Witnessing kindness

We recently moved into a new neighborhood that is...transitioning. There aren't very many kids in our neighborhood because most of the people there are "original" owners...and the homes are 35+ years old. Still, all of our neighbors, especially in our immediate cul-de-sac, have been extraordinarily nice and welcoming.

We've had cookies, brownies and a pie delivered to our door. The couple across the street has given us an open invitation to use their pool whenever we want. The couple at the top of the cul-de-sac mowed a path for us from their back gate to the park just behind them. In short, we feel very blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of this community.

Recently, our immediate neighbor has been experiencing some pretty significant health problems. They are an older couple and he has Parkinson's disease. We knew he has been in and our of hospitals and rehabs recently, but even through his trials, she comes home from a long day of nurturing to water her gorgeous flowers, chat with the neighbors, return my children's shoes from her back yard to our front door...even offer us a bag of freshly picked fruit from her trees.

Being the newbies on the block, I don't ask too many questions, but we've heard her husband recently moved to a hospice, which is never good news for a loving wife. I hadn't seen her since hearing this news....until this morning. I was cleaning the kids' bathroom when, out the window, I saw her pull up with her daughter.

As she got out of the car, she looked a bit frail and very tired. Instead of walking into the house, I saw her take a quick scan of the cul-de-sac that she's called home for 30+ years and then slowly walk over to the neighbor's house. Gingerly, she picked up the huge Sunday edition of the Denver Post from the middle of the driveway, walked to the front door, and gently placed it on the welcome mat. She did the same for two other neighbors, while her daughter stood patiently in the drive-way, watching...almost as if she fully expected her to do this.

When all was well with the papers, she meandered back to her house and walked arm-in-arm with her daughter through the front door. I don't know why this hit me, other than the fact that she is probably going through the most difficult experience of her life right now, but she still went out of her way to make someone else's life a tiny bit easier today. Without knowing it, she inspired me.

She's Gone Country...a review

Reminiscent of the message in Alan Jackson's namesake song, She's Gone Country by Jane Porter is the story of Shey Darcy, a soon-to-be-divorced mom of 3 boys, and her new life on the ranch where she grew up. After discovering husband of 15 years had been living a double-life, Shey leave her jet-setting life in New York and returns to her tiny hometown in Texas where she is determined to pick up the pieces and start anew.

Of course, her boys each have their own opinions on this new lifestyle, which causes Shey to both question and celebrate her decision. As a former Sports Illustrated and Vogue supermodel, Shey is now a big fish in a small pond trying to overcome her fear of disappointing her family while hoping to figure out who she is without all of the glitz and glamour she left behind.

Returning home means facing the unanswered questions of the past, which mainly involve an old flame, Dane Kelly. Dane's history with Shey's family is deep...and became even deeper while she was off in New York living her life. As mysteries of the past unfold, so too does Shey's love for Dane.

While I sometimes felt that Shey obsessed a bit over Dane, further consideration leaves me to believe that her emotions are pretty realistic given her situation. You may want to dislike Shey because of her supermodel status and ability to jaunt off for a swimsuit shoot in an exotic location (without doing much physical preparation..at least as far as the storyline is concerned), but she is really likeable and even relateable. By the middle of the book, I wanted her to find a happily-ever-after. I love the idea of returning to your roots to rediscover yourself. Although I would probably never do it, I understand why people do.

This is a quick read...perfect for the nightstand. It isn't overly romantic, explicit or mushy, which I liked. Porter provides just enough raw emotion and curiosity to keep you coming back. Guess what? I recommend it. :-) Happy reading!

The Brazilian Blowout....Results

Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe my hair is too stubborn. Maybe it's the high-altitude Colorado air. Whatever the reason, my Brazilian blowout was a dud. I've only heard great things about this process so I'm a bit shocked by my lack of success.

I followed my stylist's directions and allowed my hair to 'cure' for a few days before washing it. When I did wash it (well, some of you know, I don't ever really 'wash' my hair, but condition it), I was overwhelmed by the cocoa smell and did notice my hair felt a bit softer in the rinse. I styled as usual and waited for the big moment...the moment that all of my frizz-free, curly-haired dreams would come true. Finally, when it was completely dry, I checked myself out in the mirror...and I my hair looked exactly the same.

Although I knew it would be no miracle, I at least expected a tad less frizz and maybe some added shine. Nope. Nada. Nichts. Niente. I will say that my hair does air dry faster, but who really cares about that? Actually, feeling my hair right now, I'd say it's a tad drier than it was before the process. Not good. :-(

My stylist did say that the more you do it, the better the results but I have a feeling that my hair will resist to the death. I probably fall into the .001% of people who have Brazilian-blowout resistant hair. That's fine. I'll live, but I am disappointed. Seriously, it's not even worth posting a pic. I'm happy for those of you who have found the Holy Grail of curl-care, but I am left searching.....

How I saved my chairs..at least for now.

Having to re-furnish an entire house is exhausting...and expensive! We've been scouring the markets for some fantastic buys and have stumbled upon some great deals (like my new table!!). We've been at for a little over a month now and, other than a coffee table for the living room and a sofa table for the den, we're pretty much good to go on the main floor.

The furniture may be in place, but every time I walk past our dining room, our ugly chairs stare back in contempt. They used to be just fine...until 3 kids worked their magic over the course of 3 years. This morning, the grey, mircosuede (which I never liked to begin with) was covered with pen scribbles, sticker gum and bite marks (don't ask). I've been wanting to get rid of them, but other than the covers, they are perfectly fine. Seems wasteful to just toss them (plus, I can't afford that).

For some reason, those chairs popped into my head this morning in the middle of my second hurdle pose at yoga. With a flash of (budget!) inspiration, I knew what I needed to do to save those ugly chairs. After class, I hopped two doors down to the Salvation Army and picked up some vintage t-shirts. I'm not sure why I didn't consider recovering them before, but this totally works.

Given, this isn't for everyone, but we use our dining room rarely, if ever, and at $0.99 each, old t-shirts are much cheaper than fabric. My favorite chair now features a Pirate skull with the words "Surrender the Booty." How could I pass up putting that on a chair? What is typically a more formal environment (the dining room), is now fun and a bit casual.

I'm not sure how my husband is going to feel about this change. He seems to have more structured, less whimsical, tastes...but, what's done is done and I love it. The best part is, I can totally change these out quickly as the whole project took me about an hour. What do you think?

The Brazilian Blowout

Why is it that those of us with curly hair are constantly battling for validation, as if we are somehow second class citizens of some bizarre beauty universe? There's really no arguing the fact that straight, wavy or manufactured curly hair (blown out and then curled) is preferred by most, as opposed to natural curls (which are sometimes crazy, kinky, frizzy and generally out of control).

At a recent visit to my hair salon, my stylist suggested I try a Brazilian blowout at my next appointment. I was a little offended at first because she always says how much she loves my natural curls. But then she explained to me that it isn't a chemical straightener, it's more like an intense deep-conditioning treatment that is suppose to eliminate 80% of frizz while cutting drying/styling time.

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So, a few days ago I went in for my big appointment: cut, color and Brazilian blowout. I was pretty excited by the prospect of eliminating 8% of my frizz, let alone 80%! The whole appointment went just like any other, until it was time to wash out the color. As an aside, I don't shampoo my hair...ever. No, it's not gross. Any curly-haired girl will tell you that curls dry out really easily. Shampoo strips my hair of every precious drop of oil, so I just don't use it. I do condition every time I "wash" and use the (sulfate-free!!) conditioner as I would a shampoo. At first, I thought this routine was a little nuts, but I'm a big believer now.

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Anyway, my stylist had to clarify my hair TWICE...so it was basically stripped down to nothing. I could feel it go into shock as she scrubbed, scrubbed, scrubbed. Left in a matted knot of tangled, I carried by towel-wrapped hair back to the chair and she then proceeded to comb out every knot. Ouch. Once that monumental task was complete, she brushed on a thick, white concoction that smelled like chocolate and combed it through every strand. It looked sort of like a lighter version of body butter and it foamed up in my hair just a little bit.

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Next came the blow dryer, which left my hair frizzy and sticky. At that point, I was convinced that my hair fell into the .001% of hair that just wouldn't submit to any sort of anti-frizz plan. Great...all of this for nothing. But then, she busted out the flat iron. Suddenly, my hair was smooth as silk. I've flat ironed my hair before, but it never looks or feels perfectly smooth. This didn't even feel like my hair. When she finished, I hardly recognized myself (check out the side view)!

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I'm not sure how I feel about my straight-haired self. Sometimes I like it but sometimes I catch a glimpse in the mirror and it freaks me out. It's definitely a departure. So, I've been instructed to keep my hair straight for a couple of days to allow the product to settle. Hopefully, when I "wash" it, it will be a gorgeous mass of Botticelli curls. :-) We'll see...stay tuned for a post-wash report.

I am in love with Paris.

I don't know about you, but for me, summer is so much sweeter when there is a regular, bustling outdoor market nearby. We are fortunate to have numerous farmer's markets, swap meets and antique malls around us. Actually, we could go to a new venue every weekend if we wanted to. This weekend, I visited the Paris Street Market at Aspen Grove, which is literally just up the street from us. I've heard about this market but my schedule has never allowed me to attend...until today.

Most of the time, I don't really need anything when I go to these markets. I mean, who really does? Still, I go for the rare thrill of seeing a unique and perfect treasure that will make me ridiculously happy when I see it in my house. The Paris Market is rows and rows of booths full of antiques, vintage pieces, handmade clothes, architectural salvages, art, organic produce, the list goes on and on. I found an exquisite rebuilt/refinished Art Deco-ish table an 4 chairs, which now sits in our breakfast nook (and I adore it!).

I also happened to stumble upon my new favorite web site: GoGreenWithJeanne.com. I met Jeanne at her vintage furniture booth as I was drooling over this gorgeous office chair upholstered in burlap with flowers made of upcycled scarves (which I also adore!). She does AMAZING work and shares her design insight on this site. Of course, she also has a retail site: VintageRenewal.com. This is why I love markets like this. I appreciate the opportunity to meet artists like Jeanne and buy a piece of furniture from Steve, who lovingly referred to my table as a "her."

Here is my new table in her new home. I love that she has a history and could have easily been trashed, had it not been for a dedicated wood artisan who saw potential and was willing to give her another chance. I'm going to recover the chair seats but I am so ridiculous happy with it.

As summer winds down (can you BELIEVE it's August already!?!?), I can't wait to see what other markets we can visit before the leaves start to turn. That's one good thing about having to rebuild a home interior...I actually do need stuff. :-)

Who puts carpet in a bathroom?

First of all, I know there's a good chance that someone reading this has carpet in their bathroom. I'm sure you have a good reason for this so know that I am in no way criticizing your decision, which may be right for you. With that said, I just cannot see the wisdom in this.

Our new house is 35 years old and, according to the carpet cleaner guy, the carpet up stairs is original to the house. Clearly, the best option is ripping it up and starting over but finances prevent us from doing so right now. The worst part is that the master bathroom is carpeted (thankfully not where in the water closet or surrounding the shower...but still!). I never had any illusions about living with this situation. My husband, on the other hand, doesn't see it as a big deal. We've been here for about a month now and I can count the number of times I've walked in there on one hand. I just can't do it.

Of course, I've been quite vocal about my repulsion towards the carpeted bathroom but there is just SO much going on right now that removing it hasn't been a priority. I've been slowly picking at it, pulling up the corners, hinting at my desire to "get rid of it already!" The major hang up is the fact that we aren't sure what to do once the carpet is gone. It's not as easy as putting some tile down, as the bathroom needs some reconfiguring to make it really usable. That basically means a remodel, which again means more cash. We just aren't ready to do that yet...or so I thought.

Last night, after getting the kids ready for bed and showering myself, I heard banging noise coming from our bathroom. I walk in to find my husband rolling up the nasty carpet and pulling out the tack strips. A sense of sweet freedom washed over me as the vicious grip of 70s interior design loosened its hold. Ahhhhh! I was giddy.

Thirty minutes later, the sad looking carpet rested in the trash can and I examined my hubby's handiwork. Remnants of blue carpet padding cling to what's left of the floor and I wonder, "what have I done?" My huband doesn't want me to attempt tiling and refuses my suggestion of just putting down some "peel and stick tile until we can figure something else out." No, turns out, we just started our bathroom remodel, which could take a very, very, very long time (and we're apparently doing it all ourselves!!). Fortunately, the kids' bathroom is plenty big enough for all of us to share for now.

My lesson: 35 year old carpet in the bathroom may not be my first choice but it may be better than bathmats on floorboards. Let the bathroom adventure begin... I'll leave you with a lovely "before" shot. Ugh.