Booming Banter

Just short of my 15 birthday I started my first job at a little hairdressers on the Donegall Road in Belfast called Mauds.

There was nothing « mod » at all about Mauds. Middle aged and elderly ladies came there each week to have their hair « washed and set ».  They would also have cuts, perms and colors as needed.

The establishment was owned by a lady called Maud who knew absolutely nothing about hairdressing, that was in the safe hands of a stylist called Marie.

Maud was in charge of talking to customers and making them cups of tea. Marie said very little but was really a good stylist and the ladies adored her.

My job was to wash hair, collect towels, take out rollers, take out trash and sweep the floors.

One day in her infinite wisdom when Maud was watching me wash a client’s hair she bestowed a great compliment describing me as « A Great Wee Scrubber ».

Some of you will get the joke in this but for those of you who may not know, this is Belfast slang for a woman of ill repute!

Of course Maud realized what she said as soon as the words were out of her mouth and we all had a great laugh. I loved her to bits.

I also loved Marie because she was so patient with Maud and me and was always teaching me the tips of the trade. She took some risks too progressively letting me apply perming solutions and colors.

All this gave me a great love of hairstyles and experimenting with my own. My hair never has the same style or color for too long! There are many tales to tell in this regard because Krishna and Aaron and even Dibley have been victims of my endeavors too. More of that another day.

Yesterday this came to mind when I was doing my own Balayage. This term is used to describe a very expensive hair coloring process involving multiple dies.

In my budget friendly version I use a root touch up kit and Sunin! Never try this yourself as it could be disastrous!

The irony in all of this is the origin of the term Balayage. It comes from the French word for sweeping.

A lesson perhaps for me to stick with my original hairdressing job description!

Blessing # 125 – Play on Words

It’s just amazing the amount of wildlife around us. Geese, ducks, buzzards, eagles, deer, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, song birds of many colors and sometimes even a coyote.

This morning Aaron and I were driving to another town about twenty miles away. We had a purpose in our trip but we got a surprising treat too.

Bold as brass and right on the roadside by the river we saw a huge chubby beaver working his way though a big chunk of wood,

He was really an impressive fellow and looked so happy and content at his work.

Made us think how optimistic the word beavering is and if maybe someone coined it when they saw a critter like ours today at his happy endeavors.

Blessing # 124 – Chats on a Sunday Drive

 

 

Our Dibley as you know is very fond of BIG BALL. He also has a lot of squeaky Bittie Balls that he plays with on and off.

This morning I had to get up early for a meeting and the boys were asleep.

Doing my best not to wake anyone only a table light was switched on.

It was like Dibley had set a death trap for me.

Every way I turned another Bittie had been hidden. Almost took a tumble twice.

Finally a trip over a Bittie and into a table end made me stave my toe and swear. That made the decision to look downwards before risking any other moves easier.

It also made me wonder is the Dib sending me a message to watch where your going today!

Blessing # 123 – Pet Talk

When we moved to China I went ahead for three weeks in July before we made the final move in September.

During my reci I bought some modern furniture to get us started none of which Krishna really liked when he got there.

He got to pick plenty of antiques later as compensation!

Now some of these items are back with us including my very favorite little red tub chairs.

Aaron loved to sit in these and have his milk or drinks and they got very stained over the years. It didn’t help that I tried cleaning them with bleach.

Well I had a brainwave that is now a work in progress. They are going black. Their little spot will be by the kitchen window and they’ll match the barstools perfectly.

Thanks to the wonderful and most helpful craft store Joann’s I’ve got just the right fabric paint.  Got the job started but seriously underestimated the amount of paint needed.

My local Joann’s have been calling around all their stores for me and we have located enough to get the job finished.

Service with a smile at this great store! So refreshing!

Blessing # 122 – Revival & Restoration

 

When we moved from Europe to the USA in 2010 we left a lot of things in storage in Switzerland.

Originally my assignment was for 3-5 years but eventually it became 8 years. In the end we decided that we would stay here in Ohio.

Yesterday our things that were in storage arrived! We are boxed in!

As we unpack it is so good to see these lovelies again. After all, they were part of our lives for so long.

The really interesting thing is that they seem to fit right in. This gives a feeling that this was meant to be.

The most amazing fit is a sideboard that seems as though it was made to measure for our kitchen.

Most touching in what we have unearthed so far were some lovely photos of our first fur babies Darcy and Bingley.

They are now sitting on an old Chinese cabinet we bought in Shanghai that is also happy to have found its family again.

Blessing # 121 – Reconnecting with Old Treasures

 

In Ireland you are never too far from the sea. On a good day everyone heads to the shore.

Being hardy stock we’ll sunbathe at temperatures less robust beings consider frigid. We just can’t resist the urge to dig into the sand.

No wonder! Our beaches are amazingly beautiful and a post yesterday of a beach in Donegal brought a longing to my heart to be in the homeland to see the sea.

Rain, hail, snow or blow, each time I’m back I just gotta go to my very own favorite beach in the whole world at Newcastle County Down.

The view from the promenade to the left gives a picture perfect view of the sand dunes at Murlough Bay while a look to the right takes in a sweep of the Mountains of Mourne right down into the Irish Sea.

Magnificent and C.S. Lewis’s inspiration for that magical Kingdom of Narnia.

Blessing # 120– Storybook Beauty

 

 

Just yesterday three quotes of Benjamin Franklin were making the rounds on social media. He sure was phrase prolific that Ben and could turn his hand to many things.

All three of yesterday’s quotes were new to me but one of The Best of Ben, about bedtime habits is very familiar. My Mum used this almost on a daily basis. Think it might be wise if Aaron started to hear it from me too as he almost fell asleep yesterday during maths tutorial.

Just think what the outcome might be with a few good nights of sleep! He’d do all right if Ben is anything to go by!!!

Blessing # 119 – Timeless Truth

Years ago, when we were living in Switzerland, some friends came to visit from Belfast.

It was January and with lots of snow on the ground I took them on a drive through the mountains.

As we arrived at the village of  Chateux D’Oex we had an amazing experience..

As we turned a sharp bend we happened on the international hot air balloon festival. We had no idea this was taking place so it was even more special as it came as a complete surprise.

Yesterday all this flooded back when I saw a post on Facebook about a festival taking place right now in the USA.

These objects floating in the sky have a timeless quality like planets floating in our universe.

Magical!

 

Blessing # 118 – Light as air

This morning my friend Kourtney posted a funny little message  about bread.

It gave me a good giggle that is a blessing in itself.

It also made me think how wonderful bread is. Such a simple thing but transformational.

There are some people who unfortunately can’t eat bread but do you know anyone who really doesn’t like it?

Bread gives us ties to our homelands even to our cities as is the case for me with the beloved Belfast Bap.

My Granny Barr who lived with us would bake traditional Irish soda bread, wheaten bread and potato bread on the griddle every Tuesday.

She got me a little rolling pin when I was about three and when she baked she’d have me stand on a little stool beside her. She’d give me a little piece of dough to roll out and we’d bake it too. When it was done we’d put a big lump of butter on my little piece and share it. What a lovely life lesson she gave me.

That smell of bread baking or toasting evokes so many good thoughts of warmth and cosiness and so many good memories. What would the world be like without it.

Blessing # 117 – Bread in all its glory

Today is homecoming and Aaron is taking his girlfriend to the dance.

There has been great excitement getting flowers and candy and getting ready and all dressed up too.

He sure looks handsome and his girlfriend looks so beautiful.

They are going to have a little dinner first can you imagine.

Each milestone makes new memories that will last a lifetime as those of us who have past them can attest.

Blessing #116 – Always Enjoying the Dance