Breaking up is easy to do

so I've never loved my hair...I've had good hair days, but most days of the year it's so humid it grows exponentially or it's so dry it's frizzy and uncontrollable.

I've been going to the same salon for 7 years...ever since we've moved here. I loved the color that Tom did on my hair, but I always had these areas on the sides of my face that were endlessly frizzy....If you look back through pictures on the blog, you'll see it.

So I was getting really tired of it and Tom told me...stop drying your hair with a blow dryer. Ok easy enough, but then it's so curly and unruly I could NOT possibly go to work like that!

I was trying to figure out how to switch salons, but felt bad about it. There's good much drama at Tom's salon and I just felt like he could really help with my issue but the blow dryer thing couldn't be the only answer....

So in June, Shari's friend, Diana owns her own salon and I was talking to her about it. I almost got my hair done at her shop I was so frustrated at this point. She said, you know...don't worry about even saying goodbye...there are always new clients and someone will replace you..just make a break and it'll be ok.

So when I got back, I did it. I changed to Changes, a salon in Norfolk that I have heard through work is really good. I called one day and scheduled with a girl who could get me in on Sunday and who is in the top tier of stylists...I'm not really snobby about it, I just thought it might take a level IV (apparently the highest) to tackle my pile of frizz.

That Sunday, off I went. I blow dried my hair and took it to my new Russian born stylist, Ella, in it's worst, scariest, frizziest moment, hoping if she could help me that day, we might be on to something.

"You're hair grows out, not down, right?" she asked... YESS!!!!!! I said desperately. "You have too many highlights" she says..."They dry your hair out more than anything. You can't straighten your hair in the summer, it's much too curly." I was almost crying...it was like she'd known my hair since birth. She thinned the layers and gave it it's own style. The 2nd time, she cut it so I could straighten it if I wanted to.

Today I went for my 3rd appointment... She knew exactly what to do...rather than just aimlessly do what she did last time, she checked my head over and told me that I didn't need full color..."it's good, she's says in her thick Russian accent, you just need to cover roots, and maybe I put some highlights in the front to match your color in your face." Again, I was almost in tears. She wasn't just doing the same thing she's done the last 2 times. In fact, each time she assesses the situation and does what she thinks is best.

We were talking about colors last time and she told me she didn't like red (which I like in the fall and winter) but she says they fade faster than anything...She must have remembered that we compromised last time between my red & her brown...because chocolate brown will make my hair soft she said and I like red...She said tomorrow she is attending a class about red for level IV stylists and scheduled me for red next time in case she learns something that will work for me.

I was almost beside myself....I have a lot of splurges and this is one I hope I never have to give up. She now cuts my hair so that I NEVER get made fun of...my "friends" at work thought my summer frizzball was a funny, daily joke...I actually get a lot of compliments. And I love having her straighten it. I love getting a cappuccino and biscotti to munch on while my color is setting. I love their sink chairs that have reclining foot rests. Let's face it, we all know what would happen if I attempted this hair color thing on my own...I realize it's a million dollars cheaper, but we all know that everything in my house would be the same color as my hair. It's just not a smart idea.

I wanted to have a change of salons for a while, but I can be fiercely loyal; and I would expect that I should have a chat with Tom about my feelings and give him a chance...it's what I do....but after talking to Diana, I bolted...and I realize...he doesn't miss me...

Now that I have a stylist that I love, I can't believe I didn't leave my old salon earlier. It was just time for a change.......and in this situation.....breaking up with Tom seemed hard...after 3 trips to see Ella...I realize, breaking up was an easy thing to do.