Did you ever just take the scissors to your hair????

Suzi - how long does it have to be to donate?
And congrat's on the 5lbs. I really need to work
on that next - started back to my treadmill & weights
this week. (Besides, I'll be putting in a new shrub
border when the weather cools so I need to strengthen
my back).

Tam

Tam: my physical therapist said sit ups are the best strengthener for the abdominal muscle which support the back.

I know it's not fun but thought I'd pass along the misery. Try three a day and see how you feel.

Arlene - thanks for the tip. I've got a really good routine I was doing for the last
few years but just got lazy about this spring. 30 crunches, 30 butt lifts and
then 30 cross crunches (put elbow to opposite knee). Its just that I have to get
up at 5:30am to fit them into my day and its soooo nice to sleep an extra
45 min. My routine (till I started sleeping in this spring) is MWF 3mi on the treadmill
and T/Th these crunches, lots of free weights for the arms & back & leglifts plus
pushups. Now if I could figure out how to finance my habit (plants) and my
retirement w/o having to work so many hours, I could sleep in AND get my workout LOL

Thanks
Tam

I hope you don't mind if I tease you a little bit:

To finance your gardening habit - give up the car and run to work. Saves the car, gas, insurance, maintenance.

While running think about expanding your garden so you can have a nursery business for retirement extras.

You'll be too tired to eat a big dinner and fall asleep early enough to get up and run back to work again!

Problem solved as I sit here and just think about your vigorous exercise routine! I'm getting sleepy already.

Arlene. Work is over 20mi away and lots of highways one way.
At least I don't pay to go to a gym when I could be getting a work
out mowing the grass (3-5hrs with a push mower) or weeding
my many beds :-)

And nursery is definitely on the short list for retirement extras. Though
Tony Avent's book was a good blast of realism on the lure that image
holds of running my own nursery business.

Tam

Tammy: I wouldn't run a block for anything! I hope you read the first line when I said I couldn't help but tease you.

Tony Avent and countless others find running a nursery a much bigger undertaking than they ever dreamed of it being. Not for me, either!

No way I am running unless a BIG DOG, BEAR or other such animal is chasing me!! For that, I will risk throwing the back out again.

I live 4 mi from work, w/ 1 mile mostly hill. If it were level, I think that would be a great bike ride and do-able exercise too. As it is: in AM, would coast down, using brakes all the way; in PM, one mile trek uphill, on a busy road, pushing bike - good access for the ambulance!

Actually, I did the exercises faithfully for 2 yrs after my knee surgery, which helped tone stomach muscles too. Unfortunately, kind of stopped a couple yrs ago when was working F/T, school for Bachelor's F/T, had an additional P/T job - was single mother too. Ran out of time in the day, and night...

Dr sending me to PT for back... Gotta get in good enough shape to do the PT exercises for back and knee! Sure it will help me immensely! Haven't been able to go for walks. Was too busy in law school to do it, then withdrew in March. Now, have the time but have had too many back probs to walk. Little one is anxious to get me walking again. Will help both of us!

Hair has to be 12" long Pirl. If I was willing to get a buzz cut, might have enough to do it now, LOL

After retire, I wouldn't "run" a nursery, but I might consider propagating and selling off some nice plants on a once in a while basis, or maybe on e-bay... Or go garage sale-ing on Sat AM's in summer to get stuff to sell on Ebay... Hopefully, I can go get my MBA, better job and money so that when I do get to retire, will get enough retirement pay so that I won't have to do anything else. ~ Suzi :)

Good luck with your back problems. Believe it or not there are muscle strengthening exercises you can do, before sleep, flat on your back in bed! My PT had me doing them and it was a case of 10 each, nothing strenuous. Ask your PT about them.

Arlene - sorry... got defensive (must be the guilt. I'm really good at feeling guilty, just not really good at keeping
up with stuff that's good for me like exercise!).

Suzi - wow! You've got a lot going on in your life. Wouldn't it be nice if we could exercise in our sleep? Now that
would be handy! And when you were in good shape, wasn't it nice? I feel so lousy that my back hurts and I get
winded walking around the property and so I'm finally going to get back in shape. (lets see how my resolve holds).

Tam

Tammy - a change in routine is so hard to adjust to. My daughter did so well for so many years with her new hubby but I think (haven't asked) she's taken time off. Looks like about 10 pounds (maybe more) have returned.

I've been steadily losing but it's only because of the outdoor work and I always get concerned about what will happen in the winter. Last winter, even though we were away for three weeks (prize trip), the doctor said I was the only one who didn't gain weight over the winter. Then they told DH the same thing.

Giving up the bread helps with the weight and gardening 5 hours a day helps with the body. The inspiration to get up and get out is another story!

I said before, there is NO MORE losing to gain it back a couple yrs later. Have to do it so it is a permanent lifestyle change. I decided to and have been making "smarter choices".

Want a drink, pick water most of the time. Want a snack, pick a piece of fruit or a tomato. Avoid my co-workers snack jar full of chocolate goodies but stick to my own, which has the suck on candy. Want junk food, eat a few and close it up, instead of eating while otherwise occupied and don't even notice that ate it all up. I happen to love Raspberry Whips yogurt. They are almost as good as ice cream. Planted fruit trees and berries cuz love fruit. Can't wait till get to eat our own, double the pleasure!

I want to walk around home area and the neighborhood, spending time with my daughter, laughing and playing around, kidding and having fun, talking and building on our relationship. Don't want it to be work... because then won't want to do it. Want to get into good enough shape to start riding the bike over on the trails. Good for both of us - and fun too! Even better if I can get my older dau to go with us!! Thinking a stationary bike would be good in the winter, maybe I will be able to get one pretty cheap, or free.

Tammy - good luck on finding your inspiration!! Health, back, kids, family, husb, living longer or better, etc... Start small. May not even be noticable to others. May be as small as walking from home to mailbox; walking around the perimeter of the place, whatever. Not really telling you, but reinforcing it to myself!

This is just the idea evolving and bouncing around in my head right now. As soon as I get into better shape, have a friend that wants someone to walk with. Somehow, it seems silly now to drive to her house, which is 1/2 way down the hill only to walk a couple blocks, hoping that my back won't hurt more after than before... It hasn't been that long since stopped using the back brace and pain pills. Will have to do this little by little.

Told Anna that we start walking today, even if only around the block. Within 2 minutes, she asked "so when do you want to go for that walk?!" She is going to be my inspiration too... Let's see if she can be my inspiration w/o being a tyrant! Wish me luck! Gee, maybe this should be a whole different thread. ~ Suzi ♥

No, it shouldn't be a different thread: it's inspiration for all of us.

Day 1 - we walked - around our block, passed our street and went 1/2 way around the next block. Cut through the yards to our house. That was DD idea. She hurt herself a little somehow and was wore out, from playing at the park w/ friend. Met friend and her DD at park, I had to run to the store, then went back and the friend's mom gave me a ride back from the airport so I could turn in my rental car. Ended up leaving my keys attached to the rental car keys, had to go back... OOPS! Gave her my potted corkscrew willow after she admired it so. My aunt had just given me 2 more, that were already rooted but haven't been potted up yet. ~ Suzi :)

Hi all,

Pirl, your pictures look great. I'm envious, but take a pair of scissors to MY hair? No way! I don't even want to think about what the results would be. I'm 57 and have had exactly 3 haircuts in my lifetime. Two of them were not my idea. (Also have had one perm --- definitely not my idea either!). I like my hair either really long or really short --- can't stand it in between. I've never met a curler I liked and won't use hairspray, mousse, etc. I have to concede that at this point, putting my hair into a single braid, as I used to do every summer, looks hideous; however, two braids wrapped over the top of my head doesn't look bad at all. I keep thinking of having it cut really short as it would certainly be easier to wash and might be cooler, but the idea of having to pay to have it cut every month or so puts me off, especially since my other half is unemployed again. I'm also afraid that I might really regret cutting it as soon as the deed was done and I'm sure that it would grow in a lot grayer than it is now. ( Also would have to live with it in the dreaded "in-between" stage.)

Believe it or not, I still get compliments on my hair. Of course, I also get the "Wow, I never saw an old lady with long hair before" comments.

Maybe I shouldn't have added this in as the thread seems to be taking a different turn now, but I'm used to being a day late and a dollar short.

McCool: I never liked the smell of permanents in the beauty parlors and don't like the atmosphere, the small talk, the gossip, etc. I especially never liked the results so now I can only blame myself if it looks odd once in a while.

Victor Borge was so great on TV and on stage. One of my favorites from him is when he went to his barber and said: "I want a long piece over one ear, shorter on one side of the back than the other, with a tuft standing out on top" and the barbers said, "I can't do that" and VB replied, "Why not, you did it to me the last time!"

Hah! That sounds like one of the haircuts I got (it was supposed to be a "trim"). Seriously considered wearing a bag over my head for a few weeks, but I've never been one for hats either.

McCool - I'm with you. In the hot hot summer I think about getting my hair
cut REALLY short but I've whimped out. I just hate the idea of having to get
it cut every month or two. Twice a year is enough. And its so warm in the
winter too.

And on the exercise... I got up at 5:30 Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs (not this morning)
and did 45 min exercise everyday. I promised myself I'd go on the treadmill
this weekend to make up for this morning. I'm a bit sore but feel so much better
that I'm back on track.

Arlene - It'd be a lot easier if I could work in my garden every day. On the weekends,
I'm definitely with you! I'm out there at least 6hrs each day (except when its raining hard all day or 99F and even then I've been known to be puttering outside). But I need to work (and I actually like it too). I get home after 7pm and there's no time then. Just the mornings.


Wow - my home phone & DSL went out Wed and I'm going through DG withdrawl.
Had to check it from work today. Shhhh... don't tell anyone please. ;-)
Tam

Let's all hear it for Tammy! Yeah Tammy! You go girl! Good workouts! Yeah!!!! Big time applause coming from Long Island for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember working, once upon a time! I'd be up and out at 5:30, in at 6:30, shower and go. Yes, I even got dressed! :-)) Then I'd go back out as soon as I got home. All day in the garden on weekends!

You will ADORE retirement: we do! Here's what he's doing since I went off to the dentist at 9:30. He's still there!

I only got one perm in my life (83). Supposed to be a body wave but it would have made Little Orphan Annie think she had straight hair!!!! Yuck! Horrid!!

That was after the only time I ever dyed my hair (82). Bleached it twice to get rid of the dark and dyed it blond. The very next day I could see roots. The bleaching ruined my hair, so I let it grow out. Then got it cut short, dyed the rest close to my natural color and got a 'body wave'. Yeah, right!!

NEVER, EVER AGAIN will I bleach my hair!!! After mine turns white, it will be okay to dye it, cuz then I won't have to bleach it! Maybe that is where I developed the basis that allowed me to permit my 9 y/o to cut it, how could she possibly do worse than what I had done?! Besides, it grows out... thank goodness!

Pirl - I can't wait to see how correct you are!!! I know I will ADORE retierement, as long as am healthy and can afford it!! Another 10½ to 12½ yrs, IF I have my stu loans and home paid off!! This week, it was fun not having to get up for work!! My 1st real vacation... Too bad the car is still in the shop!! ~ Suzi ♥

Sorry about the car, the perm and the bleach job! You've had some real experiences, haven't you!

I remember the Toni days. My mom would use that "Which twin has the Toni?" stuff on me because I always wanted curls. Way too big a price to pay. I could have frightened smaller children and innocent animals!

Curling irons are so much easier.

Always liked curls on others... hate them on me, after that! Experiences? Those were some of the better ones, LOL!!

Try jumping over a puddle, landing in the open drain in the center of it, cutting leg and having to get 13 stitches... (67)

Try sleeping in a tent at -60º on a ballfield in Korea when the heater in the girl's tent doesn't work. Being so exhausted that I say I'm going to sleep, the heck with getting someone here to fix it again... (Army, 77)

Try being stupid enough to be on a propane tank. Jumped off when I was falling. Tore my ACL, was helped over to sit down and got p oak... (96)

Plenty more stupid things, but let's quit while I still have some dignity left! Oh well, live and learn! Pirl says: I don't know about that lady!! Ha Ha! ~ Suzi ♥

Edited to add: Moving an apt size refrigerator and hurt my back for the 1st time!!! Followed by soooo many more times over the last almost 30 yrs. Still a major part of my problems today! (Army, 76-77)

This message was edited Aug 19, 2005 2:25 PM

Hi There,

Just found this forum; so I hope this isn't too out of line.
Me, I've long since passed the days when I'd cut my own hair, but I did a few times when I was in university - back in the days when everything was bouffant and we slept on curlers every night. maybe some of your will remember those days. LOL

Now, my granddaughter (age 3 and 4 mos) is going to be a flower girl in the labour Day wedding of my niece in Oregon. She's so excited about the prospect that she decided to make herself pretty and trimmed her hair last week. Fortunately, it seems to be mostly underneath, and we are hoping that we'll be able to work around the trim. LOL

She's a twin and her brother will also be involved as ring bearer. Should be fun.

Ann

Hysterical but I'm glad I'm not her mom who must be a little edgy!

Well, you guys inspired me! I didn't cut it myself, but I did have over a foot cut off my hair last week. It was so hot and I was 'hiding' behind it. I love it, it is so much easier to take care of and it dries so much faster!
Well, shoot, I thought I had a pic but it is pulled back. Will take one tomorrow and show off my new 'do.

Rachel

Way to go Rachel. Short is the only way for me. I go out in the garden, sweat buckets, then come in shower and let air dry. Nothing easier than that. I wish I were one of the dainty ladies who perspire, and never sweat!!

Rachel: come on, let's see the new "do" and the new you!