Back Pain, Hair Trims and Guinea Hens In in the Laundry Room

It’s been two weeks since the Great Fall of 2013. I’m hoping falling does not become an annual event, but there are some things you just cannot control. I have enjoyed a couple things about the fall.

Hobbling around the house, moaning, draws attention to oneself. Having more than a fair share of ego, the attention is nice. The twins were bringing things to me so I didn’t actually need to stand up. My family fed the livestock. I was treated like the king, I think I am. (And it is about time.)

Another good thing about this fall, is the bruises I received. I know, most of you are thinking what could be good about a bruise. Well, should I ever succumb to the desire to have a tattoo on my lower back, I am using the bruise to imagine what it would look like.

In spite of my age, I felt I was recovering quickly. And then I found out how “recovered” I really was.

We had a display of live sheep at the store last Saturday. Ivy and I were building a corral with corral panels (find them on the internet). Heavy steel pieces of fence. I got a little impatient waiting for Ivy, and carried a panel by myself. In my pre-senior years I have done this a thousand times before. Boy, was that a mistake! Except, for the added attention I received at home. With all bad, comes a little good!

I crossed another item off the ”bucket list” last week. If you have ever seen me in my construction or ranching; or even my yarn life, I can get pretty scruffy. Not dirty, just unkempt. I comb my hair five times each week whether I need to or not. I can go days, weeks and even years without shaving.

This lack of attention to my hair probably works better in my construction life than in my yarn life, but both lives have morphed into one. For 35 years Elaine has asked me, “ Hey, aren’t you going to comb your hair?” I guess I didn’t want to wear it out!

Anyway, in my construction life, my employer added a new person to the admin staff. This lady was married to a guy I have known for years. We started chatting and found out we had quite a few mutual friends. She must have felt very comfortable meeting me.

Lady: Did you know I cut hair? Me: Huh? Lady: I cut hair. Me: I thought you were going to do accounting? Lady: I cut hair putting myself through school, I still enjoy it.

In the last thirty years I have had one person cut my hair professionally. (If it needed cutting.) This person retired two years ago. Since that time, I have cut my own hair. I stand in front of the mirror and cut the parts that look like they need cutting. Ivy cuts the hair in the back that I cannot see.

Elaine cut the back of my hair once. It was actually painful. No really, she was slamming the electric shears into the back of my head like I owed her money. When she was finished, my hair looked……well, let’s just say not even I wanted to look like that. Elaine said I looked like a monk with bangs.

This woman didn’t let up. Several times she informed me she liked to cut hair.

Lady: I’m serious, tomorrow I am cutting my parents hair after work, I can cut your hair also. Me: Have you been talking to my wife? What’s up with you? Lady: Just a trim, you would look a lot nicer! Me: I’ve never considered that. Lady: I’m bringing my scissors. Me: Maybe some other time. Lady: Would it be OK with your wife? Me: My wife would hug you if you cut my hair.

Tomorrow came. And the scissors came with it.

Lady: Can I cut your hair during the lunch hour? Me: No, and besides that where do you think you would do that? Lady: Here, in the model home. Me: We are going to get hair all over the carpet. Lady: We have a vacuum.

Well, Item #22 is crossed off the “bucket list”. Get haircut in a show home at work. Elaine owes her a hug!

I know why I am comfortable with only me cutting my hair. While she was cutting my hair this new hair cutter started laughing.

Lady: He-he-he, you have a tail! Me: I told you, I cut my own hair, I can’t see the back. Lady: He-he-he, it’s really ugly, do you want me to leave it? He-he-he, I haven’t seen one of these in years.

I’m not sure Item #22 needs to be repeated.

Our recent visit by a rattlesnake caused Elaine and Ivy to make a family decision I hope we don’t regret. We have guinea hens.

Guinea hens are reputed to be rattlesnake deterrents. Some folks say guineas will actually kill snakes. Most people think guineas are so noisy they keep snakes off the property by annoying them.

Did you catch that? If they annoy snakes what do they do to humans?

The guineas are off to kind of a bad start. One of the six “keets”, (young guineas) decided he/she could fly. He/she flew out of the brooders box and got loose somewhere in our laundry room. Ivy found it alive and happy, before the dogs found it. Yep, I’m getting annoyed.

Our crazy lives!

Monner