I gave myself a pedicure today, and it looks pretty good for an amateur. I don’t keep my toenails painted anyway, so I was just going for neat and clean. Beauty base zero.
It wasn’t so bad. I have a little teak stool I put in the bathtub. Then I ran some hot water and added a handful of bath salts. Soaked, pushed back the cuticles, cut and filed the nails, used a pumice stone to remove dead skin on my feet and then shined up the nails with a buffer block.
My tools are starting to deteriorate, so I ordered new buffer blocks and fake pumice stones from Amazon. My stuff should come next week, but I checked the box that said, “No hurry.” Just doing my part for humanity.
When I let my hair grow long, it was for simplicity and convenience. I didn’t want to spend my precious time in a salon. With the current COVID-19 restrictions, staying home has not been a problem for me hair-wise, since I only get it trimmed a couple of times a year. Blunt cut with no unruly layers growing wild. No gray roots to worry about when it’s all gray!
Although I used to call it retirement hair, perhaps I should call it pandemic hair. I guess I could cut it myself if it comes to that.
Dale gets his hair cut at the military barber shop just outside the commissary, where he normally goes twice a month for “the big stuff.” He’s bald on top and gets the Number 3 for the rest of his head. His hair has been driving him nuts, and we talked about whether I could successfully cut it.
Today he said, “Let’s do this thing.”
I watched a few YouTube videos. Then I got the trimmers and practiced without turning them on. I’m like, I think I got this. We went out to the backyard, and I put a towel over his shoulders. I started with the fuzz around his neck, which was easy.
Then I set the trimmers to 7, figuring there would be less damage if I messed this up. Nothing horrible happened, so I gradually worked my way down to 3. Then I just kind of went over the whole thing, zapping stray hairs I missed and trimming around the ears. At some point, I decided I was done.
He went into the bathroom to check himself out in the mirror, and he said, “It looks great!” Another mission accomplished.
The whole thing reminded me of when we first got Riley, a long-haired kitty. He had nasty matts, and I got Dale’s beard trimmer to see if I could get them out. I didn’t put them back right away, and one day Dale asked if I had seen his beard trimmer.
I didn’t even think … I just said, “Oh, you mean the cat’s?”
He was horrified, but we both laughed. It still makes us laugh, which is a good thing.
Good on you, Donna. My husband let me cut his hair once. I clipped my finger half way through and he got just a little head shy. I’ve been doing my own pedicures since I retired 7 yrs ago to stay within the budget. Pedicures, fresh flowers, vodka are no longer on the “grocery” list. I have a well stocked liquor cabinet and may have to start drinking again with all that’s going on. It’s easy to practice physical distancing in these rural river hills and I do like my solitude. Most days I can keep positive but I have had one “2 drink day”. Imagine you and Dale exchanging spa services.
I keep thinking we’ll be OK. All we have to do it stay home and stay sane! If it were just me, I’d honestly worry less. I know I can hang. But Dale is more extroverted than I am.
Laughing is a good thing!
I just did my own dip powder manicure. I’d be unhappy if I paid a nail professional to do this and got this result, but since I did it I think I achieved a pretty good result for a first effort. I know I will get better and doubt I will ever go back to a salon for this service. DIY for the win. Next week I would normally be getting a pedicure. I think I will do the home version of that as well, like you did. However, I see still going out for these in the pandemic-free future.
Deb
I had to Google dip powder manicure, so that tells you something about me. Jury’s out on whether I’ll return to the salon for pedicures. Mine are so minimalist, it’s a shame to spend the money. But I still look forward to the day when we can all go if we want to!