The day before Jon went into the hospital with a stroke, I was putting together a fun post about my flyaway pandemic hair — and how, after twelve months of sheltering at home, I finally got a haircut.
The haircut — if you can call it that — had been administered by my daughter.
After quarantining at home in LA for ten days, Christina had driven up to the Bay Area to spend a week with Jon and me.
She worked at home and stayed connected to her LA coworkers from the guest room. Jon worked on his novel in his office at the top of the stairs. I tended to this website from my writing room in the basement. Lunch breaks, evenings and weekends were spent enjoying each others’ company.
Fluffy Pandemic Hair
My uncut pandemic hair had been pleasantly fluffy and relaxed for the first few months of sheltering at home. I liked it.
But by the time Christina showed up for that visit early in February, it looked awful.
I showed Christina the hairdressers scissors I’d bought online.
Christina balked. She didn’t know how to cut hair. I insisted. Gamely, she went to YouTube and located a how-to-cut-covid-hair video.
We repaired to the deck with my scissors and Christina’s laptop. Jon joined us with the camera. An hour or two later, I had a haircut.
It was smashing.
This Was Going to Be a Funny Story
The story I was pulling together in February was a light-hearted one, complete with before and after pictures.
I was looking forward to sharing it with you.
But, of course, it got put aside in the shock and confusion of Jon’s unexpected death three days later.
Twitchy Nose for News
Now, weeks later, my journalist’s nose for news is twitching. It’s time to get this story published. With the Centers for Disease Control easing up on pandemic restrictions, my light-hearted pandemic haircut story is up against its sell-by date.
Indeed, it looks like it’s a wrap for the entire series of Sheltering at Home posts I’ve been doing since March, 2020.
Come to think of it, is it time to see if Gino the hairdresser is open for business. And if so, does he have the chops to replicate Christina’s sassy pandemic do?
The Story
That’s it. That’s my quarantine hairdo story. It’s been a bittersweet enterprise, pulling this story together and revisiting a week in time when all three of us — Jon, Christina and I — were so innocent, so unsuspecting.
I think it’s perfect that your dtgr was willing to trim your hair, even though not confident she could. True love for her mom 💕💕💕. Joy
True. Christina had to overcome some serious lack of confidence in her haircutting skills. Very sweet, indeed.
Who needs Gino?!
Poor Gino. First he looses the hair coloring work, now the haircut. I do still need my eyebrows tinted, however.
You have the advantage of great hair to begin with. Christina did a great job. Beautiful!
Yes. Those curls that showed up late in life have been a fun surprise. Grooming is so easy, just dry and fluff/
Loved this story! When my hairdresser reopened last summer, I decided to get my hair cut short and let it go gray. I loved it! It’s brought out a little natural curl and looks “sassy.” But lately I’m feeling too “ladylike” and ordinary. When I see my hairdresser this week I’m going shorter and sassy!
I like that combination — white or gray hair with an edgy cut.
You have such beautiful forgiving hair! You make an interesting story out of so many average everyday events… that’s the gift and work of a professional journalist… and loving spousal insights . Thank you, Barbara!
Thanks, Sharrie. Yes. I’m pretty sure there were lots of choppy spots in that hairdo. Christina will be back for another visit soon – do I get her to give me another cool cut? Or do I take a chance and let Gino the pro have a try?