NO POO: Hair cleaning, Degreasing, Deodorizing.

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Hair Care

Gross.(not really though)

I have been washing my hair for that last 2 years give or take a few months, with Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar.

I have tried this method off and on a few times, with long hair and short hair. Works better for me with short hair, as it fried my long hair but that could have been the way I was doing it.

The first few times I kept a container of dry baking soda in the shower just dumped a little in my hand and added enough water to make a paste. Then tried to evenly distribute it through my long locks. That fried my hair, I gave up after a few try's.

Then I cut my hair and donated my pony tail to Locks of Love for wigs for children, it made my heart feel good.

Well then I tried it again with short hair same process, made a mess of my hair again. Gave up again! F-this noise I tells ya.

So I did some more research, and I can't remember if I followed someone elses idea or plans or if I just made them up myself, in this case pffff, I made them up myself, "those who dout me........" add your own profanities, expletives this is family friendly... Well I try. It's a quote from the HBO show Deadwood, you get my drift, It has a lot of swearing in it, and crude comments, it is fantastic.

So we found some glass jars with cork style lids at a yard sale or thrift store or someplace like that.

The tools and ingredients - water

 For the baking soda I take a little more than a handful of baking soda load that into jar then add water to fill the jar put the lid on shake it up.

Then for the Apple Cider Vinegar, I fill up the jar 1/3 up then top off with water, put the lid on, shake.

The How To, NoPoo

This method has been working very well for me the last two years. Now your supposed to be able to ween yourself off of this stuff, when your hair starts "naturally" cleaning itself, I have never gotten to that point my hair gets pretty gross if I don't wash it for more then two days. I thinks its all a load of what? you may ask your self, BULL, ya maybe if you don't do to much with your day and sit around in an extremely Air conditioned building then you might be able to get away with weening your self off. Me? no I'm in the heat and humidity too much, just doesn't seem plausible.

Final product with its relatives

Now these two containers last me about 3 showers a piece, I don't use the Vinegar wash every time, just like you don't use conditioner every time, unless you do then go for it. 

Wow

I have been bad at this lately, I have not written a thing in quite awhile now.

First off gardens are coming together, back yard is a mess, big circle fenced off from the dogs trying to grow some grass there, and trying to get grass in the front also, its full of weeds, I don't really like grass I think its rather stupid why would you put something on your property that you constantly have to work at and spend your hard earned money for a fancy lawn mower, grass seed, time and energy. But that is what people want and if you want to sell your home you gotta make it look the way people want it. People are stupid..............

Second off...... i will get to the second later.

Well that's that. Peace I'm out.

Unwrapping the layers

Peeling back the layers one by one of matted straw and leaves to reveal the ground with all the critters and bugs vacating for the season, worms, millipedes, beetles and the little mouse highway zigzagging and around and around, pulled the roof off all that fun to bring my garlic to the light. checked them out a few days ago, they were busting through the layers of mulch just raring to go. So I went to assist, took the layers off that were weighing them down. There were a few that were struggling to get through, got a little bit of a bend to them. The larger cloves must of gotten a shove out with the frost, they were sticking straight up on top of the ground pushed them back in and covered the clove with the earth. almost all of them seemed to have sprouted, but I found another one laying on its side not in any of the rows so I put that one in the place of a dud that was rotted when I dug it out. We re-mulched with straw and are hoping for the best.

Stick in the pit

So I have all this beeswax which smells awesome every time I walk past it. So I thought to myself what else can I do with this stuff, I have already made a ton of candles, now to try something new. I work in a field that is at times physically demanding, or can be really hot and humid, being in boiler rooms or on top of office towers in the sun. I have tried many "natural", environmentaly friendly deodorants, and they don't really help in the curbing the under arm smell department, unless I apply it multiple times through out the day but that is just not practical for me.... cause I just don't want to do it, really. I am a pretty low maintenance fella.

I read a few instructional  blogs on the matter. found a couple that I liked. I started simple, didn't want to have to go out and buy a shit ton of stuff if it wasn't going to work, the only thing I had to buy was arrow root powder, and baking soda but that's because we ran out. So I made it, let it solidify overnight, and used it the next day for work instead of my Olde Spice, well it was hard, like really hard and sticky felt like it was ripping out hair, got back home after work, which was a good test day in a boiler room, doing a repair and having to carry stuff up a couple flights of stairs. And it worked I was surprised I had my doubts. So I came home melted the sticks back down added more coconut oil and a few drops of castor oil so the sticks weren't so hard and sticky. It is still a bit sticky for my liking, next batch I will try a different recipe with cocoa butter or shea butter, to make it a little more smooth. I am going to buy some more essential oils to add to the deodorant I am thinking Sandalwood, Cedarwood and a small amount of Tea Tree oil. Right now I have the last few drops from my bottle of Lemon oil, and a couple drops of citronella, It doesn't smell terrible but it could smell better.

Instructions and directions when I perfect this stuff. I want to try one more batch and then make a judgement, on what the best way to do it is.

And This is what I put them in left over deodorant containers, worked out beauty. 

Life: Our Adventure

It has been warm again the last few weeks. Everything in the garden has really been happy with that. We have gotten a ton of new Tomatoes forming, which means maybe some canning might happen. I have already made and froze four 2 cup containers of marinara. Had some more Tomatoes diced up in the fridge and now we have eight 250ml jars of salsa as of yesterday, everything but the Jalapenos and cumin seed came from our gardens so that's fun. Peppers have been washed, sliced and frozen on a tray then put into bags for storage.  Also been trying out our dehydrator. I have dehydrated Patchouli, Calendula Flowers, Basil, Blue Berries, Cilantro, and some Jalapeno peppers. I am going to try a few more things and add to our jars of dehydrated things. I need to make some Pesto to freeze for a little bit of summer taste in the colder months.

Been spending some time re-arranging our house. We picked up two used items of furniture for a good price on Kijiji, we couldn't really pass them up. First was a vintage solid wood teachers desk or pedestal desk what ever you wanna call it, its beat up in all the right places I like it. Then we also picked up a couch which cost more in our own labour to get it out of the condo and into our house than it did to buy.  I would say it took a good 3.5 hrs X 2 bodies to move it, including travel time. Small condos and old houses just don't fit big furniture at all.

We weren't planning on buying furniture but we had talked about it lots. We didn't like our desk, but we got it from our house mate when he was done school.  It didn't have drawers so we had baskets under it holding the printer paper and extra USB cords and other cords, just looked like a mess. We had the couch for 5 years I think, with a lot of ass traffic. They have both served their purpose and have been well used, we just needed a change. So we browsed Kijiji just for fun, found the desk, wow good price for something we actually really like: big, wood, old and storage. When we got it home, cleaned it up and found a sale sign in one of the drawers asking $350. We got a lot better deal than that so I can not complain there. It was an easy move, it already had the screws taken out and separated in 4 parts, fit in the truck easily. When looking at a piece of furniture in a garage, then putting it into an old small house, there is a little bit of distortion in eye balling the size of it. To fix that we no longer have a dining room table and now no longer have a dining room, it is a multipurpose room.

Then we looked at couches on Kijiji and saw this one dark couch, looks new and not gaudy. So we booked a time for picking up the couch; also take into consideration we have not gotten rid of any of the other furniture yet. The day after we get the desk home we head on out to get the couch. We got the measurements, yep seems like it will fit in the truck alright. Head down, look at the couch, realize there is no bargaining for this thing its in brand new condition. So now to get it out of the ladies condo 5' long and 3.5' wide hallway, 7'x3'x3' couch, and a 34" door way into another hall. Turn it this way, no turn it this way, well they got it in here. I don't remember what they did to get it in here. Lets try it this way, we're going to scratch the wall, no now its up against the mirror, ok try it this way, Alright we are in the hall, pick it up walk down the longest Apartment building hallway ever. In the elevator (that was the easiest part in the elevator). Down to the moving room, ?No moving room? really? We have to take it through the underground parking? Alright in the basement down another really long hallway, wait? There are 4 doorways in this hall, with the hinges on opposite sides of the frames, for no other reason than to annoy us.  They also seem to get smaller and smaller, turn it this way, no that way.  Wont work the door is on the other side, oh the doors will not stay open, okay we're through to another hallway. Oh look the moving room yes, no, it just leads into the underground parking, remember that part, right okay. Through the underground to the doors, run around to the front of the building, grab the truck bring it around. The door for the cap is 33" high, wow that's no good. Well we just have to get it over that hump of the couch then it gets lower in the middle, okay that's not soo bad.  I will just lift it up on this end and tilt it in nope, okay tilt and turn, no the legs are hitting the side box of the cap okay.... we'll flip it on its back okay lets try that, no right its as high as it is deep, flip it back over lets lift and just force it the padding will squish, alright we're in. Oh well that was fun, great Thickson Rd. has an accident and they are diverting all the traffic, sweet traffic jam. Oh I will just head north, 'F' the 401 I says to my little lady friend we can go north, "Hey remember that little pastry I brought home from the Portuguese bakery, well its just around the corner from here.", "Lets go."

Get home a few hours later, "alright lets get it into the house, the other couch came in easy, maybe this one will." No, no it wont, its shaped completely different. Get everything out of the way get it out of the truck, wow that was really easy how come it came out so easy? Gremlins I tells ya little Gremlins. Alright into the front porch, into the hallway, oh our hallway is a little bigger that will help. No it won't there is a staircase in it as well. Turn it this way, no turn it this way, lets try it this way, we're going to scratch the wall no now its up against the mirror, okay try it this way. "Well what if we turn it around" says the pretty little blonde girl on the other side of the couch, "No, I don't think it going to work that way" says me. Lets try it, tilt it up, slide it into the bigger area at the bottom of the stair, spin it around slide it back bring it back down, pick it up, walk 1/3 up the stairs over the railing, "turn it this way" says the voice hidden behind the couch.
"I can't see anything you gotta let me know what to do"
"okay I got a leg and the arm through"
well I am stuck on the stairs holding this thing and can't go anywhere, well figure it out, its in, it is in the living room with the other couch, wow! We should have gotten rid of this stuff first. House in shambles.

(Normal) Food.

Normal food is from a big building, which is ridiculously over heated or cooled depending on the season. With florescent cool white lights showing off the sorted "ripe", "cleaned" and glistening with their smooth coating of wax with everything else you don't need. Right? no? hmmm.

Food is grown in dirt (most of the time), in a field or small garden, in the sun, wind, rain. Bugs pollinate the flowers of fruit bearing plants, bugs also eat the plants and fruit. When it rains little dirt particles and bits of sand bounce off the ground and onto the plants/ When the wind blows it picks up the same dirt and sand particles and they get caught by the plants. Fruit and Vegetables get harvested (picked) when ripe. You buy these items take them home and wash them before you eat them, even though they are Organic or chemical free what ever your choice. Why? Because dirt and bugs hide in the leaves or little crevices of the fruit and veg., small local farmers don't have the time or means to pick, clean, sort and deliver all these items. If they did offer these services your food would cost 200% more, for the time and equipment needed. Good kitchen hygiene involves cleaning your food before you prepare it for your meal. So don't be disgusted with the little bits of sand and possible bugs. They are just part of the process or growing local, Organic/chemical free, reasonably priced food. Get acquainted with the bugs because they are in your neighbourhood. Enjoy your food and the time it takes to grow and prepare your meal, food is fun and delicious. Whats missing in our diets of over sanitized, perfectly clean food from those big buildings? DIRT. If you take a bite of something and there is a little bit of grit in it, don't be a wussy and grossed out, just swallow it, You probably ate dirt when you were a kid anyways.

GO out and support your local Farmers Market and Farmers, It's Canadas long weekend and its the Canadian thing to do.
Another Candian thing to do Canadiana Punk Rock playlist
D.O.A. - I am Canadian
Teenage Head - Aint Got No Sense 
The Riptides - Red Dawn
NoMeansNo - Canada is Pissed
The Creeps - Midnight another Phone Call
SNFU - Reality is a Ride on the Bus
Chixdiggit! - Quit your Job & Chupacabra
Propagandhi - Less talk, more Rock
Dayglo Abortions - Proud to be a Canadian

peace I'm out

Selling and sold stuff.

Kijiji is great, if you need to get rid of something, or need something for yourself, or are just bored and wanna window shop you can do it for hours, yes and make yourself feel bad by looking at all the pets available because "we are moving and cannot have our dog anymore" grow a pair would ya, I thought dogs were part of the family. I haven't rented a place for a long while, but last I heard you cannot be evicted because you have pets. Either way I won't get into that. 
We have been trying to make room in the house and garage. We just have way too much stuff, I was able to get rid of  a CRT TV, huge friggin wall unit for the CRT TV, stereo and speakers, Motorcycle, refrigerator, Tires and Rims. I have more tires a rims too if you need em please buy em off me. Either way if you want to get rid of things price them right you can get rid of it fast. You are trying to get rid of it don't be greedy and it will go quickly. again just another post to talk about myself. sorry.

I wrote this before the murder of Tim Bosma, just a reminder please be careful when selling items if you are meeting new people. Don't let them into your house, if you can show your wares outside of the house it is always better or make sure you have someone else in the house with you or in my case a very vocal dog, all my items are shown on my front porch, in my front veranda, or in the middle of my driveway. Having nosy neighbours helps plenty too.

Either Way Hit the Gas

Peace I'm Out

Laundry time

REvisions

Ran out of laundry soap.... gotta go make some I guess. There are a lot of posts about making your own cleaners and detergents, So I am going to add another to the list the more the merrier. We have read a few recipes.... but I don't like that cause I'm not going to eat it. lets call them directions and measurements.

I am not experienced in the whole making your own cleaning products still a little green, my roots are showing but were going to try different things. Right now this is working for us with our city water, I don't know if it will be different with well water or hard water. It took me this long to make our laundry detergent, Trampled by Turtles - Rebellion (lies) (Arcade Fire cover), and a while longer to write this post.

What you will need!
Pure Castile Soap (I used Dr. Bronners Magic Soap)
Borax (Sodium Borate)
Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate)

So what to do? Well grate the soap with a fine grater make it small flecks, more soluble in water that way you don't have to use hot water cool or warm will work.

After you do that add two cups each of the Borax and Washing soda.

Mix it all up either stir or put in container and shake what ever you prefer.

Use 2 tablespoons We now use 3 - 4 tbls per load of laundry, I use 3 4 - 5 tablespoons when washing work clothes(I am a Diesel Generator Technician I tend to get smelly) put more or less in find what works for you. If you want more Smell from the soap grate another bar and add another cup each of the sodas add some essential oils, though we found that didn't really work.

While writing this I stumbled upon this gem Death (Detroit, Rock and Roll '75) how? I don't know but its great.
 That link no longer works here try this one Death - Politicians in my eyes!
Peace, I'm Out