Mobile - Today's Kitty Shots!

From Kitties

From Kitties

From Kitties

More Confessions of A Curly-Haired Chinese Woman

So.  I followed the basic tips for curly hair.  I washed, conditioned, and air-dried WITHOUT BRUSHING.

I made an amazing discovery:  I have a head of full curls.  Not wavy.  Curly.  Shirley-Temple-sausage-curls-from-my-crown-curly.  I discovered this because for the first time in my life I let it dry naturally without brushing the living hell out of it every step of the way like my mother insisted was the right way to treat my "horrible" hair.

Why is this amazing?  I'm Chinese, and all my life I've been told by everyone from my Mom to the hairstylists that Chinese people don't have curly hair.  My sisters' beautiful straight hair was always held up as examples.  Let's ignore the fact that my Dad has curly hair.  (Yes, my Mom has reality issues, that's not for this blog.)  After telling my sister about my discovery, she called me later to tell me that she had quizzed Dad and found out that when he was younger he had a full head of Shirley Temple curls.  Voila.  Mystery solved.  You can insist all you want, Mom, but my hair is not "bad" nor "horrible" nor damaged.  It's freaking CURLY!

I've been doing a lot of searching online.  I had tears in my eyes after finally understanding that brushing out the curls results in my gigantically poufy hair.  I choked up when I discovered that other Chinese have curly hair just like mine (I LOVE THE INTERNET), and I'm now searching for these people to get hair tips!  How many times was I told pretty much by everyone, including MOM and all hair stylists, that I'm Chinese, I couldn't POSSIBLY have curly hair.  It's just damaged.  I never understood how blowdrying or ironing could do THAT much damage, but I accepted it as truth.  It's kinda sad that it took till middle age to discover this, but hey, better late than never.

I now understand why my salon experiences were so traumatic.  I need someone who's experienced with curly hair, like HairPlay, which sounds so encouraging.  I'm a little shocked at all my curls, but I'm slowly getting used to it.  I'm starting to get excited about my hair.  I think I'm really going to like it.

Hair Rant - Confessions Of A Curly-Haired Chinese Woman

All my kid sisters' hair are all sleek, straight, and silky. They shampoo, air dry and it looks salon gorgeous. I was reminded of this on my sis' visit a few weeks back, especially after she made a comment (again) about how weird my hair was.

So how'd I miss out on those genes? What the HELL'S up with MY hair?!? It's got a serious identity crisis. It's curly in places, corkscrew in places, and wavy in places and straight in places. It's all the same in one way - unbelievably frizzy. After *I* wash and air dry *MY* hair, it fluffs up like a poodle. I wish I exaggerated. Hubby says I've got a whole 'fro going on.

Most unfair is that I'm a complete appearance minimalist, if well-groomed. I don't care to spend much time fussing over how I look.  I don't like products in my hair.  Most days I just put my hair in a ponytail, and be done with it. But even this has to be ironed and gelled to death before it's presentable, or I look like a crazy bag lady.

Fed up yesterday, I unearthed some good basic info online about frizzy curly hair. I'm tired of beating my hair into straightness.  I should just accept that my hair's never going to be like my sisters. I'm not listening to my mother anymore about my "bad hair" being all my fault and to brush my hair even harder and "better".  My hair is not damaged nor dry nor "bad".  I have a sneaking suspicion that I have really curly hair.

Lots of tips to try.  First I'll concentrate on all the dryness and ironing damage, to reduce the frizz.  I'm still looking for good sites, techniques, and products to try.  The videos on monkeysee.com are very instructive.  I liked this article on controlling frizzy hair.

I'm so excited.  I'm looking forward to the day I can just put some product in my hair, twist, air dry, and look great.  Not as simple as my sisters' hair, but close enough.  I'd be happy.

Cuteness Overload - Kayla Napping

Caught this right now as Kayla's sleeping next to me on the couch, all comfy on the heating pad blanket.  Without waking her.  OMG.  I LOVE MY KITTIES.

From Kitties

From Kitties

Video - Ginza and The Kong Kickeroo

Video - Pixie Laser Tag

Hmmm, this one seems too big for Google. How about YouTube? Yippee! Done, seems to be working. Nope, not working. Hmmm, will get it right at some point. Yippee again! It plays now, unchecked the HD box.

First Videos - Ginza Laser Tag!

Yippee!! Figured out how to post a video. Me every day get more smart. LOL. Here's Ginza in action. He's frighteningly lightning fast.

Replaced the Blogger videos with YouTube ones. They look nicer on the blog.

Ahhhh, Husbands......

Standing here in the pouring rain
Teetering on the slippery ladder
Trying to peer into the gutter
Cascading waterfall on me
Blocked gutter
Groping for debris
Clearing the mini forest residing there
Skinning all my knuckles
Inventing new cusses
Unclogging the exit, yippee!
Standing right underneath the shooting spout as it's unblocked
Spewing mud, leaves and debris on my head
Wiping crud off my face
Trying to think positively - could this count as a mud facial?
No.  No happy thoughts available.

Plotting evil revenge against Him
Yes, honey, I'll take care of the gutters
Quit nagging me
3 months.  2 months. 1 month. Last weekend.
Nagging?  You'll be fondly wishing for just the nagging soon.

Now Blooming - Brassia Edvah Loo

Woohoo!!!

From Everything Orchids!

Mobile - Breaking Out The Heating Pads!

It's that time of the year.  Turned on all the heating blankets and brought out the heating pads for the kitty shelves, beds and sleeping areas.  I LOVE seeing all the furrballs cozy as could be and all curled up - well, except for Pixie, who's sprawled out tummy-up on her pad, making little squeaky grunts.  Adorable!

From Kitties

Rained this morning.  Freaking weather.  Hot humid summer day Saturday, now freezing our patooties off today.  Grrrrrr.

First Big Storm Today

Started last night, then poured and poured today.  Flooding on a couple streets over, shut down.  Yup, still have the catts outside.  Covered them so they wouldn't get wet, at least.  Temps ok for them, 50s, so I haven't been on fire to bring them in.  Flirting with disaster, I know.

Need to move the cyms from the side of the house to the back, where there's more shelter from the rain.

Took the kitties outside to smell the rain, they weren't too excited.  Especially Pixie, who utterly hates even the sight of water.  Mozart LOVED the rain and dripping water.  We miss him so.  Can't believe it's almost a year.

Book - Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio

I read this in one evening.  I loved this book, which touched on many universally weighty and troubling issues and racial prejudices, treated in more of a satirical, rather than ham-fisted, manner.  Both entertaining and enlightening.

The elevator is the central character of the story, much like Little Miss Sunshine's bus.  Who knew so much drama could revolve around this contraption?  The title is clever and absolutely spot on.

Some seriously disliked guy in an apartment complex is killed - in the elevator - while another resident disappears, leading to the obvious conclusion that he's the murderer.  Various apartment residents are questioned, with each interview presented as a monologue chapter, followed by the suspect's own thoughts on the same corresponding events presented as diary entries.  Each resident illustrates baffling, wild, and hilarious prejudices and misunderstandings not only of other cultures, but sometimes also Italian regionalism.

The mystery isn't even the point of the book, instead just a tool enabling an intimate insider's stroll through a mixed neighborhood to meet some decidedly colorful people.

Kayla and the Kong Kickeroo

The kitties love to hug and rabbit-kick these, especially Kayla. Only bad thing is there's no opening to put in new catnip.

From Kitties

Now Flowering - Onc Twinkle & Dend

My noid dend, pretty as can be.  First spiking here in the beginning of September.

From Everything Orchids!

From Everything Orchids!

My onc Twinkle (Fiori), looking quite peachy.  Very fragrant.  Took a looooong time to open up!  Here's the post from JUNE, lol.

From Everything Orchids!

Continuing preparations for winter - covering up all the patio furniture, caulking stuff.

Book - And Then You Die

Ok, I resigned myself to ending the series with Blood Rain. I was very surprised when more Zens came out, and decided not to read them. Until now. I'm at loose ends for detective serials, so here we are.

Getting back into Zen is like wrapping myself up in my favorite down comforter - so comfortable and familiar. I really missed him all these years. I'll re-read the series again after I finish End Games.

He's still the same irascible yet lovable detective, recuperating on some beach out in some unbearably lovely and homey town where people are actually nice and courteous to each other. Strange things are happening all around him, and he refuses to admit that they may be related to him. This book feels like more of a pause in between books than an actual stand alone mystery, so it's not a good one to jump into the series with. Some details really strain the imagination, but they're little ones, which I'm willing to overlook.

Napa Wineries With Little Sis

Baby Sis very interested in learning about wine, and really enjoyed her visit there last time, so I had a nice selection of wineries for this time.  Unfortunately she wasn't feeling too well, and we only made it to three before we had to head off.

First, lunch here, I like this place, and the server wasn't snotty, and even nicely packaged and bagged leftovers for us.  Yummy!!

From Wine Country

First stop, Baldacci Winery.  Small, cute like Shug, but mehhhh.  Could've done without it.

From Wine Country

Second stop, Silverado Winery.  Touristy, but still very nice.  Beautiful grounds, lots of places to sit and sip, or read if it's not busy.  S start feeling ill, so no tasting.  Definitely will return to do some tasting.

From Wine Country

From Wine Country

Ahhhh, the smell of the wood!

From Wine Country

From Wine Country

From Wine Country

From Wine Country

From Wine Country

At the end of the room is an off-limits area, but I was able to sneak this pic of their private tasting room.  Really nice, must inquire about it when we're hosting!

From Wine Country

Last stop, Stags' Leap Winery.  Most of it was closed off this time, all the drywall up for renovations.  Trying to turn lemons to lemonade, they turned the construction into a signing wall, where my sis left her mark too, LOL.  She'd written something really clever, wish I'd thought to take a pic!  I got her the reserve tasting so she could taste the $200 bottle.

From Wine Country

Mobile - Golden Gate Bridge

S visiting - taking them to all the usual suspects!