Should I Peel This Potato?

Word of the Post
Today's word is: tszuj
/zhoosh/ verb
Note: When pronounced, the beginning and ending sounds (phonemes) are the same, the 'zh' sound of the z in 'azure'. The spelling I gave is the preferred spelling, though the pronunciation guide spelling is also acceptable.
Definition: To style something or someone, as in hair; style up, tart up or mince, as in food preparation.
The origin of the word is from Polari, which is a slang mixture of several languages, including Italian, Yiddish, Cant and Cockney. It is primarily used in the gay subculture in Britain, and can be traced back to at least the 19th Century. Polari has been revived in recent years in America, because of the popularity of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" on TV. I have also heard Rachael Ray use this when adding hot sauce to a dish.
Sentence: "I want to tszuj your riah." This same sentence in English becomes, "I want to style your hair." The Queer Eye guys used to fluff the hair of a straight guy who was in the stylist's chair, and say "add a little tszuj."
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I suppose I should apologize to many of my readers. I have been very lax on blogging, and the reading of blogs. I have had a busy week. Last Saturday, I got a call from Monkey's Momma, telling me that her brother-in-law was in the hospital because he had a stroke that morning. He was in bad condition, and had to be taken by helicopter to the hospital, since they live so far out of Oklahoma City. She was coming from Texas to be with her sister at the hospital.

I am happy to say that, today, only one week after such a massive stroke, he is home again. He can now move his arms and legs, and stand on his own. He will have a little trouble and will need therapy to regain full use of his fingers (fine motor skills) and will also need speech therapy. But... he is on his way to a complete recovery. If he continues to improve in the same way, within six months, the doctors say they should not be able to tell that he had a stroke. Please praise the Lord with me for the answering of prayers on behalf of my friend and her family.

I have spent this week being available to Monkey's Momma, and RoadRunner, who needed childcare and emotional support. Emotional support and light housecleaning together are exhausting. My brain has been tired, and I have not had time or brain power to devote to typing for you. God's work never sleeps. So, today, I slept in. It felt good to know that I could be of help to a friend in need. This is one (the major) reason I gave up my paying job back in December. I love being the one to hold a hand through a tough time. God has made sure that I am available when He needed me to support His children.

Speaking of God's children, I also got to visit with Niki recently. She was in town for a camp. She was Head Female Counselor, and is a founding member of the staff for this camp. They were at my Alma Mater, Oklahoma Christian University, and we had a lovely visit over a quick dinner. Those times always move too fast. It was over before I knew it. I really appreciate Niki and her Godly influence on our friendship. I don't have many friends who will offer to pray over a meal in public. She honored me in that prayer, and I am truly thankful that God sent her to bolster me up. Jared also said "Hi" via a text message that day. Thanks to both of them, for reminding me that I am not alone.

For the second time in as many weeks, I have dared to trim my own hair. I don't normally cut the back of my hair, because I don't think I can cut a straight line across the back of my head. But, I was tired of the length and the look, and I just decided that I could go get someone else to fix it if I didn't like it. I regularly trim my bangs, because I have a couple of cow-licks that force me to cut my hair crooked to make it look straight. I have known how to deal with that for a long time. This time, I even figured out how to layer the back a bit. It is not totally crooked, so I suppose I did a good job. I did get the bangs too short, in my opinion, but they are not noticeably horrible. DH always laughs at me, telling me that I need not criticize my work. I can cut his hair any day, but mine I am even more picky about. I can't help it. Most stylists don't know how to deal with baby-fine hair. One little cut in the wrong place, and the whole "do" is wrecked.

The sunburn of two weeks ago is gone. I am now itching while peeling like crackled paint. My skin looks like dried soap. I have a couple places where I can see the "tan line" (if you can really call it that), and the rest is just as white as always, but with more and darker freckles. I have decided that RoadRunner and her kids must take me swimming more often this summer. I may actually be able to hold a little color, if I can add it gradually. Thanks to all who made lotion suggestions. I ended up buying one that has worked for me in the past, Coppertone's Baby Faces 50. It smells like baby lotion instead of a pineapple-coconut-banana (eeewwww, banana), I-am-sitting-in-the-tropics-so-I-should-smell-like-fruity-alcohol smell. I know I will be fine, especially if I keep applying it. I just need to remember that I am a piece of paper, and that paper burns quickly.