I'M HAVING A GOOD HAIR DAY

Come with me if you will, to the Hair Salon. It's at the top of the stairs and second door to the left. My Niece is treating me to an after hours "Get Rid Of The Bad Hair Blues Day". Why? Just because she's the sweetest young lady in town. My sister will be here too because she has a standing appointment every Saturday at this time.

Here I am, at R G Allen's Hair Salon. Step in side and meet the proprietors, isn't that sign lovely.

This is Regina, Owner, Licensed Master Cosmetologist, certified by the State Of Alabama, specializing in total hair care for women, with 14 years experience. She also has plans to further her education to become a licensed instructor. And she gorgeous too.

This is Greg, Owner, and husband to Regina. Pharmaceutical Distribution Supervisor by day, evenings and weekends, a licensed Master Barber, certified by the State of Alabama, specializing in all haircare needs for men, with 19 years experience.

They both have had booths in other shops in the past, in fact they met in one of them. Now married, they decided to invest in a business for themselves, and I must admit are doing very well in this joint venture. There are four stations in their shop but right now they choose to only have two working stations. "His & Hers," a little rest, peace, and quiet from the old surroundings.
Meet Robert, one of Greg's late evening appointments. Robert was a willing subject to be photographed in my Good Hair Day post.

Sideburns.....

Mustache.....

Shave.....

And the finish, Robert is now ready for a night out on the town.

In the meantime Regina has washed, and is now setting my sister's hair for the dryer.

With the drying done, she's now engaged in the curling and styling of her hair. My sister, always a little camera shy, is trying not to be noticed.

The finish, isn't it beautiful, my niece is really fantastic with short hair. She use to do my hair when it was short like my sister's, but you'll see that she's equally as fantastic with long hair!

The front view of my sister's hair looks great and Regina's capes promote Breast Cancer Awareness, something that the ladies in our family have a history of.

Side view....

Front

Now, it's all about me. Regina put in a much needed perm for me, it really felt good for a change not having to do it myself, it takes much longer when I do.

During the rinse, the hot water and scalp massage, was also far better than my doing it myself. I could have drifted into dreamland.

Here I am dried, colored, and ready for the flat iron. Regina's hair is lovely, she and I started to grow our hair long around the same time. She used to wear hers short like her mother's too, and I use to wear my hair that color until I started to gray.

When my sister showed me this picture, I teased about looking like Michael Jackson

Here I am all done, didn't she do a great job! I feel like a beautiful queen, from the back.

My hair never looks like this when I do it.

She clipped all of my split ends, my husband called me on my cell phone and said, " don't you come back here with your hair cut". I teased that I plan to because he never touches it. He lied, that he does while I'm sleeping. LOL!

Crazy picture, I don't know why I look so stiff.

I have got to get a new camera, it's really getting on my nerves, it has a blur but it's the only picture I have to show the front view of my hair and get this.... My voluptuous lips! LOL

Afterwards we all went to the FIRE + ICE Grill+Bar. None of us had been here before but, we'd heard great things. This is a market type restaurant, where you choose raw vegetables and meats that you want from a buffet, it is then cooked right before you while you wait. You get this small stainless steel, cereal sized bowl to pick the foods you want. I chose bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, those miniature ears of corn, broccoli, water chestnuts, and raw chicken breast strips. They also had different sauces to choose from and I chose pineapple curry sauce. Then you go to the area that has the grill, they had three chefs around the grill and they each have a section of the grill. They take what you have in your bowl and put it on the grill and once the food is done they add your sauce, toss it a few seconds transfer it to your plate and you're done. You can also go back as many times as you like because it's all you can eat.

Again I'll have to apologize for my camera, but this is one of the cook's, he was hilarious. He had all the people that were waiting on their food chanting "ROLL TIDE"!, and also had them doing the Cupid Shuffle. He told us, "to all of you people standing around this counter, you have been caught". He was right by me, cause I can't wait to get back there.

This is the large grill, there's an outer counter top that circles the grill where you stand and wait for your food to be cooked. If you can tell, every body's food is sectioned off in the order that they are standing.

Again not a good picture, but here's the finish, our Waiter brought rice to go with our selections and this was the most enjoyable meal that I've had out in a long time. Don't let me forget to add that at the end of our meal Regina and Greg informed my sister and I that the dinner was their treat. WOW! WHAT A GREAT DAY!!!

Out With The Old Again & In With The New

Now that I have finished the den, I'm thinking seriously about doing something to the kitchen. When I look out from the den into the kitchen it gives me a sense of leaving a calm area entering a business, looking at the wall paper. What do you think?

Now I'm not thinking of doing any remolding as it's not in the budget. I have to keep the counter tops and the black splash. I'm just wondering about a paint choice that would blend in nicely with what I have.

I would probably change out the accessories too.

The counter tops and back splash are all around. Here......

over there. I'm thinking possibly some creamy beige color.

Any suggestions, I just feel like ripping away at the wall paper, and starting new. I'm also considering the bamboo blinds. Do you think that would look to plain, creamy beige and bamboo blinds.

What do you do when it's gone?

This is a product that I love, Blue Bell Ice Cream. Blue Bell is the best Ice Cream I've tasted down south. They have lots and lots of flavors but my favorites are, Pistachio Almond, Banana Split, Homemade Vanilla, The Ultimate Neapolitan, Rocky Road, and Homemade Vanilla with Strawberries. I said all of that, to say this.

My friend Connie @ Living Beautifully, as a part of one of her recent post suggested the start of a revolution (kidding), because sometime we find products that work wonders in our daily lives and then like POOF! that product is gone. Well now I am for joining the REVOLUTION, so let me jump on my soapbox for a minute.

Here in Alabama we had a company called Barber's, it was famous for Milk and Ice Cream and other dairy products, it's now Mayfield and I don't care for their ice cream so I have become a fan of Blue Bell for my ice cream.

Okay, here's the deal, Barber's use to make a Lemon Sherbet, Oh My Goodness, it was divine. I bought all the store could carry, then one day, (ZERO)! I rushed to question the store manager, he didn't know why he didn't have any but, he thought he'd be getting some in soon. HA! Then when I went back he said, in a few days. I tell you, " IT WAS NEVER"! I called Barber's and they said, didn't sell enough of it so it was discontinued. I WAS DEVASTATED, AND A PART OF ME DIED! It had the favor of an ice cold Mellow Yellow and it even taste as if it were carbonated. It was also so refreshing, I can't express the disappointment to the extent that I actually felt it.

From time to time that Sherbet still crosses my mind, and I say to myself, I wish I had some of that Barber's Lemon Sherbet, that was so good ONCE UPON A TIME. Maybe one of you can think of a product you loved but, IS NO MORE.

A New Way Of Thinking For Me

Today I read Donna’s yesterday’s post, about her nephew Jazz, who’s life was ended by way of a stabbing, I was deeply saddened. It was two years July 1st, and yesterday would have been his 23rd birthday. Please pay her a visit of encouragement, it is so much needed by her and her family. Donna's Story

I got to thinking about my own situation. I can relate to her loss because, I loss one of my daughter’s by way of a drunk driver. She was only 20 years old at the time. I can think to myself that she had a full life ahead of her and I could become deeply saddened wondering what the rest of her life could have been, but I really can't, because that’s not what I believe. I’m now changing my words from lost my daughter to a drunk driver, to lost my daughter by way of a drunk driver, because what I actually believe is that time of departure belongs to the Lord. He has a time already planned for each and everyone of us to leave this earth. He says in his word,

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens A time to be born and a time to die Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a

My Pastor always says the Lord wrote the play, and we’re just acting out the parts in the play. It was my daughter's time because if not, the Lord would have intervened, which He is able to do, but He had a reason, not known to me, not know to you, but all still a part of His perfect plan.
Sure the people that caused the incident should be held accountable for their actions which was indeed a wrong doing on their part, and everyone knows right from wrong.

I find comfort believing that the Lord used my daughter’s timing, to help a host of people, people on my end, people on the end of the wrong doer. Because we all suffered the pain. I know for sure that it helped me because my life was changed, it prompted me to give my life to Christ, ( you can read my testimony in my June 3, 2008 post). I’m truly thankful to for that.

There's a great comfort for me when I look at these times of departure as (by way of), and not because of. I also believe to get through the pain, we just have to lean on the Lord at all times, his grace is sufficient and I have complete faith that the Lord’s plan is perfect. . Deb

New Addition To The Family

This is Minipoo, she is the new addition to the family. Ha! If anyone would have told me this would be, I would have said with all caps, "YOU LIE!" Just so happens this little doggy used to belong to the newlyweds. They were having a serious problem training Minipoo to use the outside facilities. This resulted in Minipoo's confinement to one area, THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM.

Yes, every time I went by and asked the where abouts of Miss Minipoo, she was always in the bathroom. Well yesterday out of the blue, Minipoo fell on my heart. So I called my son and told him that Minipoo didn't need to be closed off in the bathroom all the time, and that I would take her if they wanted me too. With no hesitation it was a yes! So I picked up Mini and straight to the vet we went. She got all of her shots and (OH NO!) she had ear mites. Well, we got something for that, and today I'm trying to get an appointment with a groomer because she has a few mats on her legs and a few other places.

So Minipoo although camera shy, will be in the family pics from here on. She started out trying to hold on to her title of "The Pee Pee Queen", but I'm trying to keep on top of that, as a matter of fact we're on our way outside now. Wish me luck and if you have any pointers (PLEASE SHARE)! Have a great day, and hope all of your carpets are dry!

My Daughter's Bedroom, Tweaked

I've been doing a little rearranging in here, this is Kandace's room. First of all it was a mess, and I cleaned it, and it kind of escalated from there. What I ended up doing is adding the sconces, that shelf, and the little white table by the window. I ordered the sconces to go in the den but found out when they came that I really didn't need anything else there. The shelf came from the country den, and the little table I had already.

The pictures turned out dark because I was facing the light from the windows. If I had thought about it, before I got started I would have taken before pics, that is before the clean up, I don't think Kandace would have been to happy about that, but I actually didn't think I would go this far, not today anyway.

There was a mirror over the bed, I bought this picture about a month ago, and I'm just getting around to putting it up. The little thingy above the picture is from the country den. What's that sitting on the shelf? Why that's the birdhouse I won at Rue's giveaway! It's perfect for in there. You are probably wondering what's black on the wall to the left.

Well, it's a huge black board area that my husband and I put together a few years ago when this was the room for the grand kids. I painted it, and he bordered it. As the number of the grand kids grew, we asked Kandace's if she didn't mind swapping rooms as hers was larger and she didn't mind so the black board is still in there. She even writes on it from time to time, but the grand kids missed out because my husband said, no we're not going to have black boards in both rooms. Plus there's no room for one, in the room with the two sets of bunk beds.

The little bear is mine, his name is ping. I bought him while on a singles retreat with our church years ago. He was in the gift shop at Shocco Springs Conference Center here in Alabama. I really enjoyed that weekend, they had paddle boats and other fun things to do. And the and teachings were divine. It was about living Godly lives as singles. We stayed overnight as they had accommodations for that.

The wing chair you see belonged to my daughter that passed, it belonged to a living room set that burned when I had a house fire in 2002. I was able to save only the chair and I try to incorporate it into my decor, so I'll always make a place for it.

This is the full view of the black board, you can imagine the problem I had with chalk shavings on the floor, one of the main reasons we don't want another one. The covered shelves you see are full of Kandace's over flow of shoes and photo albums. That's some of the gingham fabric I bought at Wal-Mart for 2.00 a yard. I had almost 12 yards, and it's really gone a long way. I've made some of everything with it, curtains, seat covers, etc.

I know it's little girl furniture but Kandace doesn't want me to change it, there's a grown up bedroom set in the garage but she says no, I think she just doesn't want me in there doing anything that's why I did this while she was at work. She'll be surprise when she gets home, and will probably ask me what was I doing in there. But she ought to be glad I picked up all the clothes that were thrown around. And besides I can go in there whenever I want to, it's my house.

I left all the stuff that was on the desk just as it was. It was a lot of earrings, bracelets, a couple of watches, bobbi pins, and phone numbers, etc. I moved in the candle holder on the top shelf of the hutch, it was going to be sold at the yard sale if I ever get it together. I'm trying to make sure that I don't need the things because as sure as I sell everything off I'll think of some place I could have used it.

I couldn't get a good picture here, because of the sun on the windows but, my friend Connie at Living Beautifully will get a kick out of the lace curtains. Connie I have the same curtains in each of the bedrooms, I got them from Family Dollar for 5.00 a window so I thought why not use them in each of the bedrooms they let in a lot of light.

I've had this little white table packed away for such a long time so I dug it out and it looks great here, I think. The little candle holder was from the country den, it was on top of the little shelf that was on the fireplace stoop. That picture on the table is one I bought for Kandace's when she was 11. It has a picture of a bouquet of roses tied with a ribbon and it reads... If I could wrap love in a ribbon, it would be my gift to you.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the tour....... Deb

Changes ~ & ~ The Kids Room ~ & ~ Sanwiches!

Okay, so here I am again. I've changed my mind about the "Once Upon a Time" sign. (Sigh) As whimsical as it was, I just couldn't get into it in my new den. So I put up the other signs that came with the @. And I'm satisfied with the outcome.

So the new home for the sign is in the grand kids room. I think it fits nicely and I've brought in the clowns too. :O) I'm going to give you a tour, it's a small room, but it serves us well.

Here the bears have made their home over one set of bunk beds, I used the shelf from the country den as their bench.

The night that Omari and the others stayed over Omari, asked me, "Granny why did you put those dolls in here"? "Now I'm going to be scared if I wake in the middle of the night" I told him, "you won't be scared they're only toys, but if you wake afraid I'll move them out". They didn't bother him, so they've made the cut.

The other side of the room. My little moo cow made the cut.

These are all the critters from the mantle, well not all but some, I had a shelf already that I could use to display them.

That's little welcome sign on the door has hooks for sweaters or thin jackets.

This TV has a VCR for the old tapes they watch, and a DVD for the new. It also has the front plugs ins for the video games that they have.

I couldn't resist showing you my window boxes from the inside of the room.

This is hubby, bringing in the mail, and fresh tomatoes from the garden. I think they're FANTASTIC! No, hubby's shirt is not covered with grease, it's raining. It has been raining all day, it's wonderful! First we had this big storm with lightening and thunder, now it's an off and on steady rain and I'm loving it! Anyway, "Eat Your Heart Out Dot", over at Picket's Place, I'm having fresh garden tomato sandwiches today! Dot eats them all the time. I'm having mine with mayo, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and Sarah Lee's Hearty & delicious Home-Style made with Buttermilk bread. Don't be wishing you were me sisters and brothers, join me.! It's going to be goooooooooooood! Have a blessed weekend my friends, no matter what the menu.

Deb

P.S. I'll be out for the rest of the day, I have to pick up and keep the kids while my son's go to out tonight, also this evening at five I have my savings club meeting. So I'll be dropping the kids at my sister's for 2 to 3 hours, but once I'm back I'll be visiting with you , see you tonight. Deb again