Getting my do done didn’t go as planned. But what ever really does? A horrible fact of life for a planner like me. But because I am on a positive kick at the moment (I’ve even started a gratitude journal thank you very much), it doesn’t matter that my hair did not come out as ordered, I can think back on the day fondly because I got to practice my French and shop. At least that’s what new positive me is saying.
At 9:10am (the French are never on the dot, I am an on the dot type of person. I’m slowly adjusting), M arrived to collect me for some shopping before our hair appointments. M and the Boyfriend had a quick pow-wow to go over how I wanted my hair; 2.5-5cm (they don’t do inches in France) off the bottom, long layers, and a side swept fringe. Pretty straightforward in the world of hair I would think and judging by the way M was nodding and saying, “oui” she would agree.
We got in the car and headed to the city. Old freak out me was nervous about spending the day with someone who doesn’t speak English. M offered me a bonbon. I like people who offer me candy for breakfast. New positive me thought, this is going to be a good day.
Before shopping we would meet M’s father for a coffee. A fact of life in Provence is that there is always someone to meet for a coffee. You never travel from point A to point B, you go from point A to point D while making stops at points B and C (again, I’m slowly adjusting).
We had espressos with M’s father, his girlfriend and their king charles spaniel. I love this about France. Dogs inside, everywhere. Plus, the dog served as a nice distraction. Old freak out me could play with the dog instead of trying to engage in French conversation. And I did. I liked that dog.
Two espressos later and we were shopping. I love being a girl. It doesn’t matter that M and I speak different languages, we both speak shopping, and we were able to understand each other perfectly. New positive me was having fun being out with a girl sans Boyfriend and even better because I understood most of what M said to me. Learning by osmosis is obviously working.
Old freak out me, was beginning to wish that the day was just about shopping. First big day out without the Boyfriend, wasn’t that a big enough hurdle? Nope. Two stores later, it was time.
We went into the salon armed with the photos, flashcards, and M’s Iphone translator.
M and I showed the pictures of the nice, soft, easy to maintain, light brown color to the stylist. She looked, got out the hair swatches and showed me a color almost exactly like the photo. New positive me thought everything was going to be ok.
An hour later, the dye was rinsed and I was in a chair with another stylist. Old freak out me was fidgeting nervously. M who had been eyeing me while she was getting her hair done, ran over, hair dripping wet (that’s a friend) and explained what I wanted. I took a look in the mirror. Why was my hair much darker than the photo and the swatch? New positive me told old freak out me that it was just the wetness and would dry lighter. It didn’t.
The stylist cut just how we asked. But why did it look terrible? Why did I want to cry? Why could I only give him an evil eye when he asked if I liked it? Why was old freak out me picturing him with the hairdryer cord wrapped around his neck? This was obviously not a language issue but a bad stylist issue. All my prep work and I got a guy who was crappy at cutting hair. And the color. Yes, I’m sure if I asked for dark chocolate brown I would be very happy. But that’s not what I (M) asked for.
So crappy hair and brown color so dark that I’m going to have to switch from tinted moisturizer to foundation. Old freak out me hates that.
Of course the Boyfriend says how much he loves it. But that’s because he loves me. And sure I did get to go shopping, and more importantly have a day doing girly bonding. That’s what I’ll write in my gratitude journal. And then I’ll freak out.
bisou
It's Me, Sara Louise 
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