Sad Movies

I am one of those people who needs a couple of tissues for sad movies. But lately I have found myself crying more than usual while watching "touching" films such as "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" and "The Help."

When I shared that I cried during "The Decendents", some people were surprised. I felt a little teary the second time I watched but didn't need a tissue for tears or to blow my nose. That was when I had my "a-ha moment" and figured out that it wasn't the story that made me sad but my inner emotions relating to the death of my father. Watching a character in the movie on life support brought back memories of my father's last few days with us in a coma in the ICU. After four years since his death, I still have trouble watching another person die.

I swore that I never wanted to make that decision for anotheIr living person.

Then our pet dog got very sick and there I was at the vet, making that end of life decision again. He wasn't in a coma or near coma state but he was in great pain. I cried so hard that day, my son was worried I couldn't drive home. Paul's death was like peeling the scab off of the open wound caused by Daddy's death.

At this point, I think the wound is gone. The scab has fallen off. But there is a great big scar that people may not see. The reminders of those two deaths and my involvement have left me more emotional when watching movies with related subject matter.

So, if a movie doesn't seem like something worth crying over, it may be because you are sitting there without the scar and memories I have which make me sad. Just pass the tissue and I'll be alright in a little while.

Homemade Toothpaste

I have decided to take the plunge into the world of do-it-yourself home products. After a long wait to get the peppermint essential oil, we made our toothpaste using a simple recipe which included baking soda, sea salt (for abrasion), peppermint essential oil (just for flavor), and filtered water. The recipe warned about the salty taste. It sure was salty to me, but that may be because I am on a restricted salt diet and no longer tolerate salty things. On the plus side, it got me to brush with more water and more rinsing until the saltiness was gone. My teeth feel nice and clean.

I added glycerin to half the toothpaste we made to see if there is any difference. There were also recipes calling for other ingredients and for using hydrogen peroxide together with the toothpaste. So many things to consider and try. Once I've tried all the different ones, I'll report back on what I found to be most effective and pleasing.

After that, the next thing I want to try to make is shampoo. I've read that there won't be bubbles anymore unless I add unnecessary ingredients. Not sure how I would feel without a big lather on my head. Not having a foaming mouth was not a problem for me (but I think the hydrogen peroxide should provide some chemical reaction resulting in bubbles).

Stay tuned ...