Nothing Ventured?

One of the things I'd like to work on, personal goal wise, is taking risks. I'm really conservative, accepting the less-than-ideal but known path over one whose outcome is less sure.

Today I cut my hair. My own hair. With scissors from the dollar store. And you know what? I didn't ruin it. It looks better than it did before. Let me show you the process. I'll leave any commentary out.

My love to Imperatrix's fave software, Photo Booth for the ease of taking pictures along the way.

Dental Dams for Dummies

Good point, Imperatrix...dental dams are impossible to find, but condoms are everywhere.

So, for the record, a dental dam is a sheet of latex or polyurethane that serves as a physical barrier between the mouth and mucous membranes, during sexual acts, which helps prevent STD transmission. Remember, I'm not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Get tested regularly for STDs, and realize that all sexual activity includes some degree of risk.

Dental dams *are* sold, but mostly in health clinics like Planned Parenthood. Since not everyone regularly goes to PP, you can actually create makeshift dental dams!

From a condom: open up the package. Unroll the condom. Snip off the tip. Cut through the length of the condom/tube. Voila! Sheet of latex!

From a surgical glove: cut the fingers off. Cut open the tube. Sheet of latex! (wash off the talc before using)

From a ziplock baggie! (make sure it's not "breathable" or "microwave safe" or anything else that implies porosity. Cut off zip. Cut off bottom. Cut open into a sheet of polyurethane!

Place over vulva, anus or any other mucous membrane that needs protecting during oral contact. Put some nice lubricant between the damn and the skin for a better feel.

Title goes here

Maybe just maybe you can help me understand why I thought that third 20-lb box of tomatoes was a good idea.

Here are some pictures of the process involved with putting up 18 quarts of tomatoes with approximately 15 lbs left to boil down for sauce. Which I think I'll freeze. I am VERY sick of canning.

Below: 60 lbs in the boxes. The plate has my tomatoes and two eggplants that will soon be baba ganoush. Outside the window you can see the scary snake that is going to eat any birds that DARE to approach the tomatoes.



Next: The first batch that came out of the canner had some issues. Half the jars didn't seal, which typically corresponded with the ones that seemed to lose 1/3 of their contents during the time spent processing in the canner. In reality, I messed up by not squishing the tomatoes in tight enough with this first round. I reprocessed the ones I needed to. By the way, 85 minutes is a LONG time to boil, but that's what the instructions I came up with said.

After the third round of quarts went into the canner, I still had loads of tomatoes left. They barely all fit in the large, enormous, vast slow-cooker Marianne so graciously gave me last fall. I use it All. The. Time.


Ok, I've got to take the last set of jars out of the canner and hope they seal. If not, I'll just make some more sauce or something. Cause I am truly sick of canning. Whew.

Oh, it's also time to scoop out the smoky eggplant.

Cheeeeeeeese!

I want to make homemade mozzarella cheese. I asked my little Emily to take an afternoon off from her baby and come help out. She agreed. I need to acquire some rennet and citric acid, and then we'll be OFF and RUNNING!!

During our conversation, I also agreed to try to babysit the little cutie who turned into a hellacious monster when I tried to put him down. It's been a few months. He's weaned. It should be different. Better. I hope. Heh.

I'm tired. For a change. (Not.)

(Photo of Oona my dog friend by jrandallsphotography)

Uh oh....

I'm having DIY hair urges. No worries, not yet. I managed to use an eyebrow razor to try to undo some of the heavy sides left over from an ill-advised, last minute visit (three months ago) to a supercuts-esque chain "stylist."

I cut my finger a little in the process, looks like.

I have an almost overwhelming urge to get a couple of sets of those eyebrow razors and just hack and hack at the back of my hair until the front is long long long and the back is well, scraggly and uneven, but cutely so.

But really? I want to DO IT MYSELF.

Besides a Flowbee, can you think of a way to tackle this? I want to teach myself to cut my hair. It's a waste of money to pay someone to do it, and I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes with learning a new skill.

What's the worst thing that could happen? I make an appointment at Syd's and ask for a shorn head because that's all the hair that's left? Bah. I've done that. (Actually? I really, REALLY love that haircut you see when you click on 'shorn head.')

Editor: In context, doesn't this have the potential to make me sound a little, well, mental?? (I can say that. You can't. Unless you can. You know who you are.) Will talk to the expert about it next time I see him.