When one goes out to meet people, especially people who have extended an invitation to meet, one usually takes a little trouble with their appearance. I usually opt for the clean clothes, freshly scrubbed skin and neat hair. Neat and relatively flat [ironed] hair. Now, sometimes that look doesn't always stay in place, and after a 6 hour drive on an wide highway with the sunroof open, my nicely flatttened hair ended up looking a little ... dishevelled. A bit windblown. The following day, a half-hearted effort at restraightening it was made - half-hearted because I knew it was only going to become very unstraightened once the many, many, droplets of the best rain that Ottawa had to offer poured down on my head. At one point during the weekend, I was told by the ever encouraging XUP that my hair looked better in this au natural state. Fine, sure. Knowing that I would go home and politely ignore this advice, given with the best of intentions of a true heart. But, by the time I did get home, (where I immediately went into work) after more lashings of rain fell upon my head, and another long drive with the sunroof open, I was met by no less that three people, who did a double take and exclaim such things as "your hair looks really nice" "it suits you", "you've changed your hair, I like it". What is with this liking of big, frizzy hair??? Please, we are not returning to the 80s big hair? dear god, noooo!
Then again, it will save a lot of time...
It didn't rain the WHOLE time I was in Ottawa, but I think we managed to be outside for all of the worst of the heaviest downfalls. Or at least I did, as XUP returned to a nice dry office on Monday, while I ran dripping into various museums to dry off.
XUP gave a first rate personal tour of her city (and a posting complete with all the appropriate linkages) and we saw her local haunts, traipsed around market stalls, looked for wet cats, drank a few glasses of things alcoholic, ate great food, looked at coffee table books with photos of our future dream home in the South of France...
I took photos of many colourful fruits and veg.
After asking politely if it was okay to take a photo, this display was enthusiastically rearranged to add more colour and a bemused customer was left waiting until the photo shoot was complete before being able to select her delicate baby carrots.
This customer (XUP) didn't wait, and got her bag of plums right in the photo
I was treated to tea with XUP* and another Ottawa blogger - Alison* of Party of 3
and once the sun came out, wine with Robin* of Watawa Life
but other stray cats were nowhere to be found. * not a true likeness
meeting blogfriends from the screen to real life is pretty neat. but right now, I need my beauty sleep. my hair is exhausted. more will follow later...
Lucky you. Meeting the legendary XUP. I missed out twice so far. She's gonna think I don't want to meet her.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that exactly what I said, Violetsky? "I don't think Jazz wants to meet me??" Ha ha. Glad you made it home safe and sound. And really, your hair -- it's lovely in its natural state. Anything forced into submission isn't going to be happy and therefore not look happy. Things left to roam free and find their own way to beauty usually do an excellent job of it. Maybe you could do a "before" and "after" blog post of just the hair and let your readers decide.
ReplyDeletePoor Jazz, one of the stray cats we couldn't find. Yes, it is exactly what you said, XUP. Then I believe you opened another bottle of wine...
ReplyDeleteWhy, Miss Sky, you are certainly making the rounds in blogworld this summer, aren't you? Sounds like a verrrry fun trip and I would love to see a before and after picture! I hope Ruth and I can live up to this whirlwind excitement. I fear we are much more laid back, but will do nicely if you're looking for "west and wewaxation" and lots of antiquing. :)
ReplyDelete...and wine, dear Susan?
ReplyDeletesounds like great fun - love the fruit and veg shots, and the city skyline shots
ReplyDeleteOh, without a doubt, my dear! And maybe something a bit stronger!
ReplyDeleteBTW, is that chard in the first veg picture? Because mine sure looks puny compared to that!
That sounds like good times. I love the pictures you took. Nice! Now show us the hair.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about the hair (though I have never seen your hair, I have certainly seen and fought with my own): smooth and flat-ironed trumps wild, frizzy and big any time!
ReplyDeleteAnd what's with all those stray cats on Parliamant Hill anyway? I remember that when I visited Ottawa in 2005 and wondering "Is this what my tax dollars are spent on?" I still wonder.
Pinklea - the cats are maintained by volunteers. No tax dollars are harmed in the caring of the cats.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Susan - it's rhubarb. Your chard need not feel inadequate
And, just so you know, Char, that city shot is not Ottawa, it is actually Hull (that has a new name: Gatineau) and is in Quebec. And I was pretty enthralled with all the multi-coloured produce.
ReplyDeleteGeewits, I had to create a whole new tag "just because you asked" because of you! It will come.
Yes, yes! Post the before and after hair pictures! Maybe it's that your natural hair state just suits you?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to visit Ottawa one day!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, wonderful to be able to meet your fellow bloggers! I adore wild hair, my daughter always makes me straighten her beautiful curly locks...
ReplyDeleteLovely photos! You have a great eye. And I love your comments about the city. And please, if you come again, do let me know. I would love to join a photo jaunt; if you pick your weather right, the Gatineau in late September, early October is a mass of colour.
ReplyDeleteNot your first trip to Ottawa, is it? Nice to see bloggers meet up.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, and isn't that sculptured tea party great! And the woman with a straight facve and hat?
ReplyDeleteAt a quick glance I thought those yellow plums were nectarines, but a closer look decided me they were plums. Haven't seen those for years, they look gorgeous. And that arrangement of carrots, I could eat the lot!
You obviously had a great time!
Looks like so much fun!...
ReplyDeleteMy sister grew up ironing her hair..then eventually grew to embrace her curls if not her frizz...after chemo however she has realized that she would love that old frizz back...
That is quite possible, SAW. You know, straight, flat hair is so much lighter to carry around on top of one's head, Sagittarian.
ReplyDeleteOttawa is a very picturesque city, Scott. And, not my first time, LGS, but it has been a long time. Thanks, MaryG, and I will be back, and I will let you know.
ReplyDeleteOn the way home, Gilly, I wished I had bought some of those (very expensive) carrots to munch on. Oliag, it was fun - and so fortunate that we still like each other. I actually like curls, it's the frizz that is so annoying. (and when my SIL's hair grew back it was baby fine and curly whereas before it was straight.)
Gilly, I forgot to tell you about the tea party - the woman with the teacup is Nellie McClung, and the one with the hat is Irene Parlby. They were part of the Famous Five who won the court case that legally declared Women as Persons in 1929 which ultimately made women eligible to be appointed to the Senate (among other things).
ReplyDelete