It's All on your Head

Hair. Aren't we obsessed with it? There is even a musical, for gosh sakes!

I have tried to recall at what point in my life, my hair became a thing. I remember going to the beauty shop with my mom as a young girl and getting a permanent. It was to mark my entrance into school, and she had me looking very pretty. There would follow multiple trips to the salon with every hairstyle imaginable. The Pixie,Twiggy, Cher, Hamill, Farrah Fawcett, crop, perms, wavers, straighteners,and on and on.  One day, my stylist said, "You know, there are only so many ways to style your hair." I am pretty certain I have tried most.


Kid Hair Books


In my teens, the stylists started noticing gray hairs underneath the thick locks on top. I laughed it off. In my twenties, I played with hair color for fun. I loved it, too. There are so many pretty ways to highlight and enhance one's hair color out there. Then in my early thirties, I had to shift to covering gray instead of just playing with color. I considered going 'natural' many times over the years. There were lots of reasons I didn't.  I enjoyed my trips to the salon, and my hubby thought I was too young to be gray. I agreed.

Now that I have 100% white hair, coloring it has become more of a hassle and less of a reward with the outcome, so I am giving my real color a chance. I won't tell you I love it. I don't hate it either.  At this point, it's about accepting more than the hair color. It's about accepting and loving myself the way God created me. It's about deciding what to do in this next phase of life that will make a difference, regardless of the color, length, or style of my hair.

For my boys, remember this. No matter what color you hair is or whether or not you have any, Grammy loves you. It's just hair. It's all on your head...

Gator Gumbo

The summer before Katrina struck the beautiful and unique city of New Orleans, Papallama and I had a chance to visit.  I remember we walked around the French Quarter all night to the point that when we woke up the next day, we thought our feet would fall off!  I don't think my feet have ever been so sore from walking.  But New Orleans is sort of like the Worldwide Web, once you start exploring, there is no stopping.

While we were there, we enjoyed the wonderful food, and ate probably one of the best meals of my life at Commander's Palace.  It was so fancy smancy that even my best duds couldn't get us a table with the locals.  They were decked out in hats and gloves, let me tell you.

Yes, they know how to cook in NOLA, so we decided to take a cooking class.  We learned how to make jumbalaya, red rice, how to cook shrimp their way, and last, but not least, how to prepare gumbo!  It is a well orchestrated event, cooking gumbo, and you best have it all at your fingertips with a sous chef by your side. (That was my job.) Papallama has prepared this meal only one time a year, and it is an all time family favorite as much for the entertainment as for the food, which is delicious!

That brings me to the latest installment in what Grammy Reads these days.  PDub paid her a visit at the new house.  The new house has some unusual neighbors.  Gators!

So, I couldn't help but be reminded of Gator Gumbo, one of my favorite read aloud books.  Call it a cross between Brer Rabbit and the Little Red Hen.  This book is a hoot and a half to read! A hoot and a half!  P Dub absolutely loved it! And be prepared, because when you mess with a gator, things do not end well for you.

Later, Gator~

Mission Accomplished

All three grandsons, and a Papallama as a bonus!  I sure do love these guys!

Cheeeeese~