THE CARROT TOP

     Last night I prepared to tell you about our anniversary celebration and just couldn't find the strength. I was so elated the whole of yesterday and a little bit shocked by how things really turned out to be.

     First of all, I made an appointment to dye my hair. Roberta came with me to do her customary "shampoo and set", and Mary also showed up at a salon, where we were. She had a haircut and asked for the make up to be applied to her face.

     We were at a Beauty Salon and Spa in San Leandro, where I had my facial a few months ago. It was very busy. People were getting their hair done, the manicure and pedicure stations were also bustling with non-stop activity. 

     Mary was done first. She said good bye and: "see you at a party" - and left. I asked Sonny to pick up Roberta, since it still would be a few more hours until I was finished. 

     The lady-beautician did all kinds of stuff to my hair.

While waiting for "the paint to dry", so to speak, I decided to do a pedicure. One of my arms refuses to extend to it's fullest length, so it became impossible for me to cut my toe nails by myself. 

For the first time in their life my toe nails got pampered and painted. I was then given these disposable little yellow slippers to prevent smudging the polish.

It took a long, long time. I brought a thick book with me and wasn't too much in a hurry.

     At least three different people took care of me. They were all from Laos, I think, and very gentle. At a final "unveiling" it turned out that, my hair was bright ginger hue! It was quite a shock after looking in the mirror at my gray head for the last few years, but I told myself, I just wasn't used to something different. 

     All together, my hair was washed 6 times during that day, as well as undergoing all kinds of other treatments. No wonder, it was dry and stiff! The beautician curled and teased it this way and that. 

I always avoided the style she tried on me, but, considering the state of my hair, there wasn't much she could do to make it look natural. I must say, the little beauticians were very smart, complimenting me on a wondrous dye job that I now had and making me feel very good about myself! 

     When I showed up at home, looking like a girl from the Wendy's logo, Sonny almost fell over from laughter. I gingerly opened the door to the bedroom, where Taka worked, and he, who, usually, notices a new hair color in about two weeks' time, jumped back in surprise. I didn't expect any kind words from him, and I didn't get any.  

     I put on a simple black dress and a necklace. Roberta lent me one of her pashminas (a long, wide scarf). I put some light make up on too.

     I, kind of, liked, how I looked. Granted, it was very unusual for me, but, sometimes, a change can be a good thing, right?

Remember, how I went to the anniversary dinner because Mary told me, she wouldn't otherwise have anyone with whom to hang out? Time and time again I fall for this thing! By the time we got to the restaurant (and not late at all), she was already seated at one of the long tables there. There was no place for us to sit near her, and we went to a different table. She just kept a steady eye on her plate and didn't move a muscle to join us. 

Sigh...

Mary. I don't know, what happened to
her new hair style and make up.

Do you see me at the end of this table on the left? I am smiling. 

We sat opposite to my other acquaintance from the church, Victoria, and her Japanese husband, Hoshin. 

Last year, at the same kind of an occasion, the people at my table spent all their time staring at their very smart iPhones. Well, this year I was prepared! I cut out a cardboard rectangle, wrote "mY dUmb pHone" on it's back and, as soon as Hoshin started fooling with his own device, I

whipped out my fake one! Some people, including Hoshin, noticed and laughed. He then suddenly opened a page on his phone with my blog (the House on the rock, the husband and the monkey" one) and showed it to me. I quickly began to shush him: I didn't want to spoil Taka's mood). 
     People kept complimenting me on my new hair color. Although I kept telling them, it was not the hue that I wanted, I began to relax and feel good about myself. That was until I went to bathroom and looked in the mirror. Somehow, my hair, stiff from hairspray and back combing, managed to curl up the wrong way on one side of my head, making me look like a dummy.  
                                                            Sigh...