Been awhile...

It's been awhile since I have been able to blog. During the weeks we have been home I have been working 10 and 12 hour days and weekends we have been in Carollton Kentucky. Not much has really been going on except that. We will be leaving town again this weekend but it will be the last trip for a couple of weeks. It's time to get the kids back in school and to get back to a regular schedule. It's been a year since Jim and I have been in the Salon together and while things have been going really well, we had to sit down and re-evaluate our schedule. Obviously going down to one income was a huge sacrifice financially but it has turned out to be a pretty big one in other ways too. To save money at the shop, we had cut our cleaning crew and Jim took that over as well. Well since we are open 6 days a week, that put our only cleaning day on Sunday. It takes all four of us at least five hours and just the two of us about 8 hours to clean. We were really excited about church on Saturday night but that didn't last too long. (Totally understand...who can keep up with that action packed weekend?) Anyway, outside of special meeting here and there and keeping the girls plugged in church on Wednesday night, Jim and I haven't been. So, Jim has applied for several jobs online and hopefully in the next few weeks we hear something. We will be able to come to church on Sundays as a family again and get some normal scheduling back in our life. (As normal as a possible anyway) One job he applied for will be working him every other Saturday as well as during the week so we would be able to stay home on that weekend. That will still give us out of town time too. I only thought about the financial end of this when we decided to do this. Didn't take into account anything else. Doesn't take long to realize how important your church family is...See ya soon!

No Time

Somehow time has figured out how to go by faster I think. Either that or I am just moving a whole lot slower. Maybe it's both. I literally feel like I am running in circles. Between work, the girls, traveling, and the house, I am meeting myself coming and going. As soon as we get back in town it's non-stop! We literally walked in the door at 11 tonight and I just now am getting ready for bed. Jim and I did have the opportunity to have dinner alone at Outback tonight so I guess I really shouldn't complain. As much as I want to pull my hair out sometimes, (this would be a great look for a hair dresser wouldn't it?) I guess I wouldn't change it for the world. Grateful in the little things.

Client story...

Where to begin. Been awhile since I have blogged. Been extremely busy. We got back in town Monday night and are heading out again in the morning until this Monday. I have definitely needed it after the past few weeks. I usually try not to tell specific stories about clients because you really never know who is reading. I'm going to tell one though because I just have to get it off my chest...So last week I'm at work and I have got clients booked out the wazoo. This older lady walks in the salon and the expression on her face looks like she has been drinking pickle juice for breakfast. (Trying to give you a visual here) She has maybe 6 hairs on the top of her head and they are all snow white. This is how it all went down...
Me - Hi. Can I help you?
Her - I need Martha.
(Martha works for me and happens to be off on Tuesdays)
Me - Martha isn't here on Tuesdays but I can give you her card and you can call her and book an appointment with her.
Her - I need my hair done right now. I don't book appointments because my schedule and
my time is way too important.

I'm thinking...didn't you retire about 20 years ago?...and my time isn't important?

Me - Are you a regular client of hers? Once you have been in and seen one person, we like to
keep you with the same stylist.
Her - I've only been to her once and I need my hair done right now.
Me - Ok. I will work you in. You can come on over and have a seat at the shampoo bowl.
(I had that feeling. You know - the one where you think I know this is a bad idea.)

I deal with older clients every day and I love them dearly. Most of them anyway. I know that they move a little slower and you have to be a little more patient with them. I pride myself in being able to cater to their needs....well I used to I mean. She took every bit of five minutes to get to the bowl. It's not that she was moving slow...it's that she was taking her time even though she knew I was slammed and working her in. I'm thinking...it's ok Jen...take a deep breath. She sits down at the bowl and starts digging in her purse.

Her - You have to use this shampoo...I don't want you to use any of your crap.
(She pulls out a bottle of Suave Clarifying shampoo)

I take another deep breath. I despise over the counter products. Much less ones that strip your hair and make my job harder.

Me - You want me to use this instead of professional product?
Her - That's what I just said...didn't you hear me?

At this point she is now in full condescending tone and treating me like I am some sort of public servant. I'm thinking...oh my God, no she didn't. I stay silent. I start to wet her hair and she sits straight up in the bowl mid stream.

Her - I have to have a towel inside my ears.
(I got a visual and kind of giggled)
Me - You mean you need me to get you some cotton for your ears?
Her - No I don't want any of your cotton. I need a towel. Am I supposed to pay extra for
another towel?

I'm confused by now and don't even know what she's talking about but I hand her a towel and shampoo in silence. I suds her up only once because this crap could take the paint off the walls. As I'm rinsing I take another deep breath.

Me - So how do you usually have your hair rolled?
Her - I'll show you when we get over to the mirror so maybe you can catch on the first time.

Now I'm pissed. She takes another five minutes to get back to the chair so I tell her I have to rinse a client of mine who is getting a perm. She says nothing and proceeds to glare at me and huff and puff like she's put out the whole time I am rinsing my actual client. (Who, by the way, made herself an appointment six weeks ago) I'm figuring at this point that the less I say, the better.

Her - Give me a comb. ( I hand her the comb)
Her - Now try to pay attention and follow along while I show you.

I'm now 15 minutes behind and she is going to give me step by step instructions of where each freakin roller goes on her head. While she's talking I grab the setting lotion, squirt it in my hands, and am ready for her to put the comb down. She takes forever to show me where are six little hairs are to go.

Her - Now, do you think you can understand what I'm saying?
Me - Uh-huh. (I start putting the setting lotion on her hair and she jerks away from me)
Her - What do you think you are doing?
Me - I think I am putting setting lotion in your hair. (Now I'm getting a little sarcastic)
Her - absolutely not. No setting lotion and no hair spray.
Me - You mean to tell me that you want your hair set and you want it to stay a whole week,
but you don't want anything in it?
Her - That's what I said. I had to train Martha in how to do it too. If you pay attention you
might be able to get it too.

This is where that little voice in my head started screaming....stab her in the neck with your shears....the dumpster is big enough.

Her - You are just going to have to start all over again and wash this garbage out of my hair.

This is where I save space and you just start back at the top with the first shampoo because it played out the same way. She even demanded the comb again so she could train me right. I pull out the rollers and get started. I reach for the water bottle to dampen her hair because it's so dry from the paint thinner I shampooed her with. This is where it gets bad. She slapped my hand out of the way and started screaming.

Her - What are you putting on there? Didn't you learn your lesson the last time?
Me - It's water. It won't hurt you. Your hair is completely dried out from the shampoo you
brought in.
Her - Fine. Do you think you can remember where I told you to place the rollers.
Me - I'll try really hard. (very sarcastic at this point)

I get three rollers in and start parting off for the fourth.

Her - You just hold on there a minute little missy...something doesn't feel right to me.

She turns herself around to the mirror and grabs the comb off my station.

Her - That last one you put in needs to be turned a quarter of inch to the left.

I'm done. I lose it. I grab all three rollers off the top of her head, clips included, and yank straight up. I get them all in one yank and proceed to throw them across the station in the roller bucket. While I'm yanking the cape off of her I start to scream.

Me - You need to get out of my Salon and take your crappy shampoo with you. Nobody has
ever spoken to me like that in Sixteen years and you aren't about to start. If you know
so much about hair, take your butt home and do your own.

Her - Fine. (She turns to Jim at this point) How much do I owe her?
Jim - Nothing. Just get out now.

I have never had a client that I just absolutely could not deal with before. I wondered to myself...I wonder how many times you have gone to a restaurant and had your food spit in? It's been a long time since I have had a client from hell. She had this air about her. Like she was better than everybody. She talked down to me. Like I was a poor stupid little girl that did hair. It completely infuriated me. I think maybe I put up with a whole lot less now that I'm older. Life is too short. I'm going on vacation...

Hey lady, if you're reading....YOU ARE RUDE and you can't talk to people like that!