An update.

Just a small post today with a few quick updates.  

1.  I was shocked out of my melon yesterday to receive our electricity bill for the month of July.  It was $294.  TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY FOUR DOLLARS, people.  I'm used to cheap hydro-electricity at home.

I cried like a baby.

Then, I called Stuart and cried some more.

Then, I ate some peanut brittle.

Then, I texted my Mom.

Then, I went and picked Stuart up from work (remember, we're down to one car now) and he promptly came home and shut off the air conditioner.

Waaahhh!  

Alright, alright.  So you may remember I'm reading through the Little House books - and it ain't no secret, they got by without an air conditioner and survived.  

But y'all.  It's hot here.  It's subtropical.  It's humid.  It's....okay, you get the idea.  But to keep that danged 'ol Dave Ramsey's budget happy...the air conditioner had to go.

Here's the plus side: if ever we'd hoped to live on a self-sustaining farm, chances are, we wouldn't have air conditioning.  So maybe the Lord is preparing us for the adventures to come after all!

2.  On a different note, the NO-POO experiment is going awesome!  I haven't had to battle any greasy hair days and I've been able to extend the washing to every three days.  I've been pleasantly surprised with the body and oomph my hair naturally has - normally, it is very limp.  I wonder if the conditioner was weighing it down?  

Here's the routine:
 - Before getting into the shower, I dump about a tablespoon of baking soda into a small tupperware.  I then pour about 1/8th of a cup of apple cider vinegar into an old bottle.

 - In the shower, I add about a quarter cup of water to the baking soda.  Then, starting at the bottom of my head, I use my fingers to part my hair and sorta scoop a bit of the baking soda liquid onto the roots.  Rub, rub, rub.  Then, I part a few more inches of hair down and repeat.  Eventually, I make it to the crown of my hair (making sure to get the hair around my ears and such) and just dump the remaining mixture over the top of my head.  I use my fingertips to really work the mixture all throughout my hair and scalp.  Then, I leave this on while I wash my hair and body with castile soup.

 - After rinsing out the baking soda, I take my vinegar bottle and hold it up to the sprayer to fill it with warm water (it's a 12 ounce bottle).  Then, I tilt my head back and gently pour the vinegar mixture of my hair.  I gently work it through with my fingers and rinse it out.

I haven't noticed a problem at all with a residual vinegar smell, scalp irritation, tangles (in fact, it brushes out very easily), extra-oily hair, or courseness.  My hair feels healthy, soft, (and truthfully) better than normal.  I trust over time, it will even get better.

I did have a reader tell me that they add a bit of tea tree oil to their baking soda mixture, which really helps them with their scalp - I may start doing this every other wash or so.

I am thankful that I began this no-poo journey when I did - because frankly, 'Dang Dave' (as I'll lovingly refer to Dave Ramsey as), wasn't allowing for much of a beauty product budget.

3.  My parents sent me a care-package with magazines, pine nuts, walnuts, chex-mix, chocolate, and a bottle of vanilla extract.  I cried like a baby out of happiness.  And sadness.  What a blessing.  I love them so dearly!

4.  Lastly, I'd like to officially say goodbye to my Blackberry.  I suppose I'll just have to check my email and comments like a person in 2006 would have.  Ah, the humanity!

But it does save us $30 a month.  Booya, Dave!

See all the fun you're missin' out on down here?!