HEIFER INTERNATIONAL

One of my young friends from church who is painting and re-decorating his room asked me if I would paint the United Methodist cross and flame on his wall for him. It only took me a couple of hours; some of the other kiddos at his house commented how they would like to have me paint something on their wall... which got me thinking...

Heifer International is my favorite charity. As much as I love organizations that try to protect wildlife and the environment, I believe if we fail to address the needs of an ever-increasing population, trying to limit how they use their land and their natural resources is futile. That's why I like Heifer so much. The gift of livestock has the power to change someone's life ~ it can be the beginning of financial independence for a family living in poverty. Plus ~ well ~ of course I just LOVE the idea of giving someone an animal! For the last two years my family has donated a goat to Heifer in BratB's family's name for Christmas ~ What gift is more wonderful than that? :)

$1000 buys a Milk Menagerie ~ "One quality bred heifer, two goats, and a water buffalo ~ four milk-producing animals for hardworking families hoping to provide a better life for their children. With training for recipient families, each animal in the menagerie will produce gallons and gallons of wonderful life-sustaining milk. As the families pass the gift of offspring to neighbors in need over time a Milk Menagerie will end hunger and despair one child, one family, one village at a time." This is from the Heifer International website; I've put a link to their website in the right margin if you want to check them out.

So I think I'll take on these projects for the kids in my extra time and ask for a time-appropriate gift to Heifer. It would be fun for me, I'll get to paint a lot of different things, strengthen the bonds I already have with these kids, and we all get to donate to a wonderful cause. I'm going to email the kids my offer and go from there. How cool will that be?? I'll keep ya posted... Love, RED

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE HORSE!

WARNING: YOU MAY NOT WANT TO WATCH THIS! This video contains very disturbing images. It is so sad how animals can suffer from the ignorance, apathy, and cruelty of the humans they depend on. The before and after pics of the horses that got a second chance bring me to tears. Most of these forgotten souls do not end up so lucky. Horses' feed and medical care is expensive and owning them requires time and attention on a daily basis.(not to mention safe fencing, farrier visits, etc.) Owning a horse should never be taken lightly. Breeding should be left to the breeders; just like cats and dogs, there are too many horses out there already that can be had for a song. That's how they end up in situations like this. It's always the animals that pay the price :(

HIDDEN LIVES

We need to learn the deep and enduring value of the hidden life.

When I think of hidden lives, I think of mothers of small children. I think of compassionate men and women that are caring for elderly parents. I think of highly capable and qualified individuals , who, it seems, for the time being, are completely useless. I think of students still in the classroom, preparing, preparing, preparing. It's the hidden life ~ the life where lasting lessons are learned.

Charles R. Swindoll

~ from "Bedside Blessings"

a daily devotional Ma gave me for Christmas 2006 ~

This has been running through my mind since I read it the night before last. The down and dirty work of caring for those who can't care for themselves, facilitating the lives of others from behind the scenes, the weathering of illness, tragedy, and life-altering changes, as well as the shoring up and preparation for future challenges ~ these often thankless jobs are every bit as important as the ones which our society validates and pays you for! If you know what this is all about my hat is off to you; Keep up your good work and your sincere efforts will be rewarded. That much I know...

"ALL YOU NEED IS EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT"

I don't know who said that but I cut it out of a magazine years ago and have heard it in my head many times since. Simple AND true! Love, RED

LET'S GET SOME SHOES!

I just painted this cute little box last week to corral our (feed the animals/move the sprinkler/walk to the neighbors' house) shoes that live right outside the kitchen door in the garage. I am pretty proud of it, especially since Cub made fun of me for pulling it out of someone's trash pick-up pile last month; he said it would never amount to anything! But I believe Martha herself would be proud! It's a good thing!

I have to admit it took me at least thirty five years of living to finally come to the conclusion that, even though it requires an extra step, it actually saves time to slip on different shoes for outside jobs. I already spend enough time cleaning up what everyone else tracks in; no need to track stuff in myself!

A couple of times last week, I left the garage door open when I went to feed the animals. The little dogs went in and three times, Lolly dragged one of my flip-flops out into the yard. Ha Ha ~ cute ~ but no biggie. The first day I had to think about it for a minute... "Hmm, now I KNOW I had both shoes..." The second day I was in on the joke and walked right out to recover it. But on the third day, the shoe was nowhere to be found! I walked all over the yard; looked high and low but no shoe! Oh well... I figured it would turn up. It did, but two days later and in the sad shape you see above! These are my FAVORITE wear-around-the-house shoes. I bought them a year or two ago at Payless for $9 . If I would have known how much I would wear them, I would have bought four pairs; maybe even six! Anyway, you can see from the pic that even the "good" shoe was on its last leg! In fact, I had quit wearing them out and about and had bought a nicer, newer version of them. But the new shoes aren't the same so I'd wear them out (in public) but then get back home and put on my Old Faithfuls! I actually tried to throw the old ones away when I got the new ones; I almost did! But I couldn't do it!

Alas... they are gone now :(

If ONLY I knew where I could get another pair... anyone? ANYONE? :) Love, RED

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

JoAnn Castle playing piano on the Lawrence Welk Show, which ~ believe it or not ~ I love now that I'm all grown up! I used to watch it when I was a kid, of course once I was a teenager I thought it was too corny. Nowadays I like to catch it on PBS on Saturday nights. The musicians are all so talented ~ though she's my favorite! I find Her joy and love of music totally contagious! And BratB ~ do you see shades of the Kiera Knightly simper in those lips? Now we know where she got it! :) Hope you get a kick out of JoAnn! Love, RED

THE SHINY LITTLE HOUSE

I wish, how I wish, that I had a little house,

With a mat for a cat and a hole for the mouse,

And a clock going "tock" in a corner of the room

And a kettle, and a cupboard, and a big birch broom.

To school in the morning the children off would run,

And I'd give them a kiss and a penny and a bun.

But directly they had gone from this little house of mine,

I'd clap my hands and snatch a cloth,

~ and shine, shine, shine.

I'd shine all the knives, all the windows and the floors,

All the grates, all the plates, all the handles on the doors,

Every fork, every spoon, every lid, and every tin,

Till everything was shining like a bright new pin.

At night, by the fire, when the children were in bed,

I'd sit and I'd knit, with a cap on my head,

And the kettles and the saucepans,

~ they would shine, shine, shine,

In this tweeny little, cozy little house of mine!

Nancy M. Hayes

Cute, Huh? I love it though personally, I'm way more likely to be painting, straightening or rearranging than shining anything. I'm less of a cleaner and more of a tidier, although I'm always trying to do better... (baseboards ~ baseboards ~ don't forget the baseboards!) I once had a revelation in a friend's lovely bathroom that even the baseboards were spotless... before that I'll just admit, my housekeeping was on a level that you would be so lucky as to SEE a baseboard, much less CLEAN a baseboard! And I got it ~ you've got to clear the clutter so you can see the baseboards; once that is done, the cleaning is a snap! I didn't accomplish this overnight, I simply began letting go of stuff that was weighing me down (and keeping me from seeing my baseboards!) Nowadays in my house, baseboards are the wrist on which I take the pulse my house's cleanliness ~ 1-800 howz my house look? ~ They don't lie :) (or is that a :( ? Now, that's just MY little quirk ; yours might be fingerprints on switchplates (not to name names here!)... or whatever! Please don't feel defensive or think I would ever judge you by your baseboards, I wouldn't! But you can sure tell alot by mine! Love, RED

SONG FOR A LITTLE HOUSE

I'm glad our house is a little house,

Not too tall nor too wide;

I'm glad the hovering butterflies

Feel free to come inside.

Our little house is a friendly house.

It is not shy or vain;

It gossips with the talking trees,

And makes friends with the rain.

And quick leaves cast a shimmer of green

Against our whited walls,

And in the phlox the courteous bees

Are paying duty calls.

Christopher Morley

Busy, busy, busy! I've been taking care of all sorts of little things that have needed taking care of and it feels so good! It always makes me wonder why I procrastinate in the first place. I actually really enjoy the satisfaction of a task well done; even one so mundane (and dirty) as cleaning out the garage!

I love this sweet little poem and it does remind me of my little house. I have another poem about a little house for you, but it is late and I am very tired from a hard day's work so I will save it for tomorrow... Sweet Dreams :) Love, RED

WOMEN IN ART

This is so cool! At certain points it almost seems to come alive! Beautiful...

FUN FACTS ABOUT BB

1) She's a big help with school projects :)

2) BB is short for BlockBuster, where we found her.

3) She's my first calico-type cat; I always wanted one.

4) A calico in which the would-be black part is striped is called a "tabbico".

5) Or a "calicabby" :)

6) She has trained me not to allow my hands or feet to hang off the side of the bed. (ever!) I even remember in my sleep (!)

7) Every morning she gets in Cub's gym bag while he's packing it. I think she wants to further her education!

8) She just turned one year old *Happy Birthday BB!*

9) It was REALLY fun having her and a Christmas tree at the same time :)

10) Her favorite toy is a sparkly red pipe cleaner.

11) She will not allow me to have a phone call in peace; I have to go in another room and shut the door behind me (or have my fingers and toes bitten; my choice :)

Hobbies : taunting dogs, ambushing dogs, taunting big cat, ambushing big cat, taunting bird, ambushing people's feet, ambushing hands and feet carelessly left lying over edge of bed, stealing pens and pencils, lounging on dining room table, sleeping in bathroom sink, attempting to clean all litter out of litter pan, sitting on "forbidden bookshelf" when the lady with the spray bottle isn't looking, stealing taquitos (right out from under the spray bottle lady's nose), dragging sparkly red pipe cleaner about triumphantly, Oh, and did I mention helping with school projects ?? :)

TGIF Yall!!

BEYOND YOUR CANVAS

"Stop there!" (holding his hands as though to frame her face) "Did you know that you are a Leonardo, smiling at things beyond your canvas?"

Cecil to Lucy, Room with a View

I love the Mona Lisa. I also have always been fascinated by the American Indians, so my take on the Mona Lisa combines the two. I painted her just for myself! I love things that don't quite match up, don't belong together but are together nonetheless, or aren't quite what they first appear to be. Incongruity. Goats in trees, pancakes for supper, simultaneous rain and sunshine. I like for my first notion to be challenged; I like to be forced to take a second look. Two of my wonderful friends were too quiet to make much of an impression on me at when I first met them, but as I came to know them I came to know what treasures they truly are, and appreciate their company all the more ESPECIALLY because of our differences! I know for sure that in everyone we meet, there is more than meets the eye and you truly cannot "judge a book by its cover." I hate to be sized up on a few little assumptions; I am way too complex, idiosyncratic, and even self-contradicting! Who's not? :)

Not only are we limited by the"canvas" another person shows when we first meet them, we are limited by our own canvas as well - our perceptions and our own little world view! I sometimes have to remind myself that the way I see things is not necessarily the "right" way, just the way that makes the most sense to me. Being a good friend means jumping into the other person's canvas as best we can, if only so they have company there. Rarely does it work to try to bring someone else around to our way of thinking. And even so I'm smiling because all you've just read IS my way of thinking :) How does it look from your canvas?

Love, RED

"In order to express our sense of reality, we must use some kind of symbol: words or notes or shades of paint or television pictures or sculpted forms. None of these symbols or images can ever completely satisfy us because they can never be more than what they are ~ a fragment of a reflection of what we feel reality to be."

Fred Rogers, from The World According to Mister Rogers

VIP FOR A DAY!

I feel the need... the need for speed!!!!

Maverick & Goose, TopGun

Anyone who knows me knows I'm hardly a VIP, in fact, I'm an anti -VIP! I don't crave luxury, privilege, or special treatment. On the contrary, I take some pride in how little all that means to me. And now, with that being said, I have a good story for you :)

A few weeks ago, my dear friend "K" emailed me to tell me that she had recently spent some time with the Mannix family, who are mutual friends from my our old "Navy days" in California. Kevin Mannix is now serving as the Commanding officer (affectionately termed "the Skipper") of the Blue Angels, and the LOVELY Mrs. Mannix and I go way back (it's hard to roll the dice when you're laughing THAT HARD!!). Kevin relayed to "K" that he would like to offer that the boys and I attend an upcoming airshow as his guests. So we all got hooked up via email, and with a wee bit of schedule juggling, I had a plan. CDR Mannix had even offered to include a couple of extra tickets so the boys could invite friends along ~ Sweet! I never told the boys, and I set it up with the other parents to remain a surprise. The boys knew we were doing SOMETHING on Sunday ~ something out of the ordinary~ and by the beginning of the week they had figured out that these friends were somehow involved, but they were still clueless as to what we were doing. Because I will tell you ~ I can keep a secret!! As the weekend approached, I was hounded with more and more questions - "Why can't you tell us? Won't you just give us a hint?" and "Who's gonna be there?" along with lots of guesses.

Sunday morning finally rolled around and I woke up Chico and his friend who slept over and gave them a little direction as to what they should wear and what they should take. Meanwhile, MissS, at whose house the other boys had slept, was doing the same. We loaded up in the car to go pick up the others and be on our way. But as I began to back the car out, I noticed it didn't feel right. It almost felt lopsided, as though - "surely I can't have a flat tire (?)" -so I hop out, and yes, I could and did have a flat tire!! And not just kinda flat- completely flat!! And it was time to go! I thought for a moment (what's Plan B?) and figured I'd call MissS and start my search for a Plan B there. Sure enough, she and her DH came to the rescue, so fast-forward twenty minutes and the boys and I are en route (only barely behind schedule) in her ESCALADE; which again, luxury is not my thing, but it is NICE!

Through email Kevin let me know that our tickets would be left at the front desk of his hotel, and that we probably wouldn't get a chance to visit because on Sundays they leave very quickly after the show to head back to Pensacola. That was a bit of a disappointment because we hadn't seen him in three or four years and I knew the boys wouldn't really remember him unless they got to see him again up close and personal (although he's TOTALLY unforgettable (!) but they were young :)

As we cruised down the highway (in VIP style!) the questions kept coming; the suspense was driving them crazy! When I pulled into the hotel parking lot, they were completely confused! Feeling quite smug and self-satisfied, I told them I had to pop in to pick up something, asked them to wait in the car, and headed for the front desk. I smiled and gave her my name, and asked for the tickets. "I have nothing for that name", she responded.

("WHAT??") So I repeated my name, and threw CDR Mannix' name in too for good measure, but got the same result. Again - time for a plan B! At the last minute that morning I had re-checked the name of the hotel and scrawled it, along with Kevin's cell phone number, on a slip of paper which was back in the car in my purse. I thought surely, he must already be at the field by this time and would probably not have his phone on him, but he did. It turned out he was still at the hotel and told me he'd meet us in the lobby in a couple of minutes. "C'mon yall! We're going In!" I told the boys, who had no idea WHAT to expect anymore! "Is it someone we know? Is it someone famous?? Is it Tony Romo??" (LOL!! "Tony, I've asked you to meet us here today because...") Anyway, a minute later Kevin came into the lobby (in regular clothes) and I gave him a big hug and re-introduced him to my boys - "Boys, you probably won't remember him but this is my friend Kevin Mannix.." then I introduced him to their friends. I could see a flicker of recognition in Cub's eyes as he struggled to place him! Chico and the others were super polite, but obviously at a loss as to the meaning of this introduction! So I (only a LITTLE dramatically) re-introduced him as "Commander Kevin Mannix and OBTW, he's THE SKIPPER OF THE BLUE ANGELS!!!!!" :) THAT got 'em!! He chatted with us for a few minutes and handed me the VIP passes and it dawned on them why we were there! "We're gonna get to see the Blue Angels!!"

Kevin had suggested we might want to grab lunch before we headed out and that seemed like a good idea. He recommended the Subway up the street, and the boys agreed that sounded good. Then he thanked us for coming, and we said our goodbyes. A few minutes later, we walked in Subway and two Blue Angels (in regular clothes) were ahead of us ordering their sandwiches. How could we tell? Because they certainly have a look about them AND their rental car had a big Blue Angel decal on it. Cause that's how they roll!! We were all too shy to approach them, so we just stole glances at them until they left! We got our food, started eating, and in walked Kevin (still in his regular clothes). This time the boys weren't so shy, and they had a chance to talk with him for a few minutes while he waited for his food. Then he once again thanked us for coming, told us to enjoy the show, and left. On our way out, two more Blues had arrived, already dressed in their blue flight suits and turning EVERY head!

The VIP passes entitled us to special parking (in our Escalade :), very special treatment from everyone Navy that we came in contact with, and special seats -front row-center of the show - Excellent! It was great!! There were some amazing stunt pilots in smaller aircraft, and a few other military demonstrations, including one by the newer version of the F/A 18 (which my DXH used to fly) - the F/A 18 E/F "Rhino". The boys were off roaming and I was just kicked back in the sparsely-populated VIP section with my sandals off and my feet up on a chair. The flight demo was awesome, the jet was LOUD, the background music rockin', the sun hot and the breeze perfect... It WAS perfect! I felt almost as though I had gone back in time, back to a time when this kind of thing was so normal for me... I fought back the tears as, for the first time in a LONG time, I allowed some of that love and pride I used to feel for the Navy to wash over me. Because beneath it all - during that time the Navy was a huge part of my life too! I realized maybe (perhaps necessarily) I had thrown out the baby with the bath water when it came how I had come to view my life in the Navy. Because beneath it all - I had an experience of a lifetime and met some friends of a lifetime during those years! And that is all part of who I am today; even if it seems foreign now. And for a few perfect moments, my past and the present made perfect sense, and were seamless :)

A bit later, the boys were all back and in place by the time it was the Blue Angels' turn to perform. They were so excited and IMPRESSED to see CDR Mannix all dressed up in that blue flight suit and being introduced with all the pomp and circumstance that accompanies the Blues' show. I LOVE IT! I could see them perform a thousand times and never tire of it! The show was awesome - the speed, the sound, the power!!! The sneak pass is my favorite! One of the boys turned to me and said, "so a couple of hours ago we were talking to this guy at Subway, and now he's flying over us at 700 MILES PER HOUR!" Yeah ~ pretty cool!! The boys LOVED the show! I LOVED it too! We had a wonderful day !! Thank you SO much CDR Mannix!!! We were thrilled and honored to be your guests!!! YALL ROCK!!! Love, RED

PS: next time I'll expect to see YOU there too Mrs. Mannix ! LOL! I'll bring the dice!!

THE LUCKY ONE

A song for your Saturday by the incomparable Alison Krauss and Union Station. Marnie-San and I were the lucky ones when we saw them perform on the steps of the Hanford courthouse in California a couple of years ago. They sound every bit as good live as they do here. I love many female vocalists, but to me, she is perfection! She's also an excellent fiddle player! I heart Alison Krauss... hpoe you enjoy this too ~ Love, RED

YO DAWG!

I'd like a different dog
For every kind of weather -
A narrow greyhound for a fog,
A wolfhound strange and white,
With a tail like a silver feather
To run with in the night,
When snow is still and winter stars are bright.

In the fall I'd like to see
In answer to my whistle,
A golden spaniel look at me.
But best of all for rain
A terrier, hairy as a thistle,
To trot with fine disdain
Beside me down the soaked, sweet smelling lane.

Dogs and Weather
Winifred Welles

What a week it's been! I found the time to take Tango out for a short ride this evening - how that saves my soul! Afterward, I sat out on the swing and just hung out with the dogs. It's common knowledge that all the different breeds of dogs were purposely bred to have their own talents and abilities, but I still sometimes am so amazed by how true their personalities and quirks are to their breeding! All three of my dogs are mixed breeds, but still, they are all so like their dominant breeds.

Schatze is a dachshund mix. She digs. It is her passion; her obsession. She cocks her head and, apparently, hears goings-on beneath the surface of the earth. She has multiple holes, tunnels, and holes connected to tunnels under construction in parts of the yard at any given time. She likes to spend time in the house, but when it's time to go out she races straight out to her "work zones" to check things out! When I had to have some work done on the septic system a year or so ago, she supervised. She stayed clear of the heavy machinery, but remained close enough to keep tabs on the progress being made. She was so impressed with the speed and ease with which the backhoe did it's work; she stood on the mounds of dirt and her eyes gleamed with excitement! I could see the little wheels in her brain spinning; it was as though she was imagining what great work she could accomplish if she could only control that machine! (Ah~my kingdom for thumbs...Oh and legs longer than four inches:) She loves her kibble and I have to watch her weight, but her hard work in the field helps to keep her waistline in check! Big downside: she always has dirty paws! Our beloved MeeHa brought her home to us as a gift, knowing we were looking for a small female mixed-breed dog (primary stipulation - CUTE) and she fits the bill perfectly! I can live with the digging (like I have a choice!). Doxie's were born to dig! That's how they roll!

Tim is a border collie mix. He's got the looks of a border collie, but lacks some of the keenness they all exhibit. He's a little dorky. I'm not sure what he's mixed with but his big round head makes me think he might be part Lab. He's obsessed with the horses and the goats and all they do. He's about as interested in digging as Schatze is in the big animals; as in not at all! He's not fascinated by soil or what lurks beneath it; he has livestock to watch! He also likes to hang out inside a bit, but is always eager to get back outside to his real job. He's a workaholic! He's also a beautiful athlete - fast, nimble, and superbly toned. He can jump anything. Or almost anything! He's Cub's favorite and sleeps in his room at night. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better all-around good dog!

Lolly is a poodle mix. She's something else! I know poodles are supposed to be really smart so I'm just thinking she's such a nut because she's still a puppy. She's clueless when it comes to digging or livestock, but will live through the other two vicariously now and again and get all up-in-arms and excited about their projects; just to lose interest and collect sticks to chew which she then leaves in untidy piles around the yard. That's okay with me, because I'm usually the one who collects the sticks before mowing (mesquite drop alot of sticks). I guess her hobby is sticks; that and jumping up and down at the back door barking like a soprano warming up her vocal chords. Really, some of the sounds she can make are amazing - I swear one night she actually sang "do - rey - mi"! AND she's quite the acrobat - I know poodles are often circus dogs because of their acrobatic prowess; that and their supposed intelligence (!). Again, I'm hoping as she matures we will see more of that. So far she's more of a clown :) But we love her and she's been a happy addition to our household!

I've had a couple of other dogs and also have noticed how much their personalities resembled the descriptions in the breed books. I guess it shouldn't be so surprising - after all - it's in their blood! They are who they are for better or worse! How 'bout your dogs? Do you see it too? Love, RED

IT DON'T COME EASY

I don't ask for much , I only want trust

and you know it don't come easy ...

This heart of mine keeps growing all the time

And ya know it just ain't easy...

Ringo

It don't come easy! I am still trying to get it in gear! Today ended up less productive than I had hoped, at least in a physical sense. Meaning I (along with my body) accomplished little. My brain however, had another banner day! I don't know why it seems so easy to give myself credit for the physical work, but more difficult to give myself credit for the mental work. I know by purposely being vague, I leave you wondering about this important mental work I am doing. "Is she some sort of rocket scientist?" No, she's not. And I don't mean to be vague, it's just easier this way. To much to explain; even too much to sum up! Let's just say it has to do with practical and theoretical problem solving, my own as well as alot going on in several of the lives I love. Kind of a "perfect storm" of occurrences, changes, and more than a wee bit of drama. This combined with the fact that I am a muller, a ponderer, and an empath, well, that makes for one busy brain. Anyhoo... later this evening I decided to get outside and take a ride. Now THAT was a good idea; distracting and even relaxing! I don't think I've saddled up in two months! It was a breezy (if balmy) evening and we went way down to the end of the street. I always feel a bit like I'm in a parade because children love to see a horse and rider coming down the street; they often run out to wave and greet us! Even big people seem to find it charming, usually smiling and waving. Dogs, not as much, but they don't bother us; Tango's not afraid of dogs. Tango is always such a good fella even when he hasn't been out in a while... he's such a standby! After we got back, I let the horses graze on some of the juicy (hear needing to be mowed!) grass in the back yard for a little while I sat on the swing and watched them. No work here, physical or mental! Later I tarried a bit in the barn after feeding everyone, chatting with the goats and enjoying the twilight, the breeze, and the night sounds starting up; for me, this is the perfect sedative for a busy brain!

When I got back inside to get dinner fixed, Chico showed me a letter from the school about his non-regulation haircut. So after dinner I gave both guys haircuts; I cut enough that I won't have to again before school is out. "Oh, Dude! Freshcut!" Chico hollered from the bathroom when he made it to the mirror to check out my handiwork. "Man, I'm gonna get it!" Apparently when you get a NOTICEABLE haircut (as opposed to ?) all the other guys hit you upside the head and yell "Freshcut!!" Who knew? I've never heard this before...then I informed Cub halfway through his cut..."uh...it's coming out a little short :)" To which he replied "Grr." Not growling, just saying. Grr. I like that, because unlike "Freshcut!", I can use Grr. At least I don't think I can use "Freshcut!" Kinda reminds me of Menthos *the freshmaker* but again, I can't really work with that. I never trained professionally to cut hair, but I can pull it off. I have cut my own tons of times. I may not be good, but at least I'm fast! I do not let a small thing like not exactly knowing what I'm doing slow me down on a haircut. Hair grows back. So what!!! (although if you cut your bangs one inch short it may take a while. Yes, you know who I'm talking to Miss Shortybangs!!) OK... enough silliness; Gotta get up EARLY ! Grr :) Love, RED