Now, That's Love

Short and sassy was what I was yesterday. Today, I am this:

There were still some really straight ends, I discovered as I was playing with my hair yesterday. They looked fried and unhealthy. The roots looked great...so, when I got home I implored hubby. Out came his trusty clippers and he, luckily, found a 1/2" guard (otherwise, I would be even cleaner than this). Buzz, buzz...clip, clip. All the hair to the floor. At least 2 to 3 more inches. Man, you don't realize how much hair you have until it's all on the floor. Mister, "I hate short hair," even cleaned up my edges for me. He kept looking at me, but he wasn't shaking his head as you might expect. Starring and starring. Maybe realizing that beauty doesn't come from one's face or hair, but from somewhere deep inside. I'm sure he already knew this, but I could see the facts laying themselves out all over his expressions. What a guy.

It feels good...light and airy. I'd say it was a freeing experience. I'm nervous again for the second time this week on reactions, but much more comfortable with how I'm feeling about it. It will grow back healthy and strong. It will be all me and not some fabricated, European idea of how I'm supposed to look. My African, German, East Indian, Irish and Native American heritage all over me...my face and my hair.

(Now, I will search for my India Arie copy of I Am Not My Hair and blast it from my car this morning.)

Sporting the All Natural

I did it. I am chemical free (sort of). I took my braids out on Sunday evening and then colored it with, what I thought would be a bronzey red (see box). I guess I forgot I was "all natural" because the color didn't take. I mean, it really didn't take at all. My hair is so thick and so non-porous that it sort of winked at the color and said, "So, you're trying to color me? Good one." Despite this, I cut off the remaining relaxed ends (about four inches...painful) and wrapped it up in a scarf.

I wanted my hair brighter and happier for spring and summer. I really liked the highlights and tones that my braids had and I was eager to have that over my dusty black hair. So Monday, I was on the hunt for African-American hair coloring (something I swore I'd never use again).But, the difference is that there's no relaxer in my hair. No further damage to add to already damaged hair...just healthy, virgin hair for the color to absorb in. In fact, the color I chose states that it only be used on natural hair. An indication that this color had a lot of umph to it. I was game.

So, I colored my hair with Dark and Lovely's, Light Golden Blonde. Well, not exactly. It turned out very bronzey red. I like it, but it will look much better after a couple of washes. I plaited up the parts I could catch up, wrapped it in a scarf and prayed I'd adjust to the change.

Today, I've received nothing but compliment after compliment. Everyone loves it and the biggest compliment of all came from my coworker, who (like me) decided to stop railing against nature. Of course, she made her decision a few years ago but, nonetheless. She's Caucasian with naturally straight hair. She used to perm the hell out of it and tried wearing it long, which her hair didn't seem to respond to. So, now she's short, sassy and straight. "It's much easier to deal with and I know, yours is easy now, too." She's right! It was just unbraid and moisturize this morning. Braids are even easier of course, but in terms of what I do when it's relaxed? No more curling irons, rollers, wrapping lotion, wrapping papers, spritzers, and sprays. I'm actually looking forward to when it has a bit of length and I can work some puffs. Wow! To be brave!

Half a Tank and Forty Dollars Later...

Hubby and I were reunited. Not in the way I'd wished, but it still turned out okay. We spent Friday evening talking about how much we missed each other and all the things I had wanted to tell him while he was away. We discussed my honey-do list (which I think surprised him that I'd kept up with so well). I showed him the office minus the ugly border. When he saw it, he pinned me against the wall and tried to have his wicked way with me. Hmm...if that's all it takes, I need to put up ugly border everywhere and take it down!

Next, I showed him how sparkling clean I'd made the spare bedroom. Down on the bed we went. Wait! I just cleaned the linen on this bed! Okay, so back upstairs where I showed him the list I was keeping up with, magnetically clinging to the fridge. Pinned against the fridge...not exactly comfortable, but I wasn't going to complain. We had a lovely evening and I hated that he'd scheduled to work someone's shift this weekend. That was indeed poor planning. After Friday, I only saw him in spurts.

We had a little episode yesterday after he got home from work. He's been frustrated with some things, but he's only talking about them in bits and pieces. I suppose he'll dump when he's ready, but it made me quite frustrated. Just tell me the issue, man? In time...patience is a virtue.

On an unrelated topic, they keep showing footage of Miss U.S.A. taking a fall on her butt during last night's Miss Universe pageant. She totally played it off, stood up and kept on smiling and walking. That's the way to do it, but do we have to relieve this woman's embarrassment for the rest of the day? Oh, well. Miss Universe is lovely.

Irritated and Borderline Pissed

I sometimes feel like a crazy person when I get these feelings. Are they real? Am I just jumping too conclusions? Does anyone else act or feel like this? For the past couple of nights when hubby's called, it's been all about him. "This is what happened, this is what I ate, this is where I went". Terrific! I do want to know about all of these things, of course. Then, he talks to the babe and asks her about her day, what she did at school, what she's currently doing and what she plans to do. The phone is handed back to me and it's, "Well, this is going on..." or "I'm getting ready to go..." or "I gotta charge my phone, so I'll call you later." Can't I tell you about my day? The crappy traffic I had to endure, the jerk who cut me off on the interstate, the funny thing my coworker said? It's as if he's so self-absorbed into his world there in Nashville that he doesn't care what's going on here.

He's back today and there were things I wanted to get done before now, but you know, life happens. I would have had the lawn mowed and I actually tried to do it (I even picked up the dog droppings...ugh!) but the grass was too saturated with rain from earlier this week, the wet grass clogged up the mower and then the mower shut off. That was the end of my lawn-mowing moment. I have yet to put up the shade, but may try to do it this morning. I kind of think it's not a "twenty minutes and it's done" project.

His car needs gas. It's newer than mine and has a bigger engine. I have no idea what brand of gas he uses. Low grade? Mid? Supreme? I can't afford his gas but, I was going to be nice and fill up his car anyway. I was going to ask during our phone calls, just as I was going to tell him about the mower and the ask him what he suggested I do about it but, he never got around to seeing about life at home from my perspective. Granted, I feel bad that his crappy Ford Focus rental (pictured here) got a flat tire and the rental guy was an ass when he came out to see about the car but, he's not the only one with drama. It's different drama, but drama nonetheless.

He called last night from a live jazz club, talking about, "I forgot about how much culture there is here." Well, there is a bit of culture here, too. In fact, there are live music clubs all over the place and we never go. I've threatened to go on my own, since he seems to have no desire to take me. I tried to tell him this, but then the noise in the club crescendoed and he swore he couldn't hear what I was saying. Fine, whatever. Enjoy your live jazz with your boys and I'll be here with the kids, as always. Perhaps my irritation is coming from those feelings of being trapped in my life again. He seems to have so much more freedom and it's so unfair. I've excepted the plight as "the way of mothers" but I'm feeling more and more that this can't be it. I think I'm going to make good on my threats and go out more, leaving him with the kids. Perhaps then he can understand what it's like for me. Yeah, I'm probably dreaming.

I wish I was brave enough to pick him up from the airport tonight, take him home and say, "Okay. You had your escape, now it's my turn. The corn dogs are in the freezer and Indy's gums are tender, so give her some Children's Motrin before you put her to bed. I'm out."

My Southern Girl Feelings and Memories of Sleep

My feelings about the south are mixed. Actually, it's sort of a love/hate relationship. For demonstration purposes, I will project the south as I see it into a human form. Because I know my own sex best, we'll call this human created geographical area a woman, Georgia.

Georgia is church-going, kind and wholesome woman. She always speaks to people, whether passing someone on the street that she doesn't know, or visiting with an old friend. Her sexy drawl, traditional build and gentle face make her appealing to men from all over the world. She's the woman they pine for when the world seems cold, dark and lonely. Her cooking? So good you'd smack yo mama! Rich creams, butters, frostings and sprinkles that delight all the senses. She can satisfy any appetite and quench the most dehydrated thirst.

But, Georgia isn't perfect. She has a lot of beliefs that stem from past issues that she just can't seem to let go. Even though she claims to have a "diverse" set of friends, she typically only hangs out with people that look like her. She feels she's a liberal, free-thinking, modern woman...but when it comes down to brass tacks, she's completely terrified of change. She will destroy relationships and side-step values, just to avoid progression. She isn't likely to try anything new, so don't ask her to taste your sushi or calamari. She hasn't visited the doctor in a while because she's pretty sure she's got "the sugar" (diabetes), blocked arteries and high blood pressure. And although Georgia is quite aware of all these problems and it's her "smack yo mama" cooking that's caused all this, she's not changing great-great grandma's recipe just to save an artery. She's also not giving up her weekly trips to the buffet restaurant down the street. After all, it's the best value and you can eat as much as you want!

Finally, she's been noticing that there are a lot of problems with the education system, tax disbursement and mass transit. There are people in jobs who most definitely need to further their education to keep up with the tasks within the job, but it's just to much effort to try and change these things. Why bother anyway...she went through the education, has driven on these highways for years and hates the bus. They can just keep doing what their doing; patching things up whenever there's a problem.

If that doesn't paint the picture? Here it is flat out - I was born in the south, but was moved west before I even new what west was. I knew people of all races, beliefs and attitudes. Nothing was a surprise and it was fine. The more outrageous a person, the more interesting they were to me. At the time in my life when I was just starting to figure out my dreams, I was forced back to the South. I was ridiculed for how I sounded, my knowledge about all sorts of everything, I was talked about for being different and ostracized by my own race for having friends of different colors. People would assume me ignorant or "ghetto" before I ever opened my mouth! Through the years, I learned to cope/conform and close my ears to the opinions people had about me...always holding out that one day, I would leave and never have to deal with the garbage again.

But...the south is beautiful, lush and green. Want beautiful skin? Move to it's humid climate and look young forever! The food, initial friendliness and men for the picking will make you think you've stepped into heaven. I met my hubby and best friend there. I have ties. But, I don't want to live there again.

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I'm so tired! I went to bed at 9:00, but I starred into the empty darkness until 9:30. Then, I got up and went downstairs to take the border off the walls in our office. That water/fabric softener mix is awesome! The border just peeled off, no problem. Then, I tackled cleaning the spare bedroom; organizing discs, dusting, stripping the bed to wash the linens. I even started a load of laundry. I was just about to try and install the shade, when I read the instructions that indicated some drilling is involved. Couldn't wake up my kids, just because I was restless. So, 12:30...in the bed. I don't know when I fell asleep, but when the alarm went off at 4:30, it felt as if I'd only blinked my eyes.

Hubby had a blast with his friends, last night (the ones who he still considers friends). One took him to a lodge and the owner treated them to dinner and drinks. They hung out the rest of the night, with hubby calling me mid-clean to see how I was doing. I didn't tell him I was cleaning and that I wasn't anywhere near our bed. I only said I missed him and loved him. This morning, I confessed my lack of sleep and he confessed the same. It's getting worse not better. My mom called from the airport asking me to walk her dog in the mornings on my way to work. His big butt is to tall for the dogie door (the other dog gets through just fine). He's such a sweetie, but took his time "doing his business". My mom and hubby will get together today. At least he'll get to see a little bit of home today. Even though I am home, I feel like I haven't been for three days.

Playing the Role of Single Mother

It's been weird and lonely not having hubby around. He flew out on Saturday and yours truly tried hard to hold back the water-works but was oh, so unsuccessful. I did wipe the tears away before getting back into the car with the kids. I really didn't have to...the babe turned into a fountain herself as we pulled out of the airport parking lot.

He arrived safely and called once before leaving Atlanta (his layover city) and once when he arrived in Nashville. I received another call, once he had his rental and was on his way to the hotel. He hard night, after taking his friends around town. All they wanted to do is drink and club hop. He's just not that type of person anymore. He called again when he'd left them downtown and told them to take a taxi home. He wound up back at the hotel on the phone with me again, a bit sad and a little miffed that he still had six more days to go. The last call was to say good night...that he missed me and loved me. His sadness was palpable.

This all changed yesterday, when he got to see his brother (who he hasn't seen in years). This brother is married with two little children whom hubby and I have never met in person. Hubby was so happy to see them and the kids. His spirits were rejuvenated and the sadness in his voice was nearly absent when I talked to him. I told him that once he started seeing friends and family he'd feel better and (of course!) I was right. He even spoke a bit about how it would be nice to live closer to his brother. I remained silent and he heard my silence and responded:

"I know this is more my feelings since your sort of anti-south." I wouldn't say anti-south, but I really have no desire to go back. It was hard enough living there the first time, but to do it again and subject my children to some of it's backward mentality? No, thank you.

Meanwhile, we've (the girls and I) have had episodes: the babe has been "acting out" a bit since her father left. Yesterday, I made it very clear that whether daddy was here or not, she couldn't just do whatever she wanted. I also reminded her that if she thinks he won't know, she's sadly mistaken. He's asking about her with every call and I give him a full report. I hope that she heard me last night because I don't want anymore phone calls from school (yes...I got one on Friday...ugh!). There are two full weeks of school left (OMG! I can't believe it!) and I don't want her ending on a sour note. She's really a good kid and I know she was "acting out" as a result of her sadness, but she's got to suck-it-up and be the good kid that I know she is. She's not like some kids who don't have a father or only have a weekend dad or a dad who travels and is gone months at a time.

Hubby left me a "honey-do" list and I've yet to begin. There's a new shade to put up in the living room. We have a window-seat that's quite lovely and the dog and cats make themselves very comfortable there, through out the day. Currently, burgundy curtains hang there getting covered in animal hair. The shade will add beauty to the living room and a break to the drapes; however, I suppose we'll be dusting this shade regularly because I don't think the animals will be giving up their hang out on account of a window-covering change. I'm also supposed to take down the border in our office downstairs, tidy up the "blue room" (the extra bedroom where my brothers-in-law will stay while here this summer) and mow the lawn. What?! Yeah, never done that before in my life. Never had to. Pretty sure the lawnmower is going to blow up after I use it.

Then there's the normal stuff that hubby attends to because I always have to see about the kids; litter change, garbage day, house cleaning. You know? I've really got it good. I hear about my coworkers hubbies all the time and mine is in a league all his own. He may make me absolutely nuts sometimes, but he's a good egg. I'm missing him lots (and not just because he scrubs the toilets). ;)

Virtual Positive Energy...Get You Some!

Thanks to all of you for your virtual positive energy. It must have done something because there was peace in the valley, yesterday. The kids were great (the babe brought home a good behavior award), the baby didn't fuss when we changed our regular schedule to take her big sister on a play-date after work, and hubby was a gem! A beautiful bouquet of flowers and a dessert to share (strawberry shortcake) after dinner. Then, lovely conversation (minus flames and stress) followed by an evening passion.

Yesterday was supposedly the big gasoline walkout. I bought my gas on Monday so, not really trying to boycott, I just didn't need any gas. There are analysts who feel these boycotts only make a slight difference in gas prices and I believe that just goes back to how dependent we are to oil. If enough people avoided the tanks on these designated days, a boycott could work in driving down prices substantially. The problem is that there aren't enough people participating and there probably never will be. That's why big oil businesses are never worried when someone gets it into their head to boycott. Again, we're just too dependent. It requires a lifestyle change. If you're not too far from work to walk, then walk. If your mass transit systems work, take the bus, trolley or train. Lord knows I've been begging for the option to telecommute for years. If I could, I would certainly be doing my part. I never go anywhere, really, besides work. And now, I will climb down off of my soap box.

Hubby asked me what I plan to do while he's gone next week because, "I don't know what the hell I'm going to do, " he said.

I told him that my plan was to keep the kids busy and, in turn, keep myself busy. I then reminded him that he'll have the opportunity to see friends and family.

"Family? Yes," he said, "But so-called friends didn't support me, remember?"

Hmm. I'd sort of forgotten. When my hubby and I got together over a decade ago now, he began taking me around to meet his friends. They were less than supportive on how serious he'd gotten with me and how quickly it had all happened. They would tell him that he shouldn't settle down and would constantly beg him to go out with them to the clubs and troll for women. He didn't and wouldn't. I remember one incident in particular where we went to his friend's wedding and many of his coworkers were there. If looks could kill! They certainly did not want me there and didn't hide their disapproval of me. I just wasn't what they thought my hubby should be with. Thankfully, the reception was a lot nicer and I had to be convinced to go, after the cold shoulder I had gotten with everyone.

Not every coworker was like this. There were a couple (interestingly, the ones that were married or in a relationship) that were genuinely happy for him and actually spoke to me. I really haven't thought about this in a long time and after our discussion last night, I understand why he's not so eager to see them. I still wonder if he'll see the old girlfriend...

So Much Going on Inside

Hubby and I are going through a rough patch, currently. We have a small flame burning that seems to enrage with the slightest issue, mistake or wrong word spoken. Currently, the flame is down to smoldering embers, but you never know when it will turn into a full-fledged rager.

We've both been on edge majorly...he, because of his non-stop work schedule. Me, because of my work and constant attention given to my girls. It's starting to wear me out and I keep thinking, "I need a break for me," but it just hasn't happened yet. I seem to remember feeling the same way not long after my eldest was born. This overwhelming feeling of being trapped that just pushed down on me (and being a touch claustrophobic doesn't help matters). There's also an amazing amount of guilt wrapped up in all of this; not wanting to leave my kids with relatives or strangers because if it's a lot of work for me, surely it's a lot of work for them. Babysitting is only so long, then you have to come home and take care of the children again. Besides, I could use that money for so many other things. Don't get me wrong, I love my girls...It's just I'm feeling a bit trapped in my life and need a change. Can't see how that's going to happen anytime soon. My reaction? Throwing flame throwers of frustration at my hubby. Not good.

So, to make matters more interesting, he's going on a work trip next week (his flight leaves this Saturday morning) and he'll be gone for seven days. Seven days...that will be the longest time we've ever spent apart. On his trips to Vegas, he's only ever been gone (the longest) three days...and that was only because he couldn't stand to be away from us and came home. He was supposed to be gone four days. This time, there's no coming home early from this trip. It's not a six hour drive and a couple of hundred miles, it's 1600 miles and a 5 hour flight.

The break will do us good, but it also has me a bit paranoid. His last girlfriend lives in that city and (I believe) she still holds a torch for him. With everything that's going on here, she may seem quite appealing. Someone who isn't throwing napalm at him at nearly every waking moment and would do anything to get him? Like I said...paranoid. I don't know if he'll try to contact her, but I wouldn't be surprised. They are still "friends" and I'm sure he'll try and see as many friends as he can, while he's there. It's been four or five years since his last trip there, after all and last time, he was only there two days.

Meanwhile, it's me and the girls...but it's always me and the girls. I've been planning a playdate for the eldest and trying to figure out what else we can do to make the time pass a bit more quickly. If I can get the little one sleepy enough before we go, perhaps a movie at the theaters? (Amazing...I can't even remember the last time I went - and this from someone who used to go one or two times each weekend). Dinner out at a real restaurant (not a cattle-call buffet or fast-food) and a chance for the eldest to put those manners to work. A skating night on Tuesday, perhaps and possibly another playdate next week. Those will be their distractions and my putting my focus into them? Mine. I hope it works.

In other news, Mother's day was nice. Hubby gave me a spa certificate for a massage, made me a crab dinner and washed my car. The babe made me a really cute book in school, which is now proudly displayed on my desk at work. It was a nice day, but it ended on sort of sour note when I happened to ask my hubby questions about his mom. A touchy subject it seems, since he got all bent out of shape about it and clammed up. Well, I guess I'll keep my questions to myself (he hates when I don't talk to him, but damn. I can't walk on eggshells, can I?).

Thinking Blogger (Who, me?)

Thanks, RN_Buffoon, for nominating me for the "Thinking Blogger" award (takes a deep, low-waisted bow). And now, for the instructions:

1. If, and only if, you get chosen, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

Here are the bloggers that amaze and delight me:

Radio Ventriloquist "God's Child" - An amazing lady with her eyes wide open. Her heart and spirit are definitely her flowers. She's adventurous and always discovering something new (I live vicariously through her!) therefore, I visit her site often.
Maintain Sane "Icey" - A mom who's endured so much and still manages to raise herself up higher. She doesn't post as often as she used to, but still worth the read.
The Brutha Code - Another talented writer not afraid to say exactly what's on his mine. I discovered him a couple of years ago (BTW, it doesn't hurt that he's in my brother fraternity)
Yeah...I Said It - A new read for me. A talented writer with a natural gift for comedy. He's not afraid to laugh at himself or you.
Blography of Southern Writer - Astrologer and writer extraordinaire and a heart the size of Texas! I think we were maybe related in a former life.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

3. Optional: Proudly display the Thinking Blogger Award.

So, I've finally accepted the award. Now, on to the after party!

I've Got Air, but the Heat is On...

We had a cool down (it should have been called a frost down) the night before last that pulled our 80 degree temps back into the 50s. Crazy! The air conditioner gets all installed and lovely and now we've got the heat back on. I'm okay with it, though. Eighty in April was a bit much and I do love the rain (which we never seem to see enough of here). The clouds hanging low over the mountains like fluffy, white blankets...misting over the city in soft, warm sprays. It was really very pretty to watch. I should take some pictures (dang it! If I only had a flash). I guess digital will do. (the picture to the left is one I found online. It's not Utah, but this is a great representation of what I could see out of my work window, yesterday).

The babe has a "Share and Teach" today at school and she's very excited about it. She'll be making and talking about Guatemalan Worry Dolls. I spent about ten dollars on the supplies, making sure there was enough for everyone to make one while she performed her demonstration. I truly wish I could be there to guide her, but she presented her spiel (including each step) to me last night before bed. She was so good! I have a real orator on my hands! Unfortunately, she wasn't feeling so confident about her dancing rehearsal, last night. She told me, after she got in the car, "I'm not a good dancer," which is totally false because her teachers have both said she's got great rhythm and displays so much natural talent. I told her, "Sometimes we can have an "off" day, where we don't feel like we're doing as well as we'd like." She seemed to understand this, but I reiterated that she was, indeed, a great dancer. Recital time is coming and I think the perfectionist in her has kicked into overdrive.

The weekend is here, but I'm really not feeling it yet. I'll make the cookies with the babe tomorrow and my Baja beans, as I said in an earlier post. I may venture to the mall, since they're having a bunch of drawings and give-a-ways. Got to get in on those. I win stuff! If the weather is a bit kinder, I may take the girls to the park (the babe has asked about going almost everyday this week). She makes a new friend every time we go. Such the social butterfly...

Hair

So, here are a couple of shots of the hair and the unique color I'm sporting. Again, it's called F503 (whatever that means) and it's twisted, rather than braided at the top. It's left loose about midway and falls into body curls around my shoulders. I've gotten lots of compliments on the color from friends and strangers. I've tried to guess the tones as have my coworkers and I've listed those on my previous post. The "F" in the color name is almost assuredly a reference to frosting, but the color number alludes me, since it isn't one I've seen in the typical number scheme.

The photo below is of the babe and of the haircut I gave her. Initially, it was cascading down her back in a river of curls, which later made a huge mess. She's just not conscientious enough to run her fingers through it daily to keep it from getting mussed and tangled. So, I brought out the shears and took off about 6 or 7 inches. It's cute at this length, I think and easy for her to manage. The color is 4 (a number I see everywhere in color schemes) which comes out looking like a bronzey brown. This has been her color for spring and I don't intend to go any brighter than this. She's just a little girl, after all. She can go wild color hopping all she wants, once she's a teenager.

There really isn't a lot happening in my life right now and I have no complaints. Everyone is relatively healthy and I'm finally done with the steroids (thank God!). Last night, as a reward to my super, dutiful eldest, I took her roller skating. She had a good time, but did a fair share of falling because she rented skates rather than wearing her own. I've been worried because her skates are a size 12 and her feet are a size 1. She rented a pair of 13s, but they were too big, so she traded them for 12s and was much happier. Unfortunately, they aren't Roller Derby brand and I don't think her feet were comfortable, so she kept falling. She made quite a spectacle of herself, towards the end and many parents were looking for me, saying things like, "Do you have a little girl? She's fallen and is bawling her eyes out over there." Thanks. I know my daughter is a drama-queen. She'll be okay.

We left and I purchased her second surprise; a cheeseburger happy meal. She was elated! We don't do those often and being lactose intolerant, we even more rarely order cheeseburgers. She was on cloud nine, eating that thing in about five seconds time. Overall, it was a good evening and I got some good exercise too, rolling around the rink myself with Indy in her stroller. She loved that!

I begin my Detox 7 cleanse again today, which I'm actually looking forward to. I hope that it gets all the yuck out of me and helps me drop this unwanted poundage I picked up from taking the prednisone. Last time, it made me feel really rejuvenated, so I'm hoping for the same effects. Hubby's already started his.

The drink portion of the system is really grainy and isn't the easiest to suck down, but the benefits are well worth it. Unlike other detox systems, this doesn't make you have a mad, passionate love affair with the bathroom everyday. It's much more subtle in it's approach, cleaning you out (I believe) section by section so that by the end of the process, you have one moment of passion with the bathroom and then your done. I felt the difference it made in just the first couple of days and, if it were easy and cheap to find, I would do it the recommended once a month.

Today is the day for the installation. It's going to be a bit tricky, I think, because the guy didn't say when he was coming. All he said is that it would take all day. "Well, that's super, dude but...when are you coming?" I have to take the babe to school and I have a feeling he'll pick that exact moment to appear at my door. I think I'll tape a note on the front door or something saying that I'll be back in ten minutes. I guess that's the best thing to do.

Tomorrow, Indy has her well-baby visit and here's yet one more week where I'm out of a co-pay. It seems I pay hospitals and doctors more than I do anyone else, these days. My questions for the visit? How are her ears (are the infections truly gone?) and should I be worried about her legs. She's quite bow-legged, which is so cute but I don't want it to be the cause of trauma for her later. She's so busy now and I want to make sure she's walking and balancing the way she should.

I found a recipe for Snickerdoodles online, yesterday that isn't loaded in buckets of fat. I was thinking I'd make them with the babe this weekend. If they're good, I think I'll also make baskets of them for our three sets of neighbors who have been so nice to us, these past few weeks. Two sets have been picking up the babe from school and the neighbors across the street gave up many hours to help hubby put down tile. They've done an amazing job! (pictures to come soon). It's also a bit of bribery, since I'll probably need them to pick her up again in a couple of weeks. Hubby is going out of town on business and he won't be around to get her...in fact, he won't be around at all. This will truly be the longest period of time apart for us. The trip is back home in Nashville, so I don't think he'll miss me much. I think he'll spend his time connecting with old friends and seeing relatives. I'll miss him, though.