psoriasis on the scalp

Dandruff  is the result of scalp psoriasis. There was a commercial where the dandruff appeared as a snow storm. I thought that it was an extreme over exaggeration, I guess it really is, but you really do feel that way when you have extreme dandruff.  At lunch time I would take my lab jacket off and dust off the dandruff.  I tried everything from moisturizing shampoos to dandruff shampoos to the combination of the two. One even labeled as "for Psoriasis."  The psoriasis just became worse. I had seen several "No-Poo" blogs. Some citing the extreme evils of chemicals and others just the extreme cost savings.

I read the comments and one person actually asked the question if it helped scalp psoriasis.  One response to that question was that their's got worse. So I put off trying it and bought yet another dandruff shampoo to try. It appeared to me that with each shampoo my scalp would get worse. I then began to wonder again about the baking soda "shampoo" and apple cider vinegar "rinse."  I wondered if my scalp problems were the result of exposure to the chemicals in commercial shampoos.

After shaking my jacket off at lunch time became a DAILY routine. I decided it would be much cheaper to try the "no-poo" recipes than to go to the doctor for a prescription shampoo. Then if the "no-poo" does not correct the problem, I would go to the doctor at that point.  I chose the "1 tablespoon to a cup of warm water" recipe for each the shampoo and rinse.  (I use empty commercial shampoo bottles to hold the mixes and the bottles I have hold 3 cups)

I have now been using the baking soda "shampoo" and apple cider vinegar "rinse" for about 4 weeks now.  I am no longer shaking my jacket off at work. I don't think my scalp has fully recovered yet but I am no longer scraping a dry crust off of my scalp and it no longer itches. So I feel it is well on its way to recovery.

So for me...the "no-poo" recipes DID seem to help my scalp psoriasis.  I do not know if it will help everyone like it did me. But it appears my psoriasis was the result of exposure to a chemical or chemicals in the commercial shampoos.

no sales for "Baby Robins Grow Up" but not detouring next endeavor.

I had mailed out 100 postcards with information on "Baby Robins Grow Up" to daycares though out the US. I used a phone app. to look up daycares in each state. Eight postcards were returned unable to deliver.  I have 25 likes on the "Baby Robins Grow Up" Facebook page. I have not paid to "promote" the page.  Not sure how much I want to spend with no return.  I may get likes but that don't mean the book will sell.  I have attempted to get my book reviewed for a preschool educational site. But no return correspondence received. My book was promoted to a lot of romance readers but you have to remember this is a preschool picture book. I was hoping the romance readers had pre-schoolers in their lives.  All I can do at this point is sit back and wait or spend more money. My choice is wait.

I placed a copy of the book in the waiting room of the office that I work at and actually seen a 8 or 9 year old child carry the book to an exam room. That was encouraging for me because the child wanted to finish the book. I placed one at my own Dr's office due to it is a Family practice office and they see pediatric patients as well.   I do have business cards to hand out but have not been in a position yet to do much handing.

I feel "Baby Robins Grow Up" is an excellent introduction to the life cycle of a bird. If only I could get the word out somehow to the people that run daycare's and parents of preschoolers.

I am working on my next endeavor and already working on a rewrite of some of it. It will not be something that will be done it two months. I don't have a lot of spare time for writing. My hopes are to increase time by "taking" it and changing priorities...i.e. TV time, Facebook time etc.  Once I feel I have the story working well I will introduce some of it here.  It will be an adult novel and not a children's book nor categorized as a romance.  

The book has already changed enough from the original idea that the title I had selected does not fit so a new title will need to be chosen.  My current block is deciding on a connection between common events in the book. I will get there but I have to get inside the head of my villain and find that connection.

Happy reading and writing.

It's Been Over A Month Since Publishing.

"Baby Robins Grow Up"was first published a little over a month ago. Sales have not been very active at this point. I've sold some actual copies to co-workers, donated some copies to be placed in patient gathering areas (with a sticker inside instructing where they can purchase their copy) and a very limited number sold online (most to family).  I was not expecting spectacular numbers but thought with the internet there might be one book a week sold. Not so much. I've started a Facebook page describing the book and have put a page, along with a link, on this blog in regards to "Baby Robins Grow Up." I have information cards (business cards) coming to hand out when the subject of the book comes up. I will be mailing out some postcards to daycares in the next week or two to try and get the word out about the book.  I know this is not a get rich endeavor but I would like others to experience and hopefully enjoy the book.  I get positive feed back continually but the music is not matching up with the words. My hopes are the mailing will help but with the cost of postage it will be quite awhile before there will be any profit made.

The Leap Has Been Made.

The spring of 2007 the Lord blessed me with a pair of robins nesting in my hanging spider plant on my front porch. I discovered the nest when I was repotting the plant into a new hanging basket. The nest was partially built. I lifted it out of the plant and set it aside while I repotted the plant. I then placed it back in the plant and rehung the basket. My thought was that due to human tampering the nest would be abandoned and built elsewhere. I was wrong! The pair finished the nest and the next thing I knew the female was sitting. I immediately searched online to determine the length of incubation before hatching. Out came the camera!

I checked the eggs a couple of days before I thought they would hatch (always approached the nest when parents were not there) no evidence of hatching. Checked the next day and the cracks were there. Thankfully it was a Saturday so I was able to take pictures throughout the day as the babies hatched. I mentioned to my youngest brother about the free loaders in my basket and he suggested purchasing some night crawlers from a bait shop to obtain the feeding photos.  I followed through with his suggestion and obtained some great feeding photos.

In 2009 I put some of the pictures together in a flip book for my grandchildren. I had one person at work inquire if I thought of publishing it. I, not knowing how to go about it, just shrugged my shoulders and that was the end of it.

In fall of 2011 my sister-in-law discovered KDP publishing. And has successfully published four books. Not costing her anything but the purchase of her own paperback copies.  She is a talented story teller and has been able to quit her day job as the result of the royalties.

Sooooo.... I have now published "Baby Robins Grow Up." through CreateSpace and KDP.  It is a picture book for the 3-5 year old preschool aged children. And it introduces them to the life cycle of a bird.

I do not believe I will be able to quit my day job but I do enjoy the opportunity to share the once in a lifetime picture series with others and possible supplement to my income as a perk.

Afternoon with the grandkids

After the bouncy ball idea fell flat. I recalled a craft idea that my daughter had pinned on Pinterest.  Found here .  We used knee-high stockings, annual rye grass and potting soil. The change that we did was that we used the see through goody ponytail holders to shape the nose and one, we even made ears.

A chenille stem was used for the mustache and felt for the mouth.  We improvised for our watering container. The heads would sink down into the yogurt cups so we cut holes in the bottom of "carry out" sauce cups and placed them inside the yogurt cup which kept the heads elevated. The water then placed in the bottom of the yogurt cup and the tail of the stocking threaded through the hole of the sauce cup to wick the water up.  Looking forward to  hair cuts.

Where is the bounce in bouncy ball?

Ran across a recipe for a home made "bouncy ball."  Because I had all the ingredients on hand I thought it might be a fun project to do with the grandchildren when they visited.  I read in one post a while back that they did not bounce like a "super ball" does, so my expectations were not that high.

I am of an age that I remember the rubber balls that came with jacks sets prior to the "super" ball.  With the rubber ball if you threw the ball straight down with some force behind it, it would bounce back up waist high which would allow you to catch it without bending over.  Then the "super" ball came on the market and if you thew the ball straight down with some force behind it, it would bounce back up and hit the ceiling and proceed to ricochet around the room while you chased after it.

With the bouncy ball recipe I was expecting the rubber ball results.  The first attempt I used latex gloves to protect my hands from the "sticky" stage. BAD idea, it was sticking all over the gloves.  Second attempt I used my bare hands and it did not take long for the "sticky" stage to disappear.  The recipe stated that when the ball was no longer sticky that you could bounce it. I tried, it hit the floor and bounced up approximately 6 inches and landed with a short roll.  I thought that maybe the product had to set for a few minutes to obtain its bounce.  When I returned there was a flat side to the ball. I quickly rolled it to remove the flat side and attempted to bounce it again. Same result...a return of about 6 inches and landed with a short roll.  Well maybe it needs to set a lot longer. So I place the ball in a plastic grocery bag and hung it on a door knob (to prevent a flat side). The next morning I took the ball out and bounced it on the floor with a return of about 6 inches and landed with a short roll.  With the fact that I am not a chemist and cannot determine if there is a problem with the recipe, the bouncy ball was placed in the garbage and a different project will be chosen to complete with the grandchildren.

fathers love their children too.

There are all sorts of trinkets, necklaces, pins and bracelets in the jewelry world for moms and grandmothers to signify their children or grandchildren. My grandmother had a pin that all the grandchildren and great grandchildren were fascinated with.  It was a gold tree branch that had several little boy and girl heads dangling from it. On one side of the head was the child's first name and on the other side was the child's birthdate. When great grandchildren came along a short piece of gold chain dropped the head down to a second row.  I still vividly remember sitting on grandma's lap and flipping through the heads, first searching for my own then just reading each and everyone.  I myself have a "mother's ring" that has the birthstone of each of my children in it.

Now my question I present to you is...what is there for Fathers? I thought the most logical would be a ring, but there were none to be found. But what else is there that could be done and be "manly?" Men usually do not wear necklaces, if they do they are usually either dog tags or thick gold chains without adornment.

Now what got me pondering this dilemma? I have a nephew that is a good dad but due to divorce does not see his children as often as he would like...which is all the time... I wanted to give him something but what?

Then the idea hit while I was perusing Pinterest... the washer jewelry but a key chain instead.  Nuts instead of beads.

Here is the result of my scheming...

Their names and birthdate on each washer.  Yes he liked it. I also made one for his brother and sister.  Hers had beads though to make it more lady like. 

And yes...I'm scheming again for some other family members...will post when complete.