Hair's to ya

Yesterday I entered a world that I had not experienced for many years.  Those who know me, know I have almost always worn my hair short.  Wearing your hair short means frequent hair cuts.  For years I have been on a quest for a great hair cut.  On the island I experimented with various hair stylists and many left the "style" part to be desired.  After arriving in Tucson I experimented with Cost Cutters, Great Clips, Super Cuts etc.  Along that journey I encountered several very good stylists and was excited and ready when it came time to make another appointment and then discovered they had moved on.  There seems to be a lot of movement in this industry.  I started to ask strangers in the grocery store when I noticed they had a particularly good cut and kept getting the same salon referral.  So yesterday was my day.  I called the salon and asked for a stylist who likes to cut short hair and April became a part of my life!  It was wonderful to walk into a full service salon - fresh cold lemon water, coffee or tea, even an ice cream cart!  A bustling place with nice music, comfy sofas and a receptionist with fingernails that were a art production in themselves.  I quite immediately felt more relaxed.  And even more relaxed after the scalp massage.  I had forgotten how civilized those are.  So, back to April.  I could tell right away by the way she was cutting my hair that she knew what she was doing.   Turns out she has been at the salon a long time, has the same work days each week and doesn't plan to move anytime soon.  She gave me the great cut I have been searching for all these years and I gave her a great tip. 

AARP

Shortly after I turned 50 I became a member of AARP.  They send out a bulletin and a magazine several times a year and I always learn something new.  This past issue in the magazine had an article on online dating.  After reading it I made the conclusive decision that if I am ever left alone I WILL NOT do online dating.  The story involved a 57 year old widow who went on Match.com after encouragement from friends.  She found someone who Match said was a 100% match.  A few years older, nice looking, sense of humor and they hit it off immediately.  She contacted him first and shortly thereafter he suggested they just use their regular email accounts since he hardly ever went on the Match site.  The whole saga lasted only about 3 months but it was enough to have her fork over $300,000 to him.  I know, you are asking how an educated, self employed, independent woman could fall for this scheme involving someone she never even met.  Turns out that in Nigeria there is a network of scammers called "Yahoo boys" who particularly prey on divorced or widowed individuals.  The picture of him that was on the Match site had been pilfered from somewhere else.  I was horrified reading this article.  I was even more horrified that someone would send money to someone they had never met.  When she filed a report with the FBI she was told that a woman in a nearby city was out $800,000.
The experts in the scams recommend the following: (if you must use online dating)

Don't agree to communicate via private email accounts
Never ever send money
If you have not found a way to meet in person within a month tell them to hit the road

So should I ever be left alone, the only online search I will be doing is for a shelter dog...or two.  The only things they will ask of me is food, water, a walk and a good belly rub. 

Summer in winter?

Our first summer in Tucson is an interesting experience.  It's kind of like being in MN when it's 40 below.  No neighbors outside mingling and chatting, no one doing yard work during the day, and only crazy people exercising.  It's also a bit more peaceful with no neighborhood dogs barking, no coyotes howling at night etc.  With temperatures hovering around 110 daily, the air conditioning is appreciated like the heat in colder climates.  The good news is that we are surviving.  I am getting up at 5:30 a.m. to walk and it's not bad.  Remember, it's a dry heat so it's not like walking into a steam bath.  I have learned to carry a water bottle which is essential.  The temps at that time of the morning are around 75-79.  Last night we even went out on the back patio after the sun went down and we weren't uncomfortable.  Our window shades toward the back yard are lowered each day about 3:30 and that helps a lot.   Of course, you can ask me again in September when this pattern often continues and then my description might not be so cheery.  Next up are the monsoons which we hear are quite the show.  Stay tuned.