My Week

I hate to say this to all those in the midwest and northeast with a ton of snow and freezing temps but it's too hot here too soon.

This morning (Thursday) my hip was feeling fair so I attempted to vacuum, water the plants, do a load of laundry, clean up the kitchen floor, appliances etc.

I was in a full blown sweat. The back of my hair was wet. I have the front door and back door open. It's January 25th, that is too damn early. 

It should be going back down to the 50s next week and I can't wait.

It's rainy, humid and hot. Yuck. The temp is only 72 but it's thick, very humid, my favorite.

You know how we know it's spring around here?

Not the flowers, or the hayfever. Oh no.  

It's Ugly Naked Guy (Our Neighbor, like on Friends) 

He was out in his yard wearing only a pair of shorts. Small shorts.

His enormous hairy belly was out for the world to see, hanging over small shorts.  He is one big fella. He put on some lbs this winter.

He came over to the fence to ask how Rick was doing.  

I didn't need to see this close up. 

Then as he turned to leave me he picked something up in his yard and he bent over. WHY didn't I look away? He burned my retinas.

Yep, no underwear and I got a nice show of his hairy crack. 

What is wrong with him?

We will not see him in a shirt again until next December. 

Although with global warming he may never wear one again. 

I told Rick we should plant very tall shrubs/trees along that fence so we can't see him.

I went to a new place to have a consultation for my hair. 

This last cut I left in tears and I looked like I went back in time to the 80s and I got some sort of a mullet.  It was so awful of a cut. 

I have not had my hair cut since. I let it grow and grow. 

Now it's not really anything except hideous.

Back to the drawing board.

I went back online and looked for salons in area.  It cost so much more money here to have a hair cut and yet no one seems to know how to cut hair or to do anything that is stylish. I called this place I finally landed on after reading reviews everywhere. I also read bios of all stylists. This place seemed a good choice but time will tell. There were 2 stylists I would have chosen by what their specialties were along with their creditials and recurrent training. 

I called and they said a 15 minute consultation is free. 

I was asked,"Who do you wish to make this appointment with?" 

I tell her the 2 I was considering by reading their bios but perhaps she can direct me to the stylist who is good with texturizing with a razor etc. 

She then asked, "How much do you wish to spend?"

WHAT?

Oh $20 is what I wanted to say. 

But unless we go back to 1972 that's not realistic. 

So I asked, "don't you have a set price for haircuts?"

No it goes by stylists and level of expertise and experience she tells me. Okay I am used to that but normally they state, a master stylist is this price etc. 

I don't need to have a Master Stylists who would warrant $110+

I ask if she can please start with who is good with what I am looking for.

She told me two names and both are the same level - $85 - 100.

Oh for the love of God.

To cut my hair. 

Thank goodness I no longer color it.

Now mullet lady charged me $45 and I got what I paid for. 

The other salons I have tried here were all between $70 and $85.

Sooo, I make the appointment with Heather. 

I see her for my free consultation and I left with an appointment for next week.

BUT I forgot to ask what she would charge. 

So this may be a big surprise and have to go on a credit card.

I liked her, she got it, she understood texturizing. I explained since I haven't been able to get a good undercut pixie here, I thought maybe I could grow it out and I showed her what I was thinking.

I have had short hair since 1987 after a bad breakup and have never been able to grow it out. I figure let's try again since I am no longer employed and I don't have to look professional every day. 

If I hate it, I go back to short hair.

She and I discussed where it needed to be less heavy etc. 

Because I used to cut hair, even if only men's, I understand this and it's what I have been saying to all these other stylists.

 

So I left there a bit excited for her to try. It can't be any worse only more $$. Hopefully I won't come home in tears and have to wear my baseball cap for months again.

When I said I wanted it longer, layered, texturized and messy her eyes lit up. She felt I could wear that and with my color it would look great. 

Then she made some suggestions that she thought would be best for me and my hair type. She showed me some styles of her work and a client who has this cut. So we shall see. 

Growing out a pixie isn't going to be fun but hopefully, she can make it look good in each stage.  She was the first stylist who did not try immediately to convince me to color my hair brown since moving here. She loved my salt and pepper and that was a relief. 

I always have to say to other stylists, "Yes, I know you think I look old in gray but it's my hair and I am old."

I always add IN MY HEAD, so fuck off. 🤣

But that was the first thing she said as she is running her hands through my hair, "you really rock gray hair, this looks really good on you. I have clients who pay for this look"  Why thanks because at these prices I couldn't afford to color it too. I appreciated she wasn't just trying to get more money out of me. The bad thing if I do find her to be my new stylist is she only works four days a week.  But at these prices, I get why.

The salon is in a part of Raleigh that Rick and I just love. North Raleigh.

How I wish we could have moved there. We go there to grocery shop at Wegmans, and to shop and to dine, and see doctors, but we don't live there sadly. We come back to hillbilly land and sigh.