I feel more excited today than I do on birthdays. It's Oct. 14th, and a year ago I was in Florida, sitting on a hotel room floor for hours, tnr-ing my hair in front of a closet mirror. It's neat to be able to have that to mark not only the start of my dread journey but also all the adventures my husband and I have experienced in a year. It's a great day! I took some photos to commemorate this anniversary:

Just found out that my husband, pomeranian and I are being sent to Salt Lake City, Utah for 4 months on his next job assignment. I've wanted to visit Utah for some of the scenery I've only seen in pictures. I was wondering if anyone is from there or has visited. What were your impressions? What are some things we have to do or see there? And what are the people like in general... how do they respond to dreads?

So far, 7 months seems like my magic month. Suddenly I'm starting to see growth. My hair is dragging my shoulders at last. My husband noted this week that my hair is starting to look really good - like actual dreads. Some of the little sections that had broken off, making their little independent short curly-cues are making little tiny dreads. It all seems to be coming together. 7 months is for me my "I finally really like my hair" mark.

Maybe there are people who are more atmospheric than others. I've known a few people who I think could be happy anywhere. I, however, have always longed for the greener grass on the other side of the fence. I grew up in Alabama, which I always found to be totally unfair. Even as a kid, I knew I didn't fit into the South. Growing up, I had my own style that I was often judged for... just for wearing tye-dye or all black or whatever was in my mind as comfortable that day. I never picked up a southern accent. I couldn't think the way everyone around me thought.

I'd almost given up hope. I'd been to the northeast, I lived in Hawaii for a few months. I lived in Texas. I even spent time in South America and a few weeks in Africa. I've always felt devoid of the feeling "at home". I was starting to think I was just one of those people like my grandmother who could never be happy no matter where she was. I don't want to be a malcontent. But I didn't want to settle in a place that didn't feel right. I just want to feel that sensation of comfort that I imagine people feel when they belong in their surrounding.

I married a traveling construction supervisor, gave up my job as a nurse, and we have traveled the country ever since. It has taken almost 3 years or working/traveling together before we finally got to travel the "uncharted waters" for me: the West Coast.

Oh my gosh, I cannot tell you how happy I am to have spent even a few weeks on the West Coast. We just finished a 2 week job near Portland, OR, and I feel like I have finally gotten close enough to a place that calls to me as home, like I've been hearing "cold... colder... cold... warm... no, cold" and I finally hear in my head, "You're getting warmer!"

My husband and I want to buy land and build a cabin... or yurt... or underground home, depending on the environment. Lucky for me, my husband knows how to build. It's just been a matter of saving money and finding a place we both love enough to set down roots. We love traveling so much, and we're both so picky about where we want to settle down. Oregon has been the first time I've felt remotely prepared to start looking. I don't know if it will be here or Northern CA or Washington, but I feel we're close!

I have to say, those who have been born, or raised, or just have managed to migrate here, I find you to be sooo lucky! I know everyone has different tastes in places they find homey, and I think that's awesome, because it would be rough if we all wanted to live in the same place. But from my perspective, those who live on the West Coast I think they are truly blessed. It is gorgeous here. The strangers I've met here have not stayed strangers long. I love the attitudes of most people (there's still assholes everywhere, I'm convinced, but I've met less of them here, and they're probably from somewhere else anyways).

I just feel truly happy to be here. Now that our job is finished, we have a little time before the next job starts... wherever that may be, we never know until the last minute. But we have a little time to explore more of the area. I want to see Multanomah falls and the Japanese gardens near Portland, and Mt. Hood.

After 6 unenjoyable months for us in Miami, we have finally landed a job out West. We are lucky enough to spend the next 3 weeks or more in Portland, or actually Tigard is where my husband's job is. I am completely new to Oregon but have wanted to visit for years. We found out this morning that it was illegal to pump your own gas, and we were told that walking your dog without a leash can get you arrested. I'm sure there are dreadies from Oregon here. Are there any other things I should know here? Any places we just have to see? Any great places to shop?

My husband and I finally got to leave Florida 2 weeks ago, and we've been on the road ever since. We've been from coast to coast. We pretty much booked it from FL to the West, and saw the Hoover Dam. (Pictured above.)

This is the brief version, of course, but we went to Las Vegas for a night. The next day we saw Yosemite.

Then we stopped by Monterrey and drove down the Pacific Coast Highway:

I got to hug some trees... my first time in California, and my first time to see redwoods!

We stayed near Las Angeles for 2 nights. Saw Venice Beach, Santa Monica pier, Beverly Hills, etc in a day. But for some reason, we weren't really feeling the area, so we decided to drive back towards New Mexico. We both really love the Santa Fe area. We saw the Meteor Crater in Arizona:

We stayed a few nights in Albuquerque and then went straight to Denver. We've been in Denver for 4 nights, spending a lot of time in the hotel since we both got a 24 hour stomach flu. Tomorrow we're going down to Santa Fe/Taos until the weekend when we'll make our way to Texas and Alabama to visit family. (And pick up Woobie who's been staying with my family in AL.) We'll be checking out land for sale in northern NM as we travel for a living and have no home of our own. We'd like to build a house ourselves, but we haven't decided what area of the country we love the most. A big part of this vacation has been scouting a place we both love enough to start looking for land. I'd love to hear from anyone who lives in the Santa Fe region.

At Casa Bonita... if anyone has been to this restaurant in Denver or has seen the Southpark episode, you'll understand my excitement.

Today is my 1 month anniversary since I first did tnr. What a fun month it has been! Tomorrow is also my 2 year wedding anniversary with my husband. Yay!

At this point, my babies are really dreading up in some places, and some more than others. I have some hairs that have decided to come loose. The ends are still loose and curly. I stopped re-tnr-ing them after the 2nd week. I was worried they'd come loose, but that hasn't been the case, except for a few in the back. (I'm sure they'll catch up at some point.) I have LOTS of loops and zig-zags, which actually give my hair a very similar look to the curls they once were. I've been alternating Dr. Bronners with Bs/ACV, but honestly at this point I don't have a lot of love for the BS/ACV wash as my hair just seems to be more itchy, dandruffy a day after I do it, and right after I get out of the shower, I get almost hive-like itchy bumps on my face and chest. They go away in 15 minutes, but it's still something I don't look forward to. I'm still not very bold with wearing them completely down in public. I've been using tams but more bandanas at this point. I'm hoping the frizz will tame soon, which is what I'm most self-conscious about.

I'm king of using the blog function as a way of journaling my progress in dreads and what's been going on in my life. This isn't necessarily meant to be deep or entertaining, just cathartic for me.

It's been a week and a day since I did tnr. It's been a very enjoyable week. I've crocheted 5 new hats in my zeal to learn more about patterns and have been playing with beads. I've also enjoyed throwing out my comb and multiple hair serums I've tried for so long to tame my hair with. My hair's happy, I think. Still some frizz, but actually the original curls that I tnr'ed seem less frizzy, more defined and longer than I'm used to. I imagine some of that length I'm enjoying is going to lessen with time, but if it doesn't, that'd be awesome. I've always wanted long hair, but the length always just got sucked right back up into the ringlets, especially underneath.

I've stopped using aloe. At first it seemed to help tame the frizz, but it seemed like I was finding white crusty flakes that looked like dandruff the day after. I'm taking Baba Fats advise and taking that off the menu for now. I've shampooed only twice, because I haven't really seemed to need more than that. I'd expected more oiliness, but my scalp has been nice and clean.

Otherwise, I haven't been messing with it. Some of the areas around my scalp (mainly in the back) are really loose (because my arms got so tired), and I've put beads on them so I won't think about those strands so much.

I'm ready for the debates and elections to be over. Boca Raton is lit up with Romney sights and old white people holding nasty signs about Obama on street corners. I'm also ready to be out of Florida, hopefully to a place with cool weather, real trees, mountains and waterfalls. Alas, our time in FL has been extended til Dec. 21st. In construction that means we'll be here through Christmas. At least we can be thankful my husband has work through winter when construction projects are lagging. I've re-taken up the hobby of reading. Mostly sci-fi and fantasy that can take me to a world of magic - and real trees, mountains, and waterfalls. (Just discovered Pier Anthony. Since Xanth is loosely based on FL, it's even more entertaining.)

I took down all pictures of mention of my hair on FB. I only have a few friends and family on there as I'd decided to only keep the people on that I felt were truly friends. (grand total of 10!) No one even said anything, so I'm just keeping this to my and my hubby... and you guys, of course. Since we'll be suck here for the holidays, I don't know when we'll see our families. I suppose it will just be a surprise.

That's about it for now.