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Monday, August 23, 2010

On my travels this weekend I found myself shopping around for a hairdresser.

My hair has reached the stage where I can make a wig from sheddings and every time I try and sleep it wraps around my neck and tries to strangle me.

During my midday stroll I found a likely prospect:

Medusa Hairdressing.




















This is an actual hairdresser, I did not make it up.

After struggling with the idea of getting my hair cut at such a place I came up with some possible sub headings for their display window:

"Our hairstyles kill the competition"

"Stop men dead in their tracks"

"Midweek Discount - Snake Extensions"

"Who Needs Gel When You've Got Stone?"

"No mirrors guarantee"


But is Medusa the best name to really "get people in".
I'm not sure a beheaded snake haired woman who turned men to stone just by looking at them is exactly the appropriate connotation for a supposed beauty outlet.

Don't get me wrong.  Medusa was a noteworthy beauty.
It's just that she was headless and stuck in a bag by Perseus only to be brought out to stun warriors into a rather nasty death.



What's Next?


Minotaur China Shop?

Zeus Electrical?

Hellhound Kennels?

Siren Shipping?

Icarus Airlines?

Or how about

Cyclops Optometrists:

"We keep our 'eye' on our competitors"








Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Tiger is still number 1. At the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, he played an excruciating round of 77, topped only by the even more horrendous 78 from Phil Mickelson.

Tiger had a bad day, Phil had a worse one, and Tiger should be glad.

In an "I'm-so-glad-for-playing-the-worst-round-of-my-life-glad-but- I'm-glad-Phil-didn't-score-in-the-top-four-and-knock-me-off-my-number-one-position-glad".

Which isn't very glad.

But... tomorrow is another day. And Tiger is not the kind of player you can just write off because he had a bad tournament.  No doubt he will be back to the drawing board, ironing out all the bad shots, analyzing the mistakes and going through everything with a fine toothed-comb until his game is back on track.




















Tiger has also decided to play in the Ryder cup if captain Corey Pavin offers him a wild card entry.  He has also mentioned that the lack of helicopters and reporters following him around is a welcome change and that his life is starting to "normalize".  Perhaps these conditions will herald a return to form for the world's No 1 golfer in the near future.



Tuesday, August 10, 2010

I have decided to base this weeks' finds on a theme - a piece of music called "L'amour est un bouquet de violettes" or "Love is a bouquet of violets"

I saw the title for this music in a French film I recently watched on SBS called "The Colonel".  Here is a brief description of the plot from Gonz30 at IMDb: 

A "Reformed Colonel" is found dead in Paris, a couple of decades after Algeria's struggle for independence was won from France. Lieutenant Galois is assigned the investigation of this murder. She receives the diary of Lieutenent Guy Rossi who served under The Colonel in Algeria in 1956, and has been reported as missing in action since 1957. The revelations found in Rossi's diary go far beyond The Colonel's actions in Algeria, and give an insight on how dirty Algeria's War for Independence really was. Written by Gonz30  - Source: IMDb













The film's subject has nothing to do with my romantic musings.  BUT... The title of this song listed in the credits of the film suddenly conjured up images of Paris, images of shades of purple, flowers and well... Love.

So without further ado, here are my picks for this weeks' theme: for lovers of purple and purple lovers(?):

"L'amour est un bouquet de violettes"

 Etsy hotpinkchick's violet hairpin design.



Etsy wildgingersilk's Cobalt Blue and Violet Silk Wrap


Etsy envisage's Violet Rose Locket

Perfect for keeping a tiny pic of your loved one (*sigh*) - See, Tiny pic isn't just an image hosting website!!


And last but not least, it's not French, but it's purple.  In keeping with the "war film" theme, this poster was made in 1939 by the British Government around the start of World War II.  I love this message that still speaks to us today:




The poster was designed as a motivational tool to keep people calm when the Germans finally invaded.  As this did not eventuate, this lovely poster has been hidden away, not really seen by the general public at that time.  "Freedom is In Peril" and "Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory" were predecessors to this wonderfully reassuring poster.  It really is hard to imaging the extent of what they people had to endure during that time.  The bombs, the rubble, the hiding under the kitchen table or in the basement, the rationing of food.  We can draw a lot of strength from our ancestors and how they coped in those days.  It makes me grateful for how lucky we are right now.  Be grateful for those flowers on your table, for the clear skies at night, for the food in your pantry.  And the message still lives:  Keep Calm and Carry On.

I think I'll do just that.  And put on a nice cup of tea....



Monday, August 09, 2010



I woke up this morning with the distinct feeling that I was going to start being healthier.  I wasn't sure how, I just wanted to do something to push me in the right direction towards Spring tank top weather.

I made the snap decision to start eating more fruit.  Did I start slowly?  No.
This morning I had one Royal Gala apple, two Zespri Gold New Zealand kiwifruits, two mandarins and a partridge in a pear tree!!

Ok, without the partridge bit...

Now I am full of fruit and feeling exceptionally healthy.  One more Royal Gala apple, some avocado and tomatoes at dinner and I have covered most of the fruit families in one day.

The only thing I'm not sure about...  What fruit family is the Cadbury Twix?