It really isn't easy being green

I have hair issues.  I've always wanted great hair like this:

So I actually wanted hair like that in about '89 but didn't everyone?  

Two problems:

1.  I'm not blonde

2.  I didn't know anything about 'product' in the 80s.

My mom was her mother's guinea pig when it came to dyeing and perming and bleaching.  There are many old black and white pictures of my mom when she was around 4 or 5 and she's covered in curlers and perm solution or her natural black hair has been peroxided a horrible orange shade.  With that kind of emotional scarring, it's not surprising that she has really no interest in the mop upon anyone's head, even if I begged her to learn to french braid or make those ribbon laced barrettes with the beads that were popular back in the day.

Nope.  I was lucky to have a banana clip and discover Bold Hold on the shelf of my local drug store when I was a teenager. 

As luck would have it (and the hair gods had sympathy on me) I've had FOUR friends in my adult life who have also been professional hair dressers.  Whoopee!  Now I could get the scoop and ask questions and let them decide what looks good on me.

For the first time in my life I paid one of my hair dresser friends a lot of money to make my natural chestnut brown hair blonde.  Blllloooonde.  I actually got a lot of compliments on it.  It was a bit weird to get used to it at home and I knew it would be a lot of upkeep (read: money) to keep it that shade of honey yellow so it would be a temporary thing. 

Here's a picture of me and my studly husband at this year's Marine Corps ball.  Definitely NOT chestnut brown hair on me anymore.  It's fun.  It's different.  I can't wear the same colors that I did as a brunette. 

This week I decided to darken my locks a bit.  Just a smidgen to a medium brown with blonde highlights.  Once again I paid a lot of money in order to get back to more of a low maintenance 'do.  For some reason my hair dresser used an 'ash' on me.  And now?  My hair is green.  Yep.  Green.  I'm told it will even out a bit in a few days but I am NOT a happy camper.  The woman who did this has her own salon so it's not like she mixed a concoction in her kitchen sink.  She employs other colorists!  I'm about ready to head to the store for a $10 box of L'Oreal and fix this myself.  The joy of beauty standards.  Maybe I'll just chalk it up to being the Grinch this year.  ;)

Meh...

Ever have that "meh" feeling?  Yup, that's about how it is right now.  The Christmas tree is up and I actually LET the KIDS put ornaments on.  Do you know how much control I gave up for that?  A lot.  I managed to get some garland strung around the fireplace and the stocking are hung by the chimney with apathetic feelings.  The lights are up on the outside of the house thanks to my awesome husband.  I've perused lots of decorating blogs with beautiful displays of the season and my normal reaction would be "I've got to run to the store right this second so I can replicate this exact display".  This year?  "Meh." 

We just got back from San Diego where I was able to see family and friends which was not meh but great.  We're preparing to head out to visit Bill's family in a couple weeks.   Also not meh but great.  My poor little house will be empty for two pretty big holidays and hence my lack of enthusiasm.  I hate not being stoked about Christmas.  In fact, if I didn't have kids I don't know that I would have decorated at all.  How Scrooge am I??  I'm vowing that I'm staying home for Christmas next year and my tiding will be glad and meh will just be a saying on a snarky t-shirt.