Death of a Hairdresser

Ok, so the title of this post may be a little misleading. But I honestly feel that a small part of my life is over. Please prepare yourself for what I'm about to tell you (and maybe grab a box to tissues to send my way)...

MY HAIRDRESSER IS MOVING! Not just out of town, but ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I know that any woman can relate to the fury and chaos that is going on in my world right now. I actually lost sleep last night due to the severity of this news. Having your hairdresser move far far away is very comparable to losing a limb.

I first met Andrea about 3 years ago. At the time, my hair was very long and very blonde, and I needed someone who knew how to 1. deal with curly hair and 2. maintain the yellow sheen that I so adored at the time (I was young and in love - don't judge me). Andrea was suggested to me by a friend (who, might I add, has stick straight, fine, blonde hair). It turns out she hit the nail on the head with that suggestion! Andrea is from Richmond, VA (where half of my family resides) and also has long, thick, curly hair. It was love at first intro. When I first started visiting Andrea for my salon services, she had a booth at Primp Salon. She soon left there to work at a brand new salon, Seagrass Salon & Day Spa, and has remained there until her last day, which is tomorrow.

An aside:

Now you men may be thinking, why on earth do you follow this girl all over town? Well, MEN, it is because finding a good hairdresser is not an easy task. Especially not for yours truly. Not only was I the only person in my family to be blessed with extremely curly hair, but I was also blessed with extremely thick and unruly hair. Andrea can relate because her hair is exactly the same. She is also young (younger than I am, which always makes me feel like an old bitty) and at the time, was fresh out of cosmetology school. I like someone who knows her stuff, but is still on the cutting edge. (This is not to say, however, that I am going to walk around with pink hair or some sort of horizontal shaved haircut. But that's simply because my job won't allow it. These "professionals" sure are stuffy sometimes!)

Now, back to the topic at hand:

Andrea's last day in town is tomorrow and she has a full day of clients. She is leaving town and heading up to Richmond to see her family for a few days. She is then moving across the country with her new fiancé! They're making a trip out of this cross country move (as I did just a few years ago) and stopping in Alabama, Texas, and Vegas, just to name a few. The final destination is San Diego, CA. I told her to expect me as a guest in about a year.

While I am so happy for Andrea and Trey, I am secretly freaking out on the inside. Who is going to cut and style my hair as awesome as Andrea!? I sure as hell can't do it. I've entrusted practically my entire life to her. Hair is such an important part of a woman's life. Aside from your smile, it's one of the first thing someone notices on the opposite sex. (Or is that only in my book?) Regardless, I am so fearful that I will not find anyone who can reach the high bar that Andrea has set. Andrea is amazing. She is chatty. She is funny. She is down to earth. And she is my new Facebook friend.

Andrea did recommend another girl in the salon who has hair similar to ours and who would probably be a good shear match. She warned me that this other chick isn't very personable, and that frightens me slightly. I like to chat and gossip while getting my hair did. If I have to sit there in silence for 2 hours I may start attempting to cut my freckles out of my skin using a hair pick.

I have a couple of other friends who have recommended the same person at different salon, so I may try her first. I just don't know what to do! I figure I have at least 6 weeks to make this life altering decision. In the meantime, I'll bury my hair grief in large glasses of mimosas and endless baskets of french fries.