function and if I had to work in this condition--well, I just couldn't. I don't think I'd make a good impression at any job if I had to leave work half-way through a day because I couldn't see straight.

Surprisingly though, my spirits are quite good, and I'm happy to have shed, for now at least, the gloom that permeated my existence a couple of weeks ago.

This is a total non-sequitur, but I've had an urge to buy some new makeup lately. Unfortunately, especially with the big plumbing expense, this is not a good time. Once things right themselves money-wise I'm going to treat myself to some new eyeshadow, I think. Or a new brand of mascara. Or both.

Well, that's about all the writing I can do for today. My eyes are telling me to stop. Plus, I think I've just been whining.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Oil Shampoo

2010-11-15T18:07:00.010-05:00

I have been following a thread on LHC that Ktani started and references in this blog entry of hers.

In researching hair care for movie stars from the past, she found that Carole Lombard's hair stylist used an oil shampoo that contained coconut oil and castile soap. Ktani did an amazing amount of research on the benefits of using an oil shampoo containing coconut oil. Since that time, many LHC members have been working to create a mix of coconut oil and shampoo that will work for them.

Today I was going to do that protein treatment that I've been talking about for a couple of days, but I still wasn't up to having a deep treatment on my head for an hour, so I thought I'd experiment with creating an oil shampoo.

Because my hair is colour treated, I know how important it is to make sure that I have enough protein in my hair. Coconut oil helps to protect the protein level in the hair, and after weeks of just observing the results of the the oil shampoo recipes that various LHC members have tried, I decided that even though I am a Conditioner Only girl, it couldn't hurt to give this a try, since I had all of the necessary ingredients handy.

For this experiment I mixed one part Down Under Naturals Fruit Kicks shampoo for colour-treated hair, and one part shampoo in a squeeze bottle. I then added one part warm water and I shook up the concoction (I ran the bottle under hot water for long enough to melt the coconut oil first).

When I got into the shower, I rinsed my hair thoroughly with water and then squeezed small amounts of the shampoo mixture on my scalp. It lathered up beautifully, and it had a lovely silky feeling as I washed it. I allowed the lather to reach the ends of my hair so that it could take up some of the oil, and I massaged my scalp for a minute or so.

I rinsed my hair thoroughly and I then added conditioner to the length of the hair from the nape down. I performed the rest of my showerly duties, rinsed my hair well, and then followed with my usual diluted ACV rinse.

I had been concerned that it would leave my hair feeling oily, but that was not the case. My hair feels clean but soft and it dried quite quickly and without any tangles.

It's far too soon to tell if this shampoo method will be beneficial, but I'm willing to experiment with it for a while. When I feel that I've experimented enough, I'll post the results here and also give my results to Ktani.

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful day it was here! Although the weather forecasts showed cloudy skies for this week, it turned out to be a lovely, mild and sunny day. I am feeling much better than I did, although my tummy is not quite back to normal. At least I slept better last night, and I was able to complete some tasks that I was not looking forward to doing, but that I knew needed to be done.

While I didn't set any records for accomplishments today, I did get to finish off a couple of errands that were weighing heavily on me, so I call that good.

I want to say hello to Viiryen, and thank you for posting a comment yesterday!

I guess that's it for today.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Rainy Sunday

2010-11-14T18:43:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's been a rainy day, perfect for someone who is still getting over a tummy bug. Happily, I'm not feeling the damp chill that I felt yesterday. I'm still not feeling up to par, but I was able to eat a little bit today. Unfortunately, I've been awake since 4 a.m., so my mind is still a little bit dull, as is my body. Early to bed, I guess.

Well, there must be something in the air, because I've noticed an unusual number of friends and LHC members wanting to cut their hair. I wonder if it has something to do with the time of year. I do know that the last time I cut my hair short was around this time of year. I don't know.

I've said before that I really like shorter cuts on some people, but the only thing that worries me is when people make impulsive decisions. It takes years to grow out very short hair, especially layered cuts. On the other hand, hair does grow back. Well, that's why I always suggest the two-week rule. A well thought out cut is likely to be a more successful cut than an impulsive cut is likely to be.

As for me, with being ill the last couple of days, I really haven't been thinking about or doing anything with my hair at all. I guess it's been a few days of benign neglect. I've just basically kept it up in a bun, doing it no harm, but not treating it especially well.

I really need to do that protein pack, because I can tell that my hair needs some protein right now, but it's not exactly an emergency.

Well, I'm off to watch the last hour of the BBC's version of Jane Austen's Emma. It's been an enjoyable series. While not completely faithful to the book, it is faithful in spirit to the book. I don't think there's a TV or movie adaptation of any Jane Austen novel that I haven't seen. Jane Austen is like comfort food to me.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, did what you wanted to do, and I wish you all a good week ahead.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

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Under The Weather On A Foggy Saturday

2010-11-13T17:58:00.003-05:00

Well, this will be very brief. I've got some kind of a tummy problem that woke me up in the night and I've been up since 4 a.m. I'm not only feeling quite ill but I'm very tired as well.

After a beautiful week of temperate weather and sunny skies, it's gotten very foggy, and while the temperature is not all that bad, it's one of those chilly damp days when one can never quite feel warm enough. It looks like we are going to be having cloudy skies and rain for the next several days. I'm so happy that the weather was good for my daughter's visit. It's so much colder where she lives than it is here.

If I must be ill, I'm glad it's on a day like this, when I'd just as soon bundle up in the house anyway. I think I'm going to get my Snuggie out of storage and put it to use this evening as I watch a movie. Actually, it's a Snuggie Deluxe--it has pockets!

My original plan for today was to wash my hair and do a deep protein treatment, but I'm too ill right now to wash my hair let alone sit with a head full of damp conditioner for an hour or more.

I really need to feel better tomorrow, because I have a few very important things hanging over my head that need to be taken care of.

So I'll leave you all with good wishes for the rest of your weekend. I'll be bundled up watching a movie and perhaps sipping on some ginger ale, which I seem to be craving.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Oh Dear

2010-11-12T19:26:00.002-05:00

Well, my daughter left for home early this morning, before the sun even came up. We were supposed to take some photos of her hair last evening, and also, she wanted me to give her a trim.

All of that came to a crashing halt when a simple toilet repair turned into a plumbing disaster.

To make a long story short, a pipe that should have been threaded into the main pipe was soldered in by the workers who built this house. There was no way to expect that, because in this particular case, every plumber would tell you that soldering is a no-no. So the shut-off pipe was broken right at floor level when my daughter and my husband were trying to remove and replace it.

Fortunately, the main water was shut off in the house, but once the pipe was broken, there was no way to turn the water back on in our home without a geyser shooting out in the kids' bathroom, which would have caused a major flood.

We had to call in a professional at 8:00 P.M., and before I went to bed, the pipe was fixed, the toilet was working, and we were a few hundred dollars poorer.

Everything was in chaos, and we didn't get around to taking photos of my daughter's hair, nor did I get to give her the trim she wanted.

I guess we shouldn't have waited until the last minute. Well, live and learn.

In any case, I realized that I have a length photo of my own hair that was taken exactly one year ago tomorrow. I took another photo today. Because the shirt has lettering on the back, it's another good one to establish the amount of growth I've had in a year. (Photo is clickable for a closer view.)

Since last year's photo was taken, I have trimmed off 3 1/2 inches, which is about a half of a year's worth of growth, so I'm fairly pleased with the amount of progress I've had in this one year.

I am still embarrassed by the thin ends, but once again, I have to remind myself that I need patience and eventually, my hair will be longer, and all of the thin ends will be trimmed away.

I wonder how many times I've had to remind myself to be patient in this blog. I don't know exactly how often, but it's been a lot. I have to keep reminding myself that I don't need to be perfect, and this is a journey, not a race. Okay, I am duly reminded.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Remembrance Day

2010-11-11T20:23:00.002-05:00

Remembering soldiers who lost their lives to protect our freedom, who so dearly hoped it would never be necessary again.

Thinking of veterans whose lives have been forever changed.

Grateful to those brave soldiers who are serving today, and praying for their safety.

To all of you and your families, for your many sacrifices, please know:

We will never forget.

Hairstyle Photo: Loose Wavy Curls

2010-11-10T19:16:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned on Monday, I curled my hair that day with large foam rollers to create very loose wavy curls. I used the method outlined in this blog entry, but this time I made smaller sections and used more curlers in the set for more defined waves than what you see in the photo in that previous entry.

It still only took a few minutes to set my hair with just a spritz of water and my favourite hair-friendly Morrocco Method styling gel, which allows shine, but also holds extremely well without being crispy or sticky.

I wonder if any of you know how much fun it is for someone with such straight hair to have even a bit of volume.

If I had wanted tighter curls, I would have used smaller rollers, but really, I just wanted a bit of bend to my hair as well as some body.

For even longer lasting curls, I would go with a wet set and keep the rollers in until they dried, but even with this method, my hair was still wavy the next morning after taking my hair out of my bedtime bun.

I appreciated the comments to yesterday's entry and I have replied to all in the comments section. I seem to be getting much better at doing that.

Anyway, that's it for today, short and sweet.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Out Of The Fog And Into The Light

2010-11-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

What a difference a week can make! Just one week ago, I was in the depths of despair, and I am not exaggerating. Today I can't even remember how that felt. I had to go and read my entries of last week to remember it.

It's really quite shocking how hormones can go up and down so quickly as to change one's entire outlook and personality.

In any case, I feel like myself again. And I've actually slept through the night for two nights in a row now. I confess that I'm still tired--having my period tends to do that at the best of times--but I am not exhausted and my spirits are up again. I am me.

Of course, now I fear the next bout of PMS, which now I realize I was experiencing. It was a PMS such as I've not known since adolescence, which is a time few of us would want to relive if we remember it clearly, and I do. I have a freakishly good memory.

It would all be easier if I had a predictable menstrual schedule these days, but I do not. I long for the days when I had a 28 day cycle, like clockwork. I used to literally mark down on the calendar when PMS would be likely to begin, and that had a good effect on me. Once I had that figured out, I seemed to be able to manage the symptoms just by knowing that I had PMS.

Not so much now. I honestly had no idea last week that I was going through it, because I can't remember the last time I had two periods so close together.

I do have to figure out a way to cope though. I can't imagine continuing on like that until I go through menopause.

In other news, it's been lovely having my daughter here, and we've had a lot of fun and lots of girl talk. She's made a nice balance of time for family and time for visiting with old friends. I have spoken to her and she will allow me to post a hair photo before she leaves. I still can't believe how much her hair grew since June! The eczema problem that she kept going through during the summer is nicely under control now, and I'm hoping that she will have no more severe bouts. I pray that she grows out of it, as I did.

It's going to be hard to say goodbye to her on Friday, but I know she will be home for Christmas.

My son is really enjoying his job, and that makes me happy.

So all in all, things are good. I still have a few worries, but they're on the back-burner right now. And that's okay.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all. And many thanks again to those of you whose kind words helped me through my difficult week.
xo

Just An Update

2010-11-08T20:12:00.000-05:00

Well, I don't think you can imagine my surprise when I got my period right before bedtime last night. It wasn't expected, because it doesn't come these days for weeks, if not months at a time. I wish I had known it was coming last week, because I would have known that I was experiencing an extreme version of PMS and maybe not have felt as though I was losing my mind.

However, you know I didn't know my period was on its way, because I was completely at a loss as to why I was feeling the way I did. This is the worst aspect of pre-menopause, because one never quite knows where one is at. Also, usually normal PMS is not as deep and dark as what I experienced last week.

Nonetheless, I got through it, and now at least I know in retrospect why I felt the way I did. It would have been nice though, to have a clue.

I finally had a decent night's sleep last night, and I slept for almost seven hours. I can't begin to tell you what a relief that was.

Today I washed my hair, and I decided to curl it with foam rollers, to get very light waves, as I went out with a friend late this afternoon.

It didn't occur to me to take a photo after my hair dried and before I put in the curlers.

From what I saw before putting my hair in curlers, the trim worked out fairly well. Everything seemed to be even, and I'm happy to know that I'm one more half inch further in getting rid of my thin ends.

I do have to admit that when looking at the layers where the breakage occurred, I realize how many more trims I have to go through until I am rid of the breakage line. Sometimes I wonder how I'm going to find the patience to wait for that, but I know I will, because I don't plan on any big cuts in the near future.

All in all, I had a good day. I got a bit more work done around the house this morning, I spent time with my daughter, and I had my monthly visit with one of my oldest friends.

I also can boldly say, without apology, that I had a good hair day.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Just Saying Hello

2010-11-07T17:24:00.000-05:00

Well, I don't have much to discuss today, so I'm just checking in, really.

The so-called extra hour of sleep did nothing for me, as I woke up in the wee hours yet again. I have grown exhausted again, and I'm basically just looking forward to bedtime. I never imagined that there would be a time when I would actively look forward to turning in at night, but in the past several weeks it's happened a few times.

No hair news, as I was just too worn out to even think about washing it today. My hair has just been out of sight and out of the way in a bun all day.

I'm very surprised at how long my daughter's hair has gotten since her visit in late June. Her hair is just about at waist length. It really looks beautiful. I must take a photo of it this week and post it.

My son is on a stretch of working seven straight 8-hour days. It's a long time without a break, but he's looking forward to seeing the resulting paycheque.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Trim Done and Daughter Home

2010-11-06T18:42:00.001-04:00

I finally did my half inch trim today. I always have mixed feelings when I trim. On the one hand, I know that I need it, but on the other hand, I hate losing length. However, wanting thicker ends in the long run always outweighs any trepidation I might have.

I know how fickle I sound. Sometimes I really want to cut out the remaining 4 or so inches of thin ends, and then on the other hand, I feel hesitant about trimming just a half inch. Well, I think a lot of us feel that way at times.

The trim seemed to go well, and I didn't cut off any more than I planned on. I do know that my ends feel nice, but until I wash my hair and see it damp, it will be difficult to tell exactly how the hemline is looking. I have some bun waves right now, so it's hard to tell.

My daughter arrived yesterday in the late afternoon, and we stayed up talking well past my bedtime. Unfortunately, I had a bit of a rough night, so I'm not as well-rested as I'd like to be today. Especially given how this past week has been, I really needed a good night's sleep.

Tonight I'll be going to bed as soon as I'm drowsy enough, just as I did the other evening. I hope that I sleep through the night.

Well, this is very brief, but my daughter is not going out this evening, which may not be the case for the rest of her visit, so I'll leave it at that for today.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Hairstyle How-To: Tucked Draped French Braid

2010-11-05T20:04:00.001-04:00

My hair wasn't up to having a length photo taken today, but I took a photo of the hairstyle of the day instead.

This hairstyle is a Tucked Draped French Braid. It's a very simple style, if you know how to French braid.

To create a Draped French Braid, you don't French braid the hair at the scalp. Instead, you hold the strands out from the head at a 90 degree angle and braid there. As you add each new strand, you add it at the same 90 degree angle, parallel to the floor.

After finishing the braid, secure with a hair friendly elastic. Roll the tail up, and pin it to the nape, and that's it!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Happy birthday Lulu, and I hope that your celebration this evening is a lovely one.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Doing a Little Trim On Saturday

2010-11-04T16:08:00.001-04:00

Well, I am well overdue for a trim, and I have booked an appointment with myself to trim on Saturday morning. I'll just be trimming off 1/2 inch to even up my hemline a wee bit and to continue to cut out the thinner ends due to the breakage that I so often mention.

I love trimming my own hair. I like it because I know exactly how much I'm cutting off. I know exactly what a half of an inch looks like; it's merely the width of my pinkie finger. So many people--even hairstylists--forget just how little a half of an inch is.

I also like the feeling of satisfaction that I get from not only saving money on a stylist, but from the sense of accomplishment that comes from doing something I never thought I could do myself. And I learned how to do it when I was 45!

I am such a klutz in so many ways, but trimming my own hair and having the hemline look decent really does make me feel good. And it's so nice to feel some fresh ends against my fingertips afterwards.

I won't lie; sometimes I am still tempted to go back and cut off the remaining inches (4 or 5) of thin ends, right up to the visible point of breakage, but having reached BSL again, and knowing that I'm on my way to having longer hair than I've ever had within the next year keeps me from chopping.

I will confess that I had my hair in a braid the other morning, or "Black Tuesday" as I might now refer to it, and I had a momentary fantasy of picking up the scissors and lopping off the braid. The thought of how I could undo in seconds a couple of years of growth snapped me quickly and rudely back into reality. I simply could not and would not do such a thing.

I have made a choice to continue growing, only with small trims, and nothing, barring a drastic medical event, will stop me.

I will try to get a November photo taken before my trim. I hope that my hair and the camera cooperate.

Well, I did it. I slept through the night last night. I started feeling drowsy enough to fall asleep by 8pm and by 8:15, I was off to bed. Reading in bed before going to sleep is my habit, but I don't think I read for more than 2 minutes before falling asleep. I slept through my husband getting ready and leaving the house for work, and I somehow managed to sleep until 6am. I can't tell you that one good night's sleep has fixed everything, but it's a good start.

The black cloud is still there, but it is less dense than it was earlier in the week. I am starting to vaguely see a thin spot in the cloud that will soon be a way out. While I love being a woman, and I wouldn't change it for the world, I do think that we pay for it sometimes with our ever-changing hormones. While they can often be our friends, they can also become our nemeses.

Well, my daughter is coming home tomorrow. Given the week I've had, I'm sure it is no revelation that the house is not in the shape I hoped it would be for her arrival. I feel bad about it, but I am not going to allow that thought to start me off on a feeling-bad-about me tangent again.

I did respond to the comments left on Tuesday that I simply couldn't manage to do yesterday. Even today, my replies are insufficient compared with how much the comments meant to me. I can only hope that you can see beyond my words to the true appreciation that I feel.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Shedding Update and Exhausted

2010-11-03T16:35:00.000-04:00

Thank you for all of the sweet and heartfelt comments left in response to yesterday's post. I would like to comment on each one individually, but I'll need to feel better in order to do that, and I'm just not there yet. Please do know though how much they mean to me, and I've read them over a few times.

I am afraid that as much as I really needed a good rest last night, I slept very poorly. I think I fell asleep by 11:30, but I woke up just after 1:00am and was awake for a good 45 minutes. I did fall back to sleep, only to wake up for the day at 3:30a.m. I tried to have a nap this afternoon, but it didn't work out.

So, I honestly don't know how I'm feeling today, aside from completely exhausted. I don't know if I'll manage to stay up until 9:00pm, which is the earliest reasonable time I would ordinarily consider going to bed under these circumstances. However, today I think I'll just turn in when I really start to feel that I'd be able to fall asleep. While I'm so exhausted that I can hardly think or move, I'm not drowsy just yet.

Well, I mentioned on Sunday that I was noticing what may or may not have been an increase in shedding. Since then, I've made sure that I've combed my hair well twice a day when removing it from an updo, and there was not an unusual amount of shed hairs.

I really think that I had been keeping my hair up without combing it enough, and the shed hairs were staying in the updo longer, making several days' worth of shed hair come out at one time. I had also been increasing time between washes, so that likely contributed to the illusion of increased loss.

Anyway, as I've mentioned before, don't ever panic right away if you notice a shed increase. More often than not, there's a logical explanation. On the other hand, if you really are shedding a lot, and it lasts, make sure that you see a doctor.

It would have been nice to have some hairstyle photos to display today, but unsurprisingly, that's just not going to happen. I'm happy that I was even able to make a blog entry today.

So that's it for today. I'm just going to try to find something gentle to do to keep me occupied until I can go to bed.

Thanks again, for the comments.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: Still In The Black Fog

2010-11-02T17:31:00.000-04:00

I suppose it was obvious yesterday that I have been swallowed up in the hormonal black fog once again. Peri-menopause wasn't this bad; I must really be pre-menopausal now.

Thank you for the kind and loving comments in response to yesterday's post.

It would likely be therapeutic for me to describe how I am feeling, and maybe some of you can relate. I feel anxious, yet hollow. I can't seem to smile. I feel a vague heartbroken feeling. I feel literally and figuratively almost paralyzed, in body and in mind. My mind feels clogged up. I have a lump in my throat, as though I need a good cry, but I can't work up the tears. My limbs feel as though they're made of sandbags. My face is wearing a blank expression.

After having been feeling very positive about many aspects of myself for months now, I can't seem to remember what those good things about me are right now. I don't like what I see in the mirror. I don't like who I am at the moment. I can't seem to get myself to accomplish even the simplest household task, although I am going to force myself to do two household chores between now and bedtime that I really don't want to do.

I was praying that a good night's sleep would make today a little better, but while I did have a decent sleep, today is no better than yesterday was.

Most of all, I feel so bad for my son and husband who are living with me right now. They are doing their best to cope, but I am sure that my mood and lack of being really present is taking a toll on them.

I'll be discussing all of this with my doctor, since it's no longer just a fluke of a mood that is just lasting a day or two. I was feeling much better for several days, but this fog returned so completely and without notice. This is not the blues. This is the blacks, and it's not pretty.

My daughter is coming home on Friday for that week's visit. I pray that I can feel like a functioning human being during her visit, or I don't know how I'll cope. I'm just hanging on by a thread, but I am hanging on.

So I'll reiterate; I will be discussing all of this with my doctor. And no, I'm not at the point of doing anything self-destructive in any way.

I know that there is a way out of this fog. I just have to find it.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Mental Health Day

2010-11-01T19:46:00.003-04:00

I have absolutely nothing positive to say about myself or my hair today, so I suppose the least said, the better.

I think I need a mental health break today.

I hope to talk to you tomorrow.
xo

Shedding A Bit More Than Usual

2010-10-31T20:59:00.000-04:00

I've noticed in the last couple of weeks that my hair seems to be shedding a little more than it ordinarily does.

I'm not pressing the panic button, but I am going to try to figure out if I really am losing more hair than usual, or if it's just that I've been wearing my hair up for longer periods of time, and combing it less lately, thereby having more hairs come out in a comb or brush at one time than usual.

Also, I've discussed before the phenomenon of shed hair looking like exponentially more than it really is due to increased length. That has happened to me before at this length, and it turned out that my shed count was well within the normal range at that time. It may be true now too.

Given all of that, I'm going to make an effort to comb my hair more regularly for a week or two, in order to keep an approximate count of the hairs that I shed. I'm also going to give it a good brushing before a wash so that my hairs have more likelihood of coming out in the brush and less likelihood of literally going down the drain.

One thing I do know is that my hair isn't breaking, because there is a root on every shed hair, so that's a good thing.

If I really am losing a bit more hair than usual, it's likely just a normal part of the hair growth/release cycle. So for now, I'll just keep my eye on it, see if this is actually occurring, and if so, how long it lasts.

Clearly, if it really turns out to be a problem, I'll have to see a doctor and check on my hormone levels and thyroid, etc., but it's far too early to be thinking in those terms right now. As I said, I'm really not too concerned right now, as I have a few reasons why I might be noticing this at the moment.

I hope that everyone who celebrates Halloween, whether with your friends or with your little ones, or who is at the door giving out treats, has had a good time. It can be so much fun!

Our neighbourhood is going through a cycle of less children trick-or-treating right now, as happens in many neighbourhoods. We moved into this house when the development was first built, and many of the folks here, including us, had young children. All of those children are grown now, and although some new young families have moved in, we only have about 1/4 of the number of children coming to the door than we did 13 years ago, our first year in this home.

As for me, I am very tired right now. I had a poor sleep last night, but I did have a nap, so I'm feeling far more tired than I think I normally ought to be right now. I think it's the pre-menopause, but I'm not sure. What I do know for sure is that I need to get out and walk more than I do. That can only be a help, and I've not been doing it. Maybe just writing that here will give me more incentive to do it.

For tonight though, it is soon to bed for me.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Some Thoughts On A Saturday

2010-10-30T18:20:00.001-04:00

Today is one of those days where I'm simply baffled and angered by the unnecessary cruelty of some people to others. Usually, I think I've heard everything, yet sometimes when I hear comments made to people about their choice of hair length or clothing, I am stunned.

I am currently at a loss for words, so I'll let people who have possessed far more wisdom than I ever will, do the talking for me.

Bullies are always cowards at heart and may be credited with a pretty safe instinct in scenting their prey.--Anna Julia Cooper

Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength--Eric Hoffer

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself--Harvey S. Firestone

Please try to remember these things the next time someone attempts to hurt you through words. I'm trying to.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Yet More Rules

2010-10-29T19:48:00.001-04:00

Thank you everyone for your comments to yesterday's posts. It's clear that many of us see or have felt the peer pressure of the die-hards at the long hair forums. All of us who have or want to have long, healthy hair need to educate ourselves on the dangers of various methods or treatments, or we might be where I was before I joined LHC. Before LHC, I was blow-drying, heat styling and colouring, and I always had to cut my hair once it got below APL, because it would just be too thin and broken, and often I had a lot of split ends.

So don't get me wrong, I was not complaining about the Long Hair Community. I love the place. They have given me so much advice and support. Sometimes though, a vocal few make it seem as though there is only one "right way" and for a new member, it can be hard to see past that. I think some of that stems from the fact that people who make the less popular choices are quiet about it.

I just believe that once we are educated, we need to decide for ourselves what is going to be best for us. In my case, I know I'm sacrificing what could be a longer ultimate length by colouring my hair. However, thanks to LHC knowledge, I make other healthy choices that keep my coloured hair the best it can be.

Ideally, that's what a support forum should be; a place to get the information we need, but to be able to then make our own choices once we have the information and still feel supported.

Well, I suppose that if I were to get a perm on top of my hair colour and then use a curling iron every day, I would get little support, but if I were doing all of those things, I would have to know that I would not be having healthy long hair. I don't even know if I would have healthy chin length hair if I did all those things.

Just when I was feeling a bit frustrated yesterday by a yet another new member feeling apologetic over a hair choice, again thinking that there was only one way to grow long hair, I was frustrated once again by the media.

Yesterday on the Today show, there was a topic about long hair on older women. It was inspired by the article from the New York Times that I cited last week. The author of that article was on the segment as well as a "hairdresser to the stars", interviewed by Meredith Vieira.

I don't ordinarily watch that show, but I did get a link from LHC and watched the segment.

It was a 2-part piece, first with a two-minute packaged report that was all about older women wearing longer hair these days. The rest of the segment was a live discussion hosted by Meredith Viera. One of the guests was the author of the New York times article, who is 56 with long salt and pepper hair. The other guest was a hairstylist who agrees that times are changing and older women often look good with longer hair.

It was meant to be a positive piece about long hair on older women. I think. At least it started that way. The woman from the Times talked about her experiences and her conviction to wearing long hair. The hairstylist noted that many women have a softer look when their hair is longer.

However, things began to change. The hairstylist made it clear that by long hair, she meant hair that is no longer than collarbone length. She also made it clear that some sort of face framing layers are a must for older women. Finally, she said that grey hair and long hair do not go together. In fact I think she was against grey hair at all, to be honest.

There was also a very strong hint that in order to wear even the "acceptable" length of long hair for older women, we must be physically fit and not overweight. Well, currently I'm about 20 pounds overweight, which I'm not happy about, and if I cut off my hair and went for a short cut, I'd really be feeling bad about myself.

So in short, according to this expert, women who want long hair in middle age can have long hair, but only if we satisfy certain conditions.

You can see the Today show segment here, as long as it's still up and running.

I was so delighted by that article last week, but not so delighted by that TV segment. Is there ever going to be a day when an expert will come out and say that women should just wear our hair in the way that makes us feel beautiful? Is there ever going to be a day when society just accepts and respects individual style? I don't know, but if I ever hear tell of it, I'll let you know.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Don't Apologize

2010-10-28T16:25:00.003-04:00

I always feel so sad when I read a thread on LHC where someone feels the need to apologize because they blow dry their hair, colour their hair, or do anything that is not considered the ideal in hair care.

While I have written about the dangers of heat styling, and the damage that it did to me, I certainly am not trying to tell anyone not to heat style. While I don't want layers in my fine, straight hair, I thinks layers can be a saviour to someone with really thick wavey or curly hair.

I think what I try to do is give information, or my experiences, so that people can make informed decisions. That certainly doesn't mean that I expect anyone to follow my advice. Also, I am well aware that we are all so different and what may be good for one person may be a disaster for another.

I of course colour my hair, which by any standards is not a healthy hair choice. I must admit that I felt ganged-up on when I first joined LHC by some diehards who are against colouring of any sort. While I understand that for some it's a concern for one's hair health, there are also those who seem to have a moral belief that "nature knows best", and that we should just live with whatever colour we have. I'm happy to know the dangers of dyeing my hair, but I'm not interested in anyone's moral concerns.

It took a long while before I realized that there were an enormous number of LHCers who also colour their hair. They just seemed to be awfully quiet about it.

But I know the dangers, I do what I can to minimize the damage and otherwise take good care of my hair.

So if you're blow-drying your hair, flat ironing your hair, dyeing your hair, wearing bangs, or whatever makes you feel good about your hair, just make sure you are armed with information and then go ahead and do it.

Just as you don't need to listen to the people who tell you to cut off your hair, you don't need to follow all the hair care rules either, if you don't want to.

Apologize to no one.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

My Current Routine In Summary.

2010-10-27T16:22:00.003-04:00

I've been asked by a reader to summarize my current hair routine and treatment program in one post. So of course, I'm going to do that. Now, I know how drastically different every head of hair is, even people with hair of my own hair type, but I'll do the summary of my regimen for the record. I'll be making a page with this summary for ease of access.

Washing: Every 2 or 3 days (I try to stretch it to 3): I wash my hair using the CO method. I am currently using cone-free conditioner, usually the inexpensive Suave Naturals.

I then rinse with a mild apple cider vinegar rinse. I use about 5 or 6 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 litres, or approximately 8 cups of water. I use that as a final rinse right before getting out of the shower.

I leave the towel on my hair for no more than 10 minutes and then I add a pea-sized amount of conditioner to my length as a leave-in. I'm currently using Burt's Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit and Sugar Beet conditioner.

I do not comb or brush my hair when it is wet or damp, with the exception of my bangs, which are short. I let my hair air dry and then I begin to finger comb it as it dries. Only after my hair is dry will I comb it with a horn comb.

Nightly: I put my hair in a bun on the top of my head after a short session with a boar bristle brush. I secure it with a scrunchie or a clip.

Oiling: I use a total of 6 drops of jojoba oil to my hair from the ears down when my hair is almost dry. I put 2 drops in my hands, rub them together and smooth the hair from one side of the head between my hands. I repeat with the other side and then repeat with the back.

I use the same amount of oil again right before bed, and lightly brush it through with a boar bristle brush. I do that each night until the next wash.

Deep Oiling: I like to do a deep oil treatment once every 2 weeks or so. I soak my hair in either extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil for at least an hour, sometime for several hours. About an hour before I wash, I put conditioner on my dry, oiled hair, bun it up, and leave it until I wash. This ensures that the excess oil comes out. Because oil and water don't mix, it's best to add the conditioner first, rather than wetting the hair and trying to shampoo it out.

Protein Treatment: About once a month I do a protein treatment. I like Joico K-Pak. I like to leave it on my hair for an hour before COing.

Deep moisture treatment: I also do this every two weeks or so. I use one part honey (I microwave it for about 30 seconds so that it doesn't lighten my hair) to 2, 3 or 4 parts of conditioner, depending on how I make it that day. I put that in my dry hair (sometimes I dampen it lightly with spray bottle of distilled water), and completely saturate my hair with it from root to tip. I cover it with a plastic grocery bag and then cover that with a towel. I leave it in for at least an hour. When I get into the shower, I add some water to my scalp, work it in well, and treat the mixture as a CO. I rinse it out as I would a usual CO.

Occasional treatments: When my ends feel crunchy or velcro-like, or if my hair is getting very dull, I will clarify my hair. The shampoo I use for that is Herbal Essences Drama Clean. I always moisturize my hair very well after clarifying.

Sometimes I do a coconut milk soak. I soak my hair in full fat coconut milk, cover it with a plastic bag, and cover that with a towel. I use CO to remove it.

Once in a while, I do a mayonnaise treatment. This would be in the place of a deep oiling, and has the added benefit of protein as well as being a very good pH for the hair and scalp. I use full fat mayonnaise and I wash it out with conditioner only.

Colouring my hair: My hair is dyed, and I touch up my roots only every 4 to 6 weeks. I always coat my hair in coconut oil overnight or for at least two hours before the touch-up, in order to help prevent peroxide damage.

I think that's pretty much it. It sounds like a lot when all written out, but really, it's not a lot in terms of actual time spent or dollars spent.

Well, we had quite a storm last night, and it brought on a major migraine. It will be early to bed for me, as I try to banish this latest bout, which is a real blaster.

I am happy to say that despite this migraine, my spirits are much better in general today than they had been for a couple of weeks.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: Happy Birthday To My Daughter!!!

2010-10-26T16:31:00.000-04:00

Yes, today is my daughter's birthday. She is my firstborn, so it was 22 years ago today that I became a mother. She's living several hours away, so I won't see her today, but she's coming home on the 5th of November for a week, as I mentioned a few days ago.

I was going to write about my daughter's birth, but I'm finding it very emotional, and I will have to write about it some time when I'm not so choked up.

I am very emotional every year on my children's birthday. Perhaps it's because every detail of their birth is so crystal clear and it's hard to believe that it wasn't just yesterday.

I've never had a problem with my children growing up. I've spent every moment I could with them, and I enjoyed every minute of it, knowing how fleeting it all would be. Yet the birthdays make me so sentimental. Well, I guess that's just being a mum, isn't it?

So, since I'm finding myself stuck for words, I'll post a photo of my daughter with me just minutes after her birth.

And at 15 months. She was a going concern and a tiny package full of mischief. Look at that twinkle in her eye. She's still a going concern, but she's grown up to be a poised and lovely young woman. She still has a hint of mischief, in the best possible way.

Well, that's all I have to say about that, or I'll start blubbering.

Many, many thanks to all of you who posted such kind words and celebrated my milestone with me yesterday. I so appreciate it.

'Til tomorrow. Much love to all.

October BSL Update: I'M THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-10-25T15:54:00.000-04:00

Well, I mentioned yesterday that I was nervous about taking a BSL update photo, but I did it anyway. (Photo clickable as always)

I am well and truly at BSL now!!!

Yes, my ends look a bit thin, but we knew that, as I've mentioned ad nauseam that I'm still trimming out the damage that I did over 2 years ago. I still have a few inches to trim off.

But I'm at BSL again for the first time in almost 2 1/2 years, and I couldn't feel happier about it. Since I skipped my trim in September, because I was getting so close to BSL, and of course I haven't trimmed in October, I now feel free to have that much-needed trim, and I'll be able to feel good about it. I'm going to get back into my "trim 1/2 inch every 3 months routine" now, until I reach waist length, which even with the trims, should be next summer.

I really do feel so happy to know that my hair has been getting longer this year after maintaining between just below shoulder length and BSL for almost 2 years.

So, while I won't deny that my damaged ends still bother me, I will say that for today at least, it's a very good hair day for me.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling exhausted today.
xo

Coconut Milk Soak Sunday

2010-10-24T19:20:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know I did a deep oiling just the other day, but I simply felt the need to do something nice for my hair again today, so I did a coconut milk soak.

I'm getting very good at doing the soak, and I don't seem to get as many drippies all over any more. I think the secret is dipping down and really saturating my length well before putting the remainder on the scalp. Of course, now I have a bit more hair to absorb the amount that I use (200 ml--half a can)

My hair is still drying, so I can't report on the results, but I do like the "weighty" feeling that my hair has right now. When my hair is slightly damp, as it is right now, it usually feels much lighter. I can't explain why, but I just love that heavy feeling that my hair has after a coconut oil soak.

It was a month ago tomorrow that I did my September BSL update. I'm almost afraid to try it again tomorrow. Don't ask me why. I don't know.

Well, as to my personal life, I'm delighted to say that my daughter has firmed up a date for coming home. It's technically a birthday visit, but her birthday is on Tuesday, the 26th and she can't come home until November 5th, but I'll take it!

She'll be here for a week, but I think this time she'll be very busy catching up with friends. The last time she was home, many of them were away, and also she had a hectic schedule that time. We have a tentative date to go out to karaoke together, so I do hope that I'm migraine-free during her visit. My son is of legal age, so perhaps he'll join us at the karaoke bar. I'm looking forward to it. I haven't done the karaoke thing in a few years.

I am not a good singer, but I do find that singing karaoke is both fun and somehow very liberating.

I'd like to add that I'm most pleased with myself for remembering to actually reply to comments in the comments section. An old dog can learn new tricks, I'm finding over and over.

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend. I enjoyed my quiet one very much.

'Til tomorrow. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle: Wrapped Hairstick Bun with Tucked Ends

2010-10-23T19:42:00.002-04:00

Well, my hair is now long enough for me to do my Wrapped Hairstick Bun with the ends tucked in without aid of any hairpins. I can just tuck the ends under before the final push-through of the hairstick.

This is what it looks like with the ends tucked in.

So I guess I've reached yet another mini-milestone. It's always nice to see progress, even in the smallest ways. I couldn't do this two weeks ago.

In just over a week it's time for me to do my quarterly length comparison update. I hope that there is enough difference in length to show a good 3 month difference from the first of August to the first of November.

There was no real difference between May and August, as only the sides were longer. I had trimmed off the "V" at the centre of the length, so that took off two inches of overall length. I'm looking forward to seeing a visible difference this time, as I haven't had any big trims.

It was a lovely, sunny morning, and then suddenly it started to rain. It just seemed to come out of nowhere. I certainly don't mind the rain, but it did come as a surprise. Well, I guess one should never be surprised by the weather in October. It's a very changeable month.

So that's it for today. I'm off to enjoy my Saturday night in a quiet way. I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend too, wherever you are.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

After The Deep Oiling And A Positive Article About Long Hair In Middle Age!

2010-10-22T16:50:00.001-04:00

I forgot to mention yesterday how my deep oiling of Wednesday worked out. It was a very good success, and the photo taken yesterday was indeed taken after that treatment. It was the right time for a good oiling.

On LHC today, someone started a thread about this article in the New York Times, which was for once a positive opinion about long hair in middle age. The author made some very good points, and I liked the fact that she didn't write it as though having short hair is unattractive. I always like it when people understand that we all have different needs and preferences and that having long hair is no better than having short hair. It's all about what we feel good about for ourselves.

It's unfortunate that this is one of the first articles I've read of that nature in a mainstream publication in all the years that I've been planning on growing my hair longer.

Of course, I know that the pervasive opinion in our society is and will continue to be that older women should wear shorter hair, but it is nice to hear someone speak up for those of us who choose long hair for a change.

I just know that barring a health disaster, I'll be having long hair as long as I'm able. I waited far too long to grow my hair, and I have no intention of ever having short hair again. I've been there, done that so many times that I know I'd regret it in an instant.

Now, just what length that long hair will be is something I don't know. However, I can't imagine that there will ever be a day when my hair is not long enough to bun or to put in a nice braid or ponytail.

I guess APL would be about as short as I could ever see me going again. But that would be in the distant future. At this point I'm just looking forward to achieving waist length next year, and hoping to see tail bone at some point after I've maintained waist length long enough to cut out the existing damage.

Will I ever be able to reach tail bone? I honestly don't know. I really hope so though. It depends on how thick I can keep the ends. I don't want tail bone length hair if it's just spindly. My hair type doesn't do spindly very well.

Anyway, another week is over. For me, I must admit that's a relief. This has not been a good week for me. I'm feeling a bit better today than I have been, but I'm still not feeling like myself. While I have a migraine going on aside from my hormonal issues, I am feeling more optimistic, as though there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

It's nice and sunny as I type this, and it's very cheering to me.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I really do.

'Til tomorrow. Much love to all.
xo

Embellish Your Ponytail: French Braided Ponytail

2010-10-21T17:25:00.000-04:00

This is another way to jazz up a simple ponytail or even a simple low bun.

I simply French braided my hair to the nape, and then wrapped the ponytail with a hair safe elastic. In this photo, I used a hair Bunjii, which is extremely hair friendly, but unfortunately is no longer being manufactured.

It's quick, it's easy and it just adds a bit of interest to an otherwise simple style.

On another note altogether, it's been a strange day weather-wise here today. It rained, it was sunny, it rained, it was sunny, but it's been fairly mild out. The only thing is that I've never known from one moment to the next if it will be nice enough to go for a walk or not. It's been completely unpredictable. Right now it's raining again, just since I started writing.

Wow, Friday tomorrow already. This week has been a blur for me.

I've still not caught up on my sleep but I'm feeling a bit better emotionally today. Whatever is going on with my hormones just might be stabilizing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Doing a Deep Oiling

2010-10-20T17:11:00.000-04:00

After doing my root touch-up on the weekend, my hair felt like it needed a good oiling. So last night I slathered my hair from the nape down, put it up on a bun on the top of my head and slept that way. I added oil to the rest of my hair this morning, and about 2 hours ago, I put conditioner all over my hair.

Once I finish writing this, I'll rinse it out, do a CO and hopefully have nice softer hair. It really wasn't terribly dry or brittle feeling anyway, but it just felt like time for a good oiling.

I pretty much knew that I wouldn't be going out today at all, so I was okay with having all of this oil on my head for the day. If something came up, I could have always washed it sooner anyway.

I still didn't get a good enough sleep last night, so I still feel as though I'm walking on a tightrope today, somewhere between sanity and going off the deep end. I know it will get better though. These things always do.

Thank you everyone, for the comments left yesterday. They really meant a lot. Each and every one made me feel more hopeful that this phase will pass.

Once again, I'm looking at the clock and ciphering just how much more time I have to put in before I go to bed. I'm going to try to hold out until 9:00. Chances are better that I'll sleep through the night that way, rather than following through with the urge I have to go and lie down right now.

It's probably a good thing that I have a headful of oil and conditioner, because there's no way I could sleep like this way anyway, and maybe the shower will perk me up a little.

I have a lot of hair-related issues that I'm just dying to discuss, but it just won't flow out right now.

Again, I thank all of you for standing by me during this time of minor difficulty. It's really hard to write anything at all right now, but nonetheless I'm writing something, and not giving up just because I'm down. Quality blog entries? Not really, but at least I'm showing up.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: Still Feeling Off

2010-10-19T16:55:00.001-04:00

Well, it's a nice and sunny day, and I actually did have a fair night's sleep last night, but I'm not even close to feeling like myself again.

I know it's hormones due to my age, and sometimes just knowing that is enough to make me feel more at ease with myself, but this time, it's just not working. I wish I could describe how I feel. The closest I can come is to say that my brain feels as though it's not correctly in position.

I'm feeling annoyed over the tiniest things, and I'm just not feeling good about me. I know that everyone feels this way from time to time, but this has been going on for a few days, and I've had enough of it for now, thank you very much.

I don't like blogging negatively, yet at the same time, this is just the way it is right now, so there's no use in pretending otherwise. I feel as though I'm inside a dense fog and I can't see my way out. The things that normally make me smile are not making me smile right now. I just don't feel like I'm me.

Perhaps I'll wake up tomorrow morning and everything will look different.

In good news, my daughter will be coming home for a visit some time soon. That will be very nice. We don't yet know exactly when or for how long, but it should be some time in the next couple of weeks. It's a long bus ride from where she lives to here, but she seems not to mind it too much.

My son is happy with the job he's gotten. We don't know if it will last much beyond Christmas, but if not, I'm sure he'll find something fairly quickly. I don't know what it is about my kids, but they never seem to have much of a problem in that way.

It's playoff time for Major League Baseball, so there's been a lot of baseball on our television of late. Baseball is my favourite sport to watch on TV. I may be Canadian, but I'm afraid I am not a hockey fan. Nor am I a football fan. It's a good thing I like baseball.

I'm having a hard time trying to decide which teams to root for this year though. Once the Blue Jays are eliminated, usually I can pick a team that I can get behind, but not this year, I'm afraid.

Well, it's time to take the dog out. I hope that I'll have some hairstyle photos tomorrow, but I'm not making any promises, given my experiences in the last few days. I don't know whether it's my hair not cooperating or my fingers, but just like my mood, my hairstyling ability has been a bit off.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the week. I'm looking at the calendar, and I see that we're getting very close to Halloween already. And those of you who live in North America know what that means these days (and maybe elsewhere, but I can't say for sure) . It means that in less than two weeks, the Christmas season starts in all of the stores. Unbelievable.

Thanks to everyone who's been hanging in with me while I've been so down. I hope to have my characteristic optimism back soon.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Not Much On My Mind

2010-10-18T17:55:00.000-04:00

I've been feeling quite ill today, and to top it off, I had yet another poor night's sleep.

I can't quite think straight, and I just don't have it in me to write much at all.

I did try to do a couple of hairstyles so that I could put some photos in the blog today, but I couldn't get one to turn out right. It's just one of those days, I guess.

Fortunately, I haven't taken my feelings out on my hair, so it's still on my head, and not any shorter. And that's about all I have to say on the subject of hair today.

I really need a good night's sleep tonight.

I'm going to eat early, and go to bed early. Right now, I'm just looking at the clock, and trying to be patient until it's a decent time for me to turn in.

'Til tomorrow. Much love to all.
xo

Sunday Blues

2010-10-17T20:03:00.001-04:00

I was up too late last night. I don't know why. I had no intention of staying up late, and I wasn't doing anything special or exciting, but nonetheless, it was close to 3 by the time I fell asleep. I was up at 7:30 a.m., and while that's a great deal later than I ordinarily sleep in the morning, it certainly wasn't enough sleep to keep me going for the day.

So I had a tired yet sometimes enjoyable morning, but I wasted the beautiful afternoon sleeping, only to wake up feeling completely out of sorts. I honestly don't know what's going on with me sometimes. I feel as though I have some grumpy, snarky entity taking over my body and saying and doing things that feel beyond my control. Is this something to do with pre-menopause? If so, I want to figure out how to fix it. Even if it's hormonal, it's no excuse. There has to be some way to get a grip on this moodiness. I've done a lot of research on the Internet, but I've found nothing terribly helpful.

Well, as I said yesterday, I changed the colour that I use to touch up my roots. I am quite pleased with how it turned out, but it was pointless to try to take a photo today, it was already too dark to take an outdoor photo, and as we all know my hair looks different in every indoor photo anyway. I don't even know if the colour change will show up in photos. In any case I'm pleased with it. It's just a touch brighter than it has been. I think after so long of using the same colour for touching up my roots, the length of my colour was just grabbing it more and more to the point that it was lacking in any life.

We shall see how this pans out in future.

I am feeling frustrated again by remaining in that hair length no-man's land where I'm still limited to what hairstyles I can do. I go over to my hairstyle website, and I look longingly at some of the styles I had done before, but even though I was able to do many of them at this length, due to my new increased thickness, I just can't do them again yet.

It's a bit discouraging. I know that my hair has grown a lot this year; I know that I am closing in on my next milestone, but I am getting bored of wearing my hair virtually the same way every day. I just have to keep on keeping on, I guess. It's just disappointing when I want to put a new style photo in the blog, only to find that it's not working for me

Maybe I'm just having a bad day, and things will look different in the morning. Right now, I'm just not feeling very good about myself at all.

Hoping to be more cheerful tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Saturday Night Touch-Up

2010-10-16T21:37:00.000-04:00

Wow, we were blessed with a most perfect autumn day today! I could live with days like this all year around. The sun was shining and it was mild and beautiful out. If only the sun didn't set so early these days.

Melissa, you were right. It's gorgeous here, and I'll bet that it is for Lulu too, also in the Golden Horseshoe as I am.

Thanks for your tips about the photographs too, Melissa. It always seems that the weather does not cooperate when I want to take an outdoor photo. Usually when I want to take a hair photo, it's windy, foggy, rainy or all of the above, while being sunny and calm every other day. I try to take my photos in the same place in the house all the time, but clearly it's not working for me. I'll have to find a new location, perhaps.

At the old LHC (properly known as the Archived LHC), when we had photo journals, one of my friends, Xandergrammy, used to give my hair colour a "name of the day", like Honey Caramel, Sunlit Toffee, or something equally yummy sounding. Even then my hair showed as a different colour every day. That was almost 4 years ago now.

By the way, I have actually started to actually reply to comments in the comments section, like a normal person, so if you leave a comment, you may find that for once I've addressed it.

Anyway, after the sun set this evening, I decided to touch up my roots. I changed it up a little by trying a different colour, so I applied it after marinating for a lengthy time in coconut oil. I still haven't rinsed it, but I will be momentarily. I doubt that anyone will notice a change in colour, but I will. I think that it was time to try something new. Eventually, the rest of my hair will gradually change as it grabs the new colour.

I wrote about the movie "The Brothers Bloom" in my film blog today. It's a movie that just came out on DVD this year, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Well, it's late, and I need to go and rinse my hair and then I'm going to relax, have an apple and read.

I hope everyone is enjoying as lovely a weekend as I have been.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone who is feeling confused today.
xo

Embellish Your Ponytail: Side Rolls

2010-10-15T18:00:00.001-04:00

I've been in a bit of a style rut again lately. I've pretty much just been putting my hair up in simple cinnamon buns. I haven't even been braiding of late.

Sometimes it's nice to wear a really simple style like a ponytail, but it's nice to spice it up a little. You can embellish it with some 2 or more small accent braids, as I did when I mentioned embellishing a simple updo (sometimes if I have time, I use 6 or 8 accent braids), or you can try some simple rolls, which add a nice, elegant effect.

In this photo I just twisted each side of my hair into a roll before fastening the ponytail with a small Ficcare Maximas (Antique Gold with Aurora Borealis Crystals).

Twists are so quick and easy to do, and they even make my fine, straight hair look more interesting in a ponytail.

However, I find that rolls are much more impressive in wavy or curly hair. They're just as easy to make, but they make more of a statement.

I would love to figure out how to make my hair look its true colour in every photo. It either looks too dark, as it does today, or it looks too light or bright. Once in a while it looks as it does in real life, but not often. Some people really have the art of consistency down, but I just don't have it. Any ideas?

Well, it's just about time to make another video. Sometimes I still can't believe I actually make those videos and put them on the Internet for anyone to see. I was hoping to do a Celtic Knot soon, because I've had a few requests, but I can see and feel that it will be a few months before I can make a decent Celtic Knot again. I'll think of something. Maybe I'll do an Infinity Bun or a Tucked French Braid.

Good heavens, the weekend is here already! I said it yesterday and I'll say it again. This week has just flown by! Today has been nice and sunny, cool but not cold. I hope the weekend is just as nice. Whatever the weather, I wish you all a lovely weekend.

'Til tomorrow. Much love to all.
xo

If The Odour Of Apple Cider Vinegar Bothers You

2010-10-14T17:35:00.000-04:00

A lot of people like the results of an ACV rinse, but do not like the vinegar odour that is left in their hair.

I think that some people use too high of a concentration of vinegar to water, and that's often the problem However, some people find that they are bothered by the odour of ACV long after their hair has dried, even when using a weaker mix.

If for some reason I feel the need to use a heavier than usual mixture of ACV to water, I have found a way to nullify that vinegar scent.

I've mentioned before that I use about 4 or 5 tablespoons of AVC to a 2 litre pitcher of water as a final rinse after every CO. With that dilution, there is no lingering scent, at least not for me. But sometimes I use a heavier dilution, especially if I've just clarified my hair and I really feel the need to make sure that I do all I can to close the cuticle and counteract the negative effects of clarifying.

What I do is put the vinegar in my pitcher first, and to mask any potential vinegary odour, I have found that essential oils are very effective. My personal favourite essential oil for this purpose is lavender oil. Not only is lavender oil fairly inexpensive compared with other essential oils, but it is extremely hair and skin friendly, and has a clean, green fragrance. I might add 5-10 drops of the lavender oil to the ACV in the pitcher, depending on what I think is necessary and then add the water.

When I do that, I never smell the vinegar, even when my hair is still wet.

Another thing you might try is using white vinegar. A lot of people find that white vinegar has less of a lingering odour. Also, remember that if you have very pale blonde or silver hair, you are better off using white vinegar anyway, as ACV can deposit a slight golden cast to pale hair.

I really like essential oils and I often add them to other products, like conditioners, if I find their fragrances unpleasant.

Well, it rained all night and most of the day here today. I kind of like rainy days when I don't have to go out, because they are peaceful and somehow relaxing.

I'm afraid that I woke up far too early again this morning, so I'm still feeling very tired. Does anyone have any tips on preventing early morning waking? I don't have any trouble falling asleep; I'm just not sleeping through the night.

My hair is feeling more like itself today, after this morning's CO.

Right now I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas, just waiting for the day when I can post that I've reached BSL. I am really champing at the bit to be able to do some of the styles I used to do when my hair was longer, but that will take a few months I guess. Patience, again.

In my new movie blog, I discussed Don Juan DeMarco, with Johnny Depp today. If you've seen it and would like to add comments, or if you haven't seen it and are curious about it, please check it out.

I can't believe that it's already going to be Friday tomorrow. Where did the week go?

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

It's One Of Those Days

2010-10-13T17:06:00.001-04:00

I just can't seem to do a thing with my hair today other than put it up in a very simple bun. I did a deep oiling yesterday with EVOO, and my hair dried nicely, but I think it didn't need the additional drops of oil that I later put in my hair without thinking about it.

I was on auto-pilot I guess, since I usually oil my hair every day. After a deep oiling though, I generally don't add any more oil until the next wash.

Even though I'm getting to know my hair much better than I ever did, I still slip up sometimes. I guess we all do from time to time.

It's been over a week, but I still can't get over the fact that my hair is looking long, even at the front. I was just looking at a front photo of myself taken in January, and the difference is astounding. It's not a great photo, but once I take a new photo of myself from the front, I will post it anyway.

Today has not been the day to take a face photo though. I have a migraine, acid reflux, and I woke up in the wee hours of the morning once again, after going to bed last night a little later than usual. I think I'd rather have a bit of rest and feel a little more healthy before having another photo taken.

Right now, I'm looking at the clock and wishing it was a little closer to bedtime. I could likely fall asleep right now, but then I'd jeopardize my night's sleep, methinks.

Anyway, I know that I'm usually Chatty McYapstick, but for today, that's about it.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Off-Topic Tuesday: Let's Put an End to Bullying!

2010-10-12T19:27:00.003-04:00

I've heard it said in the past few years that bullying of children and teens has reached epidemic proportions. As far as I'm concerned, bullying has always been an epidemic. The difference is that now, at last, we are starting to discover the harsh consequences of bullying.

Children and teens have always had a certain amount of gang mentality, but it does seem that because of the increase of actual gangs, the bullying may be more dangerous than it was when I was a young woman.

I can't tell you how much I dislike the "kids will be kids" mentality that so many adults have about bullying. I've seen it in parents, I've seen it in some teachers, and I've even seen it in the Principal's office.

While it may be true that kids will be kids, I don't understand why parents don't take the time to sit their children down and explain to them how harmful bullying can be.

There's also the "it will make a man out of him" mentality that some parents have. I will never comprehend that one.

I also don't understand why some parents don't teach their children that it's not okay to make fun of someone just because they're different.

Children who are smarter than the others, heavier than the others, less athletic than the others, socially awkward, children who are perceived as unattractive, or those who do not fit the gender norm are all easy prey for bullies.

It's easy to understand when children are young and don't know any better that they may think that bullying is okay, but I really believe that by the time they are well into elementary school, they should thoroughly understand the consequences of bullying.

This is where I think a lot of parents are dropping the ball. I don't think that many parents actively condone bullying (although I know for a fact that some do), however, they don't speak up enough and teach their children to accept others' differences.

A young person whom I love very much was bullied due to a health issue. The bullying became so bad that there were threatening phone calls made, harmful pranks and on occasion, beatings.

When the parents of the bullies were confronted with their children's behaviour, they made excuses for their children rather than agreeing that their children's actions were wrong.

The school's stance was not very helpful to the bullied child either.

Fortunately, this child's health improved and soon the child was off to a new school and was able to have a fresh start. Many children are not that fortunate.

With the rash of teen suicide that are going on, I really believe that we all need to take a more active role in raising awareness of the consequences of bullying.

I would like to see parents taking responsibility for their children's actions. I would like to see more anti-bullying awareness take place in the school systems starting at an early age. I would like to see the schools take more action when bullying occurs.

Some people survive bullying and become strong, self-confident individuals. For some people, the self-esteem lost due to bullying never recovers. For others, it becomes too unbearable for them to face another day and they make a terrible choice to use a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

I urge everyone to really talk to your kids about these issues and for heaven's sake, take it seriously, whether your child is being bullied or whether your child is the bully. Because it really is serious.

Okay, I'm off the soap box now. On an entirely different note, I wrote my first entry in my new movie blog. I've put the link in this post, but there's also a link under my profile photo. If you're interested in movies, you may find it interesting. I'd love to hear any thoughts or suggestions that you may have.

It's been another beautiful, warm and sunny day today. This is truly dream weather. In the spirit of my topic today, I'm going to show some photos of my cat Q and her arch-nemesis, my dog Barclay, doing their part to get along.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Happy Thanksgiving, Canadian Friends!

2010-10-11T15:30:00.004-04:00

Yes, here in Canada, today is Thanksgiving Day. Many families celebrate it on the Sunday, but today is the actual holiday.

I really do have a lot to be thankful for, and please know that I am thankful to every one of you who takes the time to stop by and read my entries.

This year, my daughter was unable to come home for Thanksgiving, but she'll be here in a couple of weeks, to celebrate her birthday with us. She'll be 22! Even I can't believe it.

My husband works in television, and of course television never sleeps--not even on holidays--so he had to work today. However he does get an extra two weeks of vacation to make up for the fact that he works on holidays, so it's all good.

After a cloudless and sunny weekend, I'm sitting here almost in the dark at not yet 3:30 p.m. observing and listening to a thunderstorm. I don't mind; the rest of the weekend was so much more beautiful than one could have hoped for.

Having spent a record-long amount of time with a terrible bout of PMS (read: grumpiness), my period finally arrived on Friday, but for some reason, I've been feeling a bit weepy. I guess when one is approaching menopause, hormones just don't work in the manner we're used to.

I mentioned on Saturday that I'm looking forward to waist length hair for my 50th birthday next July, and also that I want to lose some weight before then.

I am so far failing at getting more exercise, but I have been cutting down on portions, and after months of being at the same weight, I've finally lost 5 pounds. Ideally, I'd like to lose 20 more pounds, but I can live with losing 15 more pounds.

As any of you over the age of 40 or 45 know, it's not quite as easy to keep the weight off as it was when we were in our 20s, but of course it can be done. I do not think however, that it's realistic to expect to get down to the weight I was at 21. Frankly, I'm not sure I'd want to.

The most important aspect that will decide whether or not I can lose this weight will be getting myself motivated to do regular exercise. I am at this moment committing myself to getting some extra exercise in every day.

I haven't exercised regularly for some time, so I'll have to go in baby steps, but that's okay.

As I've already said, I think it would be nice to have a prettier waist to go with my waist length hair when I turn 50.

I'm still feeling really good about my hair. I have wrapped up my experiment with the lemon juice rinse. I think it was successful in keeping more moisture in my hair.

I'm going to go back to ACV rinsing now, and assess how my hair feels after a month of that, and then decide which method I prefer.

Well, dark and thunderstormy; sounds like a perfect night for a movie.

I have decided that because I have such a passion for movies, I'm going to start a movie blog and discuss films new and old that I have really enjoyed. I'll be talking about classic films, indie films, foreign films and mainstream films if I like them.

I have no interest in writing about movies that I don't like. That's too negative for me, and I like to keep it all positive when possible.

It won't be a daily blog; my plan at this point is to write three times a week. I'll see how that works out. I may change my mind on that. I may have my first entry in tomorrow.

Well that's it for today, folks.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

When You Over-Oil Your Hair

2010-10-10T19:06:00.001-04:00

And you will, if you are new to oiling your hair, or even if you know better and just have a mishap. Just about everyone does at one time or another. I've mentioned before that I use about 6 drops of jojoba oil on my hair each day, but it took some experimenting with amounts and different oils before I found the right every day oil for me, and the optimal amount for me to use.

In the early stages though, I would often apply an oil and it would simply make my hair look oily. Not about to go and wash my hair right away, I quickly learned that the best thing to do was to brush my hair with a BBB and then bun it or braid it. The oiliness wouldn't be so obvious and sometimes the next day the oil would have absorbed enough that it didn't look quite as oily anymore.

However, sometimes one can over-oil to the point that it's hard to wash out. So many times I've read on LHC that people over-oil and find that their hair still feels greasy after two or three washes.

And yet many of us, including myself, often deep oil before a wash, and have nice, soft hair without apparent greasiness. How do we do it?

Well, the secret is conditioner.

While it sounds counter-intuitive, conditioner actually removes excess oil much more easily and of course much more gently than shampoo.

I don't know the science behind it, but I do know that what we perceive as being the greasier substance (conditioner) removes excess oil very effectively.

I can saturate my hair with coconut oil or EVOO and wash it out with conditioner only.

Here are the most effective ways that I've found to wash after over-oiling or deep oiling. Even if you use shampoo, these tips will be helpful, I think.

Coat the length of your hair with an inexpensive conditioner, such as VO5 or Suave Naturals.
Leave that conditioner in your hair for 30-60 minutes if possible. I like to bun my conditioned hair and clip it up out of the way until it's shower time.
When it's time to wash, make sure that your hair and scalp are thoroughly saturated with water.
If you are a shampoo user, add another layer of conditioner to your hair from the nape down and try to concentrate the shampoo on the scalp only.
Rinse well.
Add your usual final conditioner, and leave it on as long as you usually would.
Rinse well.

You should find that your hair is soft and smooth, without any excess oil that will carry over until the next wash.

I hope that's helpful. I know that when I initially had some over-oiling experiences, I used to use shampoo to do most of the oil removal, and it just didn't work. If my hair was not still greasy, I can assure you, it would be extremely limp.

Oh my goodness, we've been blessed with yet another beautiful summery day. I can't remember a weekend that's been quite so lovely. Is there anything more beautiful than a warm, but not hot autumn day when the sun is shining and there's not a cloud in the sky?

I had a wonderful experience today. My best friend from university, whom I count as one of my few true lifelong friends celebrated a birthday a few days ago. She has been living in England for 25 years, and I've only seen her 3 times since that move.

One was when I went to England to stay with her for two weeks--a wonderful experience--and the other times have been when she has come back here to visit. We hadn't talked for a long time, and we are both terrible at letter writing, although I admit, she is better than I.

In any case, I had lost her phone number, but as providence would have it, I found it just in time to phone her today, just a couple of days late for her birthday.

We haven't spoken on the phone in 10 years, but the minute we heard one another's voices, we shrieked and giggled just as we did 31 years ago when we first met. We spoke at length, catching up on each other's lives, and having a few reminiscences, even recalling the day that we became real friends all those years ago.

It was so much fun, and honestly, I would have thought that we had just spoken to one another yesterday. We just picked up where we last left off. I found out that she has a Facebook account (I had searched there for her in the past to no avail), so we'll be able to keep in touch more frequently and easily in future.

So today, I am feeling doubly blessed.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone who is feeling despair today.

Such a Beautiful Day!

2010-10-09T20:08:00.001-04:00

First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the comments regarding yesterday's blog entry. I am touched and honoured by all of them.

Ohtawen, I don't know if I know any herringbone braid tips for you. Your beautiful hair is so long that I think my arms and fingers would be too tired to make a full, neat herringbone braid with it. I suppose the best advice I can give you is to just practice using strands of the very same size, and only make the braid as long as you are feeling comfortable doing it. The nice thing about herringbone braids is that they look nice even if they have a very long tail below the braid. I think that muscle memory plays a big part in making any braid as well. For hair as long as yours it also takes stamina.

It's just a lovely day here today. It was like the very nicest days of summer all day; the sun was shining, it was nice and warm, and the sky was blue and almost cloudless. There was just the lightest breeze and the day felt so peaceful. What could be more delightful than that in October? Now that it's dark, it's cooling down, just as it should. I notice that some of the leaves are just starting to turn. Soon there will be that beautiful colour explosion that those of us who experience such beautiful autumns look forward to.

To be honest, I haven't thought much about my hair today. It's still nice and clean from yesterday's wash and required nothing more than a light combing before I put it back up in a simple bun.

That's just another thing I love about long hair. It can go from fresh out of bed in the morning to very presentable with no trouble at all.

I'm still feeling really good about how my hair is actually looking long to me. It is such a strong reminder that my journey is well underway.

It's also exciting to think that by month's end, my hair might actually be just below my brastrap. That is such a huge milestone, after being at APL or shorter for so long, and I hope never to have hair any shorter than this again. I know I've said that before, but I can't help saying it again.

Soon, I can start thinking about my next big goal of waist length. And I must start working on losing a few pounds so that I can have a nice waist to go with my waist length hair.

Anyway, that's it for today. I'm just going to kick back, relax and enjoy this lovely Saturday night.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle: Herringbone Braid Half-Updo and: 6 Months of Blogging

2010-10-08T20:26:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Thank you all for the good wishes. I did sleep well last night and I was indeed able to enjoy the beautiful day we've had here today. Lulu, you're right; it's been just like a perfect summer day.

Today marks six months since I started this blog. I couldn't have imagined then that I would write an entry every day for six months.

Since April 8, 2010, this blog has been visited by people from 2036 cities in 89 different countries who have spent a total time of 24 days and 7 hours reading (my own family is not included in these stats). My blog is small potatoes compared with the longtime career bloggers, but it still boggles my mind that anything I've done has managed to reach all corners of the earth.

If you're under 40, you likely can't grasp just how mind-blowing it really is. When I was a young woman, just making an overseas phone call was still a big deal and we couldn't ever have imagined a day when just about everyone would have a cell phone. The last thing we could have imagined would have been having the ability to connect with people all over the world via something like the Internet. It amazes me still, when I think about it.

Writing this blog has reminded me that one is never too old to try something new. It has helped me to get over myself, and not worry if I write something that someone might find foolish, post a photo that is not perfect, or make a video in which I'm stumbling over my words. It's something I simply couldn't have done five years ago.

So for those of you who are still in your 20s or early 30s, and you're starting to feel the panic of "running out of time", please know that you can change and grow and learn new things throughout your life. You don't have to do it all now. There is still so much to look forward to, and let me also tell you another thing. Being 50 is not the same as being old.

Most of all, I am filled with gratitude daily for the comments and feedback that some of you leave, and for the emails and messages I receive. Believe me, you all give me so much more than I am giving and I am truly grateful.

Okay, now about hair. Today I've done a herringbone braid half-up. A herringbone braid is one of the simplest braids to do, but I do have to warn you; it can be tiring to do, especially on really long hair. The strands are small, and it takes patience. However, it's extremely easy, so that makes up for it.

As you can see, my braid in these photos is not perfect, but I still like the way it looks. Perfection is over-rated. Photos can be clicked to enlarge them.

For those of you who have never made a herringbone braid, a half-up is a nice way to start.

To make a herringbone braid all you need to do is

Divide hair into two sections.
Take a small amount of hair from the outer portion of the left section and transfer it to the right section.
Now take a small amount of hair from the outer portion of the right section and transfer it to the left section.
Repeat until you have as much hair braided into a herringbone as you wish.
Tie off the end with a hair-friendly elastic.

Another way that many people like to do a herringbone braid is to make a ponytail first with a hair-friendly elastic and then do steps 1-5. I like to do it without a ponytail tie to start, because I like the v-shape it makes at the top, but both ways are pretty.

To my Canadian friends, I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving weekend. I hope that you spend time with people whom you love, and if not, that you can connect with them in some way.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone who is worried today.

Just Checking In Quickly

2010-10-07T23:09:00.001-04:00

I guess I spoke too soon when I mentioned on Tuesday that I had begun to sleep a little later into the morning. It seems that Tuesday just happened to be a lucky day.

Yesterday and today, I woke up very early again, and along with having an extreme migraine, it finally really caught up with me.

I spent most of the day today feeling exhausted, tried to nap, failed and later in the day I no longer had a choice but to go back up to bed and fall asleep. I ended up sleeping for a few hours.

It was one of those strange sleeps when I awoke not knowing if it was morning or night. It was dark outside, and my eyes were too fuzzy to see just what time it was, so it took me a few minutes to get my bearings.

Such a shame, because it was a really beautiful, mild day with sunny skies, and I didn't get a chance to get out and enjoy it.

As for my hair, well, it needed to be washed today, but that didn't happen. It's all bunned up and it will stay that way until tomorrow morning when I have a shower and CO.

Maybe that long sleep that I finally had today will still allow me to get enough sleep tonight to feel somewhat rested at last tomorrow. I hope so, as clearly any and all hair topics I wanted to discuss today have flown out the window.

I really appreciate all of the comments yesterday. It's wonderful to be able to share the little joys in the journey with you and to receive such supportive feedback.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

My Hair Is Starting To Look Long--Even To Me!

2010-10-06T15:49:00.001-04:00

I don't know what made Monday different than the day before, but for some reason, I looked in the mirror and for the first time in a very long time, I thought to myself, "My hair is really getting long".

Somehow there seems to be a magic length when my hair goes from looking like sort-of-long hair to looking like my idea of long hair. I don't know what it is about this length, but I remember from the past times of getting to this stage of my growth that I had these realizations at just about this time.

It's really quite nice to suddenly be able to see with my own eyes the progress that I've been making, without comparison photos or a measuring tape.

Perhaps there will be another stage in the coming year when I will have yet another epiphany, and see that my hair is looking really long.

Oddly, or perhaps not, my husband said yesterday that my hair was looking very long. I hadn't said anything to him about my hair, which tells me it's not just me who sees the difference.

So here I am at another mini-milestone. While I still have many goals ahead of me, I am finally actually able to see that my hair is getting to where I want to go.

It's a great feeling.

I know that to some longhairs, my hair is still considered relatively short, but in the real world, my hair is actually quite long, not only for women my age, but even the teens and young women that I see. I doubt that I'll ever be able to achieve the extreme lengths that some women do.

I'm getting excited again thinking about just where I might be a year from now.

I know that I have to have my regular trims or else I'll have to have an actual cut. This much I know from my past experience. However, the amount I'll be trimming will be far outweighed by how much my hair will be growing. I still think that I may maintain at just an inch or so past waist length for a while to allow my thinner ends to catch up with my new growth, but I'm not going to etch that in stone.

So, it's a good hair day for me. Yay!

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Off-Topic Tuesday: This and That

2010-10-05T17:57:00.002-04:00

Tuesday again already; where do the days go? It's a cool rainy day here today, and I have the heat on in the house. I can hardly believe how it goes from being so hot to cold enough to turn on the heat so quickly. It's been raining steadily since yesterday afternoon, and it's quite dark in the house. Of course it won't be long before it will be dark for real at this time of day.

I thought I had added the fourth photo (the close-up) to yesterday's blog entry as well as fixing some typos before I published the post, but apparently I didn't, as I had to fix them up today. So if there was a sentence that you didn't understand yesterday or if the hairstyle instructions didn't sound right, hopefully it makes sense today if you reread it.

My daughter has had a severe flare-up of eczema, and it escalated quickly into an infection. Fortunately, her dermatologist has given her carte blanche to go into the office whenever she has an emergency. She had to have four, yes four, prescriptions filled yesterday, and she has to stay off work until Saturday. It's times like this that I really dislike her living so far away. Does a mother ever lose that urge to nurse her child, even when said child is an adult?

We've spoken on the phone a few times, and the last time, I made her laugh, and considering how much pain and discomfort she's in, it made me feel good to hear her laugh.

I got a call from my mother today, and she had to have her male cat put down. He was 17 and he had a good life, but it's always so hard to lose our pets. This particular cat was one of the cats that came to our doorstep looking for a home, when he was still a kitten. We couldn't keep him at the time; we already had our limit of cats, but my parents took him, and he provided them with a lot of joy. My mother isn't overly emotional, but she cried a lot over the loss of this kitty.

It's definitely been an indoor type of day, a lazy day, and I have to admit that I don't have a lot to show for it. Some days are just like that. The hurdle there for me is to not allow it to make me feel guilty. Seeing that written in black and white has just strengthened my resolve to just accept this day for what it's been.

I'm happy to report that day by day, I'm finally sleeping a bit longer into the morning, and hopefully I'll be getting a full night's sleep every night again soon.

I see that Shutter Island is OnDemand on my cable subscription, so I think I may watch that tonight. It looks like it could be interesting. I prefer seeing movies OnDemand when possible, because it means that I can take breaks when I need to without missing any of the story. It may even be the night to pull out my Snuggie to keep me feeling toasty while I enjoy the film. After that, early to bed.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle: Mini-Basket-Weave Half-Updo

2010-10-04T21:28:00.011-04:00

First of all, thank you for your comments and show of support yesterday. It was a rough day and you all helped me stick to my resolve to trim very slowly until my damage is gone rather than give way to thoughts of cutting it all out at once. It is so true that I would regret it. And it's a good lesson for me to live with my hair being less than perfect. It's also true that we are our own worst critics.

Today I had a nice visit with an old friend. We've been friends for over 30 years, since I was just a slip of a girl of only 18. We try to meet up once a month for a few hours, just to keep up and to share our new favourite books and movies, and to catch up on one anothers' lives. It was very pleasant, and it has become an important ritual to me.

I still haven't managed to quite figure out the new hairstyle I have in mind that I mentioned on Saturday. I won't mention it again until I have a handle on it.

I will share with you today's hairstyle. Now that it's getting cooler, sometimes I like to be able to wear half-updos, which keep the delicate canopy hair out of harm's way, but still allow me to show some length.

This is one of the very first half-up hairstyles I learned, other than a simple half-up ponytail, many years ago. I saw it in a magazine long before I joined LHC and began to attempt more difficult styles.

Photos are clickable, as always, for more detailed viewing.

I like this half-up because anyone can do it, and it's just a bit more interesting than a regular half-tail. It works best with a beak clip. In these photos, I'm using a medium-sized Ficarre Innovation beak clip in Pink Marble, but I used to use a simple Goody beak clip that I purchased at the drug store that was extremely inexpensive.

To make this style, I parted my hair from ear to ear over the top of my head. I then pulled back the front section I had just parted as if I were about to make a ponytail. I then divided that "ponytail section" into four equal strands. After that, wove the outermost left strand towards the right: under the next strand, over the next, and under the next. Then I took what was now the second strand from the right and wove towards the left: under the next strand, and over the next.

Then I secured it with the beak clip, concentrating primarily on the left-hand side. It's nothing terribly fancy or exciting, and it's very easy, but it's just a little bit different. I hope you like it.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Lack of Sleep, PMS and Damaged Hair Don't Mix

2010-10-03T18:23:00.000-04:00

Sunday evening already! Where did the weekend go? It was rainy all morning and cloudy and cool all day. Today was the very first time that the house was just a touch chilly when I woke up. Not chilly enough to put on the heat, but chillier than I've been used to.

I slept a bit longer last night--until 4:58 a.m. That was just not enough to make up for my sleep deficit, and I have PMS. Not a good combination.

I did that lovely deep coconut oiling yesterday, with wonderful results. I love that the oil can be washed out with conditioner. It never ceases to amaze me how well conditioner cleans hair. In any case, my hair feels soft and lovely.

However. I have to admit that I've been obsessing again today about my thin, damaged ends. I honestly don't know how bad it looks to any of you, but I can tell you that I can really feel it.

When I pull my hair into a ponytail and slide my hand down, there is not a gradual taper. There is a very abrupt point where the hair palpably gets thinner.

I swear if it weren't for you all who read this, I may have given in to temptation and chopped off enough hair today to get rid of those last few thin inches.

I am so fortunate to be accountable to you who read my words, as well as to my family. It makes giving in to hormonal whims more difficult.

So, crisis has been averted, and I won't chop. But I have to admit to you that I wanted to.

Finding that balance between cutting out damage and still allowing my hair to grow is very difficult at times, and today was particularly hard.

I just have to remember that I cannot expect perfection. No one is perfect and my hair doesn't have to be perfect either.

Thank you all who read my blog. You all help me more than you'll ever know.

I hope that you all had a great weekend, and I wish you a happy week ahead.

Love to all. 'Til tomorrow, my friends.
xo

Barely Coherent

2010-10-02T19:18:00.000-04:00

That's me today. I woke up yesterday morning at 3:30 again, and this morning I awoke at 4:30. Let's just say that I'm sleep-deprived, to say the least, and I'm finding it difficult to think in a coherent manner. Oh, and I have PMS like mad.

So, I guess I'll make this entry brief.

The weather has cooled drastically here, and I'm not sad about it. The extreme heat and humidity that we had this summer was getting a little old. I know we'll be in for at least one more hot spell, but for now, I like the more temperate weather.

As for my hair, not much new. I trimmed my bangs a couple of days ago, and today I gave my hair a very deep coconut oil treatment before COing. I do that about once a month, and my hair likes it.

I have an idea for a new hairstyle, but I'm not sure whether or not it will work. My hair is wet right now, as I just finished COing, or I would have tried it today.

If I master the style, I'll post it here as soon as possible. In all my time at LHC, I've never seen it done, but you can bet that if I've thought of it, someone else has, so I'm sure it's been done before. If I can't master it, I'll send out the idea, and maybe one of you will be able to do it.

I noticed today that when I sit in one of my customary positions, the sides of my hair touch the crook of my elbow. I know that doesn't sound like much, but it's been a long time since I felt that sensation. Have I ever mentioned just how much I love those mini-milestones? It helps keep me on track and motivated.

Well, this really was a drive-by entry, but I'm so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open. My plan is to sleep until at least 6:30 tomorrow. I hope my plan works.

I really hope all of you are having a wonderful autumn weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

October 2010 Progress Photos

2010-10-01T20:49:00.000-04:00

I had said yesterday that I wouldn't post progress photos for October 1st, because I had just posted my BSL update a few days ago. However, what is a progress blog without photos of progress?

I ran across a photo of my hair in February of 2009, and I decided to take a comparison shot, wearing the same shirt that has some clear markers on it. Photo can be clicked to enlarge it.

My hair in the first photo, from Feb. '09 was 17 inches long. This is the shortest my hair had been in almost five years. It's a pretty good example of the breakage I had incurred. It's especially notable on the right hand side.

My hair in the second photo, taken today, is 25 5/8 inches long. I trimmed almost half of my growth in that time, so given that, the progress has been fairly good.

I do wish I could figure out a way to have the colour the same in every photo, but I just can't seem to do it. My hair is actually the same shade in real life as it was in the before photo, but it's looking dark in the photo taken tonight and too gold in the photo on the left. I guess the lighting in the house has changed.

I'm noticing that my ends look fairly thin in the second photo, but having studied photos taken in the past month that I've posted here, I'm thinking it might be a bit piece-y because it was just a bit damp.

In any case, while it's been arduous to cut off so much hair while trying to grow it, I am very happy with the results so far. I still plan on maintaining my length for a while once I hit waist length next summer, in order to remove remaining damage.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Love to all.
xo

September Growth Progress

2010-09-30T18:16:00.000-04:00

Well, it's the last day of the month, so of course, that is progress report time.

Today I measured in at 25 5/8 inches (65.1 cm), which made for a respectable growth month. I dusted about 1/8 of an inch this month, so while I have a net growth of 1/2 of an inch, my hair actually has grown 5/8 of an inch in September.

I'm not posting a progress photo today, since I just posted my BSL update photo a few days ago. I will be doing my quarterly comparison photo next month.

I was looking at my growth and trimming statistics for the past year (yep, I keep a chart--I really am that geeky), and while my hair has grown a total of 6 5/8 inches, I trimmed out 2 7/8 inches of damage in that time for a net growth of 3 3/4 inches.

I'm sure that you can understand that with this trimming of almost half of my growth in the past year, it's been a long haul to get as close as I am to BSL. This is why I was so surprised and thrilled to see that I will likely be firmly at BSL in the next month or two. Every little milestone just means so much to me right now.

I have no regrets about the amount of trimming that I did. It was imperative for me to trim those almost 3 inches off, in order for me to feel positive about my hair. As I've mentioned ad nauseam, I had a great deal of breakage on the bottom few inches of my hair, especially on the right side. It's nice to see the amount of see-through ends slowly getting to be less and less.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. For me, it's not about quantity; it's about quality. So I've sort of made a nice compromise, and I have experienced growth while at the same time slowly removing the non-quality hair.

It will be such a relief when the damage is gone for good.

In any case, it really does look like I'm on track to be at or near waist length by my birthday next July, even with regular smaller trims.

Did I mention that this process has required a lot of patience?

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Love to all and extra hugs to anyone feeling blue today.

Baby Shampoo Is For Babies--Seriously

2010-09-29T18:01:00.000-04:00

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people either in real life or on the hair forums mention that in an effort to be gentler to their hair they have decided to use baby shampoo.

Now, I understand the reasoning; if the shampoo is gentle enough for a baby, then it should be mild and gentle on the hair, right?

Wrong.

Baby shampoos are generally "no more tears" or "tear-free". Now let's think about it. Tears are salty. That means they are alkaline. So in order for a substance not to sting the eyes, it has to be alkaline.

Our hair and skin likes a more acidic pH. This is why so many people like to use a rinse of water with a mild dilution of vinegar, lemon, or citric acid. It keeps the cuticle of the hair closed and shiny. Our scalp and skin also depends on an acid mantle to protect us from dryness, flaking and certain bacteria. Most adult shampoos these days do indeed have a slightly acidic pH level.

So in truth, while baby shampoo is gentle for babies, it's really in the sense that it does cleanse the hair, but does not cause them undue pain. It's the baby's comfort that is the concern. The shampoo is not made to keep a baby's hair in optimum health.

Using baby shampoo, especially repeatedly, will cause the cuticle of the hair to open. This results in weaker, rougher hair, and also in hair that will not hold in moisture. Ultimately it results in damaged hair. Once hair is really damaged, we all know that it can't be repaired. It can be improved, but never repaired.

The bottom line is that baby shampoo really is meant only for babies. It's not meant to be used to promote healthy long hair. While it is gentle on one's eyes, it is very harsh on the hair.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all and extra hugs to anyone in pain.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: I'm SO Tired--Expect Rambling

2010-09-28T20:00:00.000-04:00

Oh my goodness, I am simply exhausted. My husband directs the live news programs at a TV station and he's currently on the shift where he directs the morning show. This means that his alarm goes off at 3:30 a.m.

When his shift changes, it often takes me a few days to be able to sleep through the alarm, his shower and his getting out of the house, but this time, it's been three weeks and I still haven't adjusted.

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and honestly, that's just too darn early for me. I can't function very well with so little sleep. Unfortunately, the nap I hoped to have didn't work out all that well, so I am really looking forward to bedtime.

Fortunately, my husband has a good routine down that has him managing to get enough rest, but just barely. He's a night owl, so it's not easy. I'm just happy though that he has a sleep system for this shift that sees him getting enough sleep.

At least I was able to do some laundry in the wee hours, while the electricity charges are lower.I guess that's a plus. I actually got quite a bit of work done today, considering. It does feel good to get a few chores done that I didn't expect to get done.

In good news, my son went on a job interview today and got the job. I couldn't be happier. It was his first interview since starting his job search and he is now employed already. Woo-hoo!!!

He's taking this year to save up money for university next year. He is also a AAA Junior baseball player, which is why he didn't pursue a full-time job in the summer. In any case, I hope that he enjoys this job. It sounds like it's right up his alley.

My daughter is an actress, and she has recently gotten a role in an independent film of Shakespeare's MacBeth. She cut her acting teeth by acting with a local Shakespearean company here in our city, so it should be like going home for her.

So it's all good with the kids.

In silly news, we had to purchase a new propane barbecue over the weekend, and the cat just loves the big box that it came in. She goes in the box, and the lids flop down, and you would never know that she's in there. We would have tossed the box out with the recycling on Sunday night, but we decided that we can live with the box in the house for a while, since the cat is having so much fun with it.

As for the dog, he's busy shedding, in preparation for his winter coat..

In what-movies-I've-seen-lately news, I finally managed to watch a mainstream movie. As I mentioned last week I've primarily been watching obscure and/or indie films and I've also been watching a lot of foreign films.

The latest movies I watched though was truly mainstream. It was Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I've long been a fan of A.C. Doyle and have read every book and short story about Sherlock Holmes that he wrote. I didn't know what to expect from the movie. However, I was thoroughly entertained, and I can imagine seeing it again.

Lots of rain and thunderstorms today. The weather really has been all over the place lately. It simply can't make up its mind.

Okay, I guess that's enough rambling for one day.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Decisions, Decisions On A Rainy Monday

2010-09-27T17:59:00.000-04:00

If anyone reads this blog and doesn't really know me they would think:

I have nothing more important to think about than hair
I have nothing to worry about other than my hair
All I think about is my hair

None of that is true, of course, however sometimes thinking over minor hair dilemmas is much more pleasant than thinking about other things. It is definitely a pleasant distraction.

Today I was debating again about whether or not to grow out my bangs. I ran across a photo of me from when I had grown out my bangs, and it looked so pretty. It was nice to be able to part my hair on the side from time to time, and to have all of my hair in an updo.

Then I realized that it looked pretty because I had done a damp set with curlers, so I was easily able to create a nice swoop and have my bangs out of my face.

So I looked at some other photos of my hair without bangs, and I wasn't so impressed by how it looked on a day-to-day basis. I had to always have my bangs pulled back into an updo or if I wore my hair down, I had to keep them behind my ears, because my hair is so fine and straight that it falls straight down into my face.

I've heard tell of people "training their hair" to naturally go into a certain direction, but I can assure you that try as I might I could never train the front to my hair to stay out of my face. And believe me, I tried.

Also, like it or not, bangs are part of my identity. I've pretty much alway had them, and I feel more like me with them.

I know that bangs are work for some people, but mine are straight and thick enough that they behave and stay straight down with no work whatsoever. Once in a blue moon, I'll wake up with them sticking up, but all I have to do is give them a light mist with water, comb them down, and I'm ready to go.

They also soften the look of an updo. Since I have such straight hair, when I wear my hair all pulled back, it's pretty severe. I used to try to offset that by French braiding the top of my hair, but it didn't work miracles.

Well, it looks as though in the process of writing this, I've answered my own question. For me, having bangs is less maintenance than not having bangs, so for now, they stay.

This evening is another night out for the boys, so I have the house to myself this evening. I didn't sleep much at all last night, so I plan on going to bed early. I've done about all of the work I could do today (which wasn't much), so I guess I'll look for a movie to watch.

Much love to all. 'Til tomorrow, my friends.

Responding To Some Comments and Welcome New Followers

2010-09-26T18:22:00.005-04:00

Well, as you all likely know by now, I have a terrible time responding to comments in the comments section. I always feel as though the reader won't come back and see it, but I'm going to try to change that.

For today, I want to respond to some of the recent comments made.

I was surprised to learn that I'm not the only one who avoids the news. Aamba, Luluj, and SchnauzerMom, I feel that I am in good company. I thought I was the only person that I know who doesn't keep up on the seamier side of life through watching the news. There is just so much going on out there that we really don't need to know in order to lead full lives.

Blueblackhusky, formerly known as PassionKiller, don't be surprised that I answered your question with an entire entry. Your question about ponytail breakage was a very good one! I know that satin scrunchies aren't terribly fashionable anymore, which is why you aren't finding them in Romania. As you said, they were available some years ago. They are primarily found these days online by longhairs like us. I think you can get some at tenderheaded.com. If you're not interested in them for everyday use, you may find that the hosiery idea works for you. Of course, once you learn a few easy updos, that will make life a lot easier for you.

Kathy, I'm happy that the lemon rinse worked out for you. I'd love to know if you tried it again. Lulu, I guess it's not for you. If I don't hate a new treatment the first time, I will give it a month, and I'm still doing the lemon rinse thing. As I mentioned, even though my hair is so straight, it does get a touch of frizz from time to time, and I like the idea that the lemon juice keeps moisture in the hair.

I do love my ACV rinse though.

I really enjoyed the comments about my entry about '60s hair. It's fun for those of us who were there to remember, and I think it surprises younger people that the '60s were not the free and easy times that people think they were. It was a long time before what the hippies and college kids wore translated to the real world. It still amazes me that in 1968, we were still wearing dresses, white gloves and hats to church (we little girls wore hats with elastic under the chin, the way party hats have elastic--ouch!), and by 1974, it was nothing to see girls wearing jeans to church. Talk about culture shock!!! Unbelievable in such a short period of time.

As regards my post about friendship, I really appreciated the comments. You're right, SchnauzerMom and Aamba, true friends are rare, and are to be cherished. I honestly believe that any of us are fortunate if we have three friends like that in a lifetime. Your words, though few, Birthday Princess, put a lump in my throat. Thank you, sweet friend, and I was surprised and delighted to see you here.

Just Amy, I agree that it's a blessing to be grown up and still fascinated by the moon. I'm happy that you got to enjoy it the other day. Do you remember being a kid and being in the car, thinking that the moon was following you? The trees and houses would whip by, but the moon followed the car. You're too young to remember this, Amykins, but I'll never forget looking up at the moon the night that the first astronauts walked on it 1969. That was an amazing feeling.

It's so funny that you mentioned Birds of America. That was one of the recent indie films I had seen, although here on our cable movie channel it goes by the name of Laws of Motion, which according to IMDB was the original working title. I really enjoyed the movie, and I thought that the acting was excellent, and I so enjoyed the eccentricities of the characters. Gotta love dysfunctional families, don't we?

I ended up watching an indie movie that night after all, although it had mainstream actors in it. It's a movie called Paper Man. It starred Jeff Daniels, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, and a very restrained Lisa Kudrow. I think you might like it. It was funny, sad, touching, sometimes surprising, and ultimately satisfying, in my opinion.

Maya/DuckyDot, thank you so much for your kind words and for reading. Your hair will be long enough to do these styles before you know it! I'm happy that you're able to get some practice in already. :)

Oh! And if you're having trouble getting into LHC, try clearing your browser's cache, or try logging in with this address: forums.longhaircommunity.com. That might work.

And I guess the jury is in, both with my blog buddies and at home regarding yesterday's entry. I will not be trimming my hair until it's enough past the bra strap that I can have a half inch trim and still have hair that is below the bra strap. It's been a long haul for over 2 years, constantly trimming out the damage incurred at that time, so I deserve a break and to just enjoy the growth. Thank you all for your opinions. Agnes and Lady of Canterbury, it's so good to hear from you again.

I know that AutumnLeaves is unable to read right now, but I hope that just by writing this, you'll know that I think about you every day, and I'm sending you lots of love, hugs and good wishes.

I am grateful to see that some of you have officially become followers here in the past few days. Welcome, welcome.

I love you guys.
'Til tomorrow.
xo

September BSL Update: Oh, So Close!!!!

2010-09-25T19:50:00.000-04:00

Just a very quick entry today, friends.

On a whim, I decided to take a BSL update photo, and I was surprised to see that I'm almost there!!! I think I only have about a half inch left before I am firmly covering the bra strap. I really didn't expect to be so close so soon, especially after my update photo in early August. You can click the photo to enlarge it.

I really do need to trim in October, but it's getting so tempting to wait until I've reached BSL, wait another half inch and then trim my regular half inch.

Oh, the dilemmas we longhairs have! This is going to be a tough one.

Anyway, that't the excitement for today. I hope you're all having the best weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all and extra hugs to anyone feeling hurt today.
xo

Another Of My Long Hair Inspirations

2010-09-24T17:28:00.000-04:00

While I have mentioned some of the long hair inspirations of my youth, I have never talked about the woman that really made me finally decide that growing my hair long when I was over 45 was okay.

Up until then, I was buying into the idea that I had to be stylish and age-appropriate to some degree. I thought that being older, heavier and no longer being able to look glamorous meant that long hair was not for me.

It was Tyne Daly in her role as Maxine Gray in the TV show Judging Amy that made me re-think all of that. I liked the down-to-earth, homey personality of Maxine, and her common sense approach to life. And I loved her long silver hair.

As characters go, I identified more closely to the character of Amy, who was closer in age to me, and was raising a child. However, I would often find myself looking at Maxine, and thinking how much I admired that she (and of course Tyne Daly who played her) defied convention and had long hair for her own pleasure only.

I enjoyed seeing her going to work with her hair pulled back in a simple bun. Most of all, I enjoyed watching her in the scenes at home late at night when she might have her hair down, or in a long braid that laid over her shoulder.

It opened my eyes to the idea that it's not only okay to be an individual, and that it's okay to have long hair as a woman of a certain age, but to the idea that I could grow my hair for no one else except for myself.

Tyne Daly broke all of the Hollywood rules. Was she slim? No. Did she dye her hair? No. Was she over 50 and wearing long hair? Yes. How wonderful is that?!?

Honestly, at this point I don't even remember exactly how long her hair was, but I do remember thinking how soft and feminine she looked in those at-home scenes when she was in a bathrobe perhaps, and wearing her hair loose. Most of all, I remember that she possessed that unique brand of beauty that comes from simply being oneself.

It was an idea that I liked. I realized that I had not missed my chance to wear my hair the way I always wanted. And I could do it for no one else other than me.

Yes, Ms Daly has since cut her hair, nevertheless, I will always remember how much she inspired me to be my own person, regardless of what society has to say.

I hope everyone is set for a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

A Quiet Thursday

2010-09-23T18:07:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed watching the Equinox moon rise last night and I woke up early enough to still see it in the morning. I feel wonderful when that happens. To see it rise toward the front of my house and see it set in the morning on the other side of the house makes me feel so good.

It always occurs to me that every single person on this earth is looking at the same moon, sometimes hours before me, or hours after me. I never tire of pondering that.

I don't know why, but I've always loved looking at the moon, especially when it's full and close to the horizon. I always think of the movie Moonstruck when I see a low full moon that looks enormous, and think of "Cosmo's moon".

I did end up trimming a tiny bit last evening. Well really, it was more of a dusting, because I literally trimmed off so little that what came off looked like dust. It won't make much if any difference in length, but I just felt the need to follow the age-old ritual of trimming a bit on a fortunate day.

Call me superstitious; I don't care. I feel as though I'm following in the footsteps of the ancestors when I follow old folklore.

Today it's been a quiet day, and very pleasant. Since I'm not going anywhere, I decided to let my hair marinate in a large quantity of coconut oil for most of the day, and I'm going to do a deep moisture treatment this evening.

It's another movie night for me. I haven't chosen what I'm going to watch as yet, but I think I'm going to go with something new and mainstream. I've been watching a lot of indie movies of late, so it's time for a movie that perhaps other people I know may have actually seen.

I want to say hello and welcome to the new followers to this blog. I am ever humbled by the idea that anyone follows this blog, and very appreciative.

I myself need to start commenting more on the blogs that I read. I am the worst at making comments. I don't know why, but I often think that what I have to say is irrelevant. I need to change my thinking about that, because I know just how much it means to me when people comment on my own blog.

I do want to say that I enjoy all of the blogs to which I am subscribed, and I am going to work on being more interactive.

Well, it's time to start with the hair routine before I decide on a movie.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone who is worried today.

Happy Autumn!

2010-09-22T18:04:00.000-04:00

The Vernal Equinox is just a few hours away, and with it comes the official first moment of Autumn here in the Northern Hemisphere. In some ways it feels like I was just watching the snow melt in early Spring, but when I really think about it, I guess it was a rather long hot summer.

In any case, I welcome the new season, and I look forward to the beautiful colours of Fall.

According to The Almanac, today and tomorrow are good days to trim hair for optimal growth and according to The Morrocco Method Lunar Calendar, today and tomorrow are best days to "beautify" hair, whatever that means. I suppose it just means it's a good time to do any trim, treatment or touch-up. I often notice that the Equinox and Solstice days are often viewed by many cultures as the very best times of year to trim one's hair.

It's making me rethink the idea of waiting until October to trim. After all, I'm going to get the trim one way or another, and who am I to argue with hundreds of years of folk wisdom? Whether I trim now or trim next month, I'll still reach the same length by Christmas, which I hope is BSL.

I'll let you know tomorrow what I decide.

It was a very rainy morning and early afternoon, but it's nice and sunny now. The sun is beckoning me, so I'll close out this entry now.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love and extra hugs to anyone feeling heartbroken today.
xo

Off-Topic Tuesday: Friendship

2010-09-21T17:19:00.002-04:00

I've often told my children that if one can have three true friends in a lifetime, one is very fortunate indeed. I truly believe that.

By "true friend", I mean someone with whom I have a strong bond that can withstand time and distance. A friend whom I may not have seen or spoken with for years, but when I do, we can pick up where we left off, as if no time had passed.

Some friendships are by nature transient. It may be a friendship formed in the workplace that doesn't translate into the real world. It may be a neighbourly friendship that fades once one of us has moved.

Then there are the friendships that while genuine, dissipate as the two of us grow in different directions, with different interests.

Of course there are the toxic friendships too--the ones that truly have broken my heart. I wish that I had been taught about them when I was young. These are the things that our mothers never tell us. I've had too many of them, and I only have myself to blame.

In looking back, I now see that there were plenty of warning signs. If I'd had the awareness to heed those signs, I would have saved myself many a tear. However, it's live and learn, I suppose.

One of the warning signs of a friendship that will ultimately break my heart is the friend who feels obligated to tell me every bit of gossip said about me. I used to get very hurt by this, but I always assumed the best about my friends and I thought they were telling me these things for my own good. They were not.

I now see that these were simple ways of undermining my self-confidence. For example, I didn't need to know that a man at a dance said that he thought I looked pretty until he saw me up close and saw my acne. Yet my friend was compelled to tell me this and many other similar such things during the course of our friendship. I also didn't need to know what another friend told me years laters: that my neighbours were gossiping that I may be an alcoholic because I was rarely outdoors. The truth was that it was a bad migraine summer, and I was much more comfortable indoors with the air conditioning. I don't think my friend said anything to disabuse my neighbours of their notion, either.

Then there have been the friends who love to make jokes at my expense. Jokes that are not particularly funny, and sting a bit. However, if I say anything, the friend will say, "I'm only kidding. Relax". Well, you know what? I won't relax anymore if a "friend" makes me the butt of all her jokes. It really isn't funny, and usually, I've found that there is more than a grain of truth from their point of view in their hurtful jokes. Experience has now taught me that there is often at least a hint of malice there.

Still another warning sign for me is the friend who loves to tell me her problems, and will let me spend hours helping her cope and strategize, but when I have a problem, she has no time for it. These people are not friends. They are people who tend to suck the life energy out of me.

Enter the friend who gives me bad advice. For example, we go shopping and the friend says, "Oh, this sweater would look nice on you". However, the sweater is a colour that looks awful on me. I may ignore this the first couple of times, but if it becomes a trend, then this is not a friendship. Again, this is someone who is trying to knock me down rather than build me up.

Perhaps the most painful is the friend who betrays a confidence. The last time this happened to me was many years ago, but I still haven't gotten over the heartbreak. However, a couple of the above warning signs were there for me to see all along, so I guess it's not surprising that our friendship ended in the manner it did.

What I've noticed about many of these "friends" is that often they will be the ones to end the friendship, and shun me, once I've caught on to them. More interestingly, I discover that for sometimes years after they have stopped talking to me, they are still asking questions about me, and following my every move. If they have no desire to even talk to me, why do they care about what I'm up to?

So I am delighted with the handful of lifelong friends that I do have. They are people who enjoy discussing subjects of mutual interest, my interests or their own. They are people who are loving and giving, and expect nothing. Hopefully, I reciprocate. They aren't offended if life has pulled me in another directions for a time, and I am not offended when the same happens to them.

They don't share nasty gossip with me, nor I with them. They are happy for my small triumphs and sad for my misfortunes, as I am with theirs. They make me feel good about myself, and hopefully I do the same for them. I can trust them with anything and they can trust me.

Now, I continue to make new friends, even on the Internet. Everything I've mentioned applies with Internet friendships as they do in real life. I hope that I've finally reached a point where I will never give my heart to someone who doesn't deserve it. It's taken a lot of hard knocks to get to this point, but I think I'm just about there.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Video How-To: Figure 8 Updo

2010-09-20T18:04:00.002-04:00

This bun is fairly easy, once you get the knack. I tried to go slowly so that you can follow along. I hope it's helpful to some of you.

Remember, if your hair is too short or too thick to do this bun right now, you can always do a Figure 8 Half-Up, or do two or three Figure 8 Buns in a vertical row.

Thanks to all who left comments and sent emails. I can never tell you how much I appreciate them. I will respond as soon as possible.

'Til tomorrow. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling lost today.
xo

Remembering '60s Hair

2010-09-19T17:38:00.000-04:00

I was born in 1961, so I spent my childhood in the 60's. While a lot of younger folk think of the '60s as a time of long hair, parted in the middle, it really wasn't so until the late '60s and even then, usually only teens wore their hair that way.

In truth, up until about 1968, the '60s were still much like the '50s. And of course, our mothers had been teens or young women in the '50s.

At that time, jeans were for play only, and girls and women always wore skirts or dresses when going out. Women did wear slacks around the house, but they didn't wear blue jeans, not ever, unless they worked on a farm.

Most women who were married had shortish hair, and they wouldn't be caught dead with it straight. Back then, there were no blow-dryers, curling irons still hadn't become mainstream, and almost without exception, homemakers wore curlers in their hair all day, every day, until such time as hubby was about to come home for dinner. There was a lot of teasing of hair back then, as well.

I remember well the brush rollers that most of the women wore, and I recall the scent of setting lotion on their rolled hair.

My mother used setting lotion, but I have a recollection of her using flat beer as a setting lotion for a while. It seemed funny to see a spray bottle full of beer in the fridge.

It was a very common sight at the local grocery store or the bank to see a woman with a head full of curlers, covered with a satin scarf, tied babushka style.

If a woman did have longer hair, chances are that it was set into a teased and lacquered updo that lasted a week. Perhaps a bouffant or beehive.

Another popular trend that I recall in the mid to late '60s was the wearing of wigs. Most women had two or three wigs or hairpieces sitting on foam wig-forms. Sometimes, the wig would be a different colour than the woman's own hair, and sometimes women would buy long hairpieces, matching their own hair, called "falls". The falls could be worn long, or styled to create an updo.

"Frosted" hair was popular with young women. Frosted hair is similar but unlike what we today call highlights. It was in fact a type of highlighting, but it ended up making the hair look greyish. I smile just remembering it. I knew a few women who had their hair frosted, but mostly the women I knew had a frosted wig.

Until the late '60s, even teen girls wore curlers, especially for a night out.

And believe it or not, there was no such thing as yet as conditioner, and the shampoos were harsh. So women generally only washed their hair once a week or so. I remember a lot of career women and homemakers making weekly appointments at the hairdresser for a wash and set.

It was quite an innovation when a product called "creme rinse" came out in the very late '60s. That was the first time that there was a product that would detangle hair. Creme rinse was concentrated, and you'd put a capful in water as a final rinse.

I don't think any of us could have imagined the huge changes that were coming our way both in clothing fashion and hair fashion. I wonder if there was ever such a huge change in style in any other decade as there was between the '60s and the '70s

By the time 1974 rolled around, everything was different. We had gentle shampoo and conditioner, and we had blow-dryers. This meant that hair could be washed daily, and it also meant that women could wear new styles that could be cut to be easily blow-dryed into place. Also, curling irons and hot rollers became popular and affordable.

It was an interesting time. I am so happy that I was able to witness it.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Abbreviations And Terminology I Commonly Use

2010-09-18T18:13:00.000-04:00

I thought it was about time to make a list of some abbreviations that I either use, or want to use but don't, because I fear that readers who don't frequent long hair message boards won't understand. There is also some terminology that I use that may not be understood unless I explain in every blog entry.

Here is a list of my abbreviations.

ACV-apple cider vinegar--I use a diluted solution of ACV and water as a final rinse usually after washing my hair
APL--armpit length hair
BBB--boar bristle brush--a hairbrush with natural bristles, which helps distribute the hair's oils more evenly and is generally gentler than a brush with nylon or other plastic bristles.
BSL--bra-strap length hair
CBL--collarbone length hair
CO--Conditioner Only--a method of washing hair using only conditioner, but no shampoo; this is the method I use
CWC-Condition, wash, condition method of washing one's hair
DT--deep treatment; it could be a deep moisture treatment, a deep oiling, or a deep protein treatment; I usually specify
EO--essential oils such as lavender oil, which I often use to add a pleasant scent to conditioning mixtures I make, or to my mister bottle of distilled water, that I often use to dampen my hair.
EVOO--extra virgin olive oil
JO--jojoba oil
LHC--The Long Hair Community--the primary hair care forum that I frequent
LHL--The Long Hair Loom--another wonderful community for people interested in growing long hair
S&C--shampoo and condition
S&D--"search and destroy" method of cutting out split ends
TBL--tailbone length hair
TLHC--another acronym for The Long Hair Community
WL--waist length hair

Terminology I use about hair

Baby Hairs--shorter, finer hairs found around the hairline. Usually these hairs have a short terminal length, but occasionally they are caused by breakage
Canopy hair--The hair that grows on top centre of the head and forms the "roof" of your hair if you wear it down; it is the hair most exposed to the elements and can be more fragile than the rest of the hair
Cones--shampoos, conditioners or serums that contain some form of silcone such as dimethicone
Halo Hair--new hairs are growing in all the time, and so we always have hairs of varying lengths on our head; sometimes the shorter ones fly around in the air creating a halo effect
Hemline-the bottom edge of one's hair; in my case I trim my hair into a gentle u-shaped hemline
Terminal Length--the length at which any hair naturally stops growing and falls out

That's the list for now. I'll add to it if I think of any others that I have forgotten or haven't yet used. Please ask if there is a term or abbreviation that I use that isn't on this list.

On another note, it's a lovely day here, and I hope it is wherever you may be. Wishing everyone a lovely weekend.

Much love to all. 'Til tomorrow, my friends.