Mother's Day Surprise



This is a picture of my daughter with her son from a few years ago. My daughter has turned into a beautiful woman and a lovely mother. There was a time when I truly wondered if this would ever happen but God is good and in the wonder working business.

She asked me back in April to schedule some time off from work but would not tell me why. I had been asking all kinds of questions and trying to catch her off guard to find out what was up for my time off but she just would not give in. I even told her not to call me unless she was going to tell. But she wouldn't and didn't stop calling me either.

On Mother's Day she took me and her mother-in-law out dinner to reveal the surprise vacation. At some point during dinner she gave each of us one of those singing Mother's Day card. I'm sure you've seen the commercial where the family is out to dinner at an elegant resturant and Mom opens the card to James Brown singing "I feel good." Well it wasn't quite that bad because it was a noisy resturant and not an elegant one. Inside of the card was a flyer about a cruise! My daughter is taking me on a cruise to Cozumel Mexico. Well the whole family and both grandmoms are going. But hey, I've never been on a cruise and it's something I've wanted to do.

I've had some interesting Mother's Days with my daughter: from hearing that Mother's Day was just some old Hallmark holiday and that I should be honored on her birthday (that year I wasn't honor on either day); to getting dinner, a cruise and a little shopping trip all in one day.

Interesting to say the least.

R	Relaxing
O	Old
Z	Zany

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I do have my zany moments. I can put my grandson to sleep. But old??? I don't think of myself as old but I can remember when I thought people who were the age I am now were old.

Five things about me...

1. I played violin in school all through jr. and sr. high schools. I played off and on after that. When I was pregnant I started taking lessons again. As a teenager I dreamed of being studio musician and playing background for groups like the Temptations. I now play for the Lord in my church on select Sundays.

2. One year I played viola in a city-wide youth orchestra.

3. I used to be a semi-famous local poet. I've done open-mic, scheduled reading at local poetry venues and one on-air reading. In my reading and writing days I've rubbed shoulders with Sonia Sanchez, Maya Angelou and Lorene Cary.

4. I've lived in 2 different states PA & UT.

5. I really identify with the ladies who wrote about being shy. I was a shy quiet kid and suffered greatly for it. I was terrified of going to the jr. high I was slated to go to but we moved to a different state and I was greatly relieved. I still had difficulties in jr. high but at least I didn't get beat up every day. I tried to fit in but never really did. People thought I was stuck up but I was just shy and a bit spacey. I found refuge in the jr. high library and later in the public library. I read every black biography I could get my hands on in my school library. I became a voracious reader and started writing. I realized I was different and slowly became more and more comfortable with who I was. When I decided to lock my hair it was never a matter of what others would think but what I felt comfortable doing. One of my aunts once told me they liked my short natural better than my locks but it didn't phase me. I love my aunts, my mother's sisters, but I can only live my own life. I guess you could say I'm strong willed too. I'm still shy and quiet but I still venture out. I'm open to suggestions as to who to tag next.

Philly Locks Conference

I started this entry way back in October but never got around to completing it until now.

The Philly Locks Conference was a pleasant change from my normal Saturday routine of chores and errands. There were lots of beautiful locks all kinds and lengthes. There was a wide variety of vendors selling everything from clothing to vitamins. Several of the local natural hair care salons were represented and many of them offered styling services and consultations while you were there. There were people offering chair massage and scalp massages. I got to see and feel the Lock Sock (not the LB Soc) and even bought one that I will probably use this winter. I also bought some Crinkles & Curls setting lotion that will maybe encourage me to use the Soft Spike curlers I bought this summer.

The best part was meeting a lovely group of ladies with locks from Boston to DC and having dinner with them. It was a real pleasure. I hope we're able to get together again in the future. I have also posted pictures from the dinner on my fotki site. http://public.fotki.com/quietspirit101/

How it all began...

Many years ago a lovely couple gave birth to a baby girl with a head full of hair. This is me around 1 year. I don't remember much about then but I found this picture of me that somewhat attests to the head full of hair. I also have a cousin who remembers when I was born and that she was amazed at the baby with a head full of hair. I'm not sure the texture comes through in this picture but it was not straight.

I don't have too many memories of getting my hair combed when I was small. The earliest hair memories are of straightening combs. I got to be pretty good at sitting still and not flinching when the hot comb got close. I remember more that my sister had curly hair that she hated getting it combed or washed. As I think back it was a good thing that she didn't have to deal with the straightening comb.

Fortunately, I was named after an aunt who was a beautician (she preferred that term over hair dresser because she saw herself as creating beauty) and she provided most of my hair care for the time we lived near her. There still were occasional pressing session in the kitchen but for the most part I went to the Beauty Shop every two weeks.

I really like the look in my baby picture -- all natural.

I really love my Brunsli Hair Tie

I've tried many different things to tie up my hair and so far this has been the best. I've worn it almost every day since I got it in August. Although I must admit that I rarely wear my hair out in the summer. It doesn't pull, it's not too tight and it holds the hair well with little stress. I'm going to have to try one of the longer ones as a head band.

Thanks Brunsli for passing along your great find in NYC. My hair tie has a design on it but between my skills and my camera it didn't show up.

Almost Cut My Locs, Oh Yeah I Did!

Back in January (I think it was January) I got my daughter to spend enough time with me to give me a trim. I have been trimming my locs ever since my consultant told me they were settled. But I never really cut them. It was just a few snips here and there of selected locks that were drastically longer than the others or really scraggily at the ends. I hadn't done this for awhile and some time in the late fall or winter I went to give myself a trim and my locks were too long for me to deal with. But in January what I really wanted was not just a few snips here and there but a shortening of the over all length. Now I know some of you might just ask why didn't she just go to a salon or have her consultant do it. My consultant only does sisterlocks, nothing else. No wash, no color, no style, no cuts, just installation of locks, repairs and retightening. She is excellent at what she does. After paying my consultant every month I just couldn't seem to come up with the money to go to a salon to have my hair washed and cut so I grabbed my daughter, gave her the scissors and said cut some off. Her question was how much. A couple of inches was my response. When we finished 4-6 inches was the result. My head felt lighter. It was good.

Do I miss my length? Yes and no. Yes, because having hair almost to my waist butt was a milestone for me. No, because my ponytail was getting heavy and that is my favorite way to wear my hair in the middle of the summer when it’s really hot and humid. I know to some it just doesn’t make sense to cut their locs but to me cutting hair, be it locked or loose, makes perfect sense. If it’s too long for your liking cut it. If you want it to grow longer don’t cut it. It’s all vanity anyway.