"Snaggy, Shaggy, Ratty, Matty..."

Isn't it strange how we get so much of our identity from our hair?!

I look at this picture, taken last week, and it totally does not "feel" like me.  In my minds eye I don't register having hair this short.  I'm still a bit surprised when I look in the mirror.  It's not even a matter of liking or disliking the cut - some days I like it, some days I don't.  Have you noticed when women face life threatening disease/chemo, often the first concern is losing their hair.  I get that.  I don't even think it's based in vanity, but rather in identity.

I've reached a time in my life that I don't want to spend extra time fixing my hair.  Gone are the teen days of sleeping on prickly hair rollers.  Anyone else remember doing that?  Gone are the days of harsh perms that left my hair fried in order to coax it into a curl.  Not gonna do that any more either.  Gone are the days of taking 30 minutes just to simply dry my thick hair.  No more!  Don't get me wrong.  I'm no different than you - I love my hair.  I just think I can learn to embrace having shorter locks that require a minimum of upkeep.  Mister LOVES it short - strange isn't it, as most men seem to prefer long hair.  The truth may be that he's grown tired of waiting for me to wash/dry/fix my hair.  He loves it when I can "get up & go" quickly.

Anyone remember this?

"I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy

Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty

Oily, greasy, fleecy

Shining, gleaming, streaming

Flaxen, waxen

Knotted, polka-dotted

Twisted, beaded, braided

Powdered, flowered, and confettied

Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied!

Oh say can you see

My eyes if you can

Then my hair's too short"

'Fess up -

How long does it take you to wash/dry/style your hair?
How long has it been since you made a major change to the length of your hair?

Look & See

Stashia @ 35 weeks.

"Belly Pose"

February 20, 2013

Shower Pretties

H is for Haylee and they were delicious!!

Sweet Friends!

Stashia with balloon!

Stashia and Mom enjoying the evening of fun.

Sweet books to read to a sweet baby.

Someone is hiding behind those lovely flowers.
Could it be Aunt C?

Special Friends who planned this lovely evening.

Cake, Gifts, and Balloons, Oh-My!

Stashia you have lovely friends
that love you "muchly";
You.Are.Blessed.

Guess! Starbucks Card Give-away!

You have two opportunities to win a $10 gift card to Starbucks!

(Two gift cards will be awarded.)

This is open to FB friends as well as to bloggy friends.

Guess the day/date and time (am or pm)

when you think baby will be born

and you could win!

ALSO

Guess the birth weight, lbs & oz

and you could win.

No ties are allowed so the guesses will be listed as they are received.

If you make a guess which is a duplicate, you will need to

change your guess.

Full Disclosure:  Due date is officially March 31.

On Feb. 19th the doctor said she expected the baby

would arrive in about three weeks.

What do YOU think?

edited to add:  Last day for accepting guesses is Thurs., Feb. 28, midnight.

My "Happy Place".

It's no wonder green is my favorite color.
I know most people long to live by water, but not me. I'm a green girl, all the way.
Just yesterday the city was mowing the right-a-way alongside the highway and I caught the scent of freshly mowed grass.  Be still my heart!  Yankee Candle once had a scented candle, "Fresh Mowed Grass" (discontinued now) - I loved it!  When I feel the need to think about a "Happy Place" I picture myself on a large front porch swing overlooking a large span of green grass. I can hear birds singing and there is a bit of honeysuckle mixed with the grassy scent. There's just something about that setting that puts me at peace.

Everyone needs a "Happy Place" in their mind, don't you think?
You know, the place you think about when the stress gets to be too much; the place where your mind's eye settles when you need a break from the "here and now".

Tell me about your "Happy Place" - I'd love to hear.
You can leave a comment OR you can blog about it if you'd like, just be sure to let me know so I can drop by to read about it.  "Inquiring minds" and all the stuff. . .

"puffy" skin?

Geez, I was in front of my TV,
ready to watch the Grammy's
then I got this memo -

"Thong-type costumes are problematic. Please avoid exposing bare, fleshy under-curves of the buttocks and buttock crack. Bare sides or under-curvature of the breasts is also problematic. . [.the genital region must be] "adequately covered so that there is no visibly 'puffy' bare skin exposure" and "sheer, see-through clothing that could possibly expose female breast nipples,".

Is this better?

Given there is no wardrobe "mal-function", I always enjoy the bizarre, and sometimes skimpy clothes the celebs wear to the Grammys.  Just sayin'. . .

I'm thinking you probably disagree with me.

Which is absolutely alright - we can still be friends!

Just sayin' . . .

It was one of those days I woulda, shoulda, coulda, oughta, have had my camera with me.  I was driving down a busy street in our town when I came across a two block area full of . . .

Port-a-pottys.
They were scattered about - different colors, and in varying degrees of "newness".  Randomly spaced, some had been placed on an incline that looked as though they would tip into the tiny creek adjacent to them if anyone set out to really use them.  It takes very little to amuse me, so I found this quite the funny sight as I let my imagination take flight.  A couple of men wandered among them counting and plotting.  Mardi Gras parades were held this weekend so I'm sure this was a holding area before placing them along the parade route for the big day.  Seeing all of these made me think of  -

THIS!

I've heard my parents tell lots of stories about this familiar structure of their youth.  Some of their stories are funny, but none are very pleasant.

I will never again complain when I clean the bathroom.
I will never again complain when I clean the bathroom.

I will never again complain when I clean the bathroom.

I will never again complain when I clean the bathroom.

Just sayin' . . .

The law of 3's

I'm not superstitious.
Not at all.
I will walk under ladders and step on sidewalk cracks with nary a thought.
Black cats can cross my path, circle around me, and do a dance routine - I will scarcely even notice.  That said, it does seem that certain things beyond our control tend to happen in three's.  Does it seem this way to you?  When someone famous dies it seems that you can be sure that two other famous people are soon to meet their demise also. I don't understand it.  I don't explain it.  I don't even know if this is accurate, but it sure seems this way to me.

ALSO, when things begin to break around the house, it seems these things usually happen in three's also.  Maybe this is just the case with appliances in my house - does it ever happen to you in this manner?

Yesterday I left my broken vacuum at the repair shop and am hoping they can still get the parts needed to fix it. The repairman was guardedly optimistic.

A handyman came this morning and installed a new garbage disposal.  Yay!  This is one of those things I don't properly appreciate until it's gone.  Things get messy without a garbage disposal, ya know?!

Then yesterday afternoon I sat down at the computer to read blogs.  Didn't happen.
The computer FROZE.  I tried to reboot it "three" times, with no luck.
Mister bought a new one last night.  Yep, this old dog is having to learn some new tricks on the computer today.  We went from Vista to Windows 8.  I am one of those who enjoy doing things the way I've always done them before, but alas, I am thankful for the new computer and will put my mind to learning how to navigate online in a new way.

1. Vacuum
2. Garbage Disposal
3. Computer

I'm feelin' the joy today as I can count off THREE things that have broken and are now fixed, or in the process of being fixed.  WHEW!

Ready.Set...and patiently Waiting.

A brand new little Granddoll is expected

to "rock our world" in March.

Her Mom has the nursery prepared

and waiting.

The "wait" is part of the fun,
don't you think?

(

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

I'm having a dinner party for eight friends at my house tomorrow.  Since inviting everyone a few days ago, my vacuum has quit working and today my garbage disposal went out.  "HA!", I say.  I can laugh into the wind because it really doesn't matter - that's one of the blessings of being of a certain age; it gives you perspective.

On the flip side...I had planned to go to the store this morning, then come home to make a cake for tomorrow night.  I never made it to the store (long story).  I looked at what I had in the pantry and began grabbing anything that I thought might be a good blend of flavors.  I began with a Yellow Butter Cake mix.  Then, besides the usual eggs and oil, I dumped in a can of mandarin oranges, some orange yogurt, orange juice concentrate, and a handful of Craisins.
It.Tastes.Wonderful!

A good dessert can cover a multitude of "oopsies".
You can quote me on that!

Now, what shall I name my new cake creation?

Suggestions?  Ideas?

Love and Hate.

10 Things I Love About February

1. Valentine's Day
2. Super Bowl Commercials
3. Red 
4. Trees budding
5. Mardi Gras Parades
6. Sonic Chocolate Covered Cherry Milkshakes
7. "Punxsutawney Phil"
8. Feb.15th (31 yr cancer survivor anniversary!)
9. Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies
10. Spring Clothes in stores

10 Things I Hate About February

1. Weight gain from Valentine candy
2. Dreary, long days
3. Lawn Weeds
4. Nasty Cold/Flu Germs
5. No Family Birthdays
6. Pasty, white, Skin
7. Weight Watchers Commercials
8. Winter feet
9. Fluctuating weather 
10. "February" is not spelled like it's pronounced. 

Sound off now!

What do you love and what do you hate about February?