More on Shampoo, and yes, I have shampoo

If you've stuck with me for a while, then you may remember my whole shampoo issue from last year. The latest installment being here. The TL;DR version is that waaay back in April, I noticed I was running low on shampoo, and decided to share my semi-neurotic decision making process with all of you. Just deal, and spend our meager funds on other necessities? Go ahead and try the product I had wanted to for a while, knowing that it would last me for good amount of time? Break open all those hotel shampoos I had hoarded up?

As you know from the above linked post, moving, a broken water heater, and shake-up of my routine all contributed to a reduction in my normal shampooing, drastically reducing my need for shampoo. Or at least the amount of shampoo which I need. At this point, I'm shampooing about 2, up to 3, times a week. The third time is usually if I manage to get off my behind and actually go to the gym or do my TV yoga (that could be a fun post, huh?).

Currently, I'm using an Aubrey Organics shampoo, no conditioner. The ingredient list is a little long, but certainly not the worst I've seen, and I like what ingredients are listed. It is on the upper threshold of pricey for me, but considering I don't even remember when I bought this bottle... August or July, maybe... and I'm still using it, I think it is ok.

In general and in theory, I did like the JR Liggett's bar shampoo. However, I don't know if I did not give myself enough of a transition time, or if my hair simply didn't care for it. The reality of my hair with the shampoo bar was less nice than it has been with my current, liquid shampoo. Not terrible, just lackluster. I still hold out hope of finding a shampoo bar that my hair and scalp like.

Aren't you thrilled to be kept apprised of my shampoo adventures? What methods of cleaning your scalp do you use?

Shampoo, Tomatoes, and me

Just an update on the JR Liggett bar. I still like it. It still is doing a great job. And my shower time has been greatly reduced. So reduced that I don't really have a time to turn off the water whilst I do something else and then turn it back on.

My tomato plants are hanging in there. One that appears to have been the victim of a varmint attack (as several branches are leafless) has a few fruits on it, and as of a day ago, maybe one flower. I feel as though I'll be saying goodbye to that plant shortly.

In happier tomato news, some of the tomatoes are ripening and getting color. Since I don't actually remember which plants are which variety, I'm not sure which ones are supposed to be yellow versus red, but guess that'll come...um...naturally.

Here's a question for you veteran tomato gardeners: If the skin has split on a tomato, should I clip it off now, or let it ripen and just eat it?

How are your summers (in the Northern Hemisphere, anyhow) going? Any garden experiments?

Anyone else having water heater issues this year? (was just looking back - in February, the one in our apartment had issues, then recently the one in our new house did, too! Am I destined to take sponge baths or cold showers?)

Shampoo Crisis Voided

That little bit of shampoo stretched out for quite a while. My husband got his own, and I was able to search through my collection of previous shampoos to keep from running out completely.

Then we moved. Then the water heater stopped working. (Right about the time I finally used the last of my shampoo.) Through a series of frustrating events, we weren't able to have the repair guy come out for about a week and a half to two weeks. (Yes, we had tried to re-light the pilot, but it wouldn't take because of a burnt out part!) With my hair washing schedule thrown into the mix, there was a good long stretch (at least a week), where I didn't wash my hair.

Things I did try while waiting for the water heater to come back to life: a cold shower (I chickened out), bar soap (gift) while washing my hair under a faucet, and scarves wrapped around my head.

In the middle of the Great Water Heater Disaster of 2010, I had a wedding to go to. Luckily for us, my uncle lives close, and we used his shower the night before the wedding. Also lucky for us, there was a block of hotel rooms rented for the wedding, with one standing open, so we could use that and its hot water.

With no hot water, I wasn't really washing my hair, and when I did, I was using the above mentioned bar soap (which had been a gift, and I'm reasonably sure didn't have too many bad things in it). When the water heater was fixed, I needed shampoo. So back to the drawing/research board. I settled on the J.R. Liggett shampoo bar, mainly because I knew I could find it in at least one area store, and had read good reviews about it. Oh, and the lack of sulfates was a big plus. I've been using this bar for a week or two now, and so far, so good.

There you have it. Because I know you were on pins and needles, waiting to find out about my shampoo and hot water situations.