Mom’s Shallow-minded Beauty Tips

Over these past few months, I have learned that Mom is very shallow-minded and judgmental. She is obsessed with people’s looks.

I wear my hair long. It is past my shoulders and it is straight and fine. I, occasionally, wear it in a ponytail or a bun. When I first arrived here, to take care of Mom, I’d worn my hair up in a bun due to the July heat. The next morning, I brushed it out and left it down. Later that day, Sis and I were going to the store. We were both wearing sweatpants and t-shirts. Sis’s shoulder length hair was in a ponytail --her usual style.

As we were ready to go out the door, Mom said to me, “Aren’t you going to wear your hair up or curl it? Where’s your makeup? You have no makeup on!” I told her no, it wasn’t hot enough to wear my hair up, I‘m not going to curl it when it‘ll be straight in another 5 minutes, and I don‘t wear makeup.

Then she commented on my style of dress. “You’re going to town dressed like that?” Like what?!!  I realized right then what was going on. I said, “Mom, this is who I am. This is how I dress. This is how I wear my hair. I am who I am and if people don’t like it, well, that’s too bad.”
She’s never brought it up to me again and Sis told me she had said the same to Mom years ago so that’s why Mom didn’t say anything to her.

Now, brother D is home for a few days and I have to listen to her complain about his looks constantly -- but never to him! D has longish hair kept back in a ponytail and he has a full beard and moustache --very hippie/70’s looking. He is 50 years old and not about to change.

Every single time, D has left to go somewhere, I get to hear:

“I wish he’d cut his hair!”
“I wish he’d shave that beard!”
“I wish he’d wear nice jeans and a shirt instead of those ratty jeans and t-shirts!”
“I wish he’d buy a decent coat instead of wearing that damn jean jacket!”

After months of hearing this, on and off, I’d had enough!

D left for town this morning and I got the endearing pleasure of listening to her tirade again!
Now, Mom has a way of avoiding discussions or arguments by always saying “OK” in a very sweet, little voice. That means she ‘agrees’ so no use to continue the conversation --it maddens me beyond belief!

So, after her little outburst, I said “Mom! Clothes do not make the person! Looks do not matter! It’s what is in a person’s heart that matters and the kind of person they are that counts!”

“ok.”

Gr-r-r-r! I want her to have a conversation with me about her shallow thinking and her prejudices
(that’s a whole other subject) so I can try to explain how crude her thinking is in this day and age. But, she cuts me off with that ‘OK’ so I end up feeling very frustrated!

So, if anyone comes to visit, I hope they’re dressed to the ‘nines’ or else I’ll be hearing how dreadful they are. Over and over again.

It’s That TIME Again!

It doesn’t matter to me if we’re moving our clocks forward or backward--it messes me up! It takes me about 2 weeks to adjust to the time change. I feel groggy and out of sorts and have a low energy level.

When I get up in the morning, I think “Oh, it’s really an hour earlier than I’m used to getting up.” So, yeh, I feel sluggish.

Mom is adjusting better than I am, I don’t think she even notices the difference.

Goody Cat, however, refuses to wear her watch and adjust accordingly. She is used to going outside just before my bedtime. So, now she cries to be let out when I’ve been in bed for an hour. Gr-r-r-r!
I have to just suck it up and let her out because she doesn’t understand this time change crap. (Yes, she has a litter box, but prefers to go outdoors after being on the streets for so many years.)

Well! That’s all the energy I have to write with for now.

Yawn.............

My Cheap Humidifier

I moved here, to West Texas, 7 months ago. Previously, I had lived in Northern Indiana for 12 years. The humidity in Indiana is very high--especially in the summertime. The air can be so heavy with moisture that you felt like you were breathing through a wet washrag. But it was wonderful for my hair and my skin. Both were always moisturized and smooth.

Since being here, I have noticed that my hair and my skin are very dry. My hair has so much static in it, when brushing it, that it practically stands on end!

I have been pricing humidifiers, for my room, and cannot afford those. They average anywhere from $35 to $60 and even higher than that. I went to Walmart to look at the humidifiers there and found the same high prices. As I was getting ready to leave, I walked past the cookware section and saw a small electric Crockpot for only $10. The light bulb went off over my head. Why not? Why wouldn’t that work?

I bought it, took it home, and put in my room. I filled it with water, set it on “High”, put the lid on it and let it get up to the high heat. They don’t boil, so there was no fear of it boiling dry. When it reached the high point, I took the lid off, then went to bed.

By morning, there was enough humidity in the air that my skin already felt better and I could brush my hair without it flying up into the air. There was still 2 inches of water left in the crockpot. I did have a small fear of it going dry and ruining the crockpot or possibly catching fire but all was well. Another added bonus was that there was no moisture collected on my dresser where it was sitting and humidifiers can cause that--which can make it a chore to keep wiping up the water or keeping a towel under them and possibly ruining the wood.

I use it every night and am very pleased with the results. I can even put scented oil or potpourri in it and have my room smell heavenly!

Great ‘humidifier’ for only 10 bucks!