I was kind of shocked when they totaled me up, smiled sweetly and said "That will be one hundred and sixty five dollars". It shouldn't surprise me, but for some reason it always does that sitting in a chair for two hours can cost that much. Doesn't even matter. She could tell me that she was doubling her prices and I would swallow hard, mentally calculate how many sets of outgrown baby clothes I would have to sell on eBay to make up the difference and book my next appointment. I love getting my hair done.
At my last visit my stylist trimmed a couple of inches off, layered it up real pretty, gave me some awesome Farrah-Fawcet-come-Madonna-in-her-wacky-purple-bodysuit curls that made me feel like I had one teensy bit of style for a change, a hand massage, warm tea, groovy music and the chance to sit for thirty minutes and do nothing except read trashy magazines.
It's true I stretch out my visits to the salon farther and farther apart these days. Not just because of the price tag but because it's hard to find two hours (two and a half with travel time) in a row that I can be gone without sacrificing time at home, but it's something I absolutely will not give up. Because this is a trendy salon in a trendy part of town I even dress the part when I go in. Well, not exactly, I'm not capable of trendy, but I don't wear yoga pants and a baby food stained fleece. When I leave, wearing sort of cute clothes with my hair smelling lovely I always remember that there is lip gloss in my bag and I come home feeling like a new woman. I just can't put a price on that.
This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by BOCA. Parent Bloggers Network has partnered with Boca to talk about how you keep your own sense of self intact while fulfilling your job as a parent and balanced living (or how to strive for it). Visit Parent Bloggers Network for all the details.
