(slide your mouse over picture for caption)This is the date (3/13/06) that my locks were made. I will continue to rejoice and be glad with them. My locks have gotten longer since last year. This is the first time that I've considered them to be long.I have really downsized my maintenance routine. I seldom use shampoo these days but, I still use it sparingly and of course diluted. Since reading on Nappturality about the baking soda wash/rinse, I tried this and I'm hooked. This is what I do. I put a shake or so of baking soda in a pitcher. I fill this about 1/2 way with warm water and add 5 or so drops of my favorite essential oil;which is currently peppermint or spearmint. If I feel like it, I fill the pitcher the rest of the way with water.Whether I wash with shampoo first or not I pour this all over my locks and voila. I get clean and soft locks. I'm still brushing my locks on a continous basis and still using the sharpie or permanent marker to camouflage the clean lint. And... (drum roll please) I've become a DIYer for retightening my locks. I was gonna take the class Nov' 08 but they cancelled and never rescheduled a new class. I had already gotten a Bratz doll head from a thrift store and ordered the NappyLocks kit. I'd been practicing before they cancelled and when they did I realized that I was a the mercy of others to teach me things. So, in anticipation of the class coming in January I had already told my Certified Sisterlocks Consultant that I'd be going out on my own. My last professsional retightening was 1/7/09. I have made a few mistakes with my locks. I've combined some by mistake but it's all good. Also, as I was checking out my own head, I realized that several of my Sisterlocks had matured too small for my tastes so I've been combining some on purpose. I really like the Nappylocks tool and I've tried the hair pin tape on the end self created tool. But, I like the Nappylock tool better. One of my coworkers bought me one of the small plastic crochet/knitting needles but I havent used it yet. Sometimes that Nappylock tool can get away from you.I waited 2 months before I retightened my entire head. It took me about a week. I am not on part patrol meaning that I don't part my head in perfect rows to retighten. I just make sure that locks are clipped out of the way. I'm seriously thinking of having my locks combined to make them all larger. Who knew that the very thing that I loved about Sisterlocks when I got them 3 years ago (small and skinny locks) would be the thing I want to change about them. So, those of you who have just gotten or will soon get your Sisterlocks be aware that they can and do mature sometimes very, very skinny like angel hair pasta small. Why? That's just how they be. I haven't fully made up my mind to do this but I have been thinking about it alot. I'm trying to decide if I will two strand twist them or combine them with the Nappylocks tool or sew them. Check out my pics. I have already sewn a few together. I think I would like for my locks to be about the size of a pencil all over. One thing I've discovered is that I absolutely hate the freshly manicured, scalp showing look so that's why I've chosen to latch every 2 months. Guess what? I'm even thinking that if I decided to make my locks bigger that I might become a freeformer or a semi-freeformer and only latch 1-2 times per year. Sisterlocks have afforded me a lot of freedom but I think I'm ready for the kind of freedom of not so manicured so often locks.Do I still love having locks? Yep I'm just contemplating a different kind. I guess some of you may say that I don't have Sisterlocks anymore because I use the Nappylock tool. Well, that's your PREROGATIVE! One thing that I know without a doubt is that no matter what method you use TIME and only TIME will give you locks aka dreadlocks. Nothing will make them locks faster or grow longer but TIME.Till next time stay nappy and happy. Ciao.