Hair’s a funny old thing. Whether you cut it, grow it, cut it short, cut it long, dye it, comb it over, pin it up, wear it down, plait it, dreadlock it… hair is so integral to people’s self-confidence. We all need good hair, although the definition of what “good” may be differs from person to person, of course.

When i was 15, i had short hair. very short hair. Spiky short hair. this was back in the 80s, I had glasses that were big and round, the frames were multicoloured, red on the outside where the frame joins the arm, yellow over the nose, blue and green on the other side of each round part. I thought i looked the bees knees. But at the same time, other girls had long hair. I suppose, looking back, in retrospect, i didn’t really feel attractive/girly enough to have long hair, that i “deserved” the care, as well as liking the convenience of short “wash, brush and go” hair… but i always loved long hair. Especially hair done up in the style that was almost everywhere at the time – a french plait. I thought it was wonderful. I tried doing it to myself a few times when i had long hair, but i always ran out of fingers.

so today, when i had my hair cut, and we could afford the little bit extra for me to have it washed and blow dried.. i turned to the hairdresser and said.. “I know its a bit silly but.. do you know how to do a french plait?” it turned out she didn’t but the much younger girl who washed my hair did, so my hairdresser cut and blowdried my hair, and the other girl braided it. It looks lovely (Michiel took a photo which i will upload later) and .. well. I feel like i’ve been given a bit of a do-over. Its a lovely feeling and helps to go some way towards addressing some of my teenage angst. In fact i was so relaxed i decided not to go to Ashton (as was my original plan) and fight through christmas crowds – i went to the butcher (not far from the hairdressers), picked up the christmas ham, went to Lidl for a few things then came home. This afternoon i’m going to clean the kitchen from top to bottom, in preparation for christmas cooking 🙂

For now, though, i feel pretty.. oh so pretty..