This weekend was like one bad decision after another.
The worst thing we did was bury our head in the sand about Cooper’s out of town baseball tournament and just, like, never talk about it or plan for it. This meant Ben didn’t take any other kids with him, and I did all the weekend support work by myself WITH kids underfoot. Yuck. HATED IT. We also didn’t really tune into the boys’ weekend plans and were wrong-footed the whole time. I think I just wanted a catch-up weekend to meal plan and prep, bake cookies, clean, etc. AND I WASN”T GOING TO GET THAT, so I just sort of pretended like the whole weekend wasn’t happening, it then it was, and being busy and feeling put upon is EVEN WORSE without a plan.
We are in the process of buying a swing set for our very small, very sloped backyard. Ben never wanted one, but I always have. He says we have a tiny yard and live across the street from a school with a killer playground. I say I always assumed we’d get one at our next house, but this housing market is making sure THERE WILL NEVER BE A NEXT HOUSE, especially as we stare down our first of FIVE college tuitions. So, after not buying a swing set for our four other kids, we are getting one for Minnie. The bad decision comes into play because we made a plan for a Rainbow System rep to come over and measure the yard for either a swing set or a trampoline. We told him at the warehouse that we have a very small sloped yard, and he said that was fine, nothing was out of the question, everyone says that, etc. So there we were all hanging out in the back yard on Sunday— Dorothy in the hammock, Ben and me on the teeny couch with a computer and book, Harry near us in a chair, Minnie at her water table, and Cooper and Jack playing pickle ball (I will not miss a pickle ball court area when it’s all blocked by swing set because do you even know how many times we have to ask them to stop using the f word outside?). The guy came bursting back into the yard exclaiming about how he thought we were kidding and wow was our yard tiny and oh but why couldn’t we get some more space and maybe our next house would have room for toys, and I was SO PISSED AT HIM. Talk about ruining a great vibe. Minnie was excited to have a guest (note: invite more people over LOL) and ran around saying “I hoe you (show you) my water table.” “I hoe you my wing (swing).” I hoe you my play house,” etc. The dude expressed disbelief that we put an ice rink in during the winter months in such a tiny space, and he said we can’t really have a trampoline because of slope (which, duh, and honestly not getting a trampoline is probably the only good decision of the weekend). He did measure for a swing set, lamenting again and gain that we could only have 2 swings. I HATED THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE. Also, we had a family of 7 all hanging out comfortably in that space— it’s not like we can’t do stuff in the back yard despite its size. He promised to send over a plan today, but spoiler I AM NOT GOING TO BUY IT. Bah humbug for sure.
But. You guys, My least favorite bad decision came early on Saturday when I looked at pictures of my yellow, brown and gray hair from Friday night at the Elks club (a good decision and everyone’s fave dinner spot these days). I realized that my hair color appointment (that I am 8 weeks late for and have rescheduled TWICE because I cannot find time to go sit at the saloon for 3 hours (my Minnie-free time is way more important than that, to be honest, and nighttimes have not worked either for various kid-related reasons) set for 5/15 is not going to work because it overlaps a work things I also signed up for. So, right then and there, without calling the salon or considering a ramifications, I went to Ulta and bought a box of medium brown Madison Reed color that promised it was for stubborn grays. AND NOW I HAVE DARK BROWN HAIR THAT LOOKS LKE REALLY GOTH COTTON CANDY. It looks better after 3 washes, but now I have to stop washing it very often because the very worst thing will be if my gray pops through, and I still have color in a box hair. THE ONLY GOOD THING I have going right now is that my gray really is gone. But what do a I about a hair cut? Like, obviously, I have to find a whole new salon, huh?
Okay, first of all the fact that your hair is gorgeous is one of the very first things I noticed about you, and I mean gorgeous in a very forgiving way. I think it looks great - soft and shiny and lovely.
ReplyDeleteSecond of all, you misspelled salon I think, but "I don't have time to go sit for 3 hours at the saloon" is EVEN BETTER in this context, so maybe that was on purpose and if so, genius.
I remember the bad-decision weekends.
It looks like you've made amazing use of your small backyard - hammock! Fire table! Water table! and that guy was a weenie with very bad sales sense.
Fourth or fifth or whatever I'm in one of my libraries and have no idea if I'll be able to post this endless comment. Let's see.
SALOON! YES! I always have time to go to there LOL.
DeleteOh, it published, but anonymously. It's me, Allison/Bibliomama, you could maybe tell that from the disconnected rambling
ReplyDeleteLoved every word
DeleteI don't know, I think your hair looks good. Maybe its just different enough you need a minute? Although this is coming from someone who used box color for years and finally broke down and got it properly fixed by a professional because I looked like a distant cousin of Carrot Top three weeks after each box....so maybe I can't be trusted.
ReplyDeleteThat weekend sounds brutal, though.
I think in a few months, a pro can help. And your carrot top description made me chuckle.
DeleteWell, I don't know, I think your hair looks great! But also, I have been box colouring my hair since the pandemic started because my hair was orange with grey roots. I have been super happy with box colour, to be honest, so I'm probably not the best person to ask. Also I DID get a new salon after I started colouring my own hair - I went back to my regular salon once, and not only did she give me a colour that I hated, but she also cut it in a way I didn't like. I don't know, I blame the pandemic. Anyway, now I get my hair cut by a very nice young woman, and she never shames me for box colouring. So, yeah, I don't know. I think yours looks really pretty. How different are colour products anyway really?
ReplyDeleteThanks, and it makes me happy to hear you use a box because your hair pics are lovely.
DeleteYes, the "I don't have time to go sit for 3 hours at the saloon" typo MADE this post. I think your hair looks great, for what it's worth.
ReplyDeleteYour backyard looks lovely and useable and I'm surprised ANYONE is surprised that a backyard in one of the largest cities in the state is small, let alone someone who presumably installs outdoor features in that city on a regular basis. Weird.
Weird and TERRIBLE TERRIBLE sales technique. I am keeping saloon forever.
DeleteI want to have three hours to sit in a saloon. Alone.
ReplyDeleteReally, thank you for this post, your hair looks nice, shiny and healthy. And the kids look happy in the back yard-that's all that matters.
LOL saloon-- still so funny
DeleteYour lovely family seems to be getting the best our of your backyard. Shame on that guy for harshing your vibe. And really, Sarah--your hair is lovely. It would be nice if you could get some time to feel pampered though. Those early years are tough. I remember falling asleep in the dentist's chair once. lol
ReplyDeleteshame on him indeed!
DeleteOh my goodness - what a terrible sales guy! Your backyard is lovely as is your hair! Maybe you are like me and just take a long while to adjust to any changes and it will grow on you. I don't think you need to find a new stylist if you like your current one - they have seen everything including many people who dye their own hair, people who cut their own bangs, etc. and should be able to work with you. If not, then absolutely find a new saloon ;)
ReplyDeleteI think your hair looks great!! And that sales guy sounded awful. He's clearly in the wrong line of work. We live on a huge hill so can't have a swing set. It is VERY steep, but the kids like rolling down the hill so I guess that's something? I would love to have room for play ground equipment but it's not happening. We knew that was the weakness of this house but it took us 2+ years to find this house so I had to set the non-ideal lot aside.
ReplyDeleteMan, from the way this sales guy made it sound, you have a teeny, tiny yard where you all live on top of each other. It looks like a FINE SIZE for a swing set and he needs to CALM DOWN. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteYour hair looks great! Now that I'm back to brown, I get tempted to do a box dye because it's just so much cheaper! Man, I would save soooo much money, ha.
Wait... you have a pickleball court in your yard? Did I miss this somewhere along the line? And piling on - your hair is awesome. You have so much of it - I, with my pathetically limited supply, am envious. The swingset dude was an obnoxious jerk. Sheesh.
ReplyDelete