My first attempt at corn rows

So we're all a little under the weather here, and I decided to take advantage of - well, of not feeling like doing anything else - to try braiding Eleanor's hair for the first time.

It took a total of about an hour in three installments - I did it while she was eating, buckled into her booster seat. Which of course means my own dinner was not very satisfying, but oh well!

I encountered two problems:

1) My own lack of expertise. Basically corn rows are like tiny tiny French braids in straight lines. The basic concept isn't that complicated. But the execution takes significant dexterity as well as a head that isn't wiggling around. So my braids are a bit uneven and nowhere near tight enough. (I'm sure they're not tight enough because Eleanor didn't complain that the braiding hurt; judging from everything I've read the pain is necessary to a good finished product!) But they're cute if you don't look too closely - and I won't post a close-up photo to give you the opportunity...

2) Eleanor's hair is still not very long or thick; less than two inches in some places. So it's hard to hold on to, especially when it's saturated with hair detangler and cream and other slippery moisturizing stuff. And then I finish and have these very tiny, not thick braids.

Anyway, we finished by clipping pink butterfly barrettes onto all the ends. I asked Eleanor how she liked her pretty braids. Her response:

a tumble down the rankings

So Northeastern Illinois University is hosting a workshop this week on how to paint plaster skulls.

Yes.

Obviously my school is awesome. I'm so grateful my tuition dollars are doing something meaningful.

Leisure and windows

It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood. And today, that just put me in the mood for window cleaning!

Now, lest you think that I'm some sort of super-homemaker, I will explain.

Actually, those of you who've been to my house don't need an explanation; you already know that I'm one of the worst housekeepers around. Some of you haven't actually said so. To me. Yet. Thank you for that.

I suppose I am June-Cleaver-esque in that I DO own an apron, thanks to my friend Beck, who gave it to me as a "thanks for letting me borrow your lingerie for that photo shoot" gift. Now there's a story for another day. But suffice it to say that I just don't really notice the squalor around me very often unless it's injuring me, like stepping on small, prickly magnetic letters can do in the middle of the night.

Sometimes I do have Proverbs 31 aspirations. Well, except for the getting up early in the morning part. I mean, I do go to market. I do dress at least some of my family in purple (Miles would wear pink and purple all the day long if I let him, but thank God for the Cha family hand-me-downs in nice earthy colors). But then sometimes I figure that I'm more of a lily of the field. I certainly don't spin, and the whole "toiling" thing mostly feels pretty foreign, too.

There are, however, three housekeeping tasks which provide me true satisfaction: cleaning out the refrigerator, cleaning and organizing closets, and cleaning windows. And today was about 75, breezy, and clear - the perfect opportunity!

Window cleaning is soothing. I am a HUGE fan of double-hung windows. Tilt-wash, you make my day! The whole getting up on ladders outside thing isn't a part of my window-washing world.

If the Windex people are listening (what are my chances?), I would like to know what kind of idiot came up with ammonia-free glass cleaner? Yeah...the label explicitly says, "Greenlist ingredients...Same Great Product!" Exclamation point and all. Well, I beg to differ. It smells nice, sure, and perhaps has reduced my Shaquille O'Neal sized carbon footprint a bit (though the roll and a half of paper towels I used just now probably countered that nicely). But why bother using glass cleaner if you're just going to get streaks? I could have used bath soap, or laundry detergent, or furniture polish, or even some of my gallons of almost free Wesson oil if I didn't want to SEE out of the windows when I was done!

/end rant

I was also noticing, as I squeaked and scrubbed my way around the house, how often soothing activities can become...well...boring. For instance, staying home snuggled on the sofa reading a great book: totally soothing. But staying home with a book because you have no friends and no social life and no one invited you anywhere for the thirtieth night this month: boring. Or drinking a cup of tea: soothing. But drinking tea purely because it has no calories and you're desperate: boring. Same with window washing. I did the first floor, and found it relaxing. Soothing. And then I came to the end of my paper towel roll and noticed that I didn't want to go get another one. I guess that task is done for another year.