Empowered

Since I learned how to re-tighten my hair on Sunday, I have been feeling mighty pleased with myself.  Each night this week I have working on small sections of hair, and doing a pretty good job so far. One thing that made the whole process easier for me, was that the trainer showed me how my hair was parted initially, when my sisterlocks were first installed.  I had just assumed that my hair was parted in four sections, two at the front and two at the back. And I could never ever find that middle part from front to the back, which was very frustrating for me.  However, it was pointed out that my hair was actually parted in five sections, two at the front and three at the back.  That was when the light bulb went off.  My AHA! moment. 

So each night I have been working on one of the five sections.  I have completed three of them, and just have two more to go.  It is a nice feeling to know that I am gaining independence from my consultant.  I will go and see her soon, just so that she can check that I have been doing OK with the re-tightening.  I did manage to knot two locks together, but with the help of my daughter, I fixed that.  The secret to preventing this from happening is to use clips to keep neighbouring locks out of the way of the lock that you are working on.

Re-tightening Class

I hope and pray that all my friends on the eastern side of USA are safe from the hurricane Irene.

Today I did my re-tightening class.  It was a lot harder than I anticipated, and it took me about two hours before I got the hang of it.  The trainer taught me how to use both the hook tool, and the clip tool.  When I first picked up the hook tool, I felt like I had five thumbs on each hand. Awkward!!!!  Anyway, after trying and trying I finally got it.  The clip tool was much easier to use as it is very similar to using the Nappy Lock Tool.  However, I think I prefer the hook tool. It will take quite a bit of practice before I get good with this hook tool, but I am determined to do it. The high cost of the class is a great motivator!

Hook tool is on the left, Clip tool is on the right

Pampering my hair

We (husband, kids, and my mom) spent the weekend just outside of Port Antonio along the north coast.  It is a beautiful place to relax.

View of San San Bay from our villa

Another view of San San Bay

After 4 days of hot, hot sunshine, chlorine and salt water, my hair was extra dry and in dire need of pampering.  This is what my hair looked like at the end of the weekend.  It is also due for  re-tightening.  It was supposed to have been done today, but I postponed my appointment, because I am going to do the retightening class this coming weekend, so that I will be able to do my own hair.

I got a bottle of Black Castor Oil to put on my hair.  This is not the stuff that you buy online, or in the beauty shop.  This stuff was purchased at the farmers market, where Mrs. Farmer's wife makes this stuff at home.  As we say in Jamaica "This is the real McCoy".  My mom used to use it in my hair when I was a little girl, and  I remember it making my hair really thick and lush.  Today I was also reminded how bad this thing smells.  After a few hours of walking around with it on my hair, I had to wash it out. I first shampooed my hair with my usual White Rain Shampoo.  Then I decided to do an Apple Cider Vinegar/Baking Soda Rinse.  Please see this link from Francesca Ramsey where she demonstrates how this is done.  Dreadlocks Baking Soda Deep Clean Tutorial/Review  I was a little disappointed that my hair did not have any gunk in there that I could see (Well maybe I am not that disappointed).  In any case, the rinse left my hair feeling very, very straw-like. I could feel this even though my hair was still wet.  I slathered on my Pantene conditioner, which I use occasionally.  My hair felt moisturized again.  While my hair was still damp I rubbed on a little Jamaica Mango and Lime Cactus Gro Oil, which is my current favourite. This is what it looked like at the end.  Boy, I cannot wait to do my retightening on the weekend.

R.I.P. little lock of hair

Last night I was examining my locks and trimming the fuzzy bits off the ends.  I noticed that one lock was really very thin in the middle.  It was hanging on by about three hairs.  I decided to put it out of its misery.

Poor broken lock looks so sad.

I made an appointment for the end of the month to get properly trained in retightening my hair.  I am very excited by the prospect.  I have an appointment with my consultant for my routine retightening which is about a week before the training.  Should I postpone my appointment with my consultant? Or should I keep my appointment with her and ask her to leave a portion of my hair un-retightened so that I will have something to practice on?  Decisions, decisions.

Two Years and Nine Months

My locks seem to be growing really fast at the moment.  It's funny how sometimes it seems to take forever to grow, and at other times like now, it grows fast.  Here is a picture of my last Caruso Roller set.

My hair was looking flat and somewhat blah.  So I did a quick Caruso Steam set which perked my hair up quite a bit. The Caruso rollers do not make well defined, long lasting curls, but they are adequate for giving your hair a little oomph.

Hot Oil Treatment

My hair has been feeling extra dry lately.  I think this may be because of the colouring that I have been doing to cover up the grays.  Yesterday I decided to give myself a hot oil treatment using a combination of Olive Oil and Jamaican Mango and Lime Island Oil.  I heated the oils briefly in the microwave oven, then put it on my slightly damp hair.  Then I covered my head with a plastic cap and left on for about an hour.  I then shampooed my hair as usual and did a soft spike set.

Still can't manage the back

So I went for my professional re-tightening today.  The front of my hair which I had done myself looked great, and was done well.  However, the back was another story.  I only did a few rows, but they were not well done.  I apparently messed up my lock pattern on some of these locks.  My loctician encouraged me once again to take a retightening class so that I can be taught properly.  I am seriously thinking about it.

By the way, my retightening session lasted one hour!! Yes, one hour!!  This was because I had done the front myself, and therefore cut the loctician's time in half. This really encouraged me to continue to try to help myself.