Petty Vents

[CrazyCatLady]

Things are moving along! Everyone on our street is pitching in with food, clothes, and even mundane things like toothpaste, soap, towels, money, etc., etc.

I found out one of the girls' purse burned. She is 17. I had a lovely Coach purse with a matching wallet in my closet, intended for a friend's birthday gift, but she was killed in a car accident two days before her 58th birthday three years ago and I just kept the purse and wallet, sadly.

Now a precious little 17-year-old has a very nice purse and wallet. I unloaded some clothes on them which didn't fit me any more, and a horrendous set of dishes my sister gave me some years ago. I apologized for the dishes, but their Mom laughed and hugged me for them. I gave them a Walmart gift card, a couple of nice velour blankets ( I do LOVE re-gifting, lol!), and a bunch of microwaveable cookware. I don't use the nuker that much, so I didn't need it.

They came to visit their kittens today, and they were so happy to see them it made me cry. Here I was with 6 kids stuffed into our guest bedroom, playing with their kittens....wow, just wow.

The other neighbors, everyone on our street, are giving all they can and it's like a miracle to this sweet family. I could kick myself for not knowing them better, and I have vowed to be a much better neighbor to everyone, and not wait for a tragedy to do it out of necessity. Life's too dang short.

But this has brought us all closer, and if there is any silver lining to this nasty cloud, it's that. It's strange how you find out how much you really care for someone (or someONES) when all of a sudden something as horrible as this happens to them, even though you don't know them too well.

I think I'm starting to see the light at the end of this dark, awful tunnel and come what may, we will get them through this, no matter what.

 

[Dawgluver]

The shade would be very nice in a fabric or a set of sheets. On my head, not so much. The upside is that I scare DH every time he comes into the room and doesn't recognize me.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks for the update, CCL. I know I wish I had neighbors like you!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

The fish are going to think you are even more exotic...

 

[Dawgluver]

What PF said. What a wonderful neighbor you are!

 

[Dawgluver]

Arial ain't got nuthin' on me. At least her hair was orange, a color found in nature.

 

[Somebunny]

CCL, bless you for helping these people. You are truly a kind soul. Many of us could take a lesson from you.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Dawg, one of the local radio stations has a DJ who has burgundy-purple hair. I say "rock on"! BTW, I decided to let my gray hang out around age 53 and have never regretted it. Just sayin'...

 

[Dawgluver]

It really is a pretty color. It's just that I've never seen hair this shade before. And it's so dark.

I'd happily let it go gray, but it's only partially gray, and just ages me.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My hair is only gray in the front, still dark in the back. I want to know what I am supposed to do with all this darned curl that is taking over.

 

[Addie]

I was browsing this thread and saw that you were awaiting your Roomba a few weeks back. How are you getting on with it? I keep looking at them in the catalogue and wondering. What happens in the corners? Is it good enough at what it does to be a "stand alone" vacuum cleaner or would it be necessary to retain a more powerful cleaner for the weekly blitz?

Rosie does the floor pretty good. The Roomba has side brushes that get right up against the wall and in corners. For the floors, it is all right. But if you are one to vacuum the walls, cushions, drapes, etc. then you need a vacuum that will do that. Rosie only does the floors. I have a wall that all the wires in the room run up against. It has always been difficult for me to clean right up against the wall, and there has always been dust in that area. Rosie wouldn't leave there until she got the last bit.

I have a very large room. At one end is my bed and TV. At the other is my computer desk, computer cabinet and table along with a small cabinet. It took a couple of runs to get her to go toward the end where the table is. She kept wanting to go under my bed. She is still in the learning stage of my floor plan. She is getting better each time I let her out. And she does head home for her port when she is done.

 

[Addie]

My hair is only gray in the front, still dark in the back. I want to know what I am supposed to do with all this darned curl that is taking over.

You too? I have had the straightest hair all my life. NOW it decides to be curly. I like to keep my hair cut in a pixie. But I am gong to have to let it grow out so that when the curls are growing back in, they don't stick out all over my head. It look like I have my finger in a socket.

I am going to have to get it cut to chin length. My whole head is all grey with mostly white. I wish it would hurry up and turn all white.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

I thank you all for your kindness, but every single person/people on our street has given things and money to them, too. All I did was bang on doors and ask if they could help me help them.

It's brought every one of us closer to each other, and I am so proud of my neighbors. So much has poured out from them to the family and to be honest, I've never been so proud and grateful to be a part of such a bunch of awesome people.

We're not done yet, and we won't be done until they move back into their home, all fixed up and beautiful again. I pray it comes very soon for them!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

At least WE all have hair to complain about. My SIL is nearly bald on top from meds that she's on. A 58-year-old cousin is so thin over her entire head you can see scalp easily. A friend of mine is equally thin-haired from chemo. Found out yesterday that it has metastasized. :'( Gave her an extra-big hug just in case I don't have a chance next time we visit OH.

 

[Addie]

Right after my youngest daughter's death, my oldest daughter developed Alapecia. The doctors told her it was stress from the death. They now think it was the start of the tumor. She developed very large bald spots all over her head. Enough that she had to resort to wearing wigs.

When she was first placed on the chemo, she thought she was going to lose her hair. Not so. If anything, she now had a head of hair that a polar bear would be happy with in the dead of winter. But she is holding on to those wigs. You never know what the future may bring.

My two oldest boys have a head of hair that they need a hair cut every three weeks. And Spike has a beard that is just as thick. Poor Poo. He is slowly losing his with pattern baldness. The Pirate baffles me completely. He is still blonde with no grey and his beard is also blonde. He is 52 y.o. and looks like he is in his early 30's. Spike is approaching 60 and looks like he is in his 40's. Where did those two come from? The odd thing is that all my kids have their father's coloring including the eyes, yet they all look like me. Thank heavens none of them ended up with my red hair.

 

[CarolPa]

At least WE all have hair to complain about. My SIL is nearly bald on top from meds that she's on. A 58-year-old cousin is so thin over her entire head you can see scalp easily. A friend of mine is equally thin-haired from chemo. Found out yesterday that it has metastasized. :'( Gave her an extra-big hug just in case I don't have a chance next time we visit OH.

My step-daughter in her 40's is losing her hair on top. She has a very hard time styling her hair and has recently started using something that she brushes on to fill in where it's thin. This started about 10 years ago. It doesn't seem to be getting worse, but it's not getting better either. She had her scalp analyzed once by one of those places that does hair replacement and they said her hair loss is from stress. She won't try anything that I recommend, but what do I know. I have the thickest head of hair known to man, and would gladly give her some! I would like to have a little less. I guess we're never satisfied.

 

[Mad Cook]

Rosie does the floor pretty good. The Roomba has side brushes that get right up against the wall and in corners. For the floors, it is all right. But if you are one to vacuum the walls, cushions, drapes, etc. then you need a vacuum that will do that. Rosie only does the floors. I have a wall that all the wires in the room run up against. It has always been difficult for me to clean right up against the wall, and there has always been dust in that area. Rosie wouldn't leave there until she got the last bit.

I have a very large room. At one end is my bed and TV. At the other is my computer desk, computer cabinet and table along with a small cabinet. It took a couple of runs to get her to go toward the end where the table is. She kept wanting to go under my bed. She is still in the learning stage of my floor plan. She is getting better each time I let her out. And she does head home for her port when she is done.

Thanks, Addie. Rosie sounds very well behaved. I really like the idea of having the vac'ing done while I'm out! And no. I don't vacuum walls etc., very often. I bought a Dyson upright last year and I love it but it requires my total attention so no sitting in the gardn while it does the cleaning.

 

[Mad Cook]

You too? I have had the straightest hair all my life. NOW it decides to be curly. I like to keep my hair cut in a pixie. But I am gong to have to let it grow out so that when the curls are growing back in, they don't stick out all over my head. It look like I have my finger in a socket.

I am going to have to get it cut to chin length. My whole head is all grey with mostly white. I wish it would hurry up and turn all white.

When I was little and complaining bitterly about my poker-straight hair my mother, who was a hairdresser, told me that she had been told at college that curly hair was a deformity and straight was the norm.

Dunno if this is true and it didn't make me feel any better. Much against Mother's better judgement I insisted on having mine in plaits (braids?) - could almost sit on it when it was loose. One day when I was about 16 I sat at the bowl to have my hair washed and I idly said that I was thinking of having it cut. Quick as lightning Mother whipped out her scissors and hacked my plait off. Sob!

After years of struggling with layers, heated tongs and rollers, permanent waves, hairdryers, sleeping in 40 rollers (ouch!), etc., etc., I gave it all up, grew the short layers into a chin length bob and all my problems ended. I wash it and let it dry and it just falls right. I can enhance the style with the hot brush and hairspray if I'm going out but for everyday I don't need to bother. Why didn't I try this when I was younger and working?

It's not a bad colour. I started going grey when I was in my early 50s and I was stripey, like a badger, but now it's silver.

 

[Addie]

Thanks, Addie. Rosie sounds very well behaved. I really like the idea of having the vac'ing done while I'm out! And no. I don't vacuum walls etc., very often. I bought a Dyson upright last year and I love it but it requires my total attention so no sitting in the gardn while it does the cleaning.

My girlfriend in California bought a Dyson when they first came out. It is so heavy she can't use it and poor hubby has to do all the vacuuming. I tried to lift it and I couldn't.

I have to move Rosie's port. It is in the closet, (there is a plug there for the port) as I have to leave the door open so she can go back home. I was heading for the bathroom and walked right into the door and almost knocked myself out. As long as there is no obstacle, Rosie goes from carpet to tile (kitchen and bathroom) without any problem. So my whole apartment gets done. You do receive a virtual wall with one. It will stop the robot from going where you don't want it to go. If you have area rugs down, she goes right over them also without a problem.

I call her Rosie after the Jetson's robot maid. I love my Rosie!

 

[Mad Cook]

Dang. I grabbed a box of hair color from under the bathroom sink as the grays were taking over. My waist-length hair is now a beautiful, and very DARK shade of burgundy that is not normally found in nature. The box said "medium reddish brown." The picture on the box matched my original color perfectly. The box lied. Oh well, the grays are gone.

There is a lady at our knitting circle who has just had her 70th birthday but even the most spiteful person would put her beyond 50-55. Beautiful bone structure and skin with hardly any lines, slightly hippy-ish dress and long wavy silver hair. She sometimes wears it loose (and doesn't look ridiculous) and often wears it in a plait over her shoulder. She has it coloured in wefts of pink and mauve which looks amazing with the silver wefts that have been left uncoloured.

I am extremely jealous!