A "Little Boy's Haircut" Please

The Depot Barbershop

After I cleaned up the house, I took Riley down the hill to an old fashion barber shop. Just walking through the door took me back about 30 years or more. There were three older gentlemen there to cut men's and boy's hair, just like when my grandfather or father went to the barber. Here is half of the shop in the photo below... I took a quick picture of Riley getting his haircut. The other half of the shop is another chair station, a board with prices on it saying that they haven't increased prices since the early 90s, and an old fashioned cash register. They took only cash or a check (without checking your ID)! This older man was very patient and good with Riley. He would over and over again put Riley's head where he wanted it to be without getting a bit flustered.

I had been taking Riley to Kid's Cuts where everything is about kids... even the chair they sit in is a little airplane. They are given a video to watch while they get their hair cut. Back in November I took both the boys there and it cost me over $40. I was sure that I could improve on the cost of getting their hair cut. This place only cost $14 for Riley's haircut, plus a few dollars, of course, for a tip. I was lucky because they had a TV too mounted on the wall and there was a kids show playing on it so Riley was still while they cut his hair.

As I sat there I felt that I was in a Norman Rockwell picture. Below, I can picture Riley being this little boy in this picture named Shuffleton's Barber Shop by Norman Rockwell.

I really love quaint places; houses, restaurants, towns, and even barber shops. I was excited that Riley gets this experience of "going back in time". Progress sometimes is over rated (am I showing my age)... If it isn't broken why fix it? I know that things change and that they must change... but it is nice to enjoy the serenity of days gone by. Love Ameriana!

The Barber Shop Quartet by Norman Rockwell to the left.

This place even had the old barber shop pole which led me into researching where the poles came from and their history. This is what I found:

According to barberpole.com, the pole's red and white colors date to the times when the town barber and surgeon was the same man. Bloodletting was a common remedy at the time - it could cure the patient or kill him.The barber hung alternate bloody red cloths and white cloths used to bind the wounds on a pole outside the door of his business. The wind twisted the cloths around the pole, leading to the contemporary design of the barber pole.

In 1745 in England, the growing sophistication of the medical profession, although primitive by today's standards, led barbers and surgeons to part company. The latter provided medical care, while the former continued to specialize in grooming services.

Some barber poles in this country are red, white and blue, reflecting the colors of the flag. But that hasn't always been the case. Until about 100 years ago, barber poles in Baltimore were black and yellow, the colors of Lord Baltimore - as well as the Baltimore oriole, once again not necessarily a sports reference. Today the William Marvy Co. of Saint Paul, Minn., is the only manufacturer of barber poles in North America.Some barbers don't erect poles because their cities ban moving signs. Others find them cost-prohibitive. Those things there cost you about $1,000 --The bigger ones are more than that. There's just not too many regular old barbers any more. This one is on Ebay right now... It is a 1920 Beardsey Barber Pole and the bid is $2,800 at the moment. Better hurry if it's something you're interested in buying! :-)

It's Friday... Whew...

I was able to dig up a digital picture with Laura in it. I learned how to select her picture and cut out the rest of the picture. Here is Laura...
I thought I would add her to my So Long Laura post but that was a day or so ago now. Yesterday I went into the office for a couple of hours and then I was off to Bellevue Community College for a consortium meeting. The college reps in the Seattle area have joined together; two year, four year, technical colleges... both public and private schools to form a consortium. We go out to the employers to request being in employee fairs. These employers are the ones that offers paying tuition as a benefit to working with their company. A lot of people don't take advantage of the benefit so the employer will have us come to their company or organization to give out college information to encourage their employees to further their education. I happen to be an officer on the board of the consortium, so I am required to be at the meetings and officer meetings. We are going to be nominating new officers in the next month. Since we are about only a year or two old we are still working on the by laws, getting a website up, and getting materials printed to promote the consortium. I must say that in the last six months we have done more than in the last two years. The website is almost complete and when it is done I will share it with you. I would love to know what you think of it.

Last night I decided to go food shopping even though I was tired. I got home and discovered one of the two milk gallons wasn't with me so I will have to say something the next time I go in and show my receipt. I am sure that they will believe me and give me another gallon. I remember checking the cart so I know it didn't make it to the cart. I wanted to have all the food for the weekend so that I could cook and not be tempted to go out to eat. I would like to cut eatting out to only once a week.

I also stopped at Hollywood Video to rent some DVDs. I get a couple for the boys so that they will be entertained at times during the long weekend. I also got two DVDs for us to watch. I try to mix it up... not just having the "chick" movies. Dave and Aaron like the action movies. Dave's favorite movies are the Indiana Jones movies. So I picked out "Rush Hour 3" and for me, "Knights of the South Bronx" with Ted Danson. "Knights" is an inspirational movie about a man that loses his job and goes into teaching. No doubt he has a special connection to his students that benefits them all. It may be predictable but at least it will be fun to watch on a cold weekend. I will jump off here and wish you a good evening.

FRIDAY'S FEAST

Appetizer: What is your favorite beverage?

Tea


Soup: Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

Lamp, photo, papers


Salad: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

8 or 9


Main Course: If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

Lynnwood, WA People when they ask where I was born I will answer "Lynwood" but then I have to make sure they put down CA and not WA. Doesn't happen much but I had to answer this question.


Dessert: What stresses you out? What calms you down?

When someone in the family isn't doing well or isn't well. Praying, helping the person, looking for resources, a long warm bath, a walk, being creative, cleaning, talking to someone, shopping, driving, making lists

So Long Laura

It was Laura's last day today at work. I had tried last night to figure out what I could do to send her off. She doesn't like "stuff" so a gift was out. She is a veggian so any thing with dairy was out such as a cake or cookies. She is 26 but is very natural so the things I might get Kari (27), Laura wouldn't like. Laura grew up in a rural setting with a community of native americans and hippies on the east side of the mountains. Finally I decided to give her a card with a special bookmark in it. The bookmark is of fairies and fairyland creatures all trying to balance on one another. It is called The Balancing Act. I told her in the card that as she starts a new "chapter" not to forget to pause or "bookmark" a moment to write us an email. It was all I could think of on a short notice. It was very tearful to say "so long". I am sure she had quite an emotional day for her.
I am sure that she will do well at whatever she decides to do. She is going on in her Yoga studies as well.

Dave and I went out for dinner at The Wok. Then we went to the outlet mall to walk. The mall all around us a half of a mile. We decided that we would go see the Bucket List on Sunday at the movies. I have Monday off too. Thank God its Friday tomorrow. Until then. Hugs.

I Can't Look

As I write this I am sort of watching American Idol. Just like when I try watch a thriller, I can barely watch this audition process. Hoping each year I can stand it, I am right there in front of the TV. Before I started typing on my phone to post, I was watching the show with my eyes closed. The strange thing is I sit and "watch" it for 2 hours, two nights in a row. Go figure? Is it the same reason people are attracted to an accident? Texas was big on strange. Of course, so was Philly. That stalker guy was what nightmares are made of. Or was it the hairy guy? Toss up. Next time they will be in San Diego. Let's see if Cali can keep up.

Today was noneventful. I ended up not going to the employee fair in Tacoma. I had plenty to do in the office. The next two days I will be out so I was good to get desk time in.

Until tomorrow. Hugs

Tuesday Morning

We side stepped snow again. However, everyone north of Bellevue had some snowfall. The only problem that we dealt with in the AM was frost and ice on the road. When I got out to my car, it looked like it had been frozen in an ice locker. I tried pulling on the door to open it and it took some really good yanks on the door to get it to open. Luckily I didn't lock it or the lock would have been frozen. Sometimes one has to pour some water over things to get them to open or unlock. You have to be careful though since it could crack glass. A few years ago I learned about chemicals... there is spray that you can buy to spray on the ice/frost on the car to melt it. I got the boys in the car, started the car to get the defrost and heater going, and sprayed the windows. I must admit that it still seems strange to this CA native girl that I am in 30 something degree weather dealing with ice. All I ever had to deal with before was dew on the windshields.

I got the boys to the daycare and to work. I had a meeting and then I hit the road. I had an employee education fair in Tacoma. After the fair, it was back to the office at 3 pm. It was an OK fair. Nothing to write home about (well, that isn't true since I am writing about it here). Lindsey was out delivering materials so the office was quiet when I returned. I could have taken a nap. Then, in walked Laura, a 26 yr old that has been working with me since I started at the college. She had just resigned today and will be leaving to go to Jamaica on Friday for two weeks. She has been studying Yoga to teach and moved to the city of Seattle. She lives on Capitol Hill (where there was a murder a few weeks ago). I worry about her but she is a very sensible girl. Now while she is young it is time for her to do these things. I guess it is time for her to go on to her next chapter in her life. I will miss her but I am happy for her.

As I told you I would, I have added the picture of Mt. Rainier (with all it's snow on it) from Orting (which is above)and the picture of the entertainment center (which is below).
Tomorrow I am scheduled to go to another education fair, again in Tacoma. They say it might be icy again, so my traveling might be disrupted by weather. Again, we will see. Is it Friday yet?

Rainy Day and Monday

OK... the sunny springlike day that we had yesterday is just a memory now. It is amazing how quickly the weather can change around here. The weather people on TV are saying we could have snow falling tonight. I can tell you it is cold enough outside that I believe them. I just went out to the car to get something and I am still feeling the chill as I write this. I am afraid it may freeze the water in the water bottles I have in the back. One station is saying something about 4 inches of snow. We'll see.

I was at a high school college fair all this morning and then after lunch a bunch of us college reps met at a Starbucks to go over our calendars. It helps us to keep informed about what is happening so we don't miss an event.

I think I will take my shower, get the boys in bed, and finish a task while I listen for the news for the weather again. I am suppose to go to an employers education fair at a hospital in Tacoma tomorrow. But I won't go that far if there is snow on the ground.

Aaron is working on a paper that is due tomorrow. He worked on it last night and tonight and that is why I am posting by my blackberry again. Sorry no photos this time. I will have plenty to show once I get on to the computer again.

Have a nice and cozy evening. Hugs :-)

Oh Sunny Day

It was a beautiful day today. The sky was blue and clear, proving that there are non rainy days in Seattle during this time of the year. Usually on clear days it is cold outside but today it was like spring. The mountain was "out" which is our way of saying that Mt. Rainier is visable. It is hard to believe that just last week I was writing about snow and today about a springlike day. Another feature of today which made it feel like spring was that there were primroses at the stores to buy and plant. They are the first flowering plant we've seen since fall to plant. So I bought 5. It might be early but I couldn't resist.

On days like today we can't stay inside. Especially when we may not see a beautiful day again soon. So off we went on a drive again. We drove through the city of Orting and I took a picture of Mt. Rainier which I will add to this post. Orting is where we go bike riding on a railroad track that has been made into a trail to walk or ride a bike or horse. It where we went on one of our first dates in the summer of 99.

We also went to pick up an entertainment center from Lindsey. She is moving and getting rid of things. It fits a corner so I took it off her hands

I am not really ready for another 5 day work week. I guess I will make it up as I go. Cheers