CAROL'S COLUMN

Views & tips from your side of the counter........

FRIENDS FOR LIFE? They say you only find out who your real friends are when you're in trouble. Well, I'm in trouble and it

My Mum, God bless her, was the first to arrive and to be honest there were several welcome goodies in her assorted gifts. Such as tissues, Lemsip and a good old jar of Vicks Vapour Rub. Well done Mum, although what she expected me to do with half a dozen eggs and a pack of Ryvita I don't know. Ryvita? With this throat? I don’t think so. And whilst a boiled egg and soldiers might have made me feel better when I was five I doubt that it would work now. And anyway I couldn’t trust my other half with a pan of boiling water (the kitchens not his natural habitat) and I just know he wouldn’t cut the top off for me like Mum used to. And what about him? Well, I know I'm not much fun at the moment but quite frankly his nursing skills are definitely more than a little worrying. I mean the amount of paracetamol he keeps trying to force - feed me would knock out the entire Queens Regiment. Never having been ill himself (that's sickening in itself!) he's not exactly familiar with modern medicine. I keep trying to explain to him that you have to leave a reasonable gap between doses and that 'mix and match' applies more to make-up than medicines but I'm sure he thinks I'm just being awkward. His philosophy appears to be to drug the virus into submission so I daren't drink the tea he keeps bringing me in case he's substituted the sugar for something more deadly. Not more deadly than his jokes though. I know he means well but telling me jokes 'to make me feel better' just isn't working. (Actually, I wish he'd clear off to the pub and let me die in peace).

Sarah visited me. Sarah, with her long and descriptive stories of the time she had flu. Although of course, hers was the Chinese variety accompanied with mononucleosis and body spasms - and what didn't come out of her nose wasn't worth mentioning! Except that she did mention it. She kept mentioning it. Flu was quickly being overtaken by extreme nausea.

Then Beth dropped in with her offering of a bag of broken biscuits and Gillians gift of an out-of-date Easter egg had be completely baffled.

And then came Trudy. Now I thought I could really rely on her - I've known her a lifetime. And she's known me a lifetime, so why on Gods earth did she arrive armed with a six-pack of Marks & Spencer yoghurt, a years supply of Lancashire Life and a bargain box of ten pairs of tights? I hate yoghurt with a vengeance - absolutely hate it! And if my eyes would stop watering I might be able to catch up with who's who in Lancashire at the moment, but what the hell was she thinking about with the tights? Should I put them on all at once in an effort to stop the shivers? Pull a pair over my head to avoid breathing germs on people who deserve them more then I do? Perhaps his lordship asked her to get them in the hopes that I'd cut off one leg and hang myself with it (save him buying any more paracetamol!)

No, I've decided that when you really need them, family and friends can definitely be more of a hindrance than a help. In fact I realise now that the only one I can really rely on in a crisis is my goldfish. Good old Harry! Hasn't been fed in days, poor thing - does he grumble? No. Did he bring me strange and unwanted gifts, then expect quality conversation when my throat felt like sandpaper? No. He did not try to end my life prematurely with paracetamol poisoning and best of all - he kept his silly jokes to himself!

Did You Know?

GREAT LENGTHS!

If, like me, you've struggled to grow your hair for what seems like ages, how do you keep it looking good? Its true that long hair usually demands more time and effort to get it looking fab so here are a few tips -

1. Keep heat styling to a minimum - if you want long hair with smooth, healthy ends then heat is best avoided when possible. Letting your hair dry naturally will be the best favour you can do it. Always gently towel dry to remove excess water and remember, drying in direct sunlight may bring out your natural highlights but can overdry the ends, causing splitting and breakage.
2. Be vigilant about your conditioning - longer hair can easily become out of condition so treat it to an intensive conditioner at least once a month, especially on the mid-length and ends as the hairs natural oils often don't reach this far.
3. Avoid chemical processing - Perms and colours have come a long way recently but there's no doubt that they do take their toll. They can dry out hair and alter its structure so do think carefully before you make a decision and with long hair its definitely advisable to consult the professionals.
4. Dress it up - You've probably grown your hair so that you can feel it floating around your shoulders but long hair can look really knockout when piled on top of your head with long tendrils escaping. Practice putting your hair up in lots of different ways, its not always easy but treat yourself to a range of accessories to help. There's a whole range of things available now from scrunchies to butterfly clips - get your stylist to show you how to use them most effectively.
5. Don't lose heart - There will always be days when you want to give up and have the lot chopped off but remember - even people with the shortest of styles still have bad hair days. Have patience until the mood passes, focus on something else to distract yourself. Put your hair in a simple ponytail and use your favourite make-up routine to make you feel special and keep reminding yourself that it took at least six months to grow that extra 3 inches!

TOP TIP TOP TIP - if you are going to change your hair colour dramatically it is unlikely that your present make-up shades will give the same effect as they usually do. Experiment with a completely new colour palette to compliment your new shade. If you're on a budget check out your friends make-up bags first! Experiment with their shades before parting with your cash or book in for a make-up session at a department store. These can be pricey but shop around and you'll usually find the store will refund the cost against any purchases you make..