Finally! A Haircut after Three Months

It’s been three months since my last haircut. I used to get a haircut every six to eight weeks at the most. But since Covid and everything else, haircuts have been less of a priority. I usually wear my hair on the shorter side because it is very thin and looks rather unflattering at one length. And being silvery grey it can age you too if not kept up. So I find myself looking at styles on Pinterest that might work and end up with the same thing. When we lived on Capitol Hill and I was working at the Library of Congress I had an asymmetrical bob. Since we moved to northern Virginia four years ago I went with a pixie, and then because of the pandemic the pixie turned in to a very long mess. So it was finally cut in to a short bob and I’ve pretty much stayed that route. One length and chin length bob sounds good, but I was getting tired of it. So I found a few images of something that I thought I would like and brought them in yesterday to my hairdresser/stylist. It was more of a bixie - front bob and the back pixie with layers. It’s a style that goes better with my face shape - I need more weight on the top rather than the sides and chin. It would also take a few years off - something we all need now. And since I had cataract surgery I no longer need glasses for distance - a very odd feeling to have since I was sixteen! She did a nice job based on my hair type, etc. You know the cut is good when another one of the most trendy hairstylists follows you out of the salon to tell you how gorgeous your hair is. I know it’s a ploy but it works every time. 

New Teeth, Haircut, IPad, Earbuds, and iPhone Battery

It was a good week last week for my husband. After six months of fooling around with dental implant preparation, the four front lower teeth were FINALLY done. He’s had single tooth implants before, but they were not in visible places. But for these he needed to have bone grafts, then a cosmetic partial made that didn’t last very long, and a lot of visits to prepare for, then implant the metal bases, and wait for the healing. It’s so wonderful to see he has all of his teeth now! Then he got a haircut. We needed to go to the Apple Store to see if his iPad needed a battery replacement. Since the iPad isn’t like an iPhone, it was near the lower per cent that would require an iPad replacement. Plus his iPad was discharging quickly and was acting up. It was a replacement device that we got exchanged when my mom’s stopped working three years ago. Along with that he just got my old iPhone 8 Plus because his iPhone 6 Plus died. We had never changed batteries on any of our iPhones. And I’m really sorry we didn’t attend to his sooner so we would have a replacement backup. So at the Apple Store his phone needed a new battery and we decided it was time for a replacement iPad. So we exchanged his old one for a similar model and got twenty dollars off because we have a grandson in college. Because there are no longer slots for the old earbuds, he needed to get wireless earbuds so he could listen to his material in the iPad. So last week was a big week for my husband - almost too much going on at once. With every new apple device comes a learning curve and personal setups that take time. But it was all worth it. Let’s hope everything stays in working order - teeth, earbuds, iPhone and iPad. But he will still need to get his hair cut. 

The Haircut

My husband was never too picky about where he got his hair cut. But once he picked a barber he tended to stick with him/her. I actually got him to visit my hair stylist in the Midwest once. He really didn’t notice any difference. When we first moved to DC it took a while to find someone he liked. It seemed every time he went that one side was shorter than the other, or he got nicked, or some other story was told. By the end we were driving to Alexandria where he found a shop, but the results were still the same. When we moved to northern Virginia it took another few tries to find a place he liked. Then we settled on McLean Hair Center because it is located close to the house. It is supposedly the oldest barber shop in town. When my husband feels like he needs a haircut that means he needs it right away. After taking our morning walk in Alexandria yesterday and stopping off at Vaso’s Kitchen to pick up pizza and dinner, we stopped at Gravelly Point to eat the pizza and watch the planes fly in to Reagan Airport. When driving home he called to make an appointment with his favorite barber Tina. She wasn’t able to take him immediately so we waited a couple of hours. It’s not the kind of place people usually make appointments. It’s more like a first come first served type of arrangement. But Tina recognized him and gave him the nod when he entered. And the place was packed because of the new year weekend. My husband was attended to in short order and he always feels so much better after a haircut. I’m just glad he found a place that he likes. He really doesn’t make a fuss about much - not even a haircut. 

The Right Haircut

My mom always believed a good haircut is a must. For as long as I can remember she took us to a hairdresser. I always had shorter hair - probably because it was rather thin with a bit of a wave. I never liked my hair and still don’t regardless of the style. In college it grew quite long only to be cut off in to a shag when I was a senior. Pixies were not uncommon, then there would be some growing out only to be cut off again. For the last many years I wore an asymmetrical pixie/bob. When my hair got really thin I went back to a pixie. During the pandemic I didn’t get a haircut for almost two years. My hair hadn’t been that long for ages. But when you have grey hair you begin to look like a witch. I had to get Bobbie pins and clips to keep it out of my face. And it took forever to dry and was a real nuisance. So when I finally went back for a haircut it would be another very short bob. Then I let it grow a little longer and decided to try a sort of shag style that had longer tendrils in the front and a graduated back. My husband didn’t care for it. He always tells me that my hair detracts from my face when it is longer or “unkempt.” I used to get a haircut every six weeks but now it gets to be every too months or longer since we have not really resumed any prepandemic activity. I was going to ask for a trim, but when I got to the shop I asked for all the shaggy part to be eliminated. So I ended up back with a very short bob. And it feels so short! But rather than feel bad about it I know it will grow out. It’s getting thinner and thinner on top but for now is adequate. My mom ended up wearing wigs and I may have that in my future. At least there are a lot of options out there. I still think about my first hairdresser. He was the best. 

An Unusually Busy Week

Last week was really weird. We had something to do every day. We aren’t used to that at all! Monday we went to the National Arboretum to take some images for the weekly 52frames photo challenge. Tuesday we went to Old Town Alexandria to finalize our will, power of attorney, and health care directives. Our Midwest documents needed to be updated after forty years. After that we stopped at Vaso’s kitchen to pick up Greek food. We hadn’t been there in over a year and it was delicious. The small throw blanket we ordered from Target arrived. It added a bit of color to the living room. Wednesday we picked up our groceries curbside. We had a huge bread haul as we ran out of just about everything. Thursday was a huge event. I finally got a haircut after thirteen months. I wanted a bob and got a short bob. It felt wonderful. My husband was happier than I was. My hair was looking like a witch and I felt like one. Then on Friday we had eye appointments. My husband has scar tissue on one eye from cataract surgery and my eyes are so dry that I need a special kit and eye gel to try and get them from sticking shut in the morning. Although it was exceptionally unusual to be so active it felt a bit more like “normal.” The only thing that got us out of the house before was a morning walk and a weekly drive in to DC. It was a psychological lift doing really nothing. 

First Haircut in Fourteen Months

I always wore my hair short. My last hair style was a pixie, and before that an asymmetrical pixie/bob for many years. My hair is very fine and frizzy and I never liked it. I remember going to Florida to visit my parents many years ago with long frizzy hair and returning with a sleek bob - to my husband’s delight. It was cut by my stylist that I went to as a kid growing up. My mom always thought you should spend money on a good haircut. Since we have been cooped up in the house for the last fourteen months, I have not had a haircut. I’ve been cutting my husband’s hair, but have not touched mine. It looked ridiculous! I had to start using Bobbie pins, head bands, and rubber bands to hold it back. It needed conditioner to help with the tangles. I stopped washing it every day. Both my husband and I are now fully vaccinated and he decided to get a real haircut this week. He looked like a different person. It inspired me to finally make an appointment. And since my hair was already long, it could easily be cut in to a symmetrical, angled, stacked bob. It was so exciting to get back to a normal activity. The shop was pretty busy and my hair stylist said I was the second customer who appeared after a year of hibernation. I don’t think it would matter how it turned out I was so happy to have the hair off my neck and return to a style I had many times before. It just looks healthier and I feel better psychologically. So thank you Shahnaz for the beautiful cut. I don’t think I’ll be able to get it to look as good as you did because my hair has a mind of it’s own. My husband is even more thrilled about it than I am. I hope I don’t have to wait another fourteen months for the next appointment! 

Finally! A Barber Shop Visit

Over the last year I have been cutting my husband’s hair with clippers. I didn’t care to do it, and it came out different every time. I suppose I’ve done it at least six times now. Because we really didn’t do anything or go anywhere it didn’t matter if his hair wasn’t the perfect cut. So he’s been hinting that he needed a haircut and I just didn’t want to do it. We are beginning to go to places now - like doctor and dental appointments! - and I thought he needed to have a better job than what I was able to do. So we drove over to the barber shop that he used to go to before all of this pandemic nonsense. I stayed in the car for the duration. There was someone waiting before him, and after him another person walked in, and then another one shortly thereafter. All in all it didn’t take very long. He looked like a completely different person because I wouldn’t have dared to cut it as short as they did. It never mattered where he got his haircut. It always seemed like one sideburn was longer than the other. It’s a running joke. Anyway, he feels good about it and I feel good about it because I don’t want to feel responsible for a crooked haircut. So now we have clippers and a bib to hold the clippings. Wonder when we will use it again? This episode inspired me to finally think about getting my hair cut. It’s been a year and I have just about had it. Maybe it’s one way of feeling “normal” again. 

Mafent Hair Cutting Cloak

I don’t think my husband will ever go back to the barber. Since March everything changed. He no longer goes to the barber to get his hair cut; I haven’t seen a hair stylist since February - and it shows. But in his case, hair clippers is all that’s needed. So we ordered a clipper set very early on and all the equipment came in handy - the clippers, scissors, comb and all the attachments. What was missing was something to catch all the loose hair in. We tried plastic bags, sitting on the tub, sitting on the plastic bag... all of these gyrations ended up in a mess. So I searched for a hair catcher and actually found something that might work. The typical plastic capes one wears in the salon or barber shop doesn’t do the trick since all the hair lands on the floor - which is what I wanted to avoid. The Mafent brand on Amazon is a grey plastic cape with a velcro collar that curls up on the edges - to catch the stray hair. It’s made with a bendable wire so you can fold it into a small size. Then it’s stored next to the clipper case under the sink in the bathroom. I haven’t used it yet since I ordered it after the latest haircut and was annoyed with the hair flying. Because this home haircut will become the norm, it’s best to have the appropriate supplies. Now all we need is the neck brush! I wish I had such an easy solution to my hair dilemma. 

Bromeliad Haircut

Houseplants are nice to have around. They require a bit of attention and bring any space to life. Since we no longer have our tiny Capitol Hill patio garden, we have a console table in the dining room filled with several plants. One of the plants - a bromeliad - was given to us by our dear friends when my mom passed away in February. It’s quite large and has done well. The main stalk, however, started to turn brown. That was expected. What was nice to see were two little sprouts growing from the base of the plant. When they reached a few inches I decided it was time for a haircut. So I read about the do’s and dont’s and got out my scissors. The plant was cut as far down as was possible. Then I trimmed off all the remaining leaves. It was quite the pruning session. I generally don’t have a problem trimming back garden plants and this was no exception. I am disappointed in the money tree that isn’t cooperating. The bromeliad was placed on the lower shelf of the console table where it gets the afternoon light and warmth of the returning western sun. I hope it does well for many reasons. Every time I look at it I think about our friends who thought about my mom.