"Locks for Love"

Last Spring, when I literally let my hair down after months of leaving the house with it wet and tied in a bun, I was shocked at how long it had grown.  I really wanted to get it cut shoulder-length, but then remembered a couple of friends who had donated to "Locks for Love", an organization that accepts donated hair to make wigs for sick, disadvantaged children.  I went to the website to see the requirements (bc I do have a bit of gray in there now) and was happy to see that color didn't matter, but length needed 10".  Ugh.  I need more unless I want to go the way of Demi Moore in "Ghost" - BTW, I've always envied that haircut and wish I were brave enough to do it, but alas, I'm not.  So here I am at September 24th, with just the 10" to donate and still retain a decent length (i.e. able to put it back in a clip). My mom, the best in the world, gave me the cut, color, and highlights as my birthday present. 

Here are the results in pictures.  This was my first time going to this haircutter, but I trusted her - and she did a fabulous job!  Or at least I think so. :-) 

I hope this inspires some others who are near the 10" brink and itching to just cut it all off, to take the plunge and donate to the good cause.
BEFORE:

 DURING:

 AFTER:

AFTER THE HUMIDITY HITS:

September 11th - Nine Years later

Hard to imagine what happened 9 years ago today, actually happened.  That morning I was up in the kitchen washing dishes - less than 2 miles from the Twin Towers.  I heard a plane go overhead and thought to myself "that plane is flying very low" because the sound was not normal.  Come to think of it, most plane noise isn't normal over NYC.  I thought about looking out my window, but knew I wouldn't see anything in the sky through my sliver of visibility.  So I went back to washing the dishes.  Mason was in the bathroom readying for work.  Then the phone rings and it's my sister telling me to put on the news because a plane just flew into the Trade Center.  She was driving her friend to work down on Wall Street before heading herself to New Jersey.  I thought it was a commuter plane with the pilot likely having a heart-attack. 

And then we all know how the story ends.  It is such a tranquil day here in Long Beach.  I'm happy not to have to go to work today - I am always nervous on 9/11.  Today we get to spend the beautiful day together.

My heart goes out to all those families effected by today - and the effects are now engraved into lives.  Elodie - I'm thinking of you....