Making (hair)do

I wear my hair short.  It takes next to no time to wash, and it's usually almost dry before I've brushed it into some kind of style.  However, to keep it short requires a trip to the hairdresser about every 5 weeks.  I no longer bother with a cut and blow dry, but just have a dry trim; it costs me £13.50 plus tip.  

I started to go grey in my late 40s, and now, from the front, I am grey. I can't hide from the fact.  It doesn't matter that my hair is still dark brown at the back, it's the grey around my face that counts.  I have had my hair coloured on and off for a few years, the last time just before Christmas.  But I have decided that it will have been the last time.  At £50 a time, it no longer fits into my budget.  I simply have to learn to accept this as who I am now.  I know if I keep my hair short, I cope with the greyness much better.  However, in my quest to keep my personal spending to a minimum, I have looked for an alternative to a trip to the hairdresser.  Solution?  Cut my hair myself!  Having spent many hours sat facing a mirror watching a trained stylist defly wield scissors, I felt I had enough of an idea as to the basic technique, so yesterday I had a go, trimming about half an inch of hair off all around my face, and on top.  After I had showered this morning, and 'styled' it, it didn't really look any different to when I have it cut professionally.  I will have a persuasive word with N to see if he can trim the back for me, but I'm pretty pleased with the result, and so is my purse.  If I have a proper cut 4 times a year (£60), rather than 9 times a year (£135), I shall be saving a hefty £75 in hair cuts, not to mention £100 - £150 on colouring it.  It makes sense, but can I embrace the grey?  I keep promising myself I will, then succumb to the colour.  I just need to remember the financial cost, and the chemicals that are being used.  And N tells me he's perfectly OK with me being grey!  It's just me that needs persuading.

Update on the quilt - I had to add a patched strip to the backing as it wasn't big enough when I laid it out.  However, top, wadding and backing are all now basted and ready for machine quilting.


We had lunch with an old friend today who has been through a very rough patch but has thankfully emerged in one piece.  We were really pleased to have spent a very happy couple of hours with him.  We gifted him some homemade preserves - jam and marmalade - which we know he will appreciate.

And tomorrow we are going to look at a house for sale - more on that later.