Monday, September 23, 2013

Momma Had a Girl

My mom loved getting her hair done.  She loved trying out different styles and colors.  And since mom got her hair done at least once a week, it was always a surprise to see what she had gotten done. She always came home relaxed.  And energized. And better able to face life.

I knew that Audrey had inherited that particular gene the first time I took her to a salon when she was about 9.  She settled into that  shampoo chair with a look of pure bliss on her face.  I sadly realized that I would never be able to trim those bangs again.

Nowadays, we have our hairdressers, or stylists, or beauticians.  Back in the day, my mom had a "girl".

The one that I remember best was named Sally.  Sally was married to a guy in my dad's Air Force unit, so mom and Sally were together for years.  They were friends in and out of the salon.

Mom didn't take us along with her very often - that was her adult time.  But when I could, I always loved to go along with her to her appointments.  I'd try to make myself small and be really quiet so that I could listen to the ladies talking.  After a while they'd forget that I was there and then things got interesting!!  
(We didn't have the Lifetime channel back then, so  a girl had to get her life lesson info any way she could!!)

It was also to my advantage to be still and quiet and as invisible as I could.  Then maybe mom would forget that she brought me in to get my hair cut too.  As a young girl in the '60's with thick frizzy naturally curly hair the best way to control my hair was to "thin" it.  With a razor.  And it hurt like hell so I'd always end up crying.  Very embarrassing.  And painful.  It could be why I didn't really start going to salons until I was a lot older.  And when I find one that can cut curly hair I tend to stay with them.

Nowadays, my girl is a guy named Brandon.  A real rock star of a guy who went to school with Audrey.  She sent me to him this spring with her credit card and said "Enjoy!"  And boy, did I!!

So I was feeling a bit low and in need of a change in June and I made a spur of the moment decision to go and get my hair "did".  I managed to get an appointment and started the 186 mile round trip to get my hair done and to get a little salve for my soul.


It was just what I needed.

In fact, I liked it sooo much that I tagged along with Audrey at her next appointment and had it cut again.



And here is the proof that my new hair cut was successful - 

Last Saturday, I was sitting at the kitchen table, staring blankly at nothing, miserable with a sinus infection and some new meds, I was still in my jammies, hadn't showered, in fact I had slept on the couch the night before as part of a sleepover with my grandbabies; yep, real Miss America material.

Larry walked by, kissed the top of my head and said, "I know that you feel rotten sweetie, but your hair looks really nice."

Wow.  Sweet.

An unsolicited atta-boy from my husband of 33 years.

Thank you Brandon!  My hair looks great.  And my soul was calmed. And I am better able to face life.

No wonder my mom loved her girls so much!




Saturday, September 14, 2013

Conversations with the Grandkids

Neve found a key last week while she was rummaging around.  

A magical key???

"Mimi," she said, "What is this key for??"


Always with the questions....

"I don't know sweetie, maybe one of Poppop's old trucks or something.  What do you think?"


Neve is a great guesser

 "I think that it is for a castle.  I think that a princess dropped it and Poppop found it and she probably needs it back."

Princess Neve with a reluctant subject.....

I guess that Neve should know.  These princess types tend to think alike....

Saturday, September 7, 2013

The Egg McSandwich

We got to bring over Neve on Thursday afternoon, which unfortunately meant that we had to get her up at 6am on Friday morning so that we could take Larry to the metro.

On the way home I asked her if she wanted something from McDonalds. 

"Sure Mimi, I'll have an Egg McSandwich."

An Egg McSandwich???

What the heck is that?

And, of course, I had staggered out of the house that morning without my cell phone, so I couldn't call Shayne and ask for an explanation.

As many of you know, I used to be a McDonalds manager.  Back in the '70's, when there weren't that many female managers.  As a matter of fact, I have an Associates Degree in Hamburgerology, so I figured that I could handle this.

The manager in me said "Get her an Egg McMuffin."

The grandmother in me said "But what if that's not right?"

So, I asked her - 

"Do you want a McGriddle with sausage? or bacon?"

"Nope, An Egg McSandwich."

"Do you want a biscuit with sausage? or bacon?"

"No Mimi. An Egg McSandwich."

So I ordered an Egg McMuffin meal with chocolate milk and just to be on the safe side, an order of Hotcakes and Sausage.

We got home and sure enough, it was the Egg McMuffin she was talking about.  She ate two bites of it, ate her hashbrown, drank the chocolate milk and was finished.  

We put the rest of it on the kitchen table in case she got hungry later.

Lucy, as it turned out, got hungry first and as near as we could tell, bribed a cat to knock it to the floor for her.

Next time, we will just have cereal.  

I am not up to these epic decisions at 6:30 in the morning....

Apparently, Lucy will eat an Egg McAnything


Thursday, September 5, 2013

How to Nearly Have a Heart Attack on I-66

Larry is taking a weekly class at Andrews Air Force Base.  It makes for a REALLY long day for him, so I pick him up at the Pentagon and we go together.  He goes to class and I hang out at the commissary and then get a taco at the PX and read and breathe in the military life like it is a tonic.

Audrey, proud new renter of what we used to call Shayne and Jess's condo - which is now known as Audrey's condo*, decided to come along to play a game my daughters love called "Let's see if we can actually spend ALL of mom's checkbook at the commissary".

We did a pretty good job of it if I do say so myself and now I know that my baby won't starve....

AND we even got to play a bonus round - i.e. we had Larry's PX charge card and as the clerk was ringing us up I mentioned to Audrey that this was the reason that Larry was the only one who had a card for this account.... (Who knew that Audrey had a Martha Stewart addiction??)

So we crammed all of our purchases into Larry's little red Jetta, picked Larry up after his class was over and headed back to Manassas.

As we were nearing the rest stop I noticed in the rear view mirror that there was an idiot driving right on my bumper.

I even said "Look at that idiot right on my bumper!! I can't go any faster!  I am already going 70 miles an hour......"

That's when the blue lights started flashing.

That's pretty much when my heart palpitations started.

I pulled over on the shoulder and the cop whizzed on by.

Undoubtedly laughing his ass off.

By the way, did you know that that section of I-66 the speed limit is actually 55 miles per hour??

I am very aware of that now.....

I was hoping he'd have nice lady-like pink cuffs.....





*The formal name for the condo is "Shayne and Jess's old condo that Audrey is renting now and she can only have one cat and NO interior cat doors...."


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Notes From a Cat Lady

As  you all can't help but know - 5 cats have chosen to live with us.  That is until Sunday, when Audrey moved and took Bill J. Purray with her.  And she dropped Scottie Jane into the crate too... just in case Billy had a hard time adjusting to life on his own.  (i.e. being an "only" cat.) 

And as it turned out, he did have a little bit of problem, so Scottie is staying on for a couple of days.

Chillin - unaware of the big move...

Bill the vampire cat... Scottie never even woke up.
Now that leaves the three older cats home alone.  

Just how they like it.  

No young whippersnappers to chase them down or eat their food or make them stand in line at the litter box.

Chillaxin'
No more having to be a role model.

We got home from the game on Sunday night and I swear that they were into the good Scotch.

I decided that with there being fewer cats around, it would be a good time to give them a good brushing.  Raleigh was looking a little rough and Sminky a little dingy.  Paulie, of course, was fresh and ready for his close up and yet as soon as I picked up the brush, he was in my lap, saying me first! Me First!

So yesterday, my attempts at brushing were rebuffed roundly by Sminky and Raleigh.  I brushed Paulie really well just to show the other two that there was nothing to it, but all they did was laugh at Paulie and call him snide cat names.

Today I woke up with that rare feeling of wanting to accomplish SOMETHING!!! and right away I spotted the cat brush.

After I brushed Paulie (he has to have put a freakin' charm or something on that brush, I swear!) I grabbed Sminky.

Then I grabbed Sminky again.

Then awash with determination, I wiped off all the blood and grabbed Sminky again. 

She ungraciously allowed (?) me to brush her, growling all the time.  Paulie stood right by her head, consoling her and assuring her that he was next.

After I finished Sminky (and brushed Paulie again) I went to pick up Raleigh.

I chased him all over the house and for an old guy, he runs really fast.

I accepted defeat and went back to the couch to finish watching America's Next Top Model.

A few minutes later, Raleigh jumped on my lap. (He's not too bright, but he's really pretty!)  I brushed the heck out of that cat and soon realized that it was going to be a two day (at least) job. 

I ended up up with enough cat hair to build another Sminky and Raleigh and barely enough from Paulie to cover the brush. 

still not talking to me....


Kicking Paulie out of their Never-gonna-get-brushed-Again club 

Look how pretty!!!

And I had enough cat scratches to look like Frankenstein's monster.

But Billy and Scottie Jane - they aren't missing this at all....

This is a no brushing zone....