New Co-Worker

We have a new face at The Purple Pinkie! BFF Jill has agreed to help us out for the holiday season! Kylie had an opportunity to spend the next three months in Fort Myers, FL and jumped on it faster than a slut jumps on some one's steady boyfriend on prom night.

For those of you who have been asking how Kylie is, she is awesome. She found a job at a restaurant/bar on the beach called The Cottage. If you are going to be in Fort Myers, like I will be in three weeks, make sure you look her up. I am sure she is longing for some familiar faces right now since it's been three weeks since she's been there.

BFF Jill completed her first week at the PP and we kept her busy. For those of you who may not know, BFF Jill is a full cosmetologist and owns her own salon, Bernot Beauty in Ford City. It used to be her grandfather's barber shop, but after she graduated from high school and beauty school, she worked side by side with him, learning the barber trade from him. When he retired, she took it over and it now caters to BOTH sexes and is decorated floor to ceiling with vintage hats.

It's going to be fun, working side by side with my BFF. I can only hope I don't pee my pants from laughing all day. I have until the 30th, when surgery will hopefully finally kick that little problem to the curb.

Remembering Sonny

Sonny was our first dog as a couple. I saw him at Lasher's Pets and mentioned him to Mr. Bruises since he had made a comment that he always wanted a collie. We went to see him and when they took him out of the cage, he pooped on the floor. What a great first impression.

Weeks passed and a guy that worked in the pet shop came into the cycle shop and told Mr. Bruises if he wanted him, he was half off because he was getting too big for his cage. So, we went and got him and it was the best day ever. Those who passed him up missed out on one of the best dogs ever. Even though we got him for half price, he was worth full price tripled.

Sonny was born on this day in 1988. He would have been 21 today. He lived to be thirteen and a half, which is amazing, however, not nearly long enough for us. The day he went to the Rainbow Bridge, a piece of my heart went with him.

People made fun of us because we had birthday parties for him. We still do that with our animals, but back then, we had guests, now it is just us. Really, we weren't the crazy ones, those were the people who came to the party AND brought gifts!

Sonny was the gentlest, most loving collie I've ever encountered. Naively, I thought all collies were like him, but I found out that he was rare. I found that out the hard way when one bit me in the ass and ripped my jeans. Thank goodness he was old and his teeth were nubs, while I didn't have broken skin, I had one hell of a bruise.

So, today, I remember my precious Sonny. In honor of his 21st birthday, I will be having a Long Island Iced Tea at Nite Courts tonight! Happy Birthday, Sonny, I still love you and miss you terribly!

Righting Wrongs

Those who know me know that I will ALWAYS stand up for what is right and try to right wrongs. Our local beauty education is really lacking and is totally in need of some change and has been for some time.

A high school friend approached me months ago, asking my advice on going to school for nails. I warned against enrolling in the local school that I attended, since I know first hand how I was pretty much self taught. I also informed her that after the last two techs I hired, who were recent graduates of the school, I would no longer consider any student from that school. They are just not educated. The school is charging $3800 for a seven week course and people like ME are left to actually teach these students how to do nails. Nope, not doing it any longer.

Despite my request that another school, 30 minutes away should be explored, my friend enrolled in the local school. She started classes a few weeks ago on a Monday and on that Wednesday, sent me this in an email.

I just wanted to touch base with you and let you know I started classes on Monday. Everyone was right, the don't freakin teach you anything, you have to teach yourself. My first day the teacher was sick & we didn't even have a student teacher. The director wanted us to give manicures. I don't have a clue on have to give a manicure, that's why I am here.

See, the problem with this email is that they wanted her to work on patrons of the clinic (for a fee) on her FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. State Board rules state the following:

§ 7.120. Work done by students on the public. (a) A school may permit students to work on the public, and may charge a fee for treatment performed by students on the public based on the reasonable cost of materials used in such treatment, if the students have successfully completed the following hours of instruction: (1) Cosmetology Curriculum—300 Hours (2) Esthetics Curriculum—75 Hours (3) Nail Technology Curriculum—50 Hours (4) Natural Hair Braiding Curriculum—75 Hours

As you can see, a Nail Technology student, which my friend is, has to successfully complete 50 hours before she can LEGALLY work on a patron in the clinic. Students attend school six and a half hours a day. On the date that she sent me the email, she would have had nineteen and a half hours, which isn't even half of what is required AND she was asked to do these services on her FIRST DAY!

When I attended this school in the fall of 2001, they did the exact same thing to me. On day two of school, I was told that I had to apply a tip on a patron who had broken a natural nail. I had no idea what to do. I did it, because I was told I had to. Not only was this not safe. It was ILLEGAL.

I also did not have a teacher my first day. On day two until week five, I was taught by a student teacher, someone who had just graduated from cosmetology school with NO work experience what so ever. Further, our school did not have a LICENSED instructor for the first five weeks of my seven week program. Again, this is totally ILLEGAL.

Since 2001, there have been a number of directors. I had hoped that the school would finally get a director that knows what's going on and actually had education as a priority. I find it sad, that eight years later, this school is still operating the same.

So, I did what I felt was the right thing to do. I turned the school in, once more, to the PA State Board. This is the third complaint that I have made against this school. I got notice yesterday, that my complaint has been registered. Let's hope that something is done, finally. I am not holding my breath though.

Happy Birthday, John B. Ford!

Yesterday was Captain John B. Ford's 198th birthday! John founded Ford City, the wonderful town that I have lived my entire life in. BFF Jill and I celebrated his birthday, at the statue in the Ford City Park.















We had Red Velvet cupcakes and party hats. Boy, I am sure we put on a good show, trying to get that stupid hat on his head. Listen, I was standing on the TOP RAIL of a step stool, with the party hat taped to the end of a broom handle. Two attempts from behind were failed because, even though the hat was on his head, you could not see it from the front. Finally, after attempting from the front, we got it right.


Happy Birthday John!

Mitten Success!

Finally, I have had a mitten success. You will remember my first try with a knitted pair. Then I tried again with a crocheted pair that I felted. I was ready to chuck it all unitil my friend, Gloria, suggested that I refelt my crocheted mittens and actually felt them to my hands. I didn't know you could do that! Gloria actually makes slippers and felts them to fit her feet!

So, I tried it and it was okay. I then decided to try it again and the second time produced success! Thank you so much, Gloria, for saving my mittens!

Yearbooks

Some people collect figurines, dolls, baskets or other things. I, collect yearbooks. I mainly collect Ford City High School (my alma mater) yearbooks. I also have some Kittanning High School yearbooks that were my fathers and some Lenape Elementary yearbooks that came with some other ones I purchased.

I have 1951, 1952, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1996, 1998, 1999 from Ford City. I also own a 1930 Ford City Senior Book. If you have any of the missing years that you would like to sell or know of any that someone wants to find a good home for, please let me know!

Now, here are my favorites and why.....

This is the 1930 Senior Book. This is a small book and only features the seniors of that year.

The most bizarre thing about this book is when you open the cover, inside is a vellum sheet, which is not uncommon. What is bizarre is that it is embossed with spider webs and spiders. I am not sure why, but it has always fascinated me.

This is the 1952 Trireme. It is the 50th Anniversary of the yearbook. In 1902, the first class graduated from FCHS, there were six graduates. This was, however, when they had a three year program. The first four year program graduates were the class of 1909, which is what most people, including the Alumni Association consider to be the first official graduating class. There were four graduates that year. This yearbook is my favorite of all because it has a ton of history about the school.







This is the 1981 Trireme. This was my first year in high school, ninth grade. I came from Ford City Catholic. This yearbooks is a favorite because I spent HOURS looking at it every night. I swear, I memorized every one's faces and names from grades seventh through twelfth. My friends in the nail world refer to me as The Mayor because I know everyone and if I don't know you, give me five minutes and I will. I like to think that this reputation started in 1980-81 with this yearbook.

This is the 1984 Trireme. This was my senior year, so of course, this would have to make the favorites as well.

So, again, if you or anyone you know wants to find a good home for their yearbooks. I can provide that home. I love all things Ford City, especially Ford City High School yearbooks.

All to Ourselves....

Mr. Bruises and I went to the movies tonight to see Couples Retreat. When we walked in, we were amazed to see that we were the only ones in the theatre.

Minutes before the movie started, others came. Inconsiderate others. Now we all know that when you are at the movies that you should turn your ringer off on your cell phone. They even tell you this in the previews AND tell you to not text.

These inconsiderate assholes were receiving phone calls during the entire movie. I am talking ring, rind, doodle dee, doo, da and then actually having an entire conversation. Four times. Seriously.

It took all I could to keep from jumping over my row, because you know there is a whole flipping movie theatre, but the asshole has to sit one row behind us and to the right, and taking that phone and shoving it so far up her ass that she will never hear it ring again.

I know what it is like to have a total love affair with your phone. I am having an affair with mine currently. My BeBe (my Blackberry's name) was safely in my coat pocket in the "Sleep" mode. If I can do it so can you asshole.

Oh, and the movie was so-so.

Cherry Cider

A few weeks ago, BFF Jill and I took a trip to Butler. We came across a roadside fruit stand that was selling Cherry Cider. Neither of us had ever heard of cherry cider before.

I absolutely loved the glass gallon jugs that the cider was in. I hate cherries with a passion, though. BFF Jill purchased a smaller bottle. I will need to get a report on how that cider was soon!

Happy Founder's Day!

Founder's Day is really on Tuesday, November 17, however Ford City is observing it today. Captain John B. Ford is our town's founder. He was born on November 17, 1811. He established Ford City in 1887, which was a company town for Pittsburgh Plate and Glass (PPG) which he also founded.

In 1891, in honor of Captain John B. Ford's 80th birthday, the workers of PPG erected a statue of him in the Ford City Park. He died May 1, 1903. You will recall this spring, when BFF Jill and I found the site of his grave, totally by accident in Allegheny Cemetery in Lawrenceville, PA.

BFF Jill and I have been taking questions for a few weeks to make a "Everything you ever wanted to know about Ford City" video. We had some great questions, that made the video. We also had some silly ones like "Did Karl Troth and Ellie Mae Walters ever hook up?" that we left out. We also had a lot of great questions about things in the area that are NOT in Ford City, they would be in Manor Township. We focused on Ford City Borough for this video.

We hope you enjoy it. If you are in town on Tuesday, please visit the Ford City Park and go visit John and thank him for the beautiful town and community that he founded for us.

Happy Founder's Day, Ford City!!!

The Truth About the Beheading...

BFF Jill and I have been working on a new video, "All you wanted to know about Ford City" for Founder's Day, which will be observed tomorrow. We released a bloopers reel earlier this week and a lot of our footage was at the John B. Ford statue in the Ford City Park. This is bringing up a lot of comments about a past "incident" with the statue.

In 2004, a group of young adults, after a night of drinking, came up with the brilliant idea of stealing the statue. Rumors went wild, that they had tried to behead the statue, that they had a rope around it's neck and were dragging it to the river to throw it in.

The town was in an uproar. The Mayor, at the time, tried to make an example of these kids. People wanted to hang them and their parents by their toenails.

A lot of people don't know some real truths about this incident. First, this wasn't the first time this happened. In the 70's, it happened and the kids involved not only got a slap on the wrist, they didn't pay ONE DIME to refurbish the statue. Charles Hanna, a local art teacher at the time, reset the statue. I remember working with Mr. Hanna at Custom Design Monuments, and he told me the story and said that he set that statue so efficiently that "No one will ever get it down again".

Well, I guess they found a way. Yes, they did knock it down and yes, they did try to steal it. They did NOT, however, try to behead it. See, the artisan that restored the statue and reset it reported that the cuts on the statue were over TWO YEARS old. This was reported, quietly, in borough meeting minutes. Most never heard this information. The newspapers never reported this, the Mayor never made a big deal out of it. So, everyone, to this day, still thinks that they tried to behead the statue. TOTALLY NOT SO.

The whole situation totally pissed me off at the time. People were LIVID at these kids, even though they paid every cent to have the statue restored AND did countless hours of community service. The kids in the 70's never even got punished at all. When people would bitch about this situation I would say to them, who can honestly say they have never gotten drunk and decided to do something stupid? If you say you have never, then you are either a liar or a saint.

To those parents who were degrading these kids AND their parents, I would congratulate them on having so much confidence in their children that they thought that they would NEVER do something stupid in their lives. I informed them that WHEN their children do, because we all know we all do stupid things in our lives, I hoped that people would have a little more compassion to them as a parent, than they were having for the parents of these kids.

Again, they got drunk, they did something stupid, they PAID to have it fixed, they DID NOT try to behead the statue and no one went out of their way to publicize this information once it was known. So here, I will do it for them.