Izzy courts Controversy...All Natural Herbicide...

Isobel has been obsessing about getting her ears pierced. Despite our best efforts to convince her otherwise, she is bound and determined to get it done.
Isobel: "Daddy, can I get my ears pierced?"
Daddy: "What? Get your ears pierced?" Jeez, Pick I don't know."
Isobel: "Why not?"
Daddy: "For one thing, it hurts to get your ears pierced."
Isobel: "But you have your ears pierced."
Daddy: "So does Mummy. I pierced mine myself and it hurt like hell."
Isobel: "Where did you pierce them?"
Daddy: "At Nana's place when I lived with her."
Isobel: "I want to go to Cambridge to get my ears pieced. It doesn't hurt to get your ears pierced in Cambridge. Only in Kitchener."
Daddy: "Who told you that?"
Isobel: "Alexander. He also said that when he got his ear pierced In Cambridge that he wore a blindfold because if he didn't, it would hurt his eyes too."


There is a new hairstyle that is making the rounds among girls. Its shaved on one side and long on the other. Like an anti mullet or a partially committed Mohawk. It apparently, runs rampant through the roller derby world, according to Mrs. Narrator. I first saw this hairstyle on one of the VJs on Much Music. She is a pretty brunette with a handful of tattoos and this hairstyle. It suited her and framed her face. Izzy was sitting beside me when I happened upon this young woman and her hairstyle and I was forbidden from touching the television from that point until the woman was off the air.
And so it began, the endless inundation of "I want to shave off part of my hair." from Isobel. I wondered how long it would take before Mrs. Narrator or I asked the other 'What do you think?' We both were uncertain of what to say or think about the whole thing...Isobel has had many a whim like this and if we entertained them all we would be broke and Isobel would likely be in a full body cast (see "Daddy, can I jump off the garage roof with a big umbrella?") but when two or three days had gone past and she was still going on about shaving part of her head, we figured this was one we might have to let her have.
Mrs. Narrator spent the better part of her Sunday morning looking through pictures of 'roller derby hair', trying to find a picture that would show Isobel exactly what she was in for. Mummy found just such a picture.
"Izzy, this is what your hair will look like. Is this what you really want to do with your hair?" she asked.
"Oh god, yes. That's what I want to get!" she was beaming and aglow with excitement.
Mrs. Narrator looked to me and asked if I would have a problem with Izzy getting her hair cut like this. I should probably interject that I had a Mohawk haircut when I was seventeen. It was baby blue with black tips. I was so long that in order to put it up in it's full massive fan, I had to hang my head between my knees and quickly dowse it hairspray and grab the blow dryer. Mrs Narrator too, had a Mohawk haircut.
"I don't care if you shave all of her hair, it's just hair." I said.
Somewhere in the back of my head there was a little gray haired old woman saying 'proper parents don't allow their children to get their hair cut like that.' but the teenager with the blue Mohawk quickly slammed the door on her...I mean really, how could I say anything and not feel like...well, my Dad? He was a rebellious teenager in his own right but when it came to me an my funky hair and torn clothes, he wanted nothing to do with and had no problem kicking me out to prove that point. Once I started doing the rock-a-billy thing I was the prodigal son but I was persona non-grata for a long time before.
So appointments were made and plastic aprons were affixed, clippers were oiled and turned on and Isobel was set to go. I wish I was there for the whole happening but alas, work beckoned. Mrs. Narrator told me that there was an older lady sitting in the chair next to Isobel and asked what kind of haircut Izzy was getting. When the hairdresser told her what she was about to do to my daughter`s hair, her eyes nearly leaped out of her skull. Mrs. Narrator said that made her feel all happy and gooey inside...me too.
They next went to visit the grandparents, who to my surprise were not too happy with Isobel`s haircut. I figured they of all people would be understanding. I try to be as non emotional about these things as possible, really I do. They are from a different generation and things like asymmetrical hair I think tend to mystify them. Short hair they get but why in the hell would someone get two haircuts? It bothers me a little bit that somethings don't change deep down in the roots even when the surface looks like it is a brand new thing...It's just hair, it grows back and then you can screw it up all over again. They'll get over it, what Grandparent doesn't love their grandchildren? Even if they get haircuts that frighten them?
It brings to light an interesting question though. We have given the children a long leash on things like hairstyles and clothing and even "dirty" language (really this one is primarily used by Isobel) so when the teen years inevitably show up on our doorstep, what exactly are they going to rebel against?...somewhere a tidal wave of dread just began to roll toward our house...


We have several gardens around the house and despite being unbelievably busy this spring and summer(insert roller derby games and piping competitions) we have managed to maintain them to at least a degree of attractiveness.
Along with gardens come garden pests. Mostly snails around here. Snails and slug eating holes in the leaves and generally destroying the integrity of the plants. I have noticed recently that many of the flowers are blooming...dead. it's the only way I can describe it. The flowers open up as they should but they are dead and withered when they do. I thought at first we had some new sort of parasite and was prepared to buy what ever chemical necessary to rid us of this pestilence...I didn't have to go far to find my answer.
I was in the yard picking up some branches that had blown off the tree in our front yard from a storm that blew through the night before. I heard what sounded like someone popping large sized bubble wrap. POP.
I came around the corner and there stood Isobel with an un-bloomed flower bud pinched between her fingers. POP.
"Izzy!" I hollered. "Don't do that. You'll kill all the flowers."
"I don't care", POP she said. "I like it." POP.
"I do care, stop it." I said.
"I just can't stop Daddy," POP "I tried and I just can't" POP.
Thankfully we only have one or two flowers that she has targeted as her personal plaything... now if I could only figure a way to get creeping Charlie to flower like that...