Moon Pads, toothpaste, scarves and more

So much to talk about!  All right, let's talk about scarf-wearing first.  I bought two more scarves; the light purple number is quickly becoming my favourite.

Here's me in blue; that's actually two scarfs (scarves?  I think either word is fine.  *shrug*)

The earrings I wore (because I know you love 'em).  Recognize these, Godyssey?

So I've been wearing scarves for about a week now and I have to tell you, I love it.  They're comfortable, they protect my hair, they're inexpensive--I could go on and on, but that's for another post.

Moon Pads--heard of them?  I'll wait while you google.......  Ready?  Okay.  I have LBL (light bladder leakage) and have been wearing disposable pads for a while now.  Recently I thought perhaps I could replace the disposables with moon pads.  You know, less going into our landfills = one more triumph for Mother Earth and all that.  *sigh*  I had such high hopes.  I wanted to tell all of you that this product was a success for me.  But it wasn't.  The pads (very comfy flannel, by the way) fasten underneath the crotch part of one's knickers with a snap.  Well, the problem I encountered is that the pads "walk"...  In other words, while I'm moving around during the day the pads slowly but surely inch their way backwards until I have no coverage where I need it most.  Bummer!  However, I haven't entirely given up on these things yet.  I'm going to try using a safety pin at the very front of the piece to secure it to my knickers.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Toothpaste--most people use entirely too much.  Did you know?  *nods*  I was guilty of doing it myself.  I recently had to switch back to using commercial toothpaste.  I had been concocting my own, using coconut oil and baking soda.  But I had to cut back the recommended amount of baking soda (due to harshness) to the point where the recipe felt ineffective.  Anywhoodle, this is all the toothpaste one needs when brushing:

See that little bit on the tip there?  Yes, seriously.  --About the size of half a pea.  Yes, seriously.  Honest, folks, you don't need to cover the entire head of your brush!  Give it a try, if you're not already there.

What else?  I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my granddaughter in early July, which is coming up fast.  For blogging purposes, I believe I'll refer to her as Hadgie (inside joke; don't ask).  It seems as if every day I think of something I want to teach her, tell her, instill in her, etc.  So many stories to read to her, so many things I want her to know.  I can't wait!

Some habits develop quickly

I didn't wear a cover today.  I was running a little late, trying to get out the door to work, etc. etc.  I could come up with a great number of excuses but in reality, I wanted to assess how I felt.  I wore a cover 2 days in a row and thought 3 days would be too much.  --More so for other people.  Yet halfway to work I was wishing that I had taken the time to put on a scarf.  Now, it takes me about 23 minutes to drive to the office; so I couldn't simply go back home at that point.  (I guess I could have, but that would have been a waste of gas.)  The point is...I guess I'm surprised at how quickly covering has come to feel right for me.  After only 2 days?  Really?  Really.  All I can think about is getting through this day, waking up tomorrow & deciding which scarf I'll put with which outfit. 

Covering photos

Yes, I documented my tichel wearing yesterday, since it was my first time.
Here's what I looked like at day's end:

And here's a view of the back:

(An aside to Godyssey:  those are a pair of the earrings you gave me!)
It was funny; when my daughter arrived home after work she asked me how long had I left on the scarf.  I told her I had worn it all day, only removing it once I got home.  She was astonished.  She said, "I would have bet money that you took it off before you made it through the parking lot because it was too hot!"  Surprisingly enough my new scarves are not hot at all.  In fact, that was one of the cons I  listed when I was mentally debating the issue of covering.  But no, luckily these scarves are actually cooler than the topper I wear (which goes on the pros side of the list).

I am covering again today, with the blue and white number.  I honestly forget I'm wearing something on my head; they are that comfortable.  And just for being such a lovely audience, here are photos fresh from my office!

This back view is a bit blurry; sorry.  You'll notice in the first photo that you can see just a small bit of something tan/caramel coloured at the hairline.  That, my dears, is a stretchy headband.  Those are wonderful to have, as it helps hold the scarf in place & keeps it from slipping backwards.  Some women hide theirs, but I think it adds to the overall look.  Now you'll notice, in the bottom picture, that I have wisps of loose hair floating around.  Since I am not Jewish, this is okay; but if I was Jewish, this would be a big no-no. 

P.s. I just realized I forgot to tell y'all how yesterday went!   In summation: yesterday was a very positive experience. All told, 5 people commented on my cover (all women) and all of their remarks were complimentary. Realistically, if I continue to cover, I know this will not always be the case. But it was a good start.

Tichel Time

I wore a tichel to work today ( tichel – a scarf used to cover a married woman’s hair ). 

 When I got home yesterday I covered with my new pink scarf and it felt...right.  My husband and I drove into town yesterday evening and we rode with both windows on the van down.  Now, this may not be a big deal to some of you.  But for someone with longish hair (like Yours Truly), it's HUGE.  My hair was all safe and snug inside my scarf and I got to enjoy the cool breeze.  Then when I got up this morning I knew it was time.  I thought to myself, "Today is the day; today I wear a tichel to work."  (I chose the cream scarf with the gold thread.)  I was nervous yet calm, both at the same time.  I had no idea what people would say, if anything, or what I would say back to them.  Of course I had a little practice at home this morning when Mr. Pale asked, "So what's with the thing on your head?"  (He's so eloquent.  LOL)  Anyway, I shrugged and said, "It just feels good."  He nodded and went, "Okay then!"  And that was that.  

So far (it's almost 11:00am as I write this) I've had 4 people make comments; all of them women and all of them positive.  I've been told that I'm "cute" and that this "is a good look" for me.  My favourite thus far has been, "I like your hair thingy!"  Hair thingy.  *snort*  I'll take that.  None of my male coworkers have commented, but I really didn't expect them to do so.  Men don't care what women wear, honestly.  As far as my responses go, I'm sticking with, "Thanks!  I'm just trying something different."  --Which is the truth. 

New scarves

My 3 new scarves, purchased from Wally World on Saturday.

I don't think the price tags are clear enough for you to see, so here's the skinny.  The cream scarf with gold threads was $7, the blue scarf was $5 and the pink was $3.72.  I bought them with the intention of wearing them as head coverings, but they'll compliment my wardrobe as neck scarves just as well.  I didn't have time to play around with the scarves this weekend; hopefully soon I'll have some peace & quiet to do so. 

I wore a slender rectangular scarf as a wide headband on Saturday, out in public, instead of my topper, and it was wonderful.  It covered the areas of concern and I felt great wearing it.  --Very feminine and very safe.  I'm not ready to start covering full time right away, but I am serious about trying it soon as an option. 

How to tie a tichel (and SO much more)

Wow.
I had no intention on writing about this subject today.  It's a topic I've been ruminating upon for at least 4 years now, but have told no one (Not even my husband).  I started thinking about this while I was still a Christian, yet the urge has stayed with me into my Pagan days.  What am I talking about?  Covering; head covering, to be exact.

Most people associate covering with certain Christian sects (think Amish or Mennonite), or Muslim women, or Jewish women.  Not a lot of folks would associate covering with Pagan ladies; however there is a growing number of us doing it.  There are even women who cover that are not associated with any religion whatsoever.

I can't fully explain my interest in covering...because I'm not entirely sure I understand it myself.  But at some point in the recent past I became fascinated by, enamored of, and almost obsessed with women who cover.   Sadly, I've never been brave enough to wear a covering full time, out in public.  You see, there's still a part of me that worries about what people may think or say, although that silly small scared voice dies a little each day.

Yesterday I joined a group on Facebook for women who either wear coverings full time or are supportive of those who do so.  I think I'm going to learn a lot from this group and I hope to gain more confidence so that eventually, who knows--maybe I'll finally be able to respond to this feeling that I should be covering.  Through the Facebook group I found on YouTube Rivka Malka and her wonderful videos.  This is one I want to share with you.  Even if you don't agree with the covering part or the religious aspects, pay attention to what the older lady says about women.

Spirituality without religion

I really like this essay a lot.
Jennifer's beliefs mirror my own almost word for word.  You know, this is what makes the internet a great tool.  Where decades ago I would have felt very alone on my faith path, now a simple Google search reassures me that I am not alone in my belief system.