A few days before New Year's Eve, I realized that all 20 of my nails needed attention. So early the next morning, I made an appointment for 1:30 that afternoon with my favorite tech, for a fill and pedicure. Little did this girl realize that she'd be having them done in a salon full of women!
It wasn't overly crowded when I walked in (wearing stirrup pants, a turtleneck, flats, my new women's coat, and carrying my purse.) The tech addressed me as "Miss Mandy" and after a few minutes wait to finish her customer, she started my fingers. As time passed, women kept coming in for various services....even some mothers bringing their little girls along for holiday nails. There was nearly no conversation, as everyone was busy. And one by one, the pedicure chairs were filling up. They even had a couple of walk-ins waiting...as the tech finished my fingers.
Fortunately, I got the last open pedi chair, and there I was, fully in the midst of other women - no way to hide. My tech got right to work on me, re-doing the acrylic on my toes. Apparently I was not attracting any undue attention - they presumed I was what I appeared to be. The little girls did not stare, and there was very little conversation among customers and/or techs.
I didn't notice any double-takes or unwanted glances - well, other than a couple of the ladies watching my feet when the tech was removing the old coating with plastic clips on each toe, lined with acetone-soaked cotton, and again when she got out the "little blue light" to set the fresh coatings. (The girls all were getting "just paint" on their toes...I was the only girl getting acrylic.)
Today's version of my nails...still light pink, but with a whitish cast.
An interesting observation: had I worn a dress or skirt to the salon, I'd have been in the minority. Only one girl was wearing a skirt, and it may have actually been a skort. All the other girls were in pants of some sort: jeans, capris, leggings, etc.
The amazing thing was that in this cold weather, so many women wanted pretty pedicures...even with colorful nail art. My guess is that they were all planning to attend New Years parties and were wearing those strappy, heeled sandals with their short dresses...never mind the cold!
Maybe someday I 'll be wearing them, too...
As encouragement to those of us who are a bit on the heavy side: a cute sign found at a restaurant in Bellows Falls, VT during our trip last year.
Maybe those of us with the weight issue can interpret it as "Eat, Drink and be Mary?"
Mandy
It will be very hard to kidnap me.
ReplyDeleteSunday morning I redid the clear polish on my fingernails and when my wife noticed that I was doing this she quipped that she hoped that I planned to take the red polish off my toenails before we head to Florida.
I told her that I planned to do that. What was interesting is that I painted my toenails about two months ago and they have been reddish brown ever since the day after my visit to the dermatologist. In all that time she never made a single mention of my toes even though most of the time they could be seen under my pantyhose and there were plenty of times when I had been barefoot in the house. For two months I wondered if she noticed the toes and simply chose to stay quiet of if she did not notice the polish. Obviously she noticed and chose to stay quiet until it was time to head south.
We hope to be on the Auto Train on Friday. I hope that this extreme cold that we have been dealing with will not impact the operation of the train.
Pat
Pat,
DeleteLOL! So, simply eat, drink and "Be Mary!"
"Back in the day" when they boiled water to make steam instead of burning diesel fuel to make electricity, trains could safely run in water up to the journal boxes, or in an emergency, a bit higher. Nowadays, there are issues if the water is over the rails.
And with the corridor, snow blown up from the train's movement can cause issues with electric engines. That's why sometimes they use diesels.
Up north, I've been on trains where the automatic doors all froze shut. There was only one door open on the whole train! Took a while to empty the train, that's for sure.
Hopefully there will be no issues for you on your trip. But my cousin is down south now, and she just told me it's cold there, too...
If its cold when you arrive, you might be able to repaint your toes...if it's not sandal weather!
FYI I agree - your wife noticed, and chose to not do anything till time for the trip. I suspect my wife does the same thing at times.
Mandy
My plan is that I will likely be due for a pedicure towards the end of our time in Florida. In past years I have had the end of trip Florida pedicure but stuck with clear polish. This year I will push that to the very end of the trip and see about getting a nice color on my toes. It will be hard since the last week we are down my best buddy from high school will also be down and staying about 2 minutes away.
ReplyDeleteI just exchanged emails with a friend I will see my first week in Florida. He complained that the temperature was 47 degrees. I told him the temp as I drove to work today was 7 degrees.
Pat
That sounds like a plan for your pedi...if the friend doesn't get in the way!
DeleteA few years back (actually quite a few) we were in FL in January for a conference, and though it was sunny, high temps were in the low 50's. The locals were freezing their posteriors off, and we northerners were running around in shirtsleeves, complimenting the locals on the warm weather...
It's all in what you're accustomed to!
Mandy