In the past I've not been one to frequent hair salons or nail salons. I've gone a few times, but after I left home, where my mother always did my hair trimming, and after going to school and getting a license in cosmetology, I've almost always cut my own hair. I know my hair, after all, and I know how it will lay on my head, how it will curl, and how it best likes to be styled. Strangers don't know those things.
I think I've had, at most, five manicures outside of my own home. I just don't feel that it's as important as the younger generation does, to go and have someone hold my hand while they trim off the dead skin around the nails, followed by washing, shaping, filing, buffing and then putting layers of color and painted or rhinestone designs on the end of my digits.
As for pedicures, the only reason I discovered the delight of those was a nearly forced-upon-me gift. I went with my daughter, somewhat reluctantly. I don't like to have my feet tickled, but do like a good foot rub. I didn't know precisely what I was in for, and had a bit of an inner 'attitude' about going. However, when I was walking out with smooth spots where there were callouses, and beautifully trimmed cuticles and nicely shaped toenails with just a light layer of clear polish, I felt like a million dollars! I determined that the pedicure would not be my last, even if I never saw a professional pair of scissors aimed for my head or an emory board wielding nail technician.
Up until that moment, I'd taken care for my own feet. However in the last few years, between my back problems and an annoying hip that seems to lock up at times, it's made it more difficult to comfortably bend to reach to even trim my toenails. I do what I can, and a few times a year, I take myself to the nail salon, where I sit in the comfortable chair with the warm, vibrating back, soak my feet, and let someone else do the work. While it wouldn't be my choice of professions, it is what they are there for, so I'm happy to pay them to do it.
I hate to admit it, but I guess I'm getting old. My body won't allow itself to fold in half anymore, or to do many of the things I took for granted up until five or six years ago. The experts are always saying to 'listen to your body'. I'm doing just that, and I'm going to begin putting my head into someone else's hands, as well as my feet. There comes a day when one must realize what time it is...and I've determined that it's my time to be pampered a bit.
