Chop chop...

My quarterly visit to the hairdresser...always a pleasure! The salon is a fascinating place, one I now enjoy. This wasn't always the case, as I found the whole experience intimidating; full of crazy stylists, colour fiends and prissy women! Thanks to my good friend and colour guru (who happens to own a salon) I now feel relatively confident about getting chopped and coloured...it has taken two years, with gentle stages of change - plain shoulder length dull blonde hair has become layered, feathered, soft around the edges of my face, with pink soft tones to match!

I think being a hairdresser must be similar to being a tennis coach; people wanting to share their life story, vent their personal problems and enjoying the chance to chat aloud with someone who knows nothing about them and their personal life. I must admit, as a tennis coach in a previous life, this was the main source of fun and led to many adventures!!!

There is always a buzz in the salon and if you are a people watching, the perfect place to sit and drink coffee, whilst watching the world go by. I enjoy watching the expressions of the cutters and the colourers, who smile at the right moment, nod reassuringly at other times and ensure the person in the chair receives the most self-indulgent experience as possible. There is an art to working with people - successfully that is...and all members of this particular salon seem to do a very good job!

I have been combed, cut, coloured, washed and dried...through the treadmill of chair to basin to heat machine to chair and back again. I prefer to sit quietly and maybe answer the odd question, as I am not really a salon bunny - still new to the whole thing and enjoy taking in the sites and sound of the daily action. The more experienced salon goers are totally tuned in, with ideas about colour, cut, facial structure, celebrity styles...you name it, they have considered it before they vent the contents of their brain to the poor stylist in the consultation session - it is like therapy, only you come out with better hair as opposed to a clearer head!

And so, I live to see another appointment....but will wait until I get the nudge from my dear friend and colour guru to book myself in, as not quite reached the dizzy heights of a salon bunny!