Dear local friends, please explain these things to me in words of one syllable

[alias_sqbr]

I have a bunch of questions I can't figure out the answers to, mostly I can find general guides online but need local people to help answer them with specific answers for Perth/Australia. But general advice would be helpful too.

1) What EXACTLY should I buy, and from where, to bleach a streak in my hair? I intend to add colour but want to take it one step at a time. I may try getting it done at the hairdresser's the first time (I've had highlights before but not a single vibrant streak) but want to be able to do my hair myself long term.

Here's the sort of stuff I seem to need to buy (I also asked some people on discord and they gave similar advice): Bleach powder, Crème developer, Red Gold Corrector, "Purple shampoo," tint brush

But where is a good place to buy online in Australia? What size should I buy of each? I look at a site like this and go ahhhh so many things to choose.

2) I wish to pay someone to deliver mulch to my garden and spread it out. Is that a thing? I feel like it should be, but all I can find is people who deliver it in a big pile, and general gardeners. Gardeners might offer this service? But hiring gardeners and having them actually show up has been chancy even just for weeding, let alone when having to organise buying and transporting stuff. It's a single garden bed, like... 1mx3m, maybe. (I suck at estimating sizes)

3) There are gaps in our kitchen grouting, a few centimetres behind the sink, through which ants keep coming in. I want to use some sort of gap filler, would I need a caulking gun?

I am quite sure my parents would take care of 2 and 3 for me if I asked but they also...are the ones who gave me so much neurosis about asking anyone for favours, so.

Comments

[rdm]

I can help with (3) and maybe (2).

2) Try The Weeding Women - they are pretty prompt in my experience. I do not know if they will also provide a mulch pickup and delivery, though. OTOH, there is also Mulchnet, who will do a free mulch delivery - although it will probably be much more than you need (nothing to stop you sharing with a neighbour or two, though), and the delivery timing can be unpredicatable as it is dependent on both demand for mulch and for lopping work.

3)
You will not need a caulking gun. A squeeze tube will be enough. However, do consider placing some 'nest-kill' type baits first, give them a week or two to work, and then fill the gaps.

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks!

[winterbird]

2. If you find no options here, Glen and I can just grab some pine mulch or something and come lay it? I mean it's something I've done for my garden (and did in sections last year, which was the equivalent of laying mulch on your garden about 10 times), and while it does make me tired, it wouldn't be out of my wheelhouse and I don't see your garden needing a *ton* of it (if you just mean that front section).

3. Just in case, I have a caulking gun you can borrow and I'm pretty sure I know exactly where it is. So if squeeze tubes fail you (they shouldn't), there's a back up.

(Feel free to ignore if all of this makes you Uncomfortable, but at the very least caulking guns are like, around the place, and it really is no trouble to just bring one, I don't even have to open a ton of boxes to get to it <3)

[alias_sqbr]

Pia, I am not making you do my gardening! A friend has offered to have her (healthy and energetic young adult) kid do it, if necessary, and also nooooo. Don't risk injury for other people! Especially me! I would feel much worse than I do about my garden not having mulch! (I may be overestimating how much it would be bad for you, but also I would rather you spend any time you're able to be here hanging out with me, not doing manual labour)

But if I need a caulking gun I will definitely borrow yours, thank you.

Thanks for checking in. People offering to do things for me doesn't usually make me uncomfortable, as long as I feel like they're sincere and ok with me saying no, and I feel sure I didn't pressure them into it. And we're good <3

[winterbird]

I am totally okay with you saying no! And also, I would also much rather just spend time with you :D <3333

[fred_mouse]

If you have no luck with the mulch, Middlest has had some minimal experience with mulching, is underemployed, and we have a car with a trailer hitch. The catch would be finding a place that provides trailer hire with mulch purchase that is near to you.

[alias_sqbr]

Thank you, it's good to have options!

#1

[tree]

something i can help with omg!

i wrote this entry six years ago for just such an occasion! it is specifically about bleaching and dyeing your whole head, but everything is the same for doing sections/streaks except obvious the amounts you'll be using and the area you'll be using them on.

one tip i would add is to apply a small amount of vaseline/petroleum jelly to the roots of the hair around the section you're working with to protect it from the chemistry.

i buy everything from priceline myself just because there was one on every corner in sydney and so i'm used to them.

please ask more questions if you like!

Re: #1

[alias_sqbr]

Oh that post is super helpful, thank you! I may ask more questions later if I get stuck.