Wednesday, December 2, 2009

I have been in..... denial.
I really didn't think my hair was that Gray!
Until the sun was shining just right, and I glance in the mirror.....the horror!
So I took charge, oh yes I did....I hummed and ha'ed a few days!
I knew my emergency awakening was not going to get me in to my regular gal..
as in the one I went to in August!!!
So I bravely scared as hell walk into a salon ...in Germany with little or no language skills to guide me.


I did my best Sprechen Sie Englisch?


Nein, she says and looks at me as to say now what!!!


This is when for some reason I think speaking loud and slow with choppy words, some how they will understand me....sounds a little like this me need color on my gray hair and (using my fingers to make scissor movements ) a trim!! JA!
She looks at me with a blank stare...ah! eyebrow Ja! 
NEIN I point again to skunk stripe me need COLOR!! 


Ja, Ja, Okay heute? (today) Ja! Hello I'm here aren't I! 
Okay now she wants to know what color ....I know my German colors but I really don't want just a solid Brown want some texture....(suddenly the fact I have been walking around gray for too long I need a fancy color!) 
So I look around the salon I figure I can't point to someones hair and say Ja like hers!
OKay bad idea there was Pink and Elvira and pin stripe girl. 
So I say just Brown! Beggars can't be choosers at this point.
She works her magic and I see my gray hairs disappearing and a lovely brown shade appear.  She just keeps smiling at me and nodding her head ! And I smiled back and nodded my head! She say ja das is gut and I said much better! and I thanked god it was not pink and blue and any other rainbow of colors! 






36 comments:

Joanna Jenkins said...

OMG! You are a VERY brave woman Frau! That's a big step in a foreign language with a first time hair stylist! Glad it turned out so well. I'm sure you look marvelous darling!

xo

Lee said...

OMG! I can hardly go into an new place in AMERICA to get my hair done without a panic attack!! I salute you!! I'm getting my gray covered tomorrow...

Suzy said...

Maybe the sight of grey hair is the universal OMG for hair dressers everywhere?

Life Laugh Latte said...

Well done my friend...well done! Where is the photo of the before and after? Is that why you are wearing your cute hat in the profile? ha ha Holly

kks said...

good job girl! so brave of you!
pink would've been cute too?!
xo

Anonymous said...

You are so brave.

Glad it turned out okay and I hope you love the new look.

Ann Imig said...

I realized, sitting in temple this year that NONE of the old ladies had gray hair.

Your stylist was probably so shocked to see an inch of gray, she didn't need to understand one word.

Menopausal New Mom said...

You are a brave woman!!! Glad it turned out brown and you are rid of that gray!

Unknown said...

So mutig! (SO brave) Welcome to regular Germans, Jaaaa!!? They mean well... :)
Hope your brown is lovely!!!
You can always ask Victoria(!)
Just in case....

Kisses!
V.

Kristina P. said...

I was so expecting some crazy color hair to come out in the end!

heidi said...

Welcome to da club!!!!! Sadly now, you'll have to go back every 4-6 weeks :-(

Barrett said...

I discovered my grey hair when I opened my sunroof and looked in the rearview mirror while in carpool line one day. I learned my lesson..... no more sunroof for me.

You are brave! I am glad it worked out for you!

Thanks for the prayers!

Karen MEG said...

What a great post - I'm glad that you came by via SITS so I could follow you back! How exciting to be a frau :).

I'm with you on the grays, I've been in total denial after coloring my hair for years (purple, reddish etc) to have to color the gray is such a reality check. Great that you did it all in German :)

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

Wow good for you Frau...hope you take photos of the before & after~
xo*

Andrea said...

I have got to get some more color on my hair...thank GOD there are no language barriers for me...I would have been petrified to do what you did.
Blessings, andrea

Expats Again said...

I guess hair stylists everywhere know the universal trauma we women of a certain age face when confronted with reality. Rejoice and be happy you're good as new...at least for four or five weeks. :-)

Leciawp said...

I'm glad it all worked out - I would have found it unnerving, too, with the language barrier.

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

"NEIN I point again to skunk stripe..."

Hahahahahaha! You ARE brave. I just booked a haircut appointment in ENGLISH today and still couldn't articulate what I want! I literally get my hair cut 2 maybe 3 times a year only AND I'm going somewhere new (gift certificate :-) so I'm kind of freaking out. Friday's the "big day."

AiringMyLaundry said...

Glad it worked out! I was worried that they'd have dyed your hair orange or something.

likeschocolate said...

One time when I was first married, I was visiting my mother-in-law and she thought she would be nice to treating me to getting my roots done. I didn't have much money at the time. The hairdresser in Germany turned my hair strawberry blong almost red. It was all I could do. Next time you want your hair done. Say. Ich mochte farbe fuer meine haar. I am glad it all worked out!

Shady Lady said...

I think that would scare me enough to just stick with the gray. You are a brave soul. So...where's the pic?

Marilyn *Pink Martinis and Pearls* said...

Desperation can lead us down the path to extreme bravery and so can grey hair. Well done.

Magaly Guerrero said...

You are freaking hilarious!

You know, I have died my hair so many colors that I let it grow out last year (my natural color after 10 years or so) and my dad told me, "what happened to your beautiful red hair?"

I gave him a weird look and remembered that when I was, um... like 7 my hair was read like my mom. Now is a strange brown with some red on weird parts of my head. So you see, when I go to the beauty salon, all I say is: "Surprise me".

Nevertheless, I believe you were very brave indeed. And funny.

JOWY said...

WHAHAHAH I ADORE YOUR STORYTELLING, NEW PLACE..DOING YA HAIR..I SALUTE YOU! HIHI

One Love,
Jowy
www.iseejanemary.blogspot.com

honeypiehorse said...

Yeah, best to just let German hair dressers have at it. Input from you is not needed.

Deidra said...

Oh how brave you are! Well done!

Traci said...

Frau,
You are braver than I and it is well-established my love for hair color.
So here's my advice for next time -- write ut what you want and type it into Babelfish and it can translate it for you in a second. It isn't always perfect but I think it should give you some level of comfort.
Glad it turned out well.
:-)

mommakin said...

You saw yourself in the CAR mirror, didn't you?

It was CRAZY brave of you to do this! So glad it all worked out!!! (but think of what a story you'd have to tell if you ended up pink!)

TBM said...

LOL! You brave girl. Good for you :-)

Kwana said...

What a scary and fun to read post. I'm so glad it turned out good.

Somer Love said...

You are SO brave!!!!

I am sure it looks fab! I go my hair did on Tues. No better feeling!

Anonymous said...

Phew! That could have been a disaster!!

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

Well, you know exactly how I feel about finding a colorist! And I couldn't imagine trying to navigate through such an experience with a language barrier - good for you for giving it a go!

Melissa said...

I agree with Joanna Jenkins, you were brave to go get your hair coloured when you don't really speak the language! Glad it turned out ok!

Ute said...

Tee hee, I missed reading you. And this is hilarious. :)

Unknown said...

Oh girl... you got lucky! I am really happy for you! lol...