I showed you a photo of our sofa recently but I've gone closer now so you can see the Australia cushion made by my sister, Tricia. She upcycled an old wool blanket, made the little pom-poms from scrap materials and embroidered the Coat of Arms. I love it. I want to make another small cushion for this area, I've decided on the design so I'll go through my stash to make sure I have the materials I need.
After spending almost two years growing out my layers, my hair is now a blunt cut below my shoulders. I like having long hair because I can wear it up or down. But the sad truth is it takes a long time to wash and dry, and the shower, which is a dangerous place for me anyway because of my dizziness, becomes a slippery accident waiting to happen with shampoo and hair conditioner on the tiles. So I'm having my hair cut short again next week. It will be easier to care for and in summer I can wash my hair every day if I want to. I hope I don't chicken out before the big day. 😳
I hope you're doing well wherever you are in the world. With the recent increase in Covid cases, including many here in Australia, it's made me realise that this virus will probably be around for a long time and we all need to stay safe in our homes as much as we can. Going out brings it's own problems so I hope you're continuing to distance from others, wear a mask, wash your hands and listen to the advice given by our various governments. If you're in lockdown, remember you're doing it for a reason and it won't last forever. I know many of you are homeschooling, working from home and trying to remain calm with people at home all the time but I hope you use some of the time to rest and fluff your nest too. It's all important and you deserve peace of mind too.
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- These first two links are for all the people around the world who are isolating and for everyone who would like a day in the sun, swimming in a sunny paradise. Australia's borders are closed to tourists now and will be for the foreseeable future, but these photos might help you get through the week because they offer the promise of future happiness. BYW, the last beach in the first link is my local beach. 'Like you've escaped to a magical island': surfers, rockers and swimmers on their favourite winter beaches AND ... Waterfalls, gorges and hot springs: go for a swim in our favourite inland pools
- Seedsavers - includes two interesting free downloads
- Hot dogs: what soaring puppy thefts tell us about Britain today
- 'Out of control': Australia has a new style manual, but not everyone is happy The Style Manual is a guide to how to write the English language in newspapers, magazines, books etc.
- Pasta Grannies enjoy Helena's easy-to-make apple strudel
- Lady's work mittens
- Ball Blue Book - Guide to Preserving 2010 edition Plenty of good recipes in here, although in Australia and the UK we usually don't water bath our jams.
- I Tracked Every Single Cent That My Family Spent on Food Last Year and Here’s What I Learned
- I fought ageing hard before deciding to go grey. It was the start of a brilliant new midlife
- Do or dye: why women daren’t go grey (unless they’re very brave or very young)
It is convenient being able to wear your hair up or loose, but having just grown my hair out over the past two years after a short hairstyle I have to agree with you that it takes more time to wash and dry. Using a blow-dryer in summer is not much fun, is it? So you will have that advantage.
ReplyDeleteI was had my trimmed and had my foils redone yesterday. I am no longer have a base colour done so my wisdom colours now shine through. After having my foils done my hairdresser put a toner on over the top which turned my hair colour into stripes of very strong purple and blackish brown (my foils are mostly blonde to blend in with the silver). After having a really good laugh about it we decided it needed to be washed out! I always have fun at my local hair salon the staff are great and we always have a good laugh over things.
I noticed that both the models in the articles on grey hair appear to have added colour in their hair to lift or brighten their natural colour.
I hope you have a great week Rhonda!
It sounds like a great hair salon, Sherri. I stopped dying my hair when I noticed the first grey. My hairdresser nearly fell over when I told him I wasn't going to cover the grey but I've never regretted it.
DeleteI noticed Tricia's lovely cushion before you mentioned it. How clever to make the pom poms from scraps. The photo of your beach is gorgeous. I am having deep regrets that I did not get myself to the coast recently as now we feel we shouldn't go anywhere, to lessen the risk of taking Covid to other small towns. We are preparing in earnest now for what could be a long period of restrictions. My next step is to order a grain mill, which has been on the wish list for a very long time. That way we can do all of our bread, pasta etc without leaving home. I am preparing for the worst but hoping for the best!
ReplyDeleteMadeleine.X
Tricia is pretty clever with most crafts. Preparing for the best and hoping for the best, yes, I like doing that too, Madeleine.
DeleteSo if you don't water bath your jam how do you process it?
ReplyDeleteWe believe that if the jam has boiled for the appropriate time and it goes into sterilised jars, further processing is not needed.
DeleteI had my hair frosted - for fun - in my teens, and colored it red in my early twenties. When I was 22 a gray hair appeared. That seemed new and interesting to me, so I stopped dyeing. Now I'm 64 and have long gray hair, and a good amount of it. I get many compliments, even though most every woman I know has theirs colored. My own brother and cousin are hairdressers for a living, but I consider that as akin to flushing money down the toilet. :D I'd rather waste my money on other things. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh! I meant to say the pillow is beautiful! And she made the pompoms herself!! That's impressive. Is that a Carl Larsson print hanging there?
ReplyDeleteIt is Carl Larsson but it's a cross stitch. It was sent to me many years ago from a reader in France. It's one of my treasures.
DeleteLooking forward to seeing your new cushion Rhonda. The different size cushions look good together and practical. Yep, go with the shorter hair, I think short fluffy layers will suit you.
ReplyDeleteThe Ball Company originated right here in Indiana, the state in which I live. It's a classic. Love, Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteI remember helping my mother make jam and putting paraffin on it. That works as long as the paraffin seal stays tight. Later on, it was fill the jars, then turn them upside down for some time before standing them up. We don't use enough jam to make it worth preserving it. I do occasionally cook down some fruit that would go by before we would use it up, but don't jar it any more.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet and thoughtful gift from your sister. It sounds like the shorter hair is safer for you. Have you tried one of those shower seats and hand held shower nozzles? That's what I used after having my hip surgery. It really helped. I have been using red henna on my grey hair. I do it myself. I have to leave it on for four hours. I love the effect, though. People always think that the color is natural, which really makes me giggle. I look so washed out when I am grey. I think having fair skin and green eyes has something to do with it. I love your hair grey. It looks soft and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! The first thing I noticed in your photo was the cross-stitch above the sofa. My mum completed the same one when I was younger and it always hung in the dining space of our house. My place at the table was facing the wall where it was displayed and I spent many meals staring at the various parts of the picture. What a flashback!
ReplyDeleteI haven’t started going grey yet but I have good intentions not to feel the pressure to dye it. Always great to read articles that give my resolve a bit of a boost 😊
ReplyDeleteI FIND YOUR BLOG IN A LITTLE TIME, I'M LOVING EVERYTHING AND LEARNING A LOT. I LIVE IN BRAZIL AND SHARE YOUR IDEAS OF A SIMPLE LIFE AND SATISFACTORY. SEND MY CARE AND RESPECT FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL WORK!
The shower getting slippery with shampoo and hair conditioner... Try going without these products. It took a month or so for things to settle but I will never go back to using product now. Healthier, happier hair - and less cost!
ReplyDeleteI have been having the same inner battle with myself regarding my hair. I haven't had short hair since I was in high school and I don't know why it's so hard to let it go. I know it would streamline the process of getting tidied up. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteThe only places we go are the grocery store and gas stations. I popped into a bakery this week to see if they had any 5-gallon buckets for me and figured I would make a purchase while I was there. Believe it or not, they are not taking cash at the moment! Out I walked, empty-handed. We prefer to pay cash for everything, so it will be a bit upsetting if we can no longer do that.
Thank you for your weekend list. Praying good health for you and yours.
Go for the streamline, Daisy. I'm going to. It will be simpler.
DeleteMost shops here only take "non-contact" payments, ie cards. However, I recall being told many years ago that money was a carrier of all sorts of bacteria/viruses etc. so I understand not wanting to handle money all day.
I am prone to loosing my balance when I stand in the shower so we got me a shower stool. It has really helped to be able to sit and bathe with a handheld shower. Are those things available in your area?
ReplyDeleteThat was the first thing I thought of, Lana, but it's more the time it takes. I want it to be more simple.
DeleteWhat a beautiful room. I love the pillow. I also suffer with dizziness and a lack of balance. The home care Occupational Therapists assessed the house and we now have a shower bench. It works perfectly as you can sit through the whole shower process or stand when needed. It can be a bit cold on the bum. I feel much safer sitting.
ReplyDeleteCyber hugs, Maureen
Thanks Maureen. I'll get to the shower bench one day but I don't want to have it now. Mainly I want it to be a simpler process and to take less time. A haircut is the way forward for me.
DeleteGood morning Rhonda and Hanno,we've had several cold wet dreary days,minestrone soup, bread and orange cake days. I'm planning spring gardening in my head,as too cold to plant here yet. Like you the hair goes up and down.I get tired of it and get it cut very short only to find my thick hair grows very quickly and if not trimmed 6 weekly I look like a startled gorilla!! so grow the layers out and manage with 3to4 cuts a year.Mine is grey but still a bit striped,was hoping for nice white hair like your sisters,she always looks elegant.I think I've earned my 'grey' stripes'. My copies of your books are well used,I recommend that every house should have them as an indispensable reference. Have a good week,stay safe🙃
ReplyDeleteSilver hair is a superpower! I always wanted white hair when I got old. I got it, although unexpectedly early. People started to ignore me when my hair turned white, which took a little getting used to. Invisibility is sometimes rather nice though. When I don't want to be invisible, a streak of wild color makes me visible again. The neighbor showed me how to paint a comb with gel food coloring and comb it through my hair for a temporary streak or two of teal or purple or magenta. When I'm sporting color people see me again. It's rather fun. White hair takes color beautifully and lets it go pretty easily too. The blues wash out in the first hair wash after. The reds fade to pink and take a wash or two more to disappear entirely.
ReplyDeleteRhonda Jean, your blog remains an island of calm and serenity in a crazy world. I'm in the USA during this pandemic and it is a chaotic time, as I'm sure it must be the world over. Thanks for discussing normal things like the beautiful homemade couch pillow and longer vs. shorter hair, and providing us with weekend reading which can take us to a happier reality and provide new perspective. I'm a longtime follower and am especially grateful for your advice and sanity right now. Please stay safe with Hanno and Gracie. Good luck with the haircut -- I'm sure it will look great!
ReplyDeleteMary
Thank you Mary. I'm glad you find peace here because I've seen reports of what is happening in the US and it's frightening. We've had a flair up of the virus here but in my state, luckily, there are no active cases. Hanno and I stay at home most of the time and only go out for groceries and to visit family. I hope you and your family remain safe, I'll be thinking of you. xx
DeleteHi Rhonda I just found your blog through a google search about 'can I use copha in soap making instead of coconut oil' (yes! thank you for the answer!) and then browsed my way to here. I just love your sister's cushion! BTW a couple of years ago I got tired of putting poison on my hair and had a extreme short cut to let it grow out grey and It's now below shoulder length and I love it. I always had long hair in my youth and like the versatility of it. Just a hint about drying it...the trick is to be greedy with the towels - one for your body and a fresh dry one for your hair. were it like a turban for about 15 minutes and then let it loose and it will soon be dry. Val.
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