My hair

Today my hair had it's 6 week check up...well, that's what it feels like.  I have been cursed (or blessed) with the gray hair gene.  I've been fighting this battle for about 10 years.  My dad was completely gray in his 20's, as was his mother.  So I guess I come by it honestly.  I have colored and highlighted and permed and gone straight.  I have dyed at home and but prefer going to the salon.  I used to be go 2 to 3 months between visits.  I now go every 6 weeks.  Those 6 weeks fly by - trust me, and I have the roots to prove it.

During the summer I like the lighter, highlighted look.  Makes me feel tropical and sun-kissed, at least that's what I tell myself. 

Today I went with an overall mocha color.  It looks rich and warm and I'm loving it.  B is working nights this weekend, and when I got home from the salon, he woke up for a few minutes.  He mumbled "nice hair".  I asked him what he thought I'd had done to it.  (The last time I had gone dark back in April he never noticed!)  He mumbled, "straight and dark."  The boy is learning!

My sweet little stylist, who is barely 21 is awesome.  She makes my hair pretty, and loves making my next 6 week appointment :o)  My roots will be looking forward to our next visit in December!

This past week...

So let's play catch-up.  Last I had written, I was cleaning like a crazy lady for my company.  My 4 beautiful friends got here friday night and B's ears started ringing shortly after.  Imagine 5 ladies, all talking at once, at least 2 different conversations going on at all times.  Not saying this is a gender thing, but as a woman, I don't see anything wrong with that.  My poor hubby, after 9 years of these visits, has learned that it is best in small doses.  He volunteered to go get supper, ate with us and then disappeared to his man cave.  We each visited him off and on during the evening.  For some reason, when we invited him to go with us the next day he declined!

Can I just say that there is nothing better then getting together with wonderful friends.  I see these gals at most 2 or 3 times a year, but our conversations never lag, they just pick up where we left off.  I met these ladies at work a bazillion years ago, before I knew B.  They know more about me then I've forgotten!  Anyway, so Saturday we shopped, ate, shopped, and ate.  We wore ourselves out and some of us (not me!) fell asleep while we were talking late into the night.   Sunday they got apples and headed home and the house was so quiet.  I missed them immediately.

The good news, was that we had a family lunch with B's family. His mom is heading to Florida soon and we all got together to eat and visit.  So my quiet was short lived and I got to visit with my fabulous in-laws.

By Monday I had developed a rotten cold and spent Tuesday and yesterday on the couch.  Poor B is on his 7 days off and I interrupted his time with coughing and complaining.  He now realizes why he should have been a better nurse because last night his throat started hurting!

I worked half the day today then came home to rest.  I hate colds.  I hate coughing.  Good news is I've lost a few pounds.  I'm just afraid I will find them again when I feel better!

Jean Jean the Cleaning Machine

Company is coming and I'm cleaning like crazy.  Four wonderful friends are driving 4 hours this Friday to spend the weekend with me and B (well mostly me!)  They have been making this trip to our house annually since we got married.  I think we only missed one year during the past 9.  We stay up late, eat, talk, talk and talk some more.  We're going to go shopping on Saturday, get apples at some point and play catch up in person.

So, I've been cleaning the homestead and I've decided that I've been very lazy this summer...at least when it comes to housework.  I've enjoyed myself though - we've travelled and gone to the beach and had a lot of fun.  I made a list last week of all the rooms I needed to clean and other chores that I needed/wanted to accomplish.  Each night I've taken great pleasure in crossing off what I've completed.  I'm down to a couple of things and one of those B is going to do.  I'm sure I can find more to occupy myself tomorrow night, this woman's work is never done.

The good part of this is that I've been able to decorate for fall, so I'm looking seasonal.  And the cobwebs have all been knocked down, which is nice. 

I'm so looking forward to this visit, cuz Jean Jean the Cleaning Machine is going to put away her dust cloth and enjoy her company!

Lazy

I need a shove.  I have been so lazy today.  I slept in, went to the big city and did a little shopping and then came home.  I was going to clean a room, dust, do something.  I did less than nothing, if you know what I mean.  I put away the groceries, put out a few holiday decorations and then proceeded to watch America's Next Top Model reruns.  For supper, I ordered out and B picked it up on his way home from work. 

I'm glad this is a 3 day weekend, maybe I can redeem myself during the next couple of days.  Oh wait!  My dad is going to be visiting tomorrow, so I'll be busy with that.  And B is off on Monday, so I'm sure we can find somewhere to go so I can avoid what I need to do here. 

The good (or bad) news is that B is working nights next week, so I will be on my own and maybe I will actually do a little something around here...maybe.

The Pain of Zumba

I finally went back to Zumba on Tuesday night.  My friend from work and I stopped going at the end of June - July was busy, then it wasn't offered during August.  It started again in September, but the first week my friend couldn't go..so I blew it off.  And the 2nd week I was in Virginia and she didn't go.  So, this was the week that we forced each other to go. 

It became abundantly clear after the first song, that taking 3 months off from Zumba was not a good thing.  I am seriously out of shape.  Not that I think I was in that great of shape back in June, but at least I could keep up and do most of  the moves.  My tank top was soaked.  Sweat was dripping off my nose.  I grunted and groaned and laughed, because, really, the two of us looked pretty bad. 

After 60 minutes of torture, we headed to the car and made a pact to never go that long again without doing some sort of aerobic activity.  Yesterday, my legs were sore and I felt tired.  Hey...that wasn't too bad.  Today, new aches and pains.  My arms are killing me.  Zumba says it's a "dance" form of exercise so who would think your arms would hurt.  Our instructor likes to work the arms, and oh my word, am I ever feeling it today.  I ended up taking some ibuprofen earlier today, and I'm going to pop another couple before heading to bed. 

I'm worried about what is going to hurt tomorrow.  My back, knees, elbow, maybe my ear lobes? 

My oven was smoking...

Yes, my oven was smoking tonight while I cooked my lonely supper. (B is working nights, boo.)  I should have known better yesterday.  I made lasagna, and it was juicy when I popped it in the oven, but I didn't think of putting a cookie sheet underneath it.  I just let it cook for 35 minutes at 350 degrees and then when I opened up the oven door...SURPRISE!  Red goop on the bottom of the oven. 

I know, I should have cleaned it up last night, but I was  having a lazy day and forgot.  Tonight I decided to cook some fries, so I preheated and then the smoke started rolling.  On went the fan and the kitchen window was opened.  It helped, thank goodness.  No smoke alarms, phew! 

I hate cleaning my oven.  I think I take after my mom in that way...she always said that the gunk on the bottom made her food cook better.  She had self-cleaning ovens, but would never use them.  I'm not sure if she was afraid of them, or what.  Whatever it was, she instilled that fear/avoidance in me, because I have never used the self cleaner in my oven.  I don't think I ever will...I think that gunk on the bottom made my fries taste better tonight!