So here's my first entry.

I am listening to Jeff Buckley--Lover, You Should Have Come Over. I can't listen to him without mourning him. In a few minutes I will open up the nice bottle of Chianti my husband gave to me for Valentine's Day and pour myself a small glassful. Then I will do my dinner prep work, chopping and measuring. I'm making Tofu Pad Thai with some veggie or other, gotta check the fridge. I washed the jojoba oil out of my ends this morning and decided that I can't stand the stuff straight on my hair, so I will save the bottle for the whipped shea I plan to make soon. Oh, here comes Stevie Wonder on the iTunes. Later, Jeff.

Welcome to your own personal journal!  Now it is payback time - we get to know more about you!  ;D

A wine lover - that's something we have in common.  :D

It's great to see that you started a journal, hun. =)  I can't wait to get to know you better.

Anais Satin does not like jojoba oil straight out of the bottle, either.  She's got good recipies for leave-in treatments.

Best wishes to you.

Hi LJ, I'll be keeping up with your journal too... :) Payback time indeed! *eville*

A Bit of LJ Hair History

The Mullet, Or What My Mother Called A Pixie Cut, Third Grade, 1980
http://static.flickr.com/25/100269666_f46f52c483_o_d.jpg

Senior Portrait, 1991
http://static.flickr.com/19/100269667_4ac903b34f_o.jpg

Blonde, 1998
http://static.flickr.com/33/100269664_91c07ac3af_o.jpg

Last Real Haircut, 2003
http://static.flickr.com/27/100269665_bcab7b9924_o.jpg

Today's Hair, In Which My Husband Took A Picture To Show Length But Not Color, Since The Sun Is Hiding Behind A Cloud This Morning, And As You Can See I Have A Long Way To Go Before BSL, And Please Make Note Of The Spot Of Dried Blood On The Left Shoulder Of My $8 Shirt From Target, Which Was The Result Of Too Vigorous Nighttime Scratching With Newly Grown-Out Nails
http://static.flickr.com/25/100424950_0f54d1441b_o.jpg

waiting.....waiting.....waiting........  

Hey LJ...congrats on starting your hair journal.

I'll definitely be keeping up with it too.

Did you have some liver & fava beans to go with that Chianti?  ;)

wrote on Feb 16^th, 2006 at 3:16am:

Did you have some liver & fava beans to go with that Chianti?  ;)

You have just quoted the #2 scariest movie of all time, behind "28 Days Later", the #1 scariest movie of all time. After reading your post I am now forced to run screaming through my house to turn on all the lights. Even though it's 9 o'clock in the morning.

Newbies love to post.

Hair
Today is Thursday. I last washed my roots on Tuesday. Before SBV, Day Three would be also known as "Put The Hair In A Hat Or A Ponytail And Hide Day", but now it's not so bad, really. A question for the veteran LL people: if brushing should be avoided to minimize damage, how does one distribute natural oils from the roots to the ends? Because I think I could get away with not washing longer if I had a way to get the oil out of my roots and onto my length.

Love the picture of your current hair!  

As for distributing the natural oils - I have dry hair so I don't have much oil to distribute.  I currently wash my hair about every 6 or 7 days.  A few people who do brush, use a soft boar bristle finishing brush.  It is not intended to detangle, it is used after you have combed your hair.  The brush is used on the top layer of hair to smooth it and distribute the oils.

Lovely photos :)

I use a horn comb or a hardwood comb to distribute oil. Oftentimes, like Bikerbraid, I don't notice much oil until the 5th or 6th day after a wash. It definitely depends on the wash method...

Hope this helps
Anais

Wow, LJ, your hair is beautiful!  :o  It has so much body & I love the colour! What a lucky lady you are...

I have never seen "28 Days Later," but the Hannibal Lecter series are among my favourite movies ever made.  ;)  Anthony Hopkins is probably my overall favourite actor of all time, and his infamous Lecter role has a lot to do with that. I don't think anyone else could have done it better.


Quote:

A question for the veteran LL people: if brushing should be avoided to minimize damage, how does one distribute natural oils from the roots to the ends?

Personally, I don't distribute oils. I wash them out and then add oil only to the very tips where it's needed. I have very fine, thin hair (like spiderwebs), so too much brushing kills it.  :P

Congrats on the journal, LJ! You have lovely hair. :)

A boar brsitly brush (BBB) is good for distributing oil, but, in my experience, sometimes it can over stimulate the scalp and cause it to create more sebum. These days I usually use a boxwood comb.

Thanks, everyone, for your compliments on the hair--here is a pic that finally shows my real color:
http://static.flickr.com/40/100799588_30fa1601c2_o.jpg

It seems from the advise you've given that I am going to have to buy a real comb (oh darn), maybe after Hubby brings home some more bacon.

I washed with Chagrin Valley Honey, Egg & Beer (CVHE&B) and did an ACV rinse. The shedding is unreal, both during and after the wash, but that could be because I am only washing every two to three days. Note to self: must buy some Drain-o at the weekly shopping trip tomorrow, I find myself standing in six inches of water by the time my shower is over. Does anyone have any environmentally-friendly drain-opening suggestions?With the shampoo bars it takes some time to get my whole scalp sudsy, to the point where my arms are freezing cold because they've been out of the water so long. Minor inconveniences, all worth it in the end because my hair is sweet and silky and soft once it dries. Now I just need to find that perfect natural product for my ends...any suggestions, ladies? I have plans to make my own patchouli-scented whipped shea, do y'all think that would work for ends?

I am in imminent danger of losing this post. The lights are flickering from the freaky wind storm. I love this windy, wet weather, but it means that a cold, cold front is coming. The high tomorrow is supposed to be 16 degrees *brrrrrr*. Here is the view of the windy, blue, grey, wet, crazy weather from the window next to my workstation:
http://static.flickr.com/28/100802430_2049b2a5d7_o.jpg

*pause in posting to clean up a poop diaper, which is really a very rare occurance since my son is mostly potty trained, or so I thought before this minute*

I cooked up some Winter Vegetable Soup and a turkey breast yesterday afternoon. I purchased and cooked the turkey breast with a heavy heart, because I know just how breeders manage to provide such large breasts to market (http://ww.consciouschoice.com/2002/cc1511/realturkeys1511.html) and now you do, too. Hubby and Son were asking for some non- (or is it un-?)nitrited sandwich meat, and I relented. Today is a laundry-doing, bathroom-cleaning, for-the-weekend-preparing sort of day, so I am sure I'll be online quite a bit.

Wow your hair, and hair color looks wonderful :D

I'll definitely be keeping up with your journal, and looks like you're a good cook, with great recipes *hint,hint* ;D

Chagrin Valley, Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day?
My second Chagrin Valley order came in a few days ago, which brings my inventory to:

Carrot Milk and Honey Shampoo Bar
Chamomile and Citrus Shampoo Bar*
Honey, Beer & Egg Shampoo Bar*
Summer Sunshine Shampoo Bar
Castile and Calendula Baby Soap*
Citrus Woods Green Tea Soap
Lavender and Lemon Soap
Patchouli and Herb Soap*
Primrose Complexion Soap*

I have tried those marked with an asterisk.  I love the patchouli and herb, and the baby soap smells very fresh and floral. I used it all over my little ones and their hair and skin was very soft, and best of all, I knew that I hadn’t just coated them with chemicals.

It’s Never As Good As The First Time
My hair is acting really weirdly today. It’s stringy, tangly, limp, a mess. I washed with CVHB&E, but conditioned after the ACV rinse, and maybe that’s what did it. I remember the first time I washed with HB&E shampoo, I loved it. I didn’t pre-condition, didn’t ACV, nor did I condition after. I just used the shampoo. My hair seemed thicker and had lots of body that first time. Even my husband noticed, and said something like, “Your hair seems to hang really well”, which is the male way of describing what I had noticed, too.  But now…yuck. Maybe it’s time to cut out the extra stuff and just wash with the bar. Maybe that will help…or maybe it never really is as good as the first time. Galadriel, give me some hope, here. I don’t want to give up on the Chagrin Valley idea.

Weekend
Grocery shopping at six o’clock on a Saturday morning is different. Despite being barely awake, I managed to come home with everything on the list, no duplicates or omissions. And it was soooo empty and peaceful, it was well worth the cold, pre-dawn, five minute car ride to the store.  We had a date night Saturday, then went to a local restaurant where Hubby played and sang for a few songs with his old gigging partner. I got to watch the other ladies eat their hearts out when my man did his thing.  I am and will forever be his biggest groupie. Sunday (today) has been very nice. Hubby sang and played again to lead worship, and he got pretty funky and “Praise-the-Lord-c’mon-now”-y, which got almost no response out of the Wonderbread congregation, but I enjoyed it. We have a small group meeting tonight, then tomorrow it’s back to the usual work week, which for me means lots of laundry, mopping, cooking, and web surfing *grin*

OK, I am going to order some unrefined shea this morning. I have to get something into my ends before they self-combust, and I'd rather make my own whipped shea than spend $9 plus shipping on a tiny jar made by someone else.

Here I am, and hope is with me! ;D

There are several possibilities.
1) As you said, it might be that you washed your hair differently. Especially, if your conditioner has any cones. Cones are known to react very strongly with soap based shampoos.
2) There is not just one shampoo bar washing method- there are at least 3 pretty common ways to wash with shampoo bars. If shampoo bars work well for you alone, it doesn't mean that they work well if you use conditioner after them or vice versa. It might be that what you did first time was the way your hair likes.
3) It might just be the adjustment period- Ida talks about this on her site. Your hair just needs to get rid of old product residues and adjust to shampoo bars. Ida says that this might take a month, but in my case, shampoo bars started to work significantly better after 6 weeks (but I must say that they worked pretty well from the start).
4) I have noticed that differences between shampoo bars are quite big. I get best results when I rotate bars. Eg. Honey Beer & Egg is a wonderful shampoo, but if I use it exclusively, my hair starts to get lank and "heavy" after 3th or so wash. When I rotate my bars, I always have wonderful hair.

So, my suggestion at this point would be that you go back to just shampooing. If your hair is still weird, you might try switching to another bar for next wash. If that doesn't help, do a mild ACV rinse after shampooing, but no conditioner. If you feel you'd like to condition your ends, try one of CV soaps. I have tried several, and they all make nice conditioners.

HTH :)

Galadriel. I love your suggestions.

Yesterday I washed w/HB&E, did a very diluted ACV rinse and THEN washed the length with Patchouli & Herb soap, and rinsed. WOW! The hair that got the Patchouli & Herb wash felt much better than the scalp hair. I think the ACV has its place, it normalizes my scalp pH so that I don't get greasy, but I need to re-coat the hair with CV soap at the end. I'll also use a different shampoo next time I wash (tomorrow). I'll probably use Carrot Milk & Honey, since my length has been feeling dry. Also, I have mucho flyaways, what is up with that?? Maybe I should run a dryer sheet all over my head.

Speaking of dry length, I sent away yesterday for some unrefined shea and some patchouli EO. As soon as it arrives I am making a batch of whipped shea for my skin and hair, I hope it will make my ends supple again. The jojoba is kind of working, but as we all know, the quest for the perfect hair routine is never-ending.

Today is story time at the library, then we'll do the usual housekeeping stuff. Dinner tonight is...leftover rigatoni w/roasted eggplant and ricotta, leftover salad, leftover green beans...no cooking tonight ;D. Maybe I'll make breakfast for dinner for the kids, they think that's a big treat. Then we have rehearsal at the church, so I have to be sure to give Noah a nap or he will be stuck to me like glue while I am trying to sing. It's very hard to hold a big boy and a microphone at the same time.

Quote:

rigatoni w/roasted eggplant and ricotta, leftover salad, leftover green beans

Sounds yummily vegetarian!   ;D

wrote on Feb 21^st, 2006 at 1:51pm:

Sounds yummily vegetarian!   ;D

It was pretty good. Very filling. Who needs meat?  ;D

So I've been inspired to post a list of recipes that we use a lot at our house. If anyone is interested in any of them, let me know and I can post them here. Here goes:

Vegetarian Recipes (Not Vegan)
Rigatoni w/Roasted Eggplant and Ricotta
Pasta w/Cherry Tomatoes
Pasta w/Asparagus
Quesadillas w/Corn and Black Beans
Pasta w/Mushrooms
Tofu Pad Thai
Four-Cheese Pasta Casserole w/Basil and Tomatoes
Fresh Salsa
Fresh Guacamole
Wicked Easy Artichoke Dip

Non-vegetarian Recipes
Pasta all’Amatriciana (pasta w/bacon, onion, tomato, and parm, my kids’ fave)
Ma Po Tofu (like Chinese hamburger helper, only with ground turkey and tofu)
http://static.flickr.com/26/102646621_c6fb4c04f4_o.jpg
Pasta w/Chicken, Sundried Tomatoes and Broccoli
Easy Chicken Enchiladas

I try to make most of the pasta recipes with the enhanced Barilla pasta, which contains lentils, chickpeas, oats, spelt, barley, ground flaxseed and wheat.

Hmmm. I am feeling very hungry for some strange reason.
*waddling off to the kitchen for a snack*

I have been living a lie, because I wanted so much to believe that the lie was true. For the past three weeks, I have been using Chagrin Valley shampoo bars, and I had almost convinced myself that I really liked them better than my tried and true love, Pantene. I wanted so much for my hair to like the shampoo bars. But I can't deny the truth any longer. My hair hates shampoo bars. My hair used to be shiny, soft, and full. Now, after two plus weeks of doubled shedding and unprecedented tangling and knotting, I have to admit that my hair looks terrible. It's dry, stringy, tangling practically immediately after combing...a mess. I am going to start C-COW-C-ing, and actually have started this afternoon, when I decided to be honest with myself about the whole thing (by the way, the drama of this post is mostly tongue-in-cheek  ;) ). The first C was Suave Honey and something or other, then I washed my scalp with a little bit of Pantene mixed w/water and jojoba. The last C was some Pantene, but I am going out tonight to buy some deep conditioner from both Pantene and Aussie, which I used to use in highschool. I hope the diluted shampoo will keep away the greasies, the way Chagrin Valley did. That was about the only good thing I experience with the shampoo bars, a reduction in grease, but maybe that was the diluted ACV??? I am giving up for now, my hair is so much thinner after my little experiment that I am going back to my tried and true. I still *love* the Chagrin Valley soap, and plan on using whatever shampoo bars I have as soap for various purposes. So no financial loss came from this experiment, only significant hair loss  :'(.

I feel so much better after confessing!

*raising hand*
Me, me, for the vegetarian recipes!   :)
Sorry the CV bars aren't working for your hair but, hey, you can always use them like regular soap bars, right?  For bathing?  

wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2006 at 3:26pm:

*raising hand* Me, me, for the vegetarian recipes!   :)

OK, I will try to post one or two at a time when I can!

wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2006 at 3:26pm:

Sorry the CV bars aren't working for your hair but, hey, you can always use them like regular soap bars, right?  For bathing?

That's what I am planning...although I do have an unused, still-in-the-bag, big bar of Honey, Beer & Egg shampoo that I wouldn't mind sending to someone who could use it! HB&E is a great soap but I'd rather use the floral, smelly stuff on my skin.

Today I hopped into the shower, rinsed and then slopped on some Pantene to the length. I bought some aloe gel and some Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal. I am going to make some of Snowy's Moisture Treatment and slap that on tonight (aloe+jojoba or conditioner+honey). Then we'll see how the hair feels after that. The tangles today are so much better, hair is softer and not stringy. Rehearsal is tonight. Last night I ended up making the sausage and peppers and salad. Very very spicy!!!

This recipe is rather good. For Trisha:

Penne with Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil

Serves 4 to 6

1 medium shallot, sliced thin  
1/4 cup olive oil  
3 pints cherry (or grape) tomatoes (2 pounds), each tomato halved pole to pole  
table salt  
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes  
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper  
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste  
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar  
3 large cloves garlic, sliced thin  
1 pound penne  
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil    
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)  

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, toss shallots with 1 teaspoon oil; set aside. In medium bowl, gently toss tomatoes with remaining oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper flakes, black pepper, sugar, vinegar, and garlic. Spread in even layer on rimmed baking sheet (about 17 by 12 inches), scatter shallots over tomatoes; roast until edges of shallots begin to brown and tomato skins are slightly shriveled (tomatoes should retain their shape), 35 to 40 minutes. (Do not stir tomatoes during roasting.) Remove tomatoes from oven and cool 5 to 10 minutes.

2. While tomatoes cook, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large stockpot. Just before removing tomatoes from oven, stir 1 tablespoon salt and pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot. Using rubber spatula, scrape tomato mixture into pot on top of pasta. Add basil and toss to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkling cheese over individual bowls.

OK, I know I've already posted twice today, but OMG! I was just washing my hands in the bathroom and glanced in the mirror. I saw a hair at the back of my crown that was out of place. I tried to smooth it down, and then shrieked. Not only did it pop right back up, it felt like a piece of fishing line, so I yanked it out, and then gasped. It was a freakish, black Monster Hair!
http://static.flickr.com/35/103152863_8230673ce7_o.jpg
That fine little brown line next to the Monster Hair is a strand of my normal hair. Where did this Monster Hair come from? Are there any more of its kind hiding somewhere on my head?? Someone call the National Guard! Here is what my 4 year-old had to say about it:

"Maybe you're getting old."
and
"Does it smell like a skunk?"
and
"Maybe it's a monster."

wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2006 at 7:20pm:

"Maybe you're getting old." and "Does it smell like a skunk?" and "Maybe it's a monster."

*Lauging hysterically*, I think that is the funniest response I have *ever* heard!!!  ;D

I have lots of "monster" hairs.  As a blonde, I actually have every color and type of hair.  The darker the hair, the more coarse it is.  My silver/gray hairs have an almost corkscrew curl in them!  It always amazes me the variety of strands I find on my head.

Your kid has a great imagination - be sure to encourage it!

I am glad to find out that other people have Monster Hairs, too. And yes, maggie, she is a funny kid. My husband and I just crack up in bed at night when I tell him what new and interesting things she said during the day.

I've been obsessing a lot about my hair. My whole goal with trying CV was to balance out my scalp pH so that I can skip a day without washing. Since CV didn't work out, I am going to start C-COW-C-ing and then gradually move to CO-ing, if my hairtype can deal with it. My hairtype? I guess it's a 1b-F-ii, and so I am concerned about getting too greasy with CO. I wish I knew what type of conditioner will lift the grease off the scalp without stripping or changing the pH. I will keep using -cones, because I get too tangly without them.

Today I am staying in all day, so I oiled my length with jojoba and stuck it in a very loose ponytail. I will probably do a CO tonight, and then once I buy a sulphate-free shampoo (tomorrow morning) I will start C-COW-C-ing. Hair feels great, probably because I did a SMT yesterday (but had to wash out some that I didn't quite rinse out). I have a shorter layer, a canopy, and the ends of that are in trouble. I saw a split end in the mirror this morning, but I don't have sharp enough scissors to get it. Actually, I think my hubby has a pair of sideburn/moustache scissors, they'll probably do the trick!

I'm pan-frying tilapia tonight, w/mashed sweet potatoes and nada for a green veggie--tomorrow is shopping day and the pantry and veggie drawers in the fridge are bare. I'll be grocery shopping at 7 AM tomorrow, so think of me when you are in your nice, warm beds!

*I COed for the first time this morning and my hair feels GREAT*

It feels clean! Like I shampooed, but I didn't! How cool is that? How many years have I been torturing my hair with shampoo for no good reason?? This is awesome.

LJ, glad to hear you like the results!

I also enjoy reading about your food adventures. Most of my home life revolves around the exploration of tastes, spices, and making up new dishes. Thanks for posting those fabulous recipes. :)

Anais

LOL @ "Monster Hairs"

I get those too. They look & feel like they belong in my horse's tail rather than on my head.  :-/

I started growing more of them after Orthotri-Cyclene took its freakish toll on my body. That stuff changed everything & I am SO glad to be off of it now.

They may be hormonal & they may be genetic. If you've never seen them before now, a change in hormone levels may be the cause. Or you could have just had them all your life & never known it. *shrugs*

Anais, thanks for the post! Tonight's recipe is the bomb-diggity. And I say bomb-diggity only because my teenaged-stepdaughters love it when I try to use that wacky teen lingo anywhere besides in my own head. So here is a mad shout out to my steps. Angel Spun, I think you're right about the hormones. Not only are big, scary black hairs growing on my head, they have started growing on the right corner of my upper lip, too. Thank God for Jolene creme bleach and tweezers.

I love it when people post in my journal, have I ever mentioned that? Makes me feel like one of the popular girls at school, which in reality I never was!!

Anyway, I COed again today with Vo5 Sunkissed Raspberry mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm love that smell. I bought a clarifying lemon shampoo from Avalon Organics to use once a week for silicone buildup and a shampoo from J/A/S/O/N for occasional use if I feel the need to shampoo. So far so good with CO, although I did CO two days in a row. I would like to train my scalp to wait a few days before greasing up. But I have to say,

I LOVE CO-ing!!!!

Here is what I am making tonight, although I am halving the recipe for our little family:

Broiled Salmon with Chutney and Crisp Spiced Crust
Serves 8 to 10

2 tablespoons unsalted butter  
1 medium clove garlic , minced  
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  
1/2 teaspoon paprika  
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon  
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper  
1/4 teaspoon table salt  
3 slices high-quality sandwich bread, crusts removed  
4 ounces plain high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough 1/8-inch pieces, about 1 cup, (thick-cut and kettle-cooked preferred; ridged chips in a pinch)  
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaf    
1 whole side of salmon fillet , about 3 1/2 pounds, pinbones removed and belly fat trimmed  
1 teaspoon olive oil  
3/4 teaspoon table salt  
Ground black pepper  
3 tablespoons smooth mango chutney  

1. Adjust one oven rack to uppermost position (about 3 inches from heat source) and second rack to upper-middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat butter in small skillet over medium heat until melted. Off heat, add garlic, ground cumin, paprika, ground cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Set aside.

3. Pulse bread in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until processed into fairly even 1/4-inch pieces about the size of Grape-Nuts cereal (you should have about 1 cup), about ten 1-second pulses. Spread crumbs evenly on rimmed baking sheet; toast on lower rack, shaking pan once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss together bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, butter-spice mixture, and parsley in small bowl; set aside.

4. Increase oven setting to broil. Cut piece of heavy-duty foil 6 inches longer than fillet. Fold foil lengthwise in thirds and place lengthwise on rimmed baking sheet; position salmon lengthwise on foil, allowing excess foil to overhang baking sheet. Rub fillet evenly with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil salmon on upper rack until surface is spotty brown and outer 1/2-inch of thick end is opaque when gently flaked with paring knife, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove fish from oven, spread evenly with smooth mango chutney, and press bread crumb mixture onto fish. Return to lower rack and continue broiling until crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute longer.

5. Transfer salmon and foil sling to cutting board, remove sling, and serve salmon from board.

Wow that sounds really good! ;D    

MMMM...sounds really good. Can i come over for dinner...once a month...once a week...everyday ;D :-*

I'm glad you found a good hair routine :)

Mmmmmmmm I'm with Beesan there! What a cool recipe!  :D

Beesan, come on over, girlfriend. You are always welcome. You would just have to put up with the noise factor that comes with having dinner at our place  :o.

My hair is kind of a mess. It's sectioned and rather greasy, but I am getting used to CO. Maybe I'll try to do some COWing instead to give my scalp a chance to normalize. Or should I just stick it out with COing and just gradually extend the number of days without a wash? So confusing...but at least my hair isn't feeling like straw anymore. I'll take grease over hay any day.

On today's to-do list is...bet you can't guess...LAUNDRY. Also I am going to listen to some wisdom online at www.alcclife.org. Gotta do some filing of old bills and whatnot, start peeling tape off of our kitchen cupboard windows (finally, only four months after having them painted ::)). It's much too cold to bring the babies outside so we're going to hide out at home. Mmmmm, coffee cake, decaf coffee, maybe some organic Rooibos Strawberry Cream tea...I looooove being in my pumpkin shell.

So last night I made a sour cream coffee cake for our regular Sunday get-together at C's house. Have I mentioned that before? Five couples, ten kids...anarchy. Here's a pic of the remains of the coffee cake:
http://static.flickr.com/43/105252010_a04341021f_o.jpg
Because the coffee cake was in the oven baking at 350 degrees at precisely the same time that the salmon was supposed to be in the oven broiling, I ended up actually saving the salmon for tonight. Last night I made something else (because I forgot that our new range has TWO ovens in it and the whole fish/coffee cake simultaneous baking thing was in fact possible). And here is that something else:

Dan Dan Mian (Spicy Sichuan Noodles)
Serves 2 or 3 as main dish, if you eat like we do, serves 4 normal people

8 ounces ground pork  
3 tablespoons soy sauce  
2 tablespoons dry sherry  
ground white pepper  
2 tablespoons oyster sauce  
4 tablespoons Asian sesame paste or peanut butter  
1 tablespoon rice vinegar  
1 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth (see note)  
1 tablespoon peanut oil  
1 inch piece fresh ginger , minced (about 1 tablespoon)  
6 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)  
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes  
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil  
12 ounces dried Asian noodles or 1 pound fresh Asian noodles (width between linguine and fettuccine) or 12 ounces linguine  
3 medium scallions , sliced thin (about 1/3 cup)  
2 cups bean sprouts (about 6 ounces) (optional)  
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns toasted in small dry skillet until fragrant, then ground (optional)  

1. Combine pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, and pinch white pepper in small bowl; stir well with fork and set aside while preparing other ingredients. Whisk together oyster-flavored sauce, remaining soy sauce, peanut butter or sesame paste, vinegar, and pinch white pepper in medium bowl. Whisk in chicken stock and set aside.

2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large stockpot over high heat.

3. Meanwhile, heat 12-inch skillet over high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add pork and cook, scraping along pan bottom and breaking up pork into small pieces with wide metal or wooden spatula, until pork is in small well-browned bits, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter/chicken stock mixture; bring to boil, whisking to combine, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer to blend flavors, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in sesame oil.

4. While sauce simmers, add noodles to boiling water and cook until tender (refer to package directions, but use them only as a guideline and be sure to taste for doneness). Drain noodles; divide noodles among individual bowls, ladle a portion of sauce over noodles, sprinkle with scallions, bean sprouts, and ground Sichuan peppercorns, if using; serve immediately.

A pic of the dish from my cookbook, since taking a picture of our dinner would send my husband over the edge:
http://static.flickr.com/38/105252009_81606e3ff9_o.jpg

I would like to add for Trisha that the above recipe can be easily modified to be vegetarian. Just buy a block of extra firm tofu, freeze it, thaw it, drain it and use it in place of the pork. The freezing makes it really crumbly, like a ground meat. Mmmm, hey I think I'll use tofu instead of pork the next time I make it!

And one more thing...
I AM [glb]RUBY[/glb]!!!!!

YUM!  
I have to stop reading your journal when I'm hungry!   ;D

LJ im glad you joined the boards. you sound like a wonderful cook. hopefully i can learn a thing or two. ::)

LJ wrote,
Quote:

Beesan, come on over, girlfriend. You are always welcome. You would just have to put up with the noise factor that comes with having dinner at our place

And who says i don't get my share of that everyday :P

Ohhhhh, i love coffee cake, coffee ice cream, coffee flavored candy, and....i don't drink coffee ::) ::)

Edited to fix quote thingy

LOL Trisha, I have the same problem with Anais' journal when she posts recipes. Although when am I not hungry, esp. this time of the month *wink wink nudge nudge*?

Curlygirl, my dear. You flatter me. My cooking is only as good as the recipe, for I have zero ability to deviate from what's on paper. Every time I've tried to improvise w/the cooking it's been an inedible disaster. So basically every dish I know how to cook is from www.cooksillustrated.com. And when I got married five years ago, I couldn't boil water. Fact.

And Beesan, I have three words for you: Starbucks Java Chip.

I am listening to iTunes Radio Absolutely Smooth Jazz, an unfortunate habit. Most days I have that playing in the background on my computer, it makes my house sound like the waiting room of a spa...or a doctor's office. But hey, it calms my nerves. Other frequently played CDs are the Windham Hill: The First Ten Years cds, Michael Hedges cds, sometimes Steely Dan, but mostly this Smooth Jazz stuff that is insidious, working its way into my psyche until I have no choice but to relax.

Today is a no-wash day. My hair looks great! No grease, no tangles, the ends on my canopy are dry but that's to be expected. Gotta glue them together with jojoba or silicone spray or something like that.

We had the salmon last night. Yum. Tonight is Wegman's frozen eggplant parm, spaghetti, green beans and salad. Thank God for Wegman's, and Kraft Zesty Italian salad dressing. Mmmmmm...doughnuts... have I mentioned I've gained probably five to ten pounds this winter? My excuses include not having snowpants to take the kids out to play, and this message board.  ;D

I am off to my women's study this morning. The name of the course is "Essentials of Discipline". Here is the cover of the book we're using:
http://static.flickr.com/48/106289486_cf30cbc2a6_o.jpg
I have to take a class on disciplining my children because I was NEVER EVER ONCE disciplined by my parents, because I was too chicken to disobey when I was little and because I was too chicken to disobey when I was a teen. I had to beg my dad to ground me once so I could know what it felt like. And boy, was I a spoiled rotten brat. I had no chores, let my stepmother do my laundry for me, only cleaned my room when I felt like it, not when it was needed, never helped with dishes, dinner, cleaning...an embarrassment to myself. My children will not be raised in the same way. So here I am, heading out the door with damp, COed, V05 SKR-scented hair held up in back with a fake Ficcare clip to learn about helping my kids to become decent people.

Good for you!  I applaud your recognition for the need to discipline your children and your efforts to learn how to do it effectively.  You are obviously a good parent that will raise good children.

Thanks for the encouragement BB, I needed to read this after three tantrums in the first ten minutes after arriving home.

So guess what was in my email inbox when I got back from my class:


Quote:

From: ChagrinCraft [at] aol.com Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 08:02:14 EST Subject: You WON from Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft To: [my email address]     Hi [LJ], Congratulations!   You are the WINNER of the February Spring Season Monthly drawing from Ida’s Handcrafted Soap at Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft.   You have won a free bar of soap and a small lotion bar of your choice with your next order. I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You!  Without customers like you, we wouldn't exist!   Congratulations again have a fabulous day! Ida Ida's Handcrafted Soap Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft Co.   PS May I put your name, city and state as the February winner on the Monthly Drawing page of my website?  I can use only your first name or your whole name—whichever you prefer.

PATCHOULI & HERB SOAP...LOTION BAR... mmmmmmmm

Wow, Congrats LJ :D :D

Congrats!

Woohoo LJ! Free stuff is always nice.  ;D

Best of luck with your class. It's unfortunate that you feel the need to take one for having never been diciplined as a child. Egad. But it's good that you're finally learning it somewhere.

It was completely the opposite for me growing up. My parents were extremely strict and narrow-minded, and if you didn't fit into their little ideal of "perfect," God help you. For over 20 years, I endured every kind of abuse possible...but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? Well...in addition to destroying your psyche & shattering your self-esteem. But anywho, yeah.  :P

Just remember that there's no such thing as a perfect parent - children are going to resent their parents in some way or another anyway, but hopefully there will be enough love & fairness there that they won't become too critical. Just be the best you can be, follow your heart & trust your instincts.

Maybe you can teach them a little something about haircare too.  ;)  ;D

I am in PMS hell today. Aunt Flo is supposed to be here tomorrow and my hormones are raging. I can't be around my husband. My kids' usual fighting is sending me over the edge. I am uncontrollably eating through this entire bag of Spicy Doritos. Ack!  :P

*gently pats LJ on the back*
This too shall pass!

That was a long weekend.

I went to a semi-formal function Friday night with hubby and wore my hair twisted up in a claw clip with the ends hanging over the top of the clip. I was thrilled to find out that all my layers are long enough to stay up now. I am going to try to CO every other day and shampoo only if I sense a cone overload, clarify once a month, SMT every two weeks. I am going to try to wear the hair up as often as I can but the claw clips are the only things that work right now, besides plain old ponytail holders. I use the clear plastic ouchless kind of ponytail holder and rarely find any hairs caught in them, and I wear them loosely around the ponytail, so I imagine they're not doing any damage. I have also started using a distilled water and jojoba oil spray on my hair on the non-shampoo days, but I think I am going to have to put some kind of butter on the ends to really seal in some moisture down there.

I am going to be trying to not think about my hair for a while. Time will pass if I don't watch the clock, if you know what I mean. The water will boil if I don't watch the pot. The rhinoceros will...j/k.

I made a lasagna last night mmmmmmmmmm and froze a big section for "Grandma J" who really isn't related to  me by blood but rather by love. She has had a touch of pneumonia and so Thursday we'll be heading over to visit and bring her some grub so she doesn't have to bother. We have lots of people in our circle of friends who need help right now, new babies, sicknesses, new homes. I guess we're in that season of our lives where we're all making big changes and we need each other a lot more now than ever. I never had girlfriends in high school or even college because, as far as I was concerned, all I needed was a man. HA! HAHAHAHAHA! I really credit my spiritual journey with my newfound understanding and appreciation of GIRLFRIENDS! And then when you have kids you really feel the need for female companionship, because who else is going to be able to understand what the heck you're talking about when you go on and on about Baby Bjorns, Graco versus Britax, the horrific smell of Diaper Genies, and on and on. Not to mention potty training. So I feel really blessed to be needed, not only by my family but by other families and friends. *warm fuzzies* Thank you God for turning me into a person that is worthy of and capable of being a friend to others.

So I guess I should get off my butt and start hitting the to-do list, but I wanted to say to all the ladies (and gents) here at the board that if you need me, I will be happy to bring over a big piece of lasagna and a hug to you. And I promise not to talk about potty training...unless you bring it up first.

LOL LJ....you're such a hoot!  ;D


Quote:

Thank you God for turning me into a person that is worthy of and capable of being a friend to others.

Amen, girlfriend. Well said.  ;)

I imagine that the whole potty training thing must be a dismal experience, but believe me, you'll be doing the world a favour if you teach your children to do it right!!
   If all parents cared enough to be around and teach their children to close and lock the door, use the bathroom for it's intended purpose and not, say, "other places"  :P  and wash their hands afterward, that would save their future significant others from having to teach them all of this later in life. And also spare said significant others some pretty traumatic experiences.  :P *ahem*

wrote on Mar 6^th, 2006 at 4:52pm:

...that would save their future significant others from having to teach them all of this later in life. And also spare said significant others some pretty traumatic experiences.  :P *ahem*

OK. I hope this question isn't an intrusion into your private life, if it is please feel free to tell me to go back to talking about your/my hair. I have been wanting to ask you this for quite some time, Angel Spun, but this last insight into the habits and nature of your S.O. has pushed me over the edge and now I ask you this: honey, is there any chance that maybe you could do better than this guy? Does he have any redeeming features? Have you thought about making a change? Are you still in love with him? Because you seem like such a cool person and he seems...well, I read your journal. I know that we tend to vent in our journals but the facts, not feelings, the actual things I've read that he does or, conversely, the things he doesn't do, freak me out. What's up with that?

I C-COW-C-ed today with Vo5 SKR, Vo5 SKR+JASON Apricot Shampoo+water, then Pantene at the end and WoooooooOOOO is my hair dry. Dry as straw! Roots are clean but length is drrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Did I mention that it feels dry? I think I need to somehow protect the length better when shampoo is involved, but how, oh how? Oiling prior to washing? Dunno. I think that Thursday night I will do an SMT. That's the answer! Coat my hair! Cover it with love!

I am feeling really goofy today. I am making turkey burgers for dinner and then racing off to the church to rehearse for this women's night out thing this Friday night. Party with the girlfriends at Embassy Suites. Ugh, gotta get offline, this sitting is killing me.

Quote:

...WoooooooOOOO is my hair dry. Dry as straw! Roots are clean but length is drrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Did I mention that it feels dry?

LOL LJ...you kill me.  ;)

And no, I'm not offended by your questions. Your concern and the amount of thought you've put toward it is flattering, actually.  :)
   The truth is, my boyfriend works very, very hard. I don't think that he gets nearly enough credit for that. He works long, laborious hours and injures himself on a daily basis (yeah, he is a little bit of a klutz) just to keep a roof over our heads. I have nothing but respect for that, even though that may get unintentionally overshadowed by my "venting."  ;)
   Also, he didn't have the greatest upbringing in the world...and by that I mean that no one raised him. His parents are divorced - and after being taken away from his mother at a very young age, thrown in and out of foster care until his neglecting father took custody of him, he had to raise himself. And given the kind of person his father is and the kind of environment that he grew up in, I'm actually rather surprised (not to mention grateful) that he didn't turn out a thousand times worse. After all he's been through (most of it foolishly self-inflicted), it's a wonder that the guy is even alive today.
   Of course, I'm not trying to make excuses for his inexcusable behaviour...just attempting to provide some insight as to why he is the way he is. And you can bet that I was likely just as much of a "culture shock" to him as he was to me. He's not used to propriety, morals, cleanliness, organization or restraint...but he does know that he wants them in his life. Not only were these things not forced upon him while growing up, they were never shown to him either...until now.
   Yes, he's rude, barbaric and unrefined...not to mention a downright JERK at times...OK, often. But underneath all of that (or perhaps in addition to it) he is a genuine inner light and one of the hardest-working men that I have ever known. I do love him dearly.

Now as to whether I could do better....honey, I have done better.  ;)  But this is what I've got to deal with right now. It's pretty bad, yeah. But it is at least marginally better than where I came from...and it keeps me from having to go back to it. *snicker* You don't really think I'd put up with all of this if I didn't have to...right?   ;)

Tonight's entry in my own hair journal will touch on this a bit. But until then, I humbly thank you for your care & concern. You are a dear, dear lady with a rawkin' sense of humour.  ;)  ;D

God bless.

wrote on Mar 7^th, 2006 at 6:50pm:

I C-COW-C-ed today with Vo5 SKR, Vo5 SKR+JASON Apricot Shampoo+water, then Pantene at the end and WoooooooOOOO is my hair dry. Dry as straw! Roots are clean but length is drrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Did I mention that it feels dry? I think I need to somehow protect the length better when shampoo is involved, but how, oh how? Oiling prior to washing? Dunno. I think that Thursday night I will do an SMT. That's the answer! Coat my hair! Cover it with love!

It may not even be dryness... I highly recommend an ACV rinse first before you decide how to super-moisturize your tresses (and the more C's you use, the greater the need will be for ACV) Also, many non-hair related things can contribute to a feeling of dry rough crunchy hair - including dry hands. Dry hands have tricked me so many times.

Hugs
Anais

Quote:

It may not even be dryness... I highly recommend an ACV rinse first before you decide how to super-moisturize your tresses (and the more C's you use, the greater the need will be for ACV) Also, many non-hair related things can contribute to a feeling of dry rough crunchy hair - including dry hands. Dry hands have tricked me so many times.

Now that is why I love it when you post in my journal, Miss Anais. You've given me much food for thought--although I'd also like to have some of your unique, not-from-a-recipe Asian food. I so appreciate your hair wisdom, many thanks.

Now, for Miss Angel Spun:

Quote:

Also, he didn't have the greatest upbringing in the world...and by that I mean that no one raised him.

You just described my husband's upbringing to a T.


Quote:

He's not used to propriety, morals, cleanliness, organization or restraint...but he does know that he wants them in his life. Not only were these things not forced upon him while growing up, they were never shown to him either...until now.

Again, you could be describing J (husband), or at least J about 15 or 20 years ago (he's 45 now). The similarities are eerie. His mom left his dad, J and J's four siblings with his alcoholic dad when J was 14 (he's the oldest) and things weren't so hot before that, so he was barely fed let alone taught how to be a normal, thoughtful person. And I still see glimpses of that little boy from time to time, but I'd say probably 99% of the time J is just about the best man I've ever known. He went from emotionally crippled to pretty darned awesome, but it took ten or fifteen long years of getting with the program. I thank God for coming into his life and turning things around for him, and, consequently, for me, too, in that God prepared him to be a good man to me and to our kids. But enough about me...  ::)

I appreciate your openness about this issue. I wish there was a way for you to be able to have the freedom to be in this relationship on your terms with no strings attached--financial freedom, in other words. I am sure that's what you wish, too. I hate to think of you being in that situation, because it sucks. I guess I'll mosey on over to your journal to see what you've said about it already. Tata!

Hi, all. I haven't posted for a loooong time because I knew I was neglecting pretty much everything else in my life when I was an avid poster/reader. So here I am, saying "hi" but mostly I want to document my hair length with a new picture!

Pic on the left is dated February 17, the pic on the right is as of today, October 24:
http://static.flickr.com/25/100424950_0f54d1441b_o.jpg http://static.flickr.com/109/278256718_c77d68ce54_o.jpg

I've had two cuts between then and now, just trims, really. Hope everyone is doing well, BSL here I come!

Hi LJ, good to see you   :)  Congrats on the growth and NICE color--I like it!

Howdy LJ!  Glad you popped back in.  Your picture shows good growth - congratulations.  

Well, I am just popping in to post a length update. I am at 28 inches now, and finally feel ready to try for waist length. I'd been cutting it back to keep it as is, adding layers, etc. but I think I'm just going to keep it up and safe during the winter, and we'll see if I can't get to waist by the springtime or summer at the latest. Here are some pics from today:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2371/1858765529_45f12d6986.jpg
This is with a flash.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/1859590132_7b7b91efea.jpg
And this is without.

I hope everyone is doing well!

These two pictures prove that hair does not have to be super long to be very beautiful 8-)

Jerry

Very pretty!  Your hair looks super healthy.  Good luck w/your growing this winter!!

Nice! Good job, LJ! :D

BEAUTIFUL!  Your hair looks fantastic - in great conditon.  Thanks for sharing your pics with us.

Gorgeous!  You're doing a good job   :)

((((((LJ!!))))))

How awesome to hear from you again!  :D  Your hair looks great - congrats on the length! Hope you reach waist length very soon. Much love and many blessings.

Now this is why I love LL, I've been gone for MONTHS and yet when I pop in I am still loved on by you folks. Thank you all for your kind words. I hope that I can stop by more often to check on how you are all doing, but I am homeschooling right now and that keeps me pretty busy. Take care everyone.

Homeschooling is a major undertaking.  We will be here when you have a chance to drop in.  Good luck!