I am Officially 'Poo Free'!

My Photographic Blog Debut

My kids and partner were a bit alarmed until I explained, however they still think I am very weird.  I have read this interesting article at the link below:

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/beauty/hair/shampoo/jc_shampoo.html

here is another interesting link:

http://www.natural-forces.com/essays/poofree.htm#why

It explains all about going 'Poo free'.  Tonight I washed my hair with a solution of Bicarbonate of Soda and a solution of vinegar to rinse.  I must admit so far so good, my hair and scalp feel very clean and fresh and my hair is very soft.   (There is a slight whiff of Vinegar about me though!)  I thought I rinsed for ages in the shower.  My Great Grandmother used to rinse her hair with beer, but I think that is a waste.

I hate having my photograph taken but thought this blog post would be a bit dull without pictures and I wanted to illustrate my point that without 'Shampoo' your hair can still look clean an shiny.  Mine is still a bit wet in this picture though!  ( Any Ginger Jokes...I really have heard them all before!)

I reminded myself of 'Cousin Itt' From the Adam's Family.  Itt Looks  'Poo Free' too.

 For Anyone following the Tour de Fleece, I have been spinning Rainbows again today.  Honest Guv!

Tour De Stuffed Marrow and chips! 2011

My life just isn't complete without this family tradition.  Every year for as long as I can remember we have 'Stuffed Marrow and Chips' at least once a year.  There are many things in my life that would not be 'Everyone's Cup of Tea' and this is another of them.  Sadly this is not a homegrown marrow, but my courgettes look promising.

 The Marrow was stuffed with a Minced beef and vegetables in gravy.  I cooked it on low all day in the slow pot.  It has to be served with chips, homemade of course!  It also has to have lots of salt and vinegar.  I have also stuffed marrows with vegetarian lentil casserole mixture.  I think it is delicious but the rest of the house eat it under sufferance.  They like the chips though.
I will be spinning later to make some more 'Scrappy Beard'.

This is my Day 12 Effort, I started a second bobbin of 'Rainbow Scrap' yarn

Work experience update;  Quote: "I have had the most stressful day of my life today!"  He worked with older children who try to be naughty, where as he thinks the littlies try to be helpful.  He also did two hours in the office cutting out stuff!  He never wants to go in an office again and I think the teaching career may be over before it even started.  I just thought 'Hmmm welcome to the real world'.  My Mother told me there would be days like these!   Character building stuff.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  It has made me think of all the jobs I have done in the past that I have hated.  I have worked in McDonalds and hated it, cleaned toilets and hated it, worked in several factories and hated it, worked in a Supermarket which was ok, worked in social care which had it's ups and downs and for the last ten years (and a little bit more) have taught children with emotional and behavioural issues, some days I love it and other days are tough.  I only work three days a week for now, which helps.  The hardest job I have ever had though is 'Mom'.

Tour De Fleece Day 11 (12.7.11)

'In The Sky' back on Tour!  I plied the 'Rainbow Scraps' with 'Old Man's Beard' and made 'Scrappy Beard'!  I had 110 winds around my Niddy Noddy and I think that is about 170 metres.  It weighs 89g.  I will plod on and make more.  I think I will knit a swatch and see how it felts, I think it would make a nice bag or felted slippers.  It wouldn't be everyone's 'cup of tea' but I like it!  I am delighted that bowl of foul water turned into something fairly pretty.

Lord only knows what he is playing at!  He thinks he looks cool!  I think much more of that Tom Foolery and I would be sewing trousers!  It's a good job his Mother loves him!

Pink Tie Number 2.  He had another great day working with Reception children, aged 4 and 5.  He was reading 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' and making paper airplanes.  He seems very happy and is getting quite a little 'Fan Club'.  One little kid made him a one winged paper plane, we are not sure how he managed that!  I am just delighted it is going well.  Tonight he asked me if I could buy a lollipop for every child in the school for his birthday on Friday.  That is probably a tall order!  I think I will be busy baking cookies on Thursday though to be shared in the Staff Room.

Tour de Fleece Day 10 - Day of Rest.

Well I think he looked very smart for his first day of 'Work Experience'.  (Which probably explains how scruffy he usually looks!)  This is Henry.  We were both a bit nervous this morning.  He was more than reluctant to have his photograph taken.  He is working in a primary school for the week and he understands kids can have crawlers so has his hair in a pony tail.  He was complemented on how smartly he presented himself.  He doesn't enjoy school and I would really like him to do well on work experience.  He is a kind, considerate fella.  He really enjoyed himself and said the children liked him, so he is looking forward to tomorrow.  Phew.  I was a worried Mom all day!  He has a collection of pink ties he wants to show off this week.

    It was a lovely sunny morning and I didn't want to go to work! 

I took another lovely rice salad for lunch, it helps if I have that to look forward to!  It was rice with smoked salmon, peppers and homegrown peas and beans, squibbed with fresh lemon juice.  Two weeks to go and I break up for six weeks.  Very exciting.

It is a 'Tour de Fleece Day of Rest'.  I need to finish my bag for my Jolly Holidays!

Tour De Bloomin Fleece Day 9! 2011

Who would have thought it was so difficult to spin daily?  Tomorrow is a day of rest and I intend to crochet.  I am determined to spin every day I am supposed to but today I am all Birthdayed out!  I will do half an hour of 'Old Man's Beard' while I watch the news.  I am so glad I am not cycling.  My little fella had a lovely day today and is now fast asleep.  We had a Barbecue at my parents in the sunshine.  At one point both of my sons, (they won't like me for sharing this) were running around in their underwear, having a balloon fight!  You had to see it to believe it.  Hooray for July babies!  Euan had lots of great presents, a new BMX bike, he bought himself a new Games Console with his birthday money, he has had games, water guns,  lego and a remote control Rattlesnake which is fun.  All that is left is;

Gooey Chocolate Birthday Cake with Sweeties on the top.

And Strawberry Trifle - Would anyone like some?  You would seriously be helping me out!

Tomorrow he will take lollipops to school to give out to his classmates at the end of the day.  He says being 7 is fantastic and being 56 will be even better.  I told him today' it is great to have a seven year old son' and he told me 'it is great to have a forty year old Mom.'  Bless him.  The oldest is now gearing up for his Birthday on Friday when he will be 15.  He has requested a Barbecue too.  Blimey I will have to experience it all again ( and so will my poor parents who host these affairs for me!).  It will play havoc with my 'Tour De Fleece'!  Oldest starts work experience tomorrow in a local Primary School for a week.  I am definitely more nervous than he is.  He has hair longer than Ozzy Osbourne's and a personality to match,  (we also have the Brummie accent!)  I wonder if he will last the week?  Should go down a storm with the kids!

Day 8 'The Tour De Fleece 2011' One small step for spindling, one giant leap for me!

My oldest son's friend wanted to try my spinning wheel last night.  He tried very hard but it beat him.  He did master changing direction of the wheel with just his feet though.  I learnt to spin on a wheel, although I have read spindling is a good place to start.  I bought a spindle back in October and have had a love hate relationship with it ever since.  I just couldn't seem to grasp it.  Eureka!  Now it seems I can do it!  I took it to the park today and even in the wind could manage slowly but surely to spin 'Old Man's Beard' into a reasonable yarn!  I can't say I enjoy it... but I can do it!  It seems very slow compared to my wheel, but I know there are many people out there who spin beautiful yarns, love their spindles and have no desire to own a wheel.  I know it doesn't look like much but it is a triumph to me.

I just had to show you my new 'Picnic' plates too, I think they are very pretty.  The kids charged around the park while I had a nice 'Single Glass' bottle of wine and a Smoked Salmon Bagel with homemade Chilli Cream Cheese.  Spinning in the blustery wind!  It was enough to blow my fibre and my picnic blanket around, but do you think it would launch the kite?  Of course not!