heather + finn !

6 am
out the door into darkness
frost on the car, wipers on, do I remember how to do this?
Workout clothes, check, towel, check, ipod, check
Morphine? Mmmmm check
Drive to the Y

Should I park in the handicap space? Finger the red and white mirror tag that gives me permission
No, I need the exercise! I’m here for the exercise! Walk, dammit!
Up the path
Energy
Feeling good
Time to get back in shape

Remember the combination, open the locker
Move the shampoo
Shampoo?
Find the water bottle

Slam the locker door, adjust the ipod, fill up the water bottle
An old ponytail holder around the neck, it’s red
my reflection catches my eye
round face, 6am shadow on my head, round face
Adjust the baseball cap and
up the stairs to the track
“Heal Me” plays in my ears, Melissa Etheridge knows.
Time to get back in shape

….no use running from a revolution, I will surrender to this evolution… there’s more →

Last night my friend Reba came to henna my head. Reba is fresh back from Morocco where she spent nearly two years in the Peace Corps and where I went to visit her before conceiving Finn. I have wanted to henna my bald head throughout this entire ordeal but never had the chance. Now, with my hair beginning to grow in for good, we seized the moment. It was a little clumsy—the henna mixture was too thick and for Reba it was like painting with fish poop. The stuff wouldn’t come through the tube, so we decided to use a toothpick as an applicator. I couldn’t find a toothpick, so we used one of those little umbrellas you put in a tropical drink. Fish poop and cocktail umbrella. Funny stuff. I slept with the poop on my head, wrapped in a scarf from Morocco for good measure. This morning I peeled off all the hardened henna for the big reveal. Now I look like a fish pooped on my head last night. Just barely there. But you know what? We had fun, and it felt nice to have my head tended to so nicely. I have been feeling so creative lately, and it seemed natural to extend that energy to my scalp. I put some pictures of the shenanegans up on the picture page. there’s more →