Jumping off the High Dive

Back in the day,

one summer my parents hooked my brother and I with a summer membership at a local municipal swim club.
All of that was well and good and the swim club provided swimming and diving classes. What wasn't so well and good were the times when our Mom decided to come to the classes.
She wanted to make sure her money was well spent and her sons were being taught how to not sink to the bottom of the pool when trying to swim. Again, being the mental giants we were-we learned how not to sink to the bottom. Good deal.
Then of course she decides if that was so successful, why not enroll us in diving classes? Really? It was not as if we were heading to the U.S. Olympic Diving Team any time soon. The biggest problem for me was though was jumping off the high diving board. I have never been fond of any height over approximately 10 ft. The 600 foot high board (seemed like it)  was intimidating to say the least.
My Mom was a proponent of "if it didn't kill you, it would just make you stronger" school of child raising- so guess who had his rear up on that board.  Looking back on the moment, I did learn one thing. From that diving board I could see half a continent away... The Rocky Mountains from Ohio.
You certainly are thinking by this time, what the hell is Cyrsti's point this time? (You are lucky you and I don't text!)
Here's the deal.
I have been on the high board quite a bit this year and just as scared as I was so long ago.
I have been fortunate enough to have four very close friends and family which have made it impossible for me to not jump off that board in a very positive way.
I tell quite a few folks I'm not totally sure of how I arrived here-but I sure do love it.
In reality though, I do have an idea how and those people had a hand in it.
I believe only one of the four reads the blog and that would be Liz. Another of course is my daughter.
This is my thanks for pushing me off that damn board!!!!!

I'm trying hard to put a couple pictures of my new hair cut today. I apologize for the overall quality and promise to pass along some better ones later!

Just Another Dose of Nirvana

I guess it's really true- you don't don't know what you are missing if you have access to it all the time-or you have never had it at all.
Sort of like the apple pie your Grannie used to RARELY make when you were a kid. I' m sure if I had it every night, the pie would grow commonplace or if I never had it? Who cares, right?
Today, I went to an upscale full service hair salon-compliments of a birthday gift from my daughter.
OK, I was scared to death. The thought alone of deciding on a hair color alone was giving me cold chills. Another reason I was scared (I realized) came from thoughts I had after a conversation with a close female friend last night. I came away from the talk with the frightening relevation that almost any woman I had ever known in my life hated her hair after the trip to the salon. How was I to be any different?
Well, you all know I'm pretty shy and withdrawn but dammit! What's wrong with all of you? Sure, I understand a hair butchering job as well as the next girl BUT...
As I was waiting for the dye to set in my hair on a soft couch with a cup of coffee and fashion magazines all over the place-I could see it looming on the horizon.
Then, when I was being shampooed and being given a mini facial-I arrived... Nirvana.
Look, I know it's expensive but I know if I could afford it I would be stepping into the same estrogen filled environment as soon as I could.
Was today worth the wait and the fretting? You know it was.
After I come down off this cloud, I will pass along more of how I was an idiot and missed the Nirvana stop for years.
In the meantime, all you genetic women must have been trying to keep this part of your existence a secret for a reason???  It's wonderful...why all the complaining?

Across the Pond

19 year old Brit Ryan Mckenna. After Ryan's body started to take a decidely feminine turn: (left)






Also from the UK:
Carla, 47, (right)  was once Paul and split with his wife Jane two years ago to live as a woman — Carla. Carla grew her hair long, dyed it blonde and had her facial stubble lasered away. Jane moved out of the family home but the kids have stayed — and they love Carla to bits.