Grow on...

Well I overshot my anniversary. It’s 28 months; over 2 years since I had my sisterlocs installed and I am still a happy camper. I am not losing as many as I used to and they all of course have grown back. Now the tricky part is taking care of the newbies along with the previously loc’d hair. So I am still not conditioning much as a result. I have a nice hair mist with some e.o of Rosemary that I spritz it with between shampoos, which is once a week.

I was able to go for a professional re-ti in August while I was in Edmonton. I found a fabulous consultant named Jane. Very sweet, patient and fast (it took me two hours to locate her from the airport…long story). Compared to my last appointment; Jane was much faster – under four hours for the re-ti and then another 3 hours on another evening for grooming. My last appointment was 8 hours without grooming, so really, this woman was half the time.

Edmonton is quite a ways from me, and certainly not enroute to any of my popular destinations. Now if Jane was in Vancouver, that would be perfect because I always fly through there on my way to or from the Yukon. As it is, there are no consultants in Vancouver, which I am sad but not surprised since they do not have a large black population on the west coast of Canada.

My next trip “out “ will be November, and if I make it to Charlotte, I will be able to squeeze an appointment with my favourite consultant, Nera. Hopefully she won’t have to bite her tongue as much on my next visit since my hair is way less disastrous than last year.

My hair is now long enough to put into a small pony tail, or should we call it a goat tail, since they run a little smaller than your average pony.

I have to say that when I style it (twist my hair into knots while damp and take it out) it looks pretty darn smashing.

Anyhow, here are the most recent pics of my hair…the summer of 2010. Oh yes, I just turned forty in June and I am feeling fabulous and I think I am looking great and am now training for my 4^th half marathon and having a grand time dating. Dating who you ask? Any one I want to!

Cheers friends!

Good Hair Days

March 2010

I have noticed my growth as of late. I am loving it! For the longest time it seems like nothing was happening. Here are my most recent pics from this April. I'll even add the one from February in Mexico to compare.

My self re-tis are getting a little better. Mind you it could be due to fewer locs to do from all the ones that I lost over the first year.

Here's a question for you loc'd ones...I notice some people are religious about their part/grid and such. I really don't seemed to be bothered by scalp grid not being perfect. After all, I am not having to stare at it, and neither does anyone else. I think. Is this wrong not to be so particular?

Far too long

Well, its been far too long and instead of filling up this space with excuses, I am just going to fill in the key details of the past year.

June of 2009, was the first anniversary of my locs. They were still looking good. I was playing round with styling it. My favourite is twisting my hair into bantu knots overnight, and then tousling it out the next morning. This look gives it curl and fullness and I got many compliments. I wore it this way to a ball. The pictures of me in black, are the from that day.

I did lose many locks over the first year. I couldn't tell you why. Each consultant I go to for a re-tight may be full of complaint and lecture before they start my nest of a head; but after our session have a much better understanding of my challenges with my hair. (I continue to do it myself in between visits). I went for a re-ti last September, with my dear Nera when I was visiting my brother in NC. I lost many locs there as she managed to salvage as much as she could. I kept them all hoping I would some day either find someone or figure out how to re-attach them be sewing them back on.

The exodus of loc loss seems to has stilled; and I am sure that it helps that I am not re-tightening them as often as I used to. I have improved greatly in doing them myself and not getting them all tangled up, so my last consultant visit at the end of January this year was better spent more on restarting the new ones that had dropped out over the past few months. Thanks to a month in Mexico swimming almost every day, not many of them stayed in. And then with all that extra sun and all, I had another growth spurt, but I am trying to keep to only once a month for my re-ties.


This one here is my first anniversary pic. What a difference a year makes.
I do really kind of miss the shorter hair days. I thought that it looked pretty good, but then I was always used to short hair. I did get a lot of compliments in those days. But then I still do!

This last summer the top and sides actually got long enough for me to tie it back or at least pull it up. The picture with my dad looks pretty good.

Ifs funny how we all go thru stages where it doesn't feel like our hair is doing anything or growing, and then you get to see some pictures and then you finally get to see the dffference.

I should be better at keeping this blog up to date as I have a new camera. I also managed to take a few pics in Mexico, right after I got my hair retightened.

Slow Learner

Hey Friends,

No luck with my camera turning up so I have been in major picture withdrawals. But I had a brain fart and figured out my how to use my webcam on my new mini laptop. Voila, current pictures.

It's been almost 11 months since my install. I am still super happy with my decision. I am also glad that I learned how to maintain my hair on my own.

I have been getting better at it, but I am a little worried by the number of locs I have lost. I am embarrassed to say the losses have been pretty numerous as of late, but I need to share that in case anyone else is in the same boat. I cannot tell you why I am losing so many, but I don't have any bald spots. Even when I went for my last re-tight with my original consultant in January, there were some she was not able to save. She put it down to the less than adequate previous re-tight I had since she could not believe I could have had so much growth in only 6-7 weeks, but I personally think that she underestimated my growth. When I saw my friends in Toronto at the end of November, the day before I got it done, to them seeing me the third week of January, they were stunned at how much my hair had grown. The good news is that hair grows back and on my next big trip out I will find a consultant to install some new ones to replace those which vacated my scalp.

In the meantime, I have to combat the loss. I haven't really started to moisturize until recently. Hopefully that will help. I reside in a really dry climate, so I thought it would help with the locing process, but apparently it may have contributed to some of the loc loss.

Again I apologize for not keeping you up to date. I did try to make an entry in March, but I lost my superlong entry trying to post it, and of course I was way too ticked and frustrated to retype it so put it off. Now it's been 3 months, and now I am armed with some technology at hand that will allow me to post more and current pics.

The first photo is in a group from last February in Miami. The webcams are from today. It looks a little thinner thanks to some of my loc loss, but I do have more length.

Any insights would be welcome. It's nice to be back.

Back sooner than later! Maybe I will play with some curls and post those....

Cheerio!

It's about time

Hey Friends;

My apologies for being so quiet over the last couple of months. I have been on the road off and on since mid-January and I am finally on my way home to stay for awhile... I promise! I've got to pay off all of these trips I have taken!

In January, 7 months after my original install; I finally connected with my original trainee who installed my locs. She was sick and unavailable every time I passed thru TO ( passing through is a two day trip for me to even get there). So I was never able to get my follow up retight until January. Of course by then I had started retightening my own hair, so it worked out fine, since she now had to clean up my failed attempts at avoiding my two headed monsters. I didn't get time to get it all done; since I was traveling back home that day and had to catch my flight. The good news is that I finally got my starter kit. As it turns out, I don't really care for the shampoo anyway. Go figure?

Now you must be saying to yourself, " where are your pictures?" Well it's because I am saying to myself "Where is my damn camera?" I haven't seen it since I left Toronto last month. I used it the night before I left and I am pretty sure it was in my purse; but I haven't found it since I got home. I am really missing it! I have had another growth spurt. I am sure that when I get home, my friends who haven't seen me before Christmas, are going to be stunned at my hair growth in such a short time.

I think a big reason for the growth is the lack of shampoo. I have been using a dilution of Dr. Bonners Organic Oil Soap instead. Doing some research I found that SLS; the major ingredient in 99% of all shampoo and body cleanser products; is toxic and actually irritates the hair shaft and slows growth. I have to believe that since I have never seen my hair grow like this since I have gone natural. I have a co-worker that I shared this info with and it made sense to her why her hair grew while she backpacked for three months in Europe; she washed her silky black shoulder length hair very infrequently since she was travelling and on the road all the time. When she returned home; her family could not believe that her hair had grown so much in three months; it was almost to her waist when she returned. Food for thought people. Do our homework!

Other than that it will be good to be back home; I have been gone since Feb 2nd. I had a great trip though; I went to a conference in Miami to learn about my new business venture (btw if you like shopping online; feel free to do it through my web portal at www.marketamerica.com/shopyukon; most of your favourite stores should be under the "shop partners" section thanks for your support if you are gonna shop anyway!) There I learned about all the new vitamins they are bringing out; I learned how to do blend custom mineral foundation; both liquid and powder! That's right, custom make up with no parabens fragrance or talc! Very cool; my friends are looking forward to me coming home so I can hook them up with their own foundation recipe; and very cool other stuff.

I then headed to Orlando for a few days to do the tourist thing. There I was able to meet up with a friend that I haven't seen in 22 years. She was my best friend when I lived in Africa for a few years growing up. It was fantastic to see her and her family. They are from Zimbabwe, so I was able to get first hand info on what is happening down there these days since they still have family there. It's pretty devastating and the politics are so evil. I can't even begin to tell you what stuff isn't even making the news.

The last week and a half has been in Charlotte; hanging out with my mini-me who knows me now as Auntie Lue. I am very happy that she will remember her "Auntie" from now own. Oh, by the way while I was at my brothers Chiropractic and Wellness Clinic last night; another woman in the workshop noticed my Sisterlocs, since she had them too! She was admiring how well mine were locing. We didn't get a chance to chat since the Drs Report was commencing but if she becomes a patient of my brother, I am sure that I will see her on my next trip there.

Anyhow, it should be time to board; Gotta run. hopefully some pics soon!

P.S this pic was from Nov 08 at 5 months

And another thing

I forgot to mention that when I was in Vegas, a week a ago, I received my first random compliment on my hair. What I mean by random is that it was from a stranger. I was at a time share presentation (for free tickets you know the drill) with a couple from Michigan or Missouri. While we were waiting for our ride back to the Strip, she mentioned how much she liked my natural hair in braids. I enthusiastically informed her that it was Sisterlocs and not braids and that she should really look into it for her daughter. Her daughter is finishing university and is contemplating a natural style. I don't know how much she really listened, but I am sure the seed has been planted.

On a side note, it looks like another trip is in the works in January and I'll be able to see my little niece A.K.A mini-me. The good news is that now I don't have to frantically squeeze in a re-tight every time I vist them now. I can do it myself. Yay me...hold that thought. I still have to do it all myself first. I am feeling some new growth already (I know it's only been two weeks!) I'll have some time off over the Christmas holidays, so I will rent some dvd's and make myself comfortable.

Mission Accomplished

Woo Hoo! My trip was successful on the hair front. I was able to get a hair re-tightening and a lesson the week I was in Toronto. My original consultanttrainee surfaced just before I left home for my trip. It turns out she didn't check the email address and she was indeed in hospital, so she was not able to give me my follow up appointment or my starter kit.

Maria D instructed my on the retightening process. I am very happy I got this done since I now don't have to worry about strategically planning my trips around hair appointments. Way less stress even thinking about it. Phew!

My Aunt is still not sold on Sisterlocks, but she has seen it just after it has been done, so it's not looking it's best when she sees it. I did show her some pictures, and she did say it looked nice. I will be seeing her again In January, so I am sure that it will be looking much better when she sees me then when I next visit Toronto.

I ran into my friend Antoinette in the grocery store yesterday and she cannot get over how much my hair has grown, and she only saw me two weeks ago pre-retightening. My girlfriends who met me in Vegas were also surprised at how much my hair had grown. Actually, one didn't even recognise me from behind. She came up wondering who "that woman with the bob was". So needless to say that there has been some ample growth that is now even more apparent now that my hair has been retightened.

In February, I hope to see my brother and his family. I hope to entice my sister-in-law to get out of weaves and into sisterlocks. I told her that when she sees my hair after a year, she is going to be jealous and wish that she had done so as well. It's just a matter of time till she comes over to the "locked" side.

Now, this next phase will have me experimenting with some styling. I am looking forward to that since I am used to my hair having some body and being kind of "up" like it was when it was shorter. Now I have to get accustomed to styling my own hair which now has some weight and some length, which is a new ballgame for me. I'll start moisturizing in January, and until then will take advantage of the dry climate I live in to assist with locing my hair.

Overdue

Well, it's been far too long since my last retightening. I was not able to travel out of the Yukon as I planned until the end of November. That would be 3 1/2 months between retights, so I am already long overdue. I am sooo looking forward to my hair being done.

My original Consultant trainee is AWOL. I never received my starter kit from her, nor has she replied to any of my emails. She does have poor health , so I can't help but worry, but a sign of life would be ideal. She owes me a retightening. I will call her this week, and If I am not able to make contact, I may have to make a call to Sisterlocks to let them know that her status so they can update the information on the site for who is available.

The good news is that I have a lesson booked for when I pass through Toronto in November. I will still find another consultant to spend a few hours with beforehand to handle all the slippage. I imagine about 4-5 hours should do the trick. They won't be doing all of it since I need to leave some to work on for the training session. It's really important that I do retightening training so I don't have to worry about when my next trip is "out" to get it done. Anyhow, here is current state of my po' little head. 3 and 1/2 weeks till I get my mop all gussied up. I can't wait!

First Retightening

Well, after 5 hours, I finally was able to complete my first Sisterlock retightening while on my trip here in Charlotte. It took a little longer than the estimated 2 hours, since my Trainee Consultant, Zdyea in Toronto, did such a fabulous job with the installation, and according to Nera, a rather fantastic hairline, which was a challenge to follow. Nera was pretty happy with our finished product today. Sweet. I will definitly keep her on my Charlotte task list for my future visits.

I have to say, I cannot believe how much my hair has grown in the past six and a half weeks. This hair growing thing is quite impressive to me. My hair doesn't grow normally, but now I am excited about the prospects of it growing in length and volume.

I shampooed it three times between appointments. There was some slippage at the nape area mostly, but the good news is that it's already beginning to lock. Nera says it should be locked by October. Then she said I may be ready to try some styling techniques. She even mentioned using the curling iron, but no more than once a week. We'll see.

Backtracking a little, I must go back to my first shampooing. After waiting over a month for my starter kit, which I forgot at the consultants. (She needs to mail it to me since I live over 3000 miles away), I have had to be creative with the shampoo process. Armed with numerous spray bottles after diligently banding it as instructed, I started off with a diluted solution of Dr Bonners Hemp Oil Soap. The almond scented one gets me every time, I so love that smell. I then used a lemon juice and water rinse; clarified that with a baking soda and water rinse (I used boiled water since I had no distilled) and followed that up with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse.

I was happily surprised on how clean and non-vinegary my hair smelled, and how soft my hair felt. I loved how my hair got a little more volume, just the way that I like it. I got tons of compliments that day. In fact, my best friend mentioned that this is the best hairstyle that I have ever had, and she has known me for over 15 years. I think I have to agree.

I can't wait till I get past the banding stage. But I have to mention the added bonus of more space in the bathroom and beyond as I purged all my hair products and divvied it between all my friends and co-workers. It's totally liberating to be free of product. And even though I didn't get my Sisterlock products, I am pretty thrilled that I have found a natural solution to my hair care, without added chemicals. Kitchen ingredients have always been my best friend, and now they have gone beyond their culinary demands! In my quest for better health and non-toxic options, this totally fits the bill! Ooh thats a pun, since this hair care regime is dammed cheap to boot.

I do have to remember though, that I will need a moisturizer once it locks. Nera did highly recommend the Sisterlocks moisturizer. I will try it once, but I will of course, look for a natural remedy.

The next trick will be getting in my next appointment. My next trip after this one is not until Vegas in December. Stay tuned for that one.

In the meantime, I will post my retightening pictures when I return home from Charlotte, and now apparently Orlando. Man, do I ever get around!

Countdown

Up until 10 years ago, I used to relax my hair regularly. 20 minutes of styling every morning and an unhealthy fear of precipitation was par for the course for me. I used to do it myself, since I live in a very remote and rural part of Canada. I learned how to manage my hair on my own out of necessity.

One summer weekend in August of 1999, after a night of camping at the glorious Tombstone Mountains we decided to drive a little further up the highway to do some fishing. My friend Steve and Sarah went ahead, Mike, his sister Andrea and I followed behind taking our time on the gravel road.

To make a long story short, we never made it. We rolled off the highway, and in true dumb luck, I was the only one that was seriously injured. I much rather prefer that way, as I find it easier to manage my own pain. If anything happened to them, I would have been devastated and maybe a little hysterical. Luckily it was me.

After a helicopter ride, a medevac plane, xrays , lung tubes etc over 16 hours later, I found myself uncomfortably rested in my hospital room with some broken ribs, separated shoulder, collapsed lung and a shredded bicep (my arm bounced out of the car and dragged when we rolled so I had some more than serious road rash). But other than that I felt great.

Luckily, I only had to stay a week at Le Whitehorse General, since my best friend who decided to come up to the Yukon and give me a surprise visit, got a surprise of her own finding me in hospital. I convinced the doctors that she would be able to take care of me.

When I became a little more mobile, I realized that I could not even do my hair since I could barely reach my head. I limped over to a hairdresser, and told her to cut it all off. I still had gravel and dried blood in it from the accident apparently! From there on, I devised the easy "wake and shake" hairstyle which has been my trademark for the last 9 years. It was basically a relaxer that wasn't super straight. After I washed my hair, I would just tousle and go with my wavy/curly shag. It has been very low maintenance and liberating.

Now that every other thing on this planet is causing Cancer I have been educating myself and taking steps to take care of myself and be healthy. Chemical relaxers is on my list to avoid, so going natural became a quest for me since I haven't be natural for about 25 years.

In my quest I came across Sisterlocks!

Well, It's 8 days until I get Sisterlocks. Ironically I am just getting accustomed to my hair as a teeny weeny afro. My last relaxer was Canadian Thanksgiving 07. I was thinking about getting locs then. When I went to visit my brother in Charlotte, I was on a mission to get them done, but then I ended up being to busy helping him out with his Chiropractic and Wellness clinic (lifespringchiropractic.com) so I didn't get any time to find a hair dresser.

I went to Thailand for 3 and a half weeks in January after visiting my brother and took up Mauy Thai (Thai Kickboxing) which kickstarted my fitness journey and helped me lose 10 lbs and reshape my body. I recommend this fitness vacation who is looking for a drastic measure to get back to being fit and healthy.

Anyway , I digress. I had a few days in Charlotte when I returned from Thailand. I was hoping my brother would have set up an appointment for me while I was gone, but he was far too busy.
So after a comedy of errors finally finding a salon, I ended up getting twists, which I didn't like at first, but then I got used to it. That was my confirmation that I am ready for Sisterlocks.