World's Greatest Shave

It's on yet again!

Yes! The World's Greatest Shave! 

And yes, I'm taking part in it as I always do every year. 

I joined up for it in January and hoped people would give greatly. However, this year, I didn't raise as much as I had hoped. I only raised $75.00. Such a pity I didn't get over the $100 mark... but that's just how it goes sometimes. 

I have had some big things going on in my life too; but I have been taking the donation boxes with me - leaving one at my local doctor's surgery and have another one to travel with me places. And family promised to donate, but forgot or didn't have the cash. Never mind... I understand things can get on top of them and they may not have the money at this time of year.

Anyway, this year, I went to the Griffith University Campus Heart on Kessel's Road to get my hair coloured. Mum, Dad and I had never been there before; and so we had to trust the good ol' GPS to get us there and back. 
Fortunately for us, we didn't have to walk far, or wait very long. And the best thing is that the university was so pretty, very big and lovely in every way. And seeing I've never attended a university, I never thought it would be like this - you know pretty and nice. 


Once there, I signed in with the organiser - Daniel - and he let me know that the hair-dresser was going to take a break from shaving and they were going to do some colouring again soon. And once she finished to go on a lunch break, I was next up. 

It was great fun! 

One of the students (I think he was a student), coloured my hair all different colours - but used the base colour of green and purple... then added in yellow and pink. Mum was there with my phone, capturing the whole thing for me! It was wonderful.

The best thing was that Daniel asked me about how long I've been doing this, if I'd shaved or coloured before and I said I shaved 2 years ago and had had cancer in our family - touching different members, as well as myself - and this was my way of giving back to society of how much it means to me to be alive still. While I was in the chair getting my hair done, he told everyone over the P.A why I was doing this and what I had told him... it was great! 

Now, I think next year, I may go back to the Griffith University Campus Heart to get my hair done again... it's such a friendly place. And while Mum and I waited for Dad to pick us up, we didn't feel as though we had to move on or anything. We just sat around in the shade of the Campus Heart (which is a huge seated area with a few cafes and restaurants around) and just hung out there. It felt very welcoming and comfortable.

So, that was my day today. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here!

This Weekend

It's not yet gone midday and I've gotten a lot done in my day.  I've got 4 loads of laundry done, the chickens have been fed and patted (to make them lay more eggs) and I've been to the store up the road to buy a paper and a few little essentials and milk.  The laundry was finished by around 10am and I'm glad it's turning out to be a hot day; as it's going to dry nicely.  I've also done a few bits of my own laundry so I don't have to do any when I get back home.

But it was yesterday that was the busiest day for me. I had a day full of visitors and they were my parents.  I haven't had people around here since Geoff and Vivenne came here with Little Zoe for dinner the week before; and so it's been very quiet here.
Dad got in and went to mow the lawn, but found there was no petrol or oil for the mower or whipper-snipper... this frustrated him as they really should have kept it up.  And the lawn mower he found didn't work properly, so he pulled the one from under the house and it worked but the catcher was small and he had to stop every now and then to empty it.  So, the job that was supposed to easy turned out to be something hard; this made him really impatient.  And really, I don't blame him.
But they were impressed that I have kept the house as clean as possible.  But the bathroom wasn't as clean as they expected.  I said I have been trying to keep things as tidy as possible by sweeping up, wiping down the counters and washing up as much as possible.  Mum told me a few home truths (which I can't put here as it's not right) and I said that I'm doing what I'd only do at home; she's pleased I'm keeping up with it all too.
By the time I did the World's Greatest Shave event at Redcliffe, and then had some lunch, Dad thought to have a shower and we wanted to have a cuppa... so we jumped in Mum's Pajero and I showed them Eclectea - the tea and coffee place I went to the other day.  Well!  They loved it.  It was full of stuff that Mum loved and Dad got in and remembered a lot of the things he used to see when he was young.  Then, the shop keeper turned around and remembered my name from my Facebook entry on their Facebook wall.  Mum was amazed the lady remembered so many people.  We got a coffee going and something to eat and sat outside in the nice cool breezes and drank our our coffees... it was lovely.  And seeing we were the last customers for the day, the owner got to kick back a little and talk to us too.  She loved my hair (as I hadn't washed the colour out yet) and she thought it was a good cause to support.

But today is going to be a hot one.  So, I'll be just kicking back here and enjoying my Sunday.  I've read the paper and had breakfast.  Might just surf the net and hang out and do nothing in particular... yep, that sounds good.  What are you up to on this St. Patrick's Day?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Happy St Paddy's Day!

Yep, today is St Paddy's Day but Brisbane had their parade for it last week - how strange is that?  So, really it felt like any other day.  Why is that?  Well, today is The World's Greatest Shave Day... where everyone who has raised money around Australia goes to an event (well over the last three days really) and gets their hair coloured or shaved.  I had a bit of both done.

But my day didn't start out at the event.  It started out somewhere completely different.  I was at home, at around 8:30am getting ready to leave to go to the Springwood East Community Centre for their thrift Sale.  Everything there was under $5.00!  What a bargain!  So, Mum picked me up and we drove straight there, parked and walked in.  I looked around quickly and then went back to look at the plants that were on sale.  I wanted to see what I could get for the best prices.  I bought four plants; two were $5.00 and two were $2.00... what a great deal!  And the best deal was that one of them - a collection of succulents - had their own little terracotta pot; and it was only $5.00.  I loved it immediately.  Dad thought I got a great deal; seeing I'm trying to fix up the yard a bit and get more plants for it.  This is the best place to buy the plants you want for your yard; as they are from other people's yards where they've grown them themselves.  Now, to buy some new - larger - pots and good-quality potting mix and I'll be under way to make these plants really grow.  

Once I had bought myself what I wanted from the Thrift Sale, Dad drove me to their place and he made Mum and him some coffee.  It was good to have a rest before the event of the World's Greatest Shave.  I got changed into an old shirt and Mum returned home with some plants and a few books.  And she had a look at my books while I looked at her choice of books; then the next thing we knew, we were off again!  We drove to the Centro at Springwood and parked underneath Woolworths, walking up to the event where we could hear them talking about it all.  I signed in and was the next person up for my colouring... but I had a plan!  I wanted to get a bit of shaving done too.

I asked the hair-dresser to quietly shave some from the back - underneath my hair - and she asked the other hair-dresser to help her.  The MC didn't know what was happening either - and Mum was asking me from the audience:  "What are you doing?" I started to laugh!  It was hilarious!  I started to laugh as the MC began to make fun of me and the hair-dressers!  What a fun time!  Then, came the colours!  I said to have fun with the colour; but not blue.  She said that blue wasn't given to them.

Well!  By the end of the whole thing, I had been shaved a bit and had a head of hair that made me look like a melted packet of Skittles... yep, I could just hear the motto:  "Taste the Rainbow" in my head... as that's exactly what I looked like!  Very cool, very funny and I'm enjoying my very new hair-do! Mum's not sure of it, Dad thinks it's different but I like it... it's fun.

It's been a long day and I'm looking forward to a nice early night tonight.  I am happy with my new plants; and I'm looking forward to reading the books I bought.  Until my next post, have a great St Paddy's day and don't drink too much green beer!  Keep safe and warm and remember I'm always here.

Up And About!

Yesterday, I committed a sin in my house... this sin was watching daytime television!  Yes, it's a big no-no to turn on the television and watch anything from the television times during the day as it makes one a couch potato.  And this was a promise I made myself years ago; the main reason why my television is always switched off at the wall.

Anyway, I had finished stuffing around on the computer here and thought to go downstairs and see what I could do there.  My foot was hurting more than usual after my shower, so I thought to surf the channels to see what movie was on... not much, until I found 'The Doctors' on channel 90.  This is a panel of 5 doctors who are from different fields who help people through a television show.  There's an ER doctor, a plastic surgeon, a women's health doctor, a nutritionist and a GP.  And they all work together on this panel... it's a good show and goes for an hour.  Then, after it finished, I turned over to channel 7 where 'Dr Oz' was having fun with his audience; getting them to interact and look at their fingernails and understand about house hold cleaners... it was funny and good.  Meanwhile, I sat on the lounge and worked on a painting that had been sitting idle for about three months.  Over the two hours I sat there, I made it look good... and I'm glad I got something done on it.

Today, I woke up, looked outside and realised that yesterday's television viewing wasn't going to happen again.  I needed to get back into my usual routine of laundry and keeping the house running - sore foot or not.  So,I grabbed a rubbish bag from the office and stuffed my dirty laundry into it, tied it up and tossed it down the stairs where it landed against the front door.  Okay, that was ready to go, I readied myself to get down the stairs in a more orderly fashion.  

Once downstairs, I opened up the house, went outside and pulled the towel off the Basil plant and looked around, then put on the first load of laundry - towels - and started the washing up.  Then, once the first two loads of laundry were out on the line, and I had eaten breakfast, I readied myself for the long walk to the post office (I say long because my pace has slowed somewhat since last week).  

Anyway, once there, I faxed a bank, sent off a cheque from my health care fund and got money out and had a chat to the people who ran the post office as they asked me what happened for me to be on a walking stick.  It was then time for me to recharge my phone at the service station across the road.  So, I did that and chatted with the lady there too before returning home.

All of this took me about an hour when usually it took me twenty minutes if I didn't have the broken toe.  By the time I had returned home, I thought to phone Will and see how he's doing and we chatted for 20 minutes and he was happy to know I'm healing well.  He thought my shopping day was funny - with me in a wheelchair for the day - and said he had Sunday and Monday off and was looking forward to them. 

Well, that's been my day so far.  I've still got a few things to do around the place before I finish up for the week.  However, tomorrow is sure to be a big day for me as it's The World's Greatest Shave day... and I'll be out of the house before 8am.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

The World's Greatest Shave Event!

Today was the day where I attended the free event at Springwood's Centro Shopping Centre and got my hair sprayed with purple and blue hair spray... and did we have fun!  

It poured rain on the way there, so I got my family to meet up with me down there.  And while I was waiting for them, I ran into Maria and Kory Koppenol; my cousin's wife and his son.  They had donated there but sponsored me too after they heard I was getting my hair coloured.  However, Kory got a little restless and so Maria had to take him home soon after my family arrived with Riley in tow.  

I signed up and waited my go and while we were waiting a policeman got his head shaved and his legs.  Then a man got his head, arms and legs shaved and a few ladies got their head shaved too.  The MC for the morning offered Dad to get his beard shaved off and started getting people to bid; but Dad said his work was doing a fundraising day of it next week.

Soon, it was my turn and I went up there, sat in the seat and had the bright orange smock put on me.  The hairdresser asked me what I'd like and I said to do one half purple and the other half blue... and we had fun doing it.  The spray stunk to high heaven, but it was for a worthy cause and I kept in mind all the people who I was doing this for; mainly my friends on Bookcrossing who are dealing with Cancer in one way or another, my Uncle who has begun his battle with it, family friends who have been fighting it for years and those who have passed on from my life I have fond memories of who lost their battles too soon.  Also I have fought it also and survived it too; and so I did this for anyone else who might get this or any other kind of cancer so they can get the research they need as the government here doesn't supply any money to support them.

For the rest of the day, I spent it with my family eating lunch, drawing with my niece Riley and reading 'Catch-22' as well as uploading a photo album on my Facebook page of the free event.  However for those who aren't my friends on there, I've put up some great photos here.  

A before shot with my choice in hair colour!

Halfway through with mad-eyed look... hehe

From the back... not a bad look really.

With the MC today after my new hair style.

Jay the dog was with us too and so it ended up being a good day for everyone.  I got home from Mum and Dad's and washed my hair with Anti-dandruff shampoo and bi-carb soda (to get the blue colour out) three times and then washed it with my usual shampoo and conditioner and my hair colour is back to its normal colour!  Can't say the same about my shower!  There's still a few spots of blue hair colour on the tiles and glass I've gotta get off.... eeewww!  My t-shirt has a big blue stain on it the back and my ears are still full of the blue hair colour too!  Thankfully it came off my neck and face.  Well, that's all from me for now... until next time, stay safe and keep well; and remember, I'm always here.

Friday...

What can I say?  It's the end of another week and I've gotten nowhere with my next door neighbours and their water hammer; them to fix it.  It's been almost a year now and they still think it's my problem and my fault that my house is noisy... weird.

Well, this week, I got in and worked on my portrait; and got somewhere.  It looks pretty good.  I went out on Monday and bought some paint; exchanging some empty tubes for new ones at Riot Art.  Then, I bought some black paint and was set to get into working on it.  While I was at Garden City, I got my hair cut and did a few other things as well as bought two books; the only ones I purchased for the month... so I've been good.  Last month, I only bought two books too!  I'm getting better at buying only what I'll read instead of what looks good; and I'm making sure that's what I do.

Tuesday was a day of sticking around here after a stinking hot day that Monday was... and that day turned into a horrible line of storms that cooled us off for the week; causing us to pull out the blankets and sleep really well.  So, at night, I've had to close up the house a little early because the breezes are turning cooler than they were last week.  Our seasons have changed rapidly here.

We've also had evening showers and so when I wake in the morning, my clothesline is wet and all the plants have rain drops on them.  I've also noticed that I have acquired new neighbours over the back fence in the last week.  There's a father and son team who moved in last week or so and they spent a lot of time cleaning up the back courtyard.  Then the young couple who moved in this week who I only caught a glimpse of last night - and didn't wish to say hi to me, rushing inside before I even got out a 'good evening' was kind of weird.  But I suppose they're okay and quiet.

Today, I went out to the Chiropractors soon after my neighbour decided to stay home after she went out at 6:30am.  After spending most of her morning in absolute silence, she turned on a tap and my place went nuts... with water hammer.  How fortunate (maybe not for Little Miss Stevie because she was stuck with it for the day), I went out after midday.  I caught a bus to Springwood, went to Suncorp - only because their phone banking wasn't working - and got out some money, bought a cheap money box (something I'd need a can opening to open after using it) and then I walked to Mum's house.  Before going to the chiro's I printed out an e-mail for Rockaway's Music Store and took off... then I went.

After getting my treatment, and getting a couple of sponsors for the World's Greatest Shave, I went to Rockaways and spent an hour and half trying to choose a couple of John Farnham vinyls for a die-hard fan of the man... something she wouldn't have in her cd collection.  I got talking to an older man who had travelled from the other side of town to come to the music store.  He and I swapped music and concert stories and he said that it was amazing that I loved music in the exact same way he did and yet I was so young.  I told him that my maths part of my brain didn't work and that my folks pushed me to be able to keep time with music; and it lead me to learn a musical instrument... and now I love music of all kinds; not just rock, not just classical, no just jazz... all kinds.  He reckons that's it with music; it's an international language for everyone. 

Well, I watched 'UP' tonight on dvd and loved it.  Don't know why I didn't watch it at the movies... but I didn't.  I'm so glad I waited until I got the surround sound system though as it sounded amazing!  I could hear every single rock and leave move around the place... very cool!  Well, until my next post, keep well, keep safe and I'll still be here.

The World's Greatest Shave! - An Update!

It's been a little while since I last wrote about this... so I thought to let you all know how this is going.  I received my kit last Friday and have raised over $100.00 of my $500.00 goal!  The first people I asked to sponsor me were the Slacks Creek Post Office; and they did with $5.00.  I tried out the Woodridge Fire Station - who put in their own words - nah.  But their Captain kindly said that they did their own shave for the Leukemia Foundation and it was nice of me to ask anyway.  

I worked at the Logan Art Gallery on Friday afternoon.  So, I asked everyone there to sponsor me and I raised $30.00 on that afternoon!  What a day!  It was so very cool of them to help me with with.

Yesterday, I had my hair trimmed; so I didn't use so much spray on the day.  Now, it's a little short, but my hair will grow before the day, so it'll look good.  I went to Garden City to purchase the hair spray colour and Anti-Dandruff Shampoo to get the colour out at the end of the day.  You see, I have coloured my hair before with permanent colour and this shampoo really does work to get a colour out if I didn't want it; or wanted it out sooner than if it wore out, I shampooed it out with this shampoo and conditioner.  So, I'm using T-Gel Anti-Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner 2 in 1... I hope it works.  I'm sure it will.

I wore my badge for the World's Greatest Shave yesterday and took along my sponsorship book, but I didn't get anymore sponsors.  But when I got online, I found that I had been sponsored again by my Mum for around $50.00 or so.  So, I'm going well!  If you'd like to sponsor me, just go to this link The World's Greatest Shave Profile

I hope you can keep track and see how far I go.  And I've found an event I'm going to attend in my local area. 

Centro Shopping Centre

Cnr Fitzgerald Ave & Rochedale Road (Service Road)

Springwood 4127 

12, March, 2011

10am - 12pm

Outside Woolworths.

I'll be there with my Mum and other friends who I hope will be there; as I've put it up on my Facebook page to see if they wish to come along.  I will be putting up photos of me with my hair coloured for the day on my Facebook page and also see if I can get my Hotmail/Live photo albums working too.  Well, that's all for now.  Take care and I'm always here.

The World's Greatest Shave!

It's that time of the year again!  Yep, it's where you can choose to shave off your hair, beard, leg hairs... or you can colour your hair some wild and weird colour all in the name of a great cause.  The Leukemia Foundation has put out the word for people to volunteer themselves to be sponsored and have themselves shaved or coloured to raise money for blood cancer.  And I've put my name down for it!  

I'm not going to shave my long tresses off, instead I thought to play it safe and colour my hair a wild colour; I just haven't decided which colour yet.  I thought that hot pink might go well, but then, green might a winner too... or even an electric blue!  So, if you're one of my close Aussie friends and haven't received an e-mail about this, let me know about it and I'll forward it to you so you can sponsor me for this great cause.  And don't worry, the colour will only stay in for a day and will wash out completely.  And if you don't want to either, you can wig it for the day; yep, wear a wig!  Or wax hair off some part of you... if you can stand the pain of that.... in any case, it's to change the features of your hair.  And it's fun and to raise money!

I may even make a day of it and put up some photos on Facebook about it or on 365 Project and you'll all be able to have a look at it... or even photobucket as an album.  

So, what do you say?  Have you ever shaved or coloured your hair for this great cause - or any other for that matter?  I've collected money for MS when I was in high school and raffled off tickets for lots of yummy chocolates for the Logan Writers' Guild when we were trying to raise money one time (and we raised over $500 at that time!  It was a great success) and so this is a great cause and I've wanted to take part for some years; and thought that this year better than any other to do so.  If you'd like to take part, just google the title of this post and you'll find all you need to take part; or if you'd like to sponsor me, let me know in your comments.  Thanks guys.  I hope you have a great day... and remember, I'm always here.