Thanks for the image of the hair oil @Escaped_Goat - I'm a visual person. 

Thanks for your encouragement. You're right, and it will be lovely to see my friend. She needs a bit of support at the moment, which is what decided me. And she does know about my germophobia and agoraphobia, just not how bad it's got lately. I hope I'll be ready (psyched up for the possible germs) in time. 

Have you started your project(s)?