Vintage Bounty..................

I haven't gone to the beauty parlor since last August.  At that point I had my beautician give me a few highlights and a trim.  My hair has gotten quite long by now and as of this morning was sporting a number of split ends.  Torn between "hey, it's all going to fall out anyway" and wanting to feel good about what I see in the mirror right now, I found myself walking into a Bo Rics today.  I thought a rather inexpensive trim might serve as a good compromise for the time being.  I didn't want to get highlights as I'm worried about further damaging my hair before the chemo onslaught. 

Another reason for going to an unfamiliar place was that I didn't want to have to go through the whole story again with yet another acquaintance. As the lady cutting my hair went about her business, she began telling me about all of the specials they have coming up on highlights and conditioning.  Clearly she thought (and rightfully so) that my hair is in need of far more than just a trim :)  I finally had to explain to her why I wasn't going to be needing any more treatments in the near future thus defeating the whole purpose for my going there in the first place.

 But life is funny and God moves in mysterious ways.  The lady cutting my hair was quiet for a minute and then she began telling me that she had a cancer scare  herself a year ago.  She regrets having told anyone about it, because she noticed that people began treating her differently once she revealed her diagnosis.  The thing is, I've noticed the same thing.  There are people I've heard from and there are people that have avoided contacting me.  I'm sure it's a matter of not knowing what to say. 

There is no doubt that the people in my life care about what happens to me.  I don't want to feel isolated though.  I usually work these things out by myself. But it's different this time.  I need human contact in order to feel as though I'm still a part of the human race. I just know that I'm going to approach this kind of news about my loved ones and friends differently in the future having experienced it first hand.  When I've recovered......................

Echoes from the Past

Speaking of promises, I've been remiss in posting the calendar pages that are the result of a collaboration between my husband and I. I initially thought I would begin each month with a blog entry that included the page for that month.

Well, I believe I successfully completed my mission in December and January Then, like most of my diets, the mission began to fail! And, as with most of my diet attempts, I am here to try again.

The page for April consists of a background photograph taken in Calumet, Michigan. We are always fascinated with the texture and color of older building facades. I am particularly drawn to those walls covered in metallic material with a turquoise, teal hue. The town of Calumet was hit hard when the copper mines in Northern Michigan were closed. As a result, there are many abandoned buildings in various states of disrepair. Not so great for the town, excellent photographic opportunities. The town is attempting a comeback by becoming a micro art colony. There are a couple of wonderful galleries there paired with a quality gift shop.

The image framed by the window is a vintage photo altered in Photoshop. I love the haunted quality of this page. The past looking out towards the future.