Simply Mel

A Rose by any other name...

2009-12-31T23:59:00.000Z

Do Something Funny For Money!

2009-03-22T23:09:00.005Z

Eager to live up to the motto of this year's Comic Relief/Red Nose Day event and of course help my school raise lots of money for a good cause, I decided to do a few funny things in aid of charity.

I have long wanted to learn and perform in a version of 'Thriller' and I managed to persuade several colleagues and students to join me. It took me a couple of hours to teach myself the choreography and then a few rehearsals to teach to others. We were the final act at the charity concert and I'm proud to say that we brought the house down. (I also sang Peggy Lee's 'Fever' with another teacher, sorry no pictures and definitely no video footage!)

Not content with the effort made on Thursday evening, I made the decision to go to work on Friday wearing pyjamas! I taught a full day's lessons wearing them, much to the amusement of colleagues and students alike. I have to say, that I felt incredibly comfortable and think that this may well be the way forward in dressing for work!

On an important note, I managed to raise some money for charity and help make a difference to a few people. I'm able to accept post-event sponsorship, so if you feel you are able to give anything send me an e-mail and I'll point you in the direction of my donation page.

Two already!

2009-02-08T23:59:00.000Z

It only seems like yesterday that I was posting about the arrival of my niece and now look at her.

Hasn't she grown?

And now she has reached that milestone of a birthday, two, there is no stopping her!

Time on my hands...

2009-02-03T23:59:00.002Z

meant time to tighten my hair. Whilst I had enjoyed playing in the snow yesterday, I was happy to stay in the warmth today tightening my hair. Actually, I had started this on Sunday with the back and I did a little yesterday after building the snowman, but overall I spent far less time on getting in done than on previous occasions. I guesstimate that it took me about 8 hours to complete, having taken up to twice that before. I think that I was helped by the fact that it is less than five weeks since I last did it; I have been going eight weeks or so between sorting my roots. (Note to self - regular sessions=less work!)

I love the way that my hair sits when it's been done.

Snow Day

2009-02-02T23:59:00.002Z

Yesterday I crossed my fingers for snow, not enough to cause destruction, but enough to cause a day off work. I wasn't completely surprised to wake this morning and find a blanket of snow covering everything, it had been forecast over a week ago; but the forecasters don't always get it right, do they?

I have a policy of not driving in these conditions if I can help it and called upon the services of The HoF who lives close to me. I was hoping that he would take my suggestion to call work and say we couldn't get in, but he insisted on picking me up and driving in. To cut a long story short, we didn't make it very far; driving at two miles per hour in thick snow seemed to help him make sense of the situation. I was back home and playing in the snow in no time. At about the same time I discovered that my school had been shut and I needn't have bothered trying to get there in the first place!

Me and my Sons had a snowball fight and built a snowman, although I was only able to stay outside for periods of ten minutes before needing to defrost myself inside. Our efforts were rewarded when we found out that our respective schools will be closed tomorrow too. Just what are we going to do!

Sunday Styling VI

2009-01-12T23:59:00.000Z

Whilst I loved the results I got with the braidout, the curls only lasted a few days. I wanted something that would last the course of the week and decided to canerow my hair after washing it. I put it into about ten french plaits, with my part already in place for styling! When setting my hair I always worry that I won't like the results and will be stuck for at least a day with a look I'm unhappy with. On this occassion however, I needn't have worried; I loved the curls I got! My hair was full of body and bounce and I lost count of the compliments I received. I am certain that this is a styling option I will return to.

Sunday Styling V

2009-01-05T23:59:00.004Z

It's been a looong time since my last Sunday Styling post and I can't promise to make it a weekly feature; but I was so inspired by Meikmeika's New Year style that I decided to give the old braidout another try. Last night I sectioned off my hair, plaiting about ten locks and securing at the end with an elastic band. I do prefer to use cotton hair bands, but I seem to have lost most of them and I'm down to a collection of four! This morning I took the plaits out and was pleased with the results; my hair was really full of body. The crinkle is subtle, probably due to the fact that I plaited my hair when it was dry, but you'll remember that I don't like too much curl!

Why are the ends of your hair THAT colour?

2009-01-04T23:59:00.001Z

I don't know , why are the ends my hair THIS colour!
Well actually I do know and I was able to satisfy my sister's curiosity when she asked me this question.
The oddly coloured ends are the remnants of a dye I had put on my hair four years ago (said dye also in part led to my SL installation, but that is another story). My hair was red, a colour I favoured for a long time and I really liked it this way. However, of late I and evidently other people, have noticed that my ends are looking a strange rust like shade. This is one of the reasons I have been considering adding some new colour to my hair. Now, in my previous life of experimental hairstyles and shades, I used Crazy Colour to frequently change my look. I often used Fire Red but have been known to use Capri Blue! It's an easy to use, although slightly messy product that you wash it in and wash it out and that doesn't contain peroxide.
I am now seriously considering buying a bottle of Fire and adding it to my hair, it would probably give an aubergine/plum hue to my locks. I know that lots of have added colour to your locks and would love to hear your two pence worth on the subject. To dye or not to dye, that is my question!

If you can keep your head...

2009-01-03T23:59:00.002Z

JB loves reading, no I really mean it, he LOVES to read. In fact I would go as far as to say it is a slight addiction of his; he will read absolutely anything.
I taught him to read at an early age, using magnetic letters on the fridge and from then our literary monster was born! We have been told at Parents Evenings (and teachers have been very apologetic for telling us) that he reads too much! I think the problem was that he read at the wrong times; he continues to do this and it adds at least ten minutes onto his getting ready time in the morning!
It's a real job keeping up with his passion and making sure that new books are available, although he will re-read favourites again and again. This love of reading is not uncommon in my family and we are able to maximise on this by swapping books with relatives.

As you can see from the picture, not even the chaos of moving house can keep him away from a book!

My List of 99

2009-01-02T23:59:00.001Z

I saw this post on Brunsli's blog and decided to give the list a go. On account of my being an English girl and never having visited the States there are few things that I am unable to tick off...
(those I have achieved appear in bold)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland - Tokyo and Paris, do they count?
8. Climbed a mountain - fall down them whenever I'm skiing!
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped - contemplated it in my youth, but I now recognise the dangers associated!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea - although I have been a storm at sea, remember?
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning - an experience I don't wouldn't wish upon anyone
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked - No and not likely to happen
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - don't tell anyone!
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run - does it count if it was on the Wii?
32. Been on a cruise - a mini one
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language - everyone knows I'm trying!
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke - as recently as last week
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater - I have always wanted to do this
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone - the same one, twice!
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - I dont envisage this ever, ever, ever happening!
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit - and won
98. Owned a mobile phone
99. Been stung by a bee - several times!

So I haven't quite managed to achieve half of the list, I need to get to work on putting that right!

2009-01-01T00:01:00.002Z

Happy New Year to each and every one of you!

Xxx

I should have been...

2008-12-22T00:01:00.000Z

in this 8th century castle for my birthday today, enjoying a lavish meal and good wine with Brunsli and Breadfruit. However, due to a minor(replace with major) mishap with my passport and the fact that being part of the EU doesn't really count for much when it comes to travelling to Spain, I had to cancel and stay in England. To say that I was disappointed would be a major understatement. Despite the fact that they weren't expecting me to be in the country, my family and friends rallied round to celebrate with me (and to cheer me up) throughout the weekend and today. On Saturday I went to Shish for a meal with friends; I have to admit to having mixed feelings about the food, I enjoyed my starter but wasn't enamoured with the main course. It has a great atmosphere and was packed on all floors, but I think it is a place to visit for drinks and snacks. We had post dinner drinks here and I loved it; the decor is great, it's a bit like popping into someone's house for a glass of wine!
On Sunday I enjoyed a mulled wine and mince pie evening at my Dad's, this was preceeded by watching the nativity story at the local church.
Today I was treated to breakfast in bed, a lavish lunch and then a wonderful Thai meal in the evening along with a large number of my family.
I had a fantastic birthday and feel lucky to have such wonderful people in my life; you all know who you are and I love you all.

Two Years!

2008-12-19T23:59:00.002Z

This isn't exactly an anniversary picture as it was taken about six weeks ago; however it's the most up-to-date one I can lay my hands on.
As you can see, I am still very much a freestyle girl, although I am constantly plagued by my hair falling into my face! Lately I have been thinking about adding a little colour to my hair, only a rinse, but something to spice things up. As always, I'll keep you posted!

Posh Party Portrait

2008-12-14T23:59:00.000Z

I attended the Christmas party of a very exclusive London hospital yesterday, it was held in a plush hotel in Park Lane. This company spend an awful lot of money on their staff functions and their 'more than £180 per head budget' seriously overshadows the fund I have to organise my work celebrations! One of the little extras they had on the evening was a caricature artist and of course I jumped at the chance to have mine done. I am not convinced by it's accuracy (but then caricatures aren't meant to be), but I do love it!

Twitterbug

2008-12-08T23:59:00.000Z

Yes, I have caught it and can now be found twittering my every move (well not every single one) for those who are interested. It's a great way to get up-to-the-minute (almost) updates of those you know and those you don't!

If you want to keep up with me, check this out.

What are you doing now?

Come Dine With Me

2008-12-05T23:59:00.001Z

I am fast becoming addicted to this programme! So much so that I have even considered taking part; I went as far as to see if they were looking for contestants in my area, (perhaps luckily) they weren't. So how does it work? Over the course of a week, five strangers, who consider themselves to be good cooks, host dinner parties for each other. At the end of each evening the other four give their host marks out of ten. Following the final dinner party the contestant with the most points wins £1000. I have thought about what my menu would be if I were on the show and I have a few ideas. But I wonder, if you were hosting a dinner party for people you didn't know, what would be on your menu?

BTW, you can catch up on past episodes here and if you just want recipes, they are here.

2008-11-05T06:15:00.004Z

Congratulations America!

Parks: What have you done to your hair? It looks really flat!

2008-09-28T23:59:00.000Z

Me: Erm, tightened it!

Parks is usually really good at noticing that my hair has been done; however, I have noticed that the bigger it gets the less noticeable the parts are. I guess flat hair has replaced spacey hair!

I am still here!

2008-09-20T23:59:00.004Z

Life has been very busy and for one reason or another I haven't got round to posting all of the blog posts I have written. I will be posting them below (in date order!) until I catch up with myself...

Imagine our surprise when...

2008-06-05T23:59:00.000Z

...picked up the keys to our new house, entered it and found this

and this

and this

and this!

Yes, my hair will grow!

2008-04-28T23:59:00.000Z

The first picture was taken in July 2007 after I cut my hair. The others were taken a few days ago when I realised I was still amazed by the question I was asked.

Will your hair grow?

2008-04-17T23:59:00.000Z

Yes!

Somebody actually asked me this question!

Back to the slopes

2008-04-15T23:59:00.002Z

You'll remember that my first time skiing was last year; you'll also remember that I had a really good time (see h ere, here, here and here) and that I invested in a few lessons while I was there. But, for some reason, this year, I didn't enjoy the skiing as much as I had anticipated. It could have been due to the absolutely freezing conditions; yes I know it's meant to be cold, but we were buying additional items of thermal ski wear on a daily basis (my purchases included this very handy ear-muff/head band thing). It could have been due to me spending a lot of time worrying about what was going on back in England with the new house purchase.

However, I suspect it was largely due to the fact that my skiing just wasn't up to scratch. I spent such a lot of time on my bottom or taking my skis off and walking down the mountain! And of course there was the day I thought my number was up...

How old is too old to wear a bib?

2008-04-14T23:59:00.002Z

This delightful accessory is provided when having the speciality fish broth at a lovely little restaurant in Briancon. The dish is only served on Fridays and is popular with both locals and tourists; I used my best French to book our table as soon as we arrived in town. The substantial broth contains a variety of seafood and fish and lots of potatoes, it's served with rustic bread, cloves of garlic, garlic mayonnaise and Gruyere cheese. Whilst it does have the potential to be a bit of a passion killer, it is absolutely delicious and perfect comfort food to eat after a day in the snow.

BTW, look at how burnt my cheeks are!

Je peu parle Francais!

2008-04-13T23:59:00.000Z

Not entirely in keeping with the sentiment of my last 'tagged' post, I managed to spend a little time brushing up on my French. Although I had every intention of working on my language skills on a daily basis for six weeks in preparation for being in France, living life got in the way and I found myself having to do final cramming sessions two days before heading to the airport.
I am pleased to report that whilst in Briancon, I did a very good job!
Although I was able to converse on a basic level with some confidence, I came across lots of people who wanted to practise their English; so I often found myself in conversations that took place in two languages!
I use the Instant French system, which works towards the student learning a bank of words that can be used in everyday situations. I have to admit to paying very little attention to the grammar, which means that I use my word bank to construct sentences as if I were speaking in English. Of course this is not the right way and certainly not the way I was taught at school; but I seem to make sense to the people I'm talking to and that's all that matters, right?
In the future I would like to enrol myself on a course, when I can find a window of time in my very busy life!

How did this feature in my Skiing holiday?

2008-04-12T23:59:00.003Z

Wedding Hair

2008-04-06T23:59:00.001Z

My friend JayKay got married today. Beautiful bride, dashing groom, emotional ceremony (traditional Jewish ceremony - a first for me) and a wonderful reception. But, no pictures to share, as Simply Silly Mel left her camera at home! Hopefully Parks, who was my 'date' for the day will let me have some of the photos she took and I will be able to share them at a later date.
Many congratulations to JayKay and her lovely Beau!

I did remember to take a photo of my updo when I got home though. I had actually set my hair on SoftSpikes the night before, with the intention of having curly hair. However my hair was still wet in the morning and as a result the curls were, well, not curls and I had to come with a plan b. In the end it was very simple to create; a few flat twists at the front, secured with small rubber bands and the rest of my hair gathered up with a hairtie. I am not a fan of the little rubber bands; I find them fiddly to remove and am pretty sure that I take some of my hair out with them - any suggestions for alternatives would be greatly received.
If you have the patience and time (both of which I didn't have enough of on the day) you could flat twist all of your hair; I'm sure this would create a stunning effect.

On the move

2008-02-27T23:59:00.001Z

After all of the house hunting, we finally decided on a house that suited us. Our offer was accepted and everything is in the hands of the solicitors. The house will need some work doing to it and we won't move in until June; but it has the potential to be a great family home. As excited as I am, I have been brought down to earth by the amount of work that we need to do before moving. This includes packing up all of our belongings and putting the bulk of them into storage; I guess the plus side to this is being able to throw away all of the stuff that we really don't need. I have to admit to being 'a bit of a hoarder' and I have no doubt that my family will be grateful for the clearout that this move will force me to do.

I won't be giving up my day job

2008-02-25T23:59:00.001Z

My Mum has been wanting a change for her hair for quite some time now...

So two days ago, I began plaiting her hair; my Mum's hair is very soft and fine and I found that no sooner had I finished, they would unravel. To make them more secure I decided to put a knot in the ends and used my nappylocs tool at the root; I think that in all it took me about ten hours to complete. Mum was really pleased with the results, as was I.
Now I have another set of locks to try and maintain!

Hot Tickets

2008-02-24T23:59:00.001Z

Having been given twenty five free tickets for the production of Othello, starring Ewan McGregor, I was tempted to sell one or two when I heard how sought after they were. Of course, it was just a momentary thought and we all enjoyed the performance and the post show talk with Ewan (this bit particularly engaged the students and staff!). I was surprised to read this article as I felt that McGregor gave an energised and focused portrayal of Iago; on the whole I felt the production was well cast, particularly the leads. I am by no means a fan of Shakespearean plays (usually falling asleep), but I managed to last the distance of this show. I have seen some terrible shows in my time and have walked out of several; this one was by no means on a par with them.
IMHO, if you can get a ticket, it's worth a visit.

Tagged (Parts Three and Four)

2008-02-18T23:59:00.004Z

This is not the first time I have been tagged, in fact it is the third and fourth(see here and here)! I am by no means complaining :-)

Here are the rules:
1. link to the person that tagged you, in my case, Sisterlocks Convert and Still Waters.
2. post the rules on your blog.
3. share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I guess as I've been tagged twice I should share twelve things, but I'm not sure that I can think of that many that you don't already know!

My earliest childhood memories are of being at Nursery at the age of two. I can remember not being allowed in the paddling pool because I had a cold and having to watch all of the other children having fun in the water :-(
I have a passionate dislike for Okra.
I am really struggling to find facts to share! (does this count?)
I like Root Beer, but it's hard to find over here. MacDonald's used to sell it, but haven't done so for years. I guess the closest thing in taste is Dr Pepper, but for me it's not close enough.
I enjoy watching crime investigation series'; from Columbo to CSI, they all hold my attention.
I once ruined a school production when I burst into a fit of laughter that lasted several minutes. I was playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and my teacher wasn't very happy with my lack of professionalism!
I have always felt it useful to be able to speak another language. At the moment, I am trying to brush up on my French skills for a forthcoming holiday; I also have 'teach yourself' kits for Spanish and Italian which I intend to work my way through.

I honestly can't think of anything else to share that I haven't already or that I am saving for future posts. So that, as they say, is all folks.
I am posting this so late in the day, that I am sure that there isn't any left to tag.
However if you haven't been tagged yet, consider yourself tagged by me and I'll look forward to reading your post!

"Aah Miss, your hair looks sick"

2008-02-12T23:59:00.002Z

I'd better start by explaining that sick means bad when bad means good.

To be honest I thought my student was taking the mickey out of me when she said this; after all I think my hair looks a mess at the moment. She told me that she liked the way my hair had a nice afro shape to it and I explained that said afro look was due to the fact that my roots need 'doing'. She finished by saying "come on Miss, your hair looks really nice, I like it more than I did before and I really liked it then". At this point I smiled and thanked her.

Who was I to argue, after all, I like it more now than I did before.

However there is no denying the fact that my hair needs to be done. I have no time at the moment to do it myself and can't seem to get an appointment with my hairdresser. With another show on at work in a few weeks, I can see it being Easter before I get my hair sorted!

While I'm sharing recipes...

2008-01-11T23:59:00.002Z

...here's another one for you.

I made this dish for my SO as part of our Christmas meal, as he doesn't eat meat. It's really easy to make and tastes great; I'm sure you can experiment with the filling but I used the ingredients suggested by the chef Gino D'Acampo.
The Aubergine is stuffed with spinach, pecorino cheese, tomatoes, parsley and pine nuts and topped with lots of mozzarella. After being drizzled with olive oil, it's baked in the oven.
Fantastico!

Something I've learnt this year

2008-01-08T23:59:00.000Z

Ok, ok I know we're only a week into this year, but it's a while since I've done it.

Buying a new house is soooooooo stressful!

This is what we are doing at the moment and it has me absolutely zapped. We have seen 11 houses in the past 4 days and I must say, that bar one house, we really enjoyed it. Thankfully we've managed to get a short list from these and fingers crossed, our new home is amongst them. But the tiring part is dealing with Solicitors, Financial Advisors and Estate Agents, don't even get me started on Estate Agents. We have become their new best friends and they seem to have us on speed dial; they all have the perfect house for us, in fact they all have several of the perfect house for us!

The process of packing up our current home has begun; we are trying to get rid of all of the stuff we have acquired over the years, that we don't need to take with us - isn't it amazing how much 'stuff' you can accumulate over time.
I am a little nervous about moving, it will be a new house, new neighbours and for us a new area; not too far away, but enough for me to notice.

For the first time in, let me see, in a year, my hair is taking a back seat!

For Brenda

2008-01-04T23:59:00.000Z

It has been a long, long time since Brenda 'won' a cheesecake in my blog quiz! And it has been an equally long time since I have made my signature dessert. As I can't put the cheesecake in the post I am sharing the recipe here instead. I made it for my New Years Eve soiree and as expected, didn't have any left on New Year's day!

You will need:

175g Good Quality White Chocolate
250g Cream Cheese
200g Ginger Biscuits
200ml Double Cream

50g Unsalted Butter

Prepare your base by crushing the biscuits and melting the butter. Combine the two together and then press into a flan case.
Put the cream cheese in a bowl and whip it lightly. Slowly add the double cream, whisking the mixture continuously.
In a separate bowl, melt the chocolate; when it has cooled, slowly add it to the cream cheese and cream mixture.
When all of the chocolate has been added and mixed in well, spoon the mixture onto the biscuit base.
And that's it, easy peasy. Put your cheesecake into the fridge for a couple of hours (if you can wait that long) and enjoy after a good meal!

I promise you, it tastes delicious; the white chocolate works so well with the ginger. For those of you (and I mention no names) that don't like white chocolate, it can be replaced with the juice and rind of two limes; this creates a lighter, refreshing dessert.

If like me, your family absolutely love the taste, you will find yourself making extra so that they can take one home!

Maybe I should start designing party hats for locked hair

2008-01-02T23:59:00.000Z

My sister insisted that we all wore hats at my very small New Year's Eve party. In fact, it was also my sister who insisted that I had the party in the first place! Of course everybody thought it was hilarious that my hat wouldn't, actually I mean couldn't fit on my head properly. My ill-fitting crown didn't stop me enjoying myself; I laid on a mean buffet and made cocktails to order - the perfect hostess!
When Big Ben struck midnight, we all stood in a circle holding hands and sang a chorus of Auld Lang Syne. At JB's request, we then watched the London firework display on the television.
A great way to see the new year in.

2008-01-01T00:01:00.000Z

Wishing you all, every happiness for the coming year.

Xxx

More birthday celebrations

2007-12-27T23:59:00.000Z

The celebrating of my Mum's birthday, presented another opportunity for our family and friends to get together. This year's gathering took place at her house and there were plenty of people there to share her day.

My cousin and sister cooked up a storm and I was especially happy to see that fried chicken was on the menu :-) It was a nice, mellow event, but I think I must be getting old because I had to leave just after midnight, to catch up on my beauty sleep. According to my sisters; my Mum and her guests were still going at 3am!
We will continue celebrating her birthday on Saturday, when we'll be going out for a family meal. Glad you enjoyed today Mum.

Birthday greetings also go out to my cousin Deb, who is in Japan where her husband is stationed. X

The newest members of the Simply Mel clan

2007-12-26T23:59:00.001Z

Introducing Chris and Noel.

JB had wanted a pet for quite some time; he'd never requested anything specific until last week, when he asked for some fish. After a lengthy consultation with the lady at the pet shop, he chose his tank and his fish on Christmas Eve. Their names were selected before we'd even got home! (I'm sure you can work out where he got them from)
I think that pets are a great way of instilling responsibility in children and I know that JB will take his role in looking after them very seriously.

2007-12-25T00:01:00.000Z

Seasons Greetings to you all.

Xxx

Birthday Girl

2007-12-22T23:59:00.000Z

My birthday celebrations started yesterday evening, when I went out with friends from work for drinks. Actually, if I'm honest the celebrations started a little earlier in the day, at the end of term party, which I took to be my birthday party! There was a lot of delicious food and plenty of champagne and of course lots of cheesy party music - I love cheesy music!
This evening I went out for a wonderful meal with my family at a local Thai restaurant. Towards the end of the meal, my sister announced to the entire restaurant that it was my birthday; they all obliged her by singing a raucous Happy Birthday! It was embarrassing, but very very funny.
I have been blessed these past two days to share this time with my very special family and my dear friends; I enjoyed every single minute of it.

Oh, my hair - it wasn't even a issue!

Arsenal 2 - Spurs 1

2007-12-22T23:58:00.000Z

What more could a gooner ask for on her birthday!

A great match.

One Year!

2007-12-19T23:59:00.000Z

Wow, I can't believe it's been a year already. And goodness, how my hair has changed; making this compilation has allowed me to really see the changes that have occurred.

The very last bit of hair to be put into the SL patern
Day 2, my first attempt at a braidout.

Week 1 and it's a ponytail for me.

Week 1, how thin my locks were back in the day!

Week 1, lots of length but lots of perm.

Month 1, I loved those two bunches!

Month 2, my first twistout

Month 3, another twistout - I loved the wave this styling option gave my hair.

Month 4, the difference between my two hair textures is becoming more apparent.

Month 5, half of my relaxed length has been chopped off.

Month 6, shorter hair and back to the braidout.

Month 7, the locks are really filling out now.

Month 8, all of the relaxed ends are gone!

Month 9, first time tightening my ow hair.

Month 10, Freshly washed and freestyling.

Month 11, lovely and thick, with a bit more length.

Shame on them

2007-12-08T23:59:00.000Z

I was intrigued when this story first broke; man goes missing, he's presumed dead, five years later he turns up alive and 'well'. My suspicions were roused by the fact that he was able to give important information about himself, his name and D.O.B, but he thought that he might be missing. Intriguing, but I guess it could be possible to remember your name and nothing else and from that summise that perhaps you are a missing person and should get yourself to a police station. Yes, you are right, Mel was not convinced by this story!
When John Darwin's wife Anne began to speak to the press, I had the distinct feeling she knew more than she was letting on (or that she was not happy that her husband was actually alive); she was shocked by the news and would be returning t the UK at some point! Surely ones first instinct in this situation would be to rush the side of the loved one once thought lost; instead she seemed 'happy' to stay in Panama.
Her tune changed dramatically when stories like this emerged in the news, along with pictures of the couple said to be taken last year, it was clear that they were in it together.
All the time that I'm following this crazy story, I'm thinking what about their sons ; how do you, as a parent, allow your children to go through all of that pain and torment? Believing for all of that time that your Father is dead and then to find out that not only did he fake the whole thing, but that your Mum was in on it. Awful, truly awful.
There are other cases of (mainly) men who walk out of the door and leave everything behind; most of them a little publicised than the Darwin story.

Kiva

2007-12-05T23:59:00.000Z

Some of you may recall my previous post about the organisation that facilitates loaning money to businesses in need; I loaned to three people and they are all in the process of paying back. kiva have now set a loan amount limit of $25 (roughly £12.50) as a result of the growing number of people wanting to help these worthy entrepreneurs.
I discovered today that Kiva offer Gift Certificates; the recipients can choose who to loan to and then once it's repaid they can loan again or get their gift back.
I have decided to buy some as Christmas presents; if you find yourself stuck for gift ideas, you might consider them too.

There's a place for us, somewhere a place for us

2007-12-03T23:59:00.000Z

And today, for me, my colleagues and our students, somewhere, was back at school. It always a strange experience, the first day we go back after being at the theatre for two weeks. (A person can be fooled into believing they actually work in a theatre and that they are not really a teacher!). It is such an intense, demanding, but at the same time very rewarding experience; bonds are formed amongst all involved. And then it ends and it's back to normality; students and staff alike, spend the first day or two walking around school looking very lost.

The production of West Side Story was a huge success and the students received some fabulous feedback. It is perhaps, one of the most difficult musicals to stage; the score is very complicated (no easy thing to follow when choreographing) and there are some difficult songs too. The decision next year's 'big' production has not been made as yet and probably won't be until early in the new year.
In the meantime, we have auditions this week for two new productions that will take place at school, including Bugsy Malone (another one of my favourites) for students in years 7.8 and 9.

Oh yes , the bag; it's my marking bag and I'm starting to fill it up with work to do over the Christmas holiday!

A quick distraction

2007-12-01T23:59:00.000Z

Great. As long as they are not students from my school!

That's better

2007-11-26T23:59:00.000Z

As I have been run off my feet with WSS, I tried to get an appointment with my hairdresser for a retightening. Alas, she could not fit me in and so I had to find the time to do it myself. Armed with my new Nappylocs tool (which I loved using), I have managed to tighten my hair in between being at the theatre and sleeping. I'd estimate that it took me eleven hours to complete; a little longer than the first time I did my own hair, but I am running on an energy deficit at the moment.
It's funny that although my hair has just been done, my parts are hardly visible; a sign of my hair's new 'big' status!

This is not the best picture of me (look at the bags under my eyes!) but I like the way my hair looks :-)

What the blazes!!!

2007-11-22T23:59:00.000Z

I was driving along listening to the news headlines when I heard about this; at the time I was a little concerned. When I got home and heard the whole story, I was absolutely irate. Not only is there a possibility of my very important details falling into the wrong hands, but information about my children is also lost in transit.
Until the discs are found, millions of people are at risk of becoming the victims of identity fraud; this could happen today, tomorrow or in many years to come. I have had my credit card cloned before and it was a horrible experience. The knowledge that the loss of this personal information could result in similar situations occurring is very worrying.
Apparently I am going to receive a letter from this government department, apologising for the situation; unfortunately this will provide very little comfort.

The Palace, Royal Nuptials and lots of rain

2007-11-21T23:59:00.000Z

I had a great time at the Palace of Westminster on Monday. The launch of the production went extremely well and our enjoyment wasn't spoilt by the erratic weather we experienced. The students were very excited by the fact that we were just across the road from the wedding anniversary celebrations of The Queen and Prince Phillip. We had to drive through the media frenzy and the students were all trying to spot the VIPs entering Westminster Abbey. Inside The Palace of Westminster, our champagne reception lunch was followed by performances from the students and speeches from MPs and our very own VIPs.
The picture in my anniversary post, was taken on the terrace of the Palace (between thunder storms!), which overlooks The River Thames.

11 Months!

2007-11-19T23:59:00.000Z

Still having a ball!

Sunday Styling IV

2007-11-19T23:58:00.000Z

I achieved my anniversary style with a Softspike set and a hairtie. It had been my intention to wear my hair out, but today was one of hideous weather and I had to change my outdo to an updo. The set was far more successful this time and I managed to keep my hair on the curlers!

The bigger picture

2007-11-15T23:59:00.000Z

Anonymous recently asked what had happened to me as I haven't been blogging with my usual frequency. Let me just say that I was touched that you had noticed and had missed me, Anon. :-). I am currently very busy with my school's production, which will be launched next week at The Palace of Westminster. The picture in my previous post is of me messing around on the set of the show; a few of the characters enter into a scene through a manhole and being me, I just had to test it out (I picked up the hard hat and drill on my way, to amuse my colleagues when I emerged!). Things are going to plan with the show and as of next week my job changes slightly and I, along with my colleagues and the students, am based at the theatre. We rehearse the show in situ, finalise lights and other technical aspects and then have a dress rehearsal. The following week the students perform eight shows in five days; it is a very gruelling task, but also an amazing experience for them.

These are a few more shots taken of the set (excuse my strange looking eyes, I haven't quite mastered red eye reduction on Picasa!).

1) I am having a very important meeting (probably about where to go for lunch) with my colleague Will, who is also the show's director.

2) The bridge is being strengthened - it gets used a lot so it's vital that it's completely safe.

3) I'm relaxing in 'Maria's apartment'.

4) Parks and I, in the orchestra pit, which doubles as an exit during the rumble.

What's happened 2 you Mel?

2007-11-12T23:59:00.000Z

New toys

2007-11-10T23:59:00.000Z

Now I need to work out how to use it!

2007-11-10T23:58:00.000Z

I have a new coffee making gizmo and couldn't resist sharing it with you. My friend Parks has the same machine and she made me a great cappuccino the last time I was at her flat; don't worry Breadfruit and Brunsli, it was in the morning!

After that, I was sold and decided that I had to get one for myself; I picked mine up at Argos and with a combination of gift vouchers and nectar points, I managed to get £30 off the price! There are, of course, far superior, higher spec machines out there, but I'm the only person in the house that drinks coffee - making this an ideal choice. Super T and JB are also pleased with the new addition to the kitchen as it makes delicious hot chocolate as well.

103.9

2007-11-07T23:59:00.000Z

No this is not the frequency for my favourite radio station; it is the price I paid per litre for petrol today. To say that I was a little irritated is an understatement; for the first time in my driving life, I am considering becoming a tube commuter.

Big hair, here I come

2007-11-05T23:59:00.001Z

I honestly thought my hair hadn't grown much over the past couple of months. It was only when I had to keep using a hairtie or hairband to keep it out of my face that I began to consider otherwise. Earlier today I came across the picture on the left, taken the day I cut my relaxed ends off; I decided to compare it to the more recent one on the right, which was taken at the weekend. I couldn't believe it, not only had my hair grown quite a bit but, my how my locks have thickened up. Now, I know they are not the best pictures to compare, but I can really see a difference.
Just humour me if you can't!

Chillaxing

2007-11-03T23:59:00.000Z

My skin has really been playing up lately; in fact I have joked that I teach teenagers with better skin than myself. I have realised that over the past few weeks, I haven't been as vigilant with my water consumption or with my intake of fresh fruit and veg. I quickly began to remedy that side of things, but felt I needed something extra.

I purchased this charcoal face mask from Origins after it was recommended to me and couldn't wait to use it when it arrived. I thought I'd make a real treat of it; soft music, vanilla candle burning, 'do not disturb' sign on the door(ok, I didn't go that far, but you get the picture!). It takes about 10 minutes for the mask to set, but I'm sure I was there for a 'little' longer (according to my SO, I was very much asleep). I was really pleased with the results; my skin felt really soft and my pores open.

I have decided to make it a weekly treat; Mel's home spa!

From the head of the NHD

2007-11-01T23:59:00.000Z

Literally!

I present to you, my newest hairties. While we were in Switzerland, Brunsli was kind enough to let me select some pieces from her collection. I'm sorry I can't give you the names (because I don't know them!), but I can tell you that I think they're great. Being Brunsli-sized, I can actually wear them as hairbands; the little purple one (and you all know I felt bad about choosing the purple one!) has become an almost daily accessory for me. I put it on whenever I have had enough of my I-actually-think-it's-growing-now hair being in my face. The cream one, has a lovely pearlised crackled finish to it. Brunsli joked that I had chosen this one because it looked like a white chocolate truffle (which I absolutely adore)! As you can see from my roots in the hairtie pics, I have given up on retightening my hair - only momentarily though. I have ordered the nappylocs tool and will keep going when it arrives.

Generous benefits included

2007-10-30T23:59:00.001Z

I was talking to a friend recently about job perks; as you know the biggest perk to my job is thirteen weeks a year in holiday. Apart from the fact that I also work in a good school with great students (oh yes, and I have a good pension) that is about it. Unless I moved to a job in private education, my benefits would pretty much remain the same, no matter which school I taught in. However, if I changed industry, I could benefit from a little of this. Am I thinking about changing career? No. Will I send my headteacher a copy of the article? We'll see!

Sunday Styling III

2007-10-29T23:59:00.000Z

This week's Sunday Styling session was put on hold due to my last minute decision to retighten my hair. The trouble is, it's not as exciting second time around - why didn't anyone tell me! I started this section yesterday (foregoing my usual hairwashing routine, I might add) and I still haven't finished it. Admittedly I haven't been the most organised person; I can't find my clips and instead am using a variety of things to section off my hair. I shall persevere and hopefully have it finished by the weekend...

Twelve, Twenty-Four, Hut-Hut

2007-10-28T23:59:00.000Z

I'm not exactly sure that these are the words said by American Football players, but that's what it always sounds like on the television! I'd be lying if I said I understood the game; but like thousands of others, I was very excited that it had come to London. The Miami Dolphins and New York Giants played at Wembley Stadium today; this was the first game (regular season) to be played outside of North America. Counted as a home fixture for the Dolphins, I understand that it left many of their fans reeling at not being able to see the game without crossing the Atlantic. I did take a look at it on the tv, but I'm afraid I didn't last the distance; it appears that I only like the sort of football that is played for 90 minutes!

In search of Clooney

2007-10-26T23:59:00.000Z

With all of the border crossing we did, I could be forgiven for being a bit confused about which country I was in! However, when we headed for Como, I knew we were in Italy and even more exciting, we were near George's lakeside hideaway.
Behind it's city walls are a host of historical buildings, including the beautiful Duomo (cathedral). We were able to enjoy a gentle stroll through the streets, an espresso in the town square and a wander through the Farmers Market. As well as the opportunity to taste lots of wonderful organic food and drink, the market presented us with another unforgettable experience!

We made our way to Lake Como, which is the third largest in Italy (I visited the largest one earlier this year). Travelling up into the mountains allowed us to take in more of the stunning views; Breadfruit was a dab hand at driving up (and back down) the very-narrow-very-definitely-only-big-enough-for-one-car mountain road. Whilst I love living in London and the hustle and bustle of city life that goes with it; I really appreciate times like this when I am able to experience more tranquil settings (and of course fresher air).

I was convinced we'd stumbled upon Mr C's place when we found this house; I was wrong!

This is actually Villa Olmo, which once housed Napoleon Bonaparte.
Apparently the Clooney villa is a little smaller!

I hadn't really considered it before you asked

2007-10-24T23:59:00.001Z

The question Anonymous asked in relation to my post was:

If you get Sisterlocks but maintain with a latch hook , Nappylocs tool or any method other than using the Sisterlocks tool, do you still have Sisterlocks?

I believe so!
There are people like me, who have Sisterlocks and have taken the step of teaching themselves to retighten their hair and therefore do not have the SL tool. On the other hand there are those who have paid for the SL retightening class, been provided with the tool and then for whatever reason, they have chosen not to use it anymore. Does that mean we are no longer Sisterlocked? I can't see why it would make a difference.
As far as I am concerned, I have Sisterlocks and will call them that no matter which tool I use to retighten them. I have paid a lot of money for the installation and maintenance of my SL's and I'm not about to call them anything else :-)
I am sure that a lot of you will have an opinion on this question - please share them in the comments!

Sunday Styling II

2007-10-23T23:59:00.000Z

My Sunday styling didn't quite go according to plan this week. It had been my intention to set my hair on Soft Spikes after washing and I actually gave it a good try. The trouble was that my locks wouldn't stay on the curlers; each time I thought I had a curl set, it would unravel. Now I have thought about this and my conclusion is that my hair was too wet (and possibly suffering from a little shrinkage). I think that at the length my hair is currently, my best bet is to put the Soft Spikes in while my hair is dry and then to give them a light spritz with water to help them set.
So this week's styling option has been the ....erm...very little styling option...otherwise known as the freestyle. I have been enhancing this look with hairbands and hairties; speaking of hairties, I have two new ones that I have to share with you soon.

I like to be in America

2007-10-22T23:59:00.000Z

Although I am now on holiday from work, I was at school today rehearsing. We have a very big show on in a few weeks (can you guess what it is?) and I still have some choreography to finish. The students were in good spirits considering they're supposed to be relaxing at home, and we managed to get alot done. Actually, I had some help from Brunsli and Breadfruit, who helped me to choreograph the prologue in Italy!

Look away now, if you don't like things with eight legs

2007-10-21T23:59:00.000Z

We came across this "little" blighter whilst walking up a hill with beautiful views, near Breadfruit's Mum's house. Unlike me, Breadfruit is not scared of spiders, so he moved in for a closer inspection. Brunsli and I stood about twenty feet away explaining (loudly) why he shouldn't be so close to it!

We had a good look at the picture when we got in and Breadfruit worked out that it was a Wolf Spider. Although I find it difficult to look at the picture, i thought it would be rude not to share it with all of you!

(If you zoom in on the picture, you will see that it has its family on its back!)

From designer treats to delicious eats

2007-10-20T23:59:00.000Z

After having a fantastic lunch in Italy, we crossed the Swiss border; Brunsli and I went to a huge designer outlet shopping centre and got stuck into some retail therapy. I was amazed by the huge number of Brits there; they were literally being dropped off by the coachload. I resisted the urge to go mad with the temptation of all the % I would save and made only one (or was it two?) small purchase. We followed our shopping trip with a walk around Breadfruit's idyllic hometown in Switzerland; a real treat for a city girl like me.

We popped over to Italy again, briefly, before going to Breadfruit's Mum's house.
Signora Breadfruit is a lovely lady and she made me feel incredibly welcome in her home. We shared stories about her visits to London and my previous trips to Switzerland AND (drumroll please) she immediately recognised my hair as being the same as Brunsli's!
The evening ended with the four of us going for dinner in a wonderful restaurant, which served traditional Ticenese food. Chestnuts are a local delicacy and during the meal I tasted them in several forms, including the delicious ice-cream pictured bottom left. The region also produces a very nice red wine; a few bottles of which made it back to London.

10 Months!

2007-10-19T23:59:00.000Z

Wow, it's hard to believe that I'm two months away from reaching my one year anniversary!

Blog Idol - a meeting realised

2007-10-18T23:59:00.000Z

When I made the decision to get Sisterlocks I wasn't completely sure about what I was getting myself in to. As I searched the net for more information and of course pictures, I came across these things called blogs; among them was a blog that was to become my hairpedia. In the four months leading up to my SL installation, I regularly checked in with Brunsli's Hairstory and managed to read all of the archives! I found the blog more helpful than the official SL site and the insights into the rest of her life were entertaining; along the way I asked her a few questions, which she kindly answered and I also developed my hairtie addiction.
So, when the chance to meet up with Brunsli (and Breadfruit) presented itself, I jumped at it. The rugby (come on England!) and the travel chaos it caused, prevented us from meeting in Paris, but we were able to find a solution with a new location.
I have to admit (and I didn't tell her this, so shhhhhh) that I was very nervous about meeting Brunsli; what if she didn't like my hair! However as soon as we met, my nerves quickly disappeared; she is as wonderful in real life, as she comes across in blogosphere and (I hope she agrees!) we got on very well.

Comfort on a plate

2007-10-17T23:59:00.000Z

What on earth is going on with the England football team; today's result was so disappointing and very frustrating. To be honest, I wasn't convinced by the appointment of Steve McClaren as manager; he hasn't done much to make me think I was wrong. So now our progression into Euro 2008 rests on the outcomes of matches being played by other teams!
To cheer myself and the rest of the family up, I rustled up this pasta dish.
Following th ese instructions, I used tomatoes, yellow peppers, black olives, spinach and mozarella for the sauce; which, I stirred into penne pasta and topped with parmesan.
Easy peasy and very tasty!

That was too easy for you

2007-10-16T23:59:00.000Z

Who was I trying to kid with that picture? That was indeed the unmistakable hair of Brunsli.
And of course I had no trouble finding her at our meeting point; she was the woman with great locks talking to the man with great locks!

Sunday Styling

2007-10-15T23:59:00.000Z

As I promised (myself), I made a bit more of an effort with my styling after washing my hair last night. Once I removed the bands (no braiding for me) and separated the locks, I canerowed my hair back - about 8 I think - and secured each one with a small hairband. This morning I took them out and that was it, my hair was done. Ok, ok, I styled the crinkled locks a bit by running my fingers through them, but it really was simple to do.
I don't mean to sound weird but, I looked at my hair today and was so very pleased with my decision to lock.

You'll never guess who I met!

2007-10-12T23:59:00.001Z

Your hair looks nice...in that picture!

2007-10-11T23:59:00.000Z

I was showing my sister and my cousin a few of my picture albums (because of course I only have a few!) this evening. My cousin commented that my hair looked nice in a few of the pictures and she wondered why I didn't have it like that more often. I guess I have just become lazy with my hair; now that I have cut it, it takes a lot more effort to style. I have long been an advocate of freestyling; but on reflection I have to agree with my cousin, at it's current length, my hair looks better with a little styling.
It's not as if I don't have the tools to do it; I have my softspikes, I have a growing collection of beautiful hairties and I have some great clips and headbands. I figure that as Sunday evening tends to be hair washing time, it could become hair washing and styling time; a softspike set (or if I'm pushed for time, plain old plaiting) will give my hair an 'I've made a bit of an effort' look for a few days.
Mmmm, we'll see how it goes; I'll keep you posted...

To Hilfiger or not to Hilfiger, that is my question

2007-10-09T23:59:00.000Z

I'm not sure how or where I got the idea from, but for the last few years I have had in my mind that I should have nothing to do with Tommy Hilfiger products. As far as I and my source (whoever or whatever they were) were concerned he had made it clear that his products had not been designed for black people to wear/own. Someone bought me a very nice Hilfiger top which sits in my drawer, as I haven't had the heart to throw it out and of course have refused to wear. When I went to Austria earlier this year, my friend OP had a Hilfiger suitcase; I relayed the story to her and she was mortified. So much so that when we arrived back in the UK, she took the case back to the shop and demanded her money back. She also told the manager of the shop that as a company they should be ashamed of themselves for stocking these products.
Now, I know a lady that has a handbag shop and she recently had a function at her house for friends and family; we were able to browse and purchase some of her stock at discounted prices. When a few people saw the Tommy bags they too relayed the story, it wasn't long before the house was buzzing with the debate. At the time one of the teenagers of the household was on the internet and not wanting to be left out, she started to search for more information; the first thing she came across was this and then she went to Oprah's website. So then of course everybody was very confused, many people there had been like myself and boycotted his products for years; had we been doing this without reason?
If anyone is able to shed some light onto this story, I'd be keen to hear what you have to say. Although it seemed as if I'd been mistaken, I still couldn't bring myself to buy one of his bags; even though there was one there that I really liked!

Cioccolato bianco

2007-10-07T23:59:00.000Z

I met up with my friend and her husband for lunch today; it was great because the weather was nice and we were able to dine Al Fresco. They both helped to lift my spirits; as you know I haven't been feeling well this week and I had to take the day off work on Friday. I rarely take time off and usually push myself through whatever is ailing me at the time.

Over lunch we discussed all of the things we have in common and then we hit a wall; she doesn't like white chocolate. How could this be? I love white chocolate and would absolutely take it over plain, or worst still, dark chocolate, anytime. I'm sure that my friend would have it banned, although I'm convinced my white chocolate cheesecake could change her mind!
Perhaps I'll have to make it for her the next time we meet up...

More buck for my pound

2007-10-06T23:59:00.000Z

Super T arrived back home today after his trip to Orlando; by all accounts he had a wonderful time. He made good use of the favourable exchange rate; the near empty case he left with, came back bursting at the seams! I've never been to America; now that I have heard about his adventures, I am even more determined to get over there. I think I will take advantage of the strong pound and start buying my $$$ now...

Frustrated

2007-10-04T23:59:00.000Z

As much as I love my hair, there is something (actually lots of little somethings) that is driving me mad. There are follicles, which are highly visible everywhere. Not only can I see them, others can aswell; I know this because people have mentioned them. Until I explain what they are, I'm certain that they think my hair is dirty. The temptation to get the scissors out again is becoming stronger; but it does seem as though removing them will be a very delicate operation. I'm sure (ok, I hope) that I'm not the only person with this issue; so what do you do to get rid of yours?
I'm not sure how clear things are in this picture (I know they are there!)...

It really wasn't that bad

2007-10-02T23:59:00.000Z

I started my hair on Friday and as you know, I managed to complete about a quarter of it. I continued by putting in a few hours on Saturday evening and then again on Sunday afternoon.
By the time we left to go out for dinner I still had a fair bit to do; these two pictures show the untightened locks in big twists. By the time I had got to this point, I was feeling really pleased with myself; the degree of satisfaction felt at being in control of my own hair was immense. I really was trying hard to get it finished before and so continued with the tightening after we returned from our very nice Japanese dinner. It wasn't to be and by the time I went to bed I still had a very small section to finish.

I pinned the front up to go to work on Monday; the section on the left is the bit that still needed to be done. It didn't take me long to tighten that section on Monday evening and that was that, I'd finished! For a moment I couldn't believe it, I'd actually managed to do my own hair. Then (unusually for me!), I couldn't stop looking in the mirror; my SO expressed his pride in my achievement too. We tried to calculate how long I had spent on my hair and figured that it was about ten hours. In the end the latch hook was not too difficult to use, although I will pass on Brenda's advice and say that you should look for one with a smaller handle to the one I have. I would also recommend purchasing the latching e-book; as long as you know your SL pattern, it is really easy to follow. I only did two rotations on each lock as I wanted to ensure that each one finished at the same position (in my case 12 o'clock); this is another suggestion, as I think it makes it easier for the next session - I know that I will start each lock at 3 o'clock.

I'm sure that I will order the nappylocs tool; having used the latch hook, I can see how the nappylocs tool might be easier to use. For example, you wouldn't have to keep inserting the lock into the tool as you move around the rotation; something you need to do when using the latch hook. I think this would mean that it would take less time to tighten...
I did try to make my own version using a hair pin! Don't laugh, it did work!
Having managed it myself, I do believe that self-retightening is an option for everyone. I understand that some people will be nervous, as I was myself, about attempting this without doing the SL class. I guess it's about how much confidence you have in yoursefl; I just couldn't see what they would teach me in the class that I couldn't figure out myself. I know there are many of you that have done the class; perhaps you can share your reasons for taking it as opposed to working it out for yourself.

All finished

2007-10-01T23:59:00.000Z

Whew!

Slowly Slowly

2007-09-28T23:59:00.000Z

I managed to retighten about a quarter of my hair tonight! It was easier than I thought, although I did have the odd mishap. I joined a few locks together; luckily I realised before it was too late. I have no idea how long it is going to take me to finish the rest of my hair; the fact that I am still feeling ill is not going to help speed up the process either. With a bit of luck and lots of determination, I'll have it finished before going back to work on Monday...

It has arrived!

2007-09-27T23:59:00.000Z

Watch this space...

I feel blurgh!

2007-09-25T23:59:00.000Z

When I woke this morning feeling tired and achy, I put it down to a few things

staying up late last night, talking on messenger

staying up even later, sorting my hair out for photograph day at school

spending most of Sunday swinging bats and clubs

As the day progressed at school, I realised that my ill feeling was due to the onset of the lurgies. By the time I had my picture taken I felt downright rotten; I even put some make up on in an effort to fool the camera! I asked the photographer to airbrush my wrinkles and she replied "Darling, your character lines look great! Mmm, yeah right, she could have at least pretended she would do it; could she not see how ill I was and how much I needed to be humoured. She did let me see the picture and surprisingly it looked ok; which is a good thing, as it will be on my ID badge and I'll have to wear it for the next year. It will also go onto the picture for my form and so my class will have copies as well.

I still don't feel any better now that I am at home; I've taken lots of medicine and had a small bowl of soup. So I am going to bed early tonight, with a big cup of honey and lemon and a hot water bottle.

Oh yes, I'm still waiting for my latch hook to arrive; I thought it would be here today...

Clubbing it

2007-09-24T23:59:00.000Z

JB made all the choices about his birthday yesterday; we started off with a lovely lunch and then spent the rest of the day at the golf course. He wanted to try the driving range and play adventure golf; I'm sure he'd had the day planned in his mind for a long time.

We also hired the batting cages and spent an hour having softballs fired at us; I think I need to work on my stance!

Happy Birthday JB

2007-09-23T00:01:00.000Z

It's JB's birthday today!

Have a fantastic day. Xxx

"I can do it, I can do it..."

2007-09-22T23:59:00.000Z

I am feeling more and more confident about being able to maintain my own hair; it's largely down to your encouragement and positive comments - thanks! I have ordered a latch hook from ebay; I wouldn't have the foggiest idea about where to purchase one otherwise. The price was really reasonable, just over £2 including p&p. When it arrives, I might have a go at doing my hair; it's still a few weeks until my next appointment, so I could manage one rotation and still leave enough for my hairdresser.

And then there were three

2007-09-21T23:59:00.000Z

Super T has headed off to Orlando; no not by himself! He'll be gone for a couple of weeks and we are missing him already. It's funny how the dynamics of a household changes when someone is absent. The house is quieter and dare I say, a little tidier (only joking son, I know you read my blog!). He has rung to let us know he arrived safely, apparently the weather is great; if only we could say the same for here. I do wish I could have gone with them, but of course having just had six weeks off school, I'm not allowed anymore for a little while :-(

9 Months!

2007-09-19T23:59:00.000Z

It only feels like yesterday that I was posting about reaching eight months - whew, time is whizzing by.
I haven't noticed any real changes this month; probably because I keep chopping my hair off!

I kid you not

2007-09-16T23:59:00.000Z

No, I did not post the picture in error; indeed that was my son and I! Many thanks for your birthday wishes, he was chuffed with all of the interest :-)
We had a bbq today to round off his weekend of birthday celebrations; we had a great time. He is growing into a wonderful young man (I can't quite remember when I had to start looking up at him!) and of course we are very proud. He's heading Stateside on Friday; I'm just coming up with a 'little' shopping list of goodies for him to pick up for me. If there's anything you think I should add, let me know.

Happy Birthday Super T

2007-09-15T00:01:00.000Z

It's my Son's birthday today!

Have a wonderful day Super T Xxx

DIM (Doing It Myself)

2007-09-13T23:59:00.000Z

It's funny that recently I've read on a few blogs that people are considering maintaining their own SL's. For various reasons I have been thinking about the same thing for quite a while; the main one being that I'd like to take care of my own hair. Self retightening was always part of the equation when I made the decision to get Sisterlocks.
I don't intend to take the retightening class and figure, that like many others, I can work it out for myself.
I've purchased the latchin' e-book and at £4 ($8) it was a bargain; very informative and the pictures are a bonus. The thing is I'm not sure that I'd be any good with the latchhook, so I'm thinking I'll order the Nappylocks tool and use it to follow the e-book instructions. My only gripe with the Nappylocks tool is the price us brits have to pay for P&P; surely $15.95 is a little steep, that's the same price as the tool. But I have to look at the big picture, having it will enable me to maintain my own hair and in the long run
I have an appointment booked with my hairdresser next month and I'll schedule another for December (when I hit 1 Year!) and then I'll attempt to take over myself. Like others, I wonder about the conversation I'll have with my hairdresser about doing my own hair; I'll cross that bridge when I get to it...

Funky Monkey

2007-09-10T23:59:00.000Z

Bon Voyage Grandad

2007-09-09T23:59:00.000Z

He hasn't left just yet, but my Grandad will be going back home soon; we had a little family gathering today to send him on his way. If I don't make it to Guyana next year, it will probably be two years before I see him again. Of course I would LOVE to go over there and with my Dad's house just about finished, I'll have a choice of places to stay! I do have travel plans already for next summer, so maybe next Christmas Grandad ;-)

La Leggenda, Pavarotti

2007-09-06T23:59:00.000Z

I was really saddened to hear about Luciano Pavarotti this morning. Opera is not quite at the top of my list of favourite things to listen to but, there is just something about his voice. Hearing him sing often brought tears to my eyes; especially when it was Nessun Dorma. His performance at the Torino Winter Olympics 2006 was amazing and particularly incredible considering that he was very sick at the time. The world of classical music will surely miss his talent, as will some of us ordinary folk.

The holiday is over

2007-09-03T23:59:00.000Z

One last glance at the summer!

Yes folks, I have finally returned to work and boy was it struggle returning to the call of the 6am alarm. It was a relatively easy day with only the staff there; students start to returning tomorrow. I've had a look at my timetable and have realised that I don't teach my first lesson until Thursday; so I can continue in holiday mode for a couple of days. Who am I kidding? I have a mountain of work to do and little time for relaxation.

Just Lovely School

2007-08-31T23:59:00.000Z

JB started at his new school today; another milestone reached.

Yes, it was an emotional day!

Don't shop when you're in a bad mood

2007-08-30T23:59:00.000Z

It can bring out the worst in you; especially if you are in an overcrowded supermarket. During my torture today I made a few observations :

Heelies or Wheelies or whatever they are called should be banned from shops, particularly supermarkets. It is enough to have to contend with a trolley that has a mind of it's own, without having some crazy kid whose shoes are pretending to be rollerskates zooming in and out of you and the other shoppers. What is that all about? And why do said children always seem to have parents that are unable to control them
New members of staff should not be put on the checkout until they ABSOLUTELY know what they are doing. It is most painful to endure a cashier referring back to their handbook after each item they scan; particularly when you have are buying more than one item. Don't misunderstand me, I am generally a very tolerant person. BUT, it took nearly 40 minutes for my shopping to be processed.
Car parks should have extra big spaces for people that can't park. They are going to take over two or three bays with their bizarre diagonal parking; so just give them enough space to park in whatever formation tickles their fancy without damaging other cars.
If your shopping experience has been anything less than highly enjoyable, you should be given a complimentary bar of fat free, calorie free chocolate, to eat in your car as you sit in rush hour traffic trying to get home.

It's been over a year

2007-08-29T23:59:00.000Z

No, not since I've had Sisterlocks; but, since my last relaxer!
How I don't miss the feeling of my scalp heating up and the wait to see how long I could endure it, before throwing the towel in and having it rinsed out. Oh that funny rotten egg mixed with chemicals smell; a distant memory now.
If (and I have no intention of doing so) I were to cut my locks of tomorrow, relaxing my hair again would be the furthest thing from my mind.