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Hi All,
Nope, I didn't misspell heir. I am
no ones heir, but I sure have hair! That's apparent! To those who know
me but haven't seen me in awhile, well, you wouldn't believe it. My
hair is down between my shoulder blades. Those who know me know I HATE
long hair. I always wear it very short. But, things happen.
The last time I got my hair cut was for my
nephew's wedding. He's been married about a year and a half now. It
was a series of unfortunate events that started this hair
odyssey. Money, for one. That was the biggie, in fact. The last couple
of years have been real tight for us. As for a lot of people, I'm
sure. Every time I thought we might have enough "extra"
money (is there really any such thing as extra money? Isn't that an
oxymoron? It is in this house.) for me to get my hair cut, something
came up. It's not terribly expensive, but when the choice is between a
haircut or paying a bill or taking care of an emergency situation, a
haircut is expendable.
After about 6 months of frustration and
teasing, I decided to see if I could stand to let it go a year. Just a
little bet with myself. I think it really was the darned frustration
most of all. Pay the bills, see there's enough to get a haircut and
then have something happen. It's like someone was dangling a box of
See's Chocolates in front of me but jerked it away every time I
reached for it (slipping in my own drool, I might add!)
My very apparent hair led to quite
mixed reviews. My mother in law hates it. My husband prefers it short
(this, I believe, is because that is how he is used to it), other
family members have liked it. I've received compliments on it. (Which,
I might add, is usually the time I know I need to cut my hair. The
more compliments I get, the more I hate the hair. I'm perverse, what
can I say?)
As for me? Well, I hate it. No,
that's not strong enough. I really, really hate it. And it is driving
me insane. My husband won't cut it for me because he's too worried
about hurting me or making me look like a dog with the mange or
something. I can't because I'm simply not coordinated enough to. I
mean, I could get the front and maybe a little on the sides, but the
back? Frankly, in the mood I'm in, I don't want to be holding scissors
behind my back. Who knows where I might start that haircut.
I always think of my Dad when I
think of self inflicted haircuts. I will never forget the time he took
a hair cutting tool - I think it was called the Hair Whiz - and gave
himself a haircut that hurt your eyes to look at it. The premise
behind the tool was that you just comb through your hair and it cuts
it. No muss, no fuss. Practically fool proof. Practically. But Dad
found a way to muck it up.
Oh how funny he looked! How he managed to
nearly scalp himself in some places whilst still maintaining tufts of
hair that would make Bozo jealous I cannot figure out. But he did. It
was so funny. But the funniest was yet to come. Although I'm sure Bob
Ivey didn't think it was so funny.
Several guys that my Dad worked with went
to the same barber as him. Bob Ivey. He was a very good barber and a
really nice man. But when Dad went to work with his hair looking like
it had been attacked by a rogue weed whacker, he promptly told these
men that Bob had done it. He said Bob had been drunk. He later fessed
up, but I'm not sure all of them believed him. He never thought anyone
would take him seriously.
But they did. My Dad had such a dry sense
of humor. It was hard to figure out sometimes what he was thinking and
if he was being funny or not. He could be pretty deadpan. I recall the
time that we were sitting in the car (waiting for Mom, I guess, but I
don't remember) and we started telling dirty jokes. By today's
standards they would be pretty mild, but still...
Anyway, we had just finished
telling a joke about Santa Claus visiting homes and finally having
problems getting up the chimney because his, ahem, equipment was
getting in the way. Dad laughed and then suddenly put his palms
together and began to raise them up and down, connected by the
fingertips. "What's this?" he asked. Well, considering the
kind of jokes we were just telling, we're coming up with all sorts of
suggestive things. Dad just keeps saying "Nope." Finally we
give. "It's a spider doing push ups on a mirror!" Dad
exclaims. There is dead silence for a few seconds and then we bust out
laughing. Dad was so pleased. He never realized that we weren't
laughing at the joke but the surprise he gave us with the unexpected
change of pace. You just never knew with him.
Well, I digress, but that's something I'm
really good at.
Back to the hair issue. The reason
now that my hair is still long and driving me frozen bananas is simply
this. I figured if I had put up with it for this long, I could put up
with it for a few more inches. Someone may as well get some good out
of it. So I'm growing it long enough to donate it to Locks of Love or
a like organization. This way I can feel good about torturing myself
and leaving enough long hairs all over the house to knit a clone!
It's like I haven't suffered through this for nothing.
It feels good to do something to
help someone, you know? And as Valentine's Day is fast approaching,
maybe we can all do a little something to help Cupid along his way.
Maybe it's not romantic love, but there are ways we can show a little
love to people, not just on Valentine's Day, but any day.
Some suggestions -
Click daily to donate to several
sites. Doesn't cost you a cent. I go to www.theanimalrescuesite.com
and from there can click on sites for literacy, breast cancer, the
rain forest, hunger and child health. Hint: I do them in alphabetical
order so I can remember what I've already done.
Do you like word games? Try www.freerice.com
For every word you define you donate grains of rice. Have fun and help
too! Again, no cost to you.
If you have a little money to spare,
pay for someone else's coffee or drink at a fast food restaurant.
And, if you are like most of us and
don't have a little money to spare, just donate a smile and a friendly
word to the clerk at the store or a person walking down the street.
That doesn't cost anything and can really brighten someone's day!
Try to remember to make every day
Valentine's Day with a thoughtful gesture, word of praise, or even a
smile.
Here's hoping that you have a
fabulous Valentine's Day and that the feelings wear on well into the
year!
Until next time, take care.
Love,
Leslie
If you would like to contact me - maybe
send me an email smile! - feel free to do so at
Return
Home most people
my age don't get so attached to stuffed animals, but I'm not most
people. I'm just who I am. I don't hurt anyone and I have a good time.
And if that means that I carry a stuffed toy around with me and talk
to it and play games with it, then that's just how I am. All I really
know is that my puppy was gone and he's home now.
Dog Gone? No longer.
And it suris good to have him home!
Until next time,
take care. Hold the people, animals and things that you love close to
you and value them. They might disappear before you know it.
Love,
Leslie
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