The early bird gets the perm

I'm still surprised when the stylist twirls my chair around to the mirror, and I see my mom's reflection. How'd she get here? For over forty years my reflection was more like my dad's face shape and coloring.

I like having a perm, but it's always pretty scary when the stylist applies the finishing touches with blow-dryer, curling iron, and dreaded hairspray. I've left salons with hairdos stiff enough to protect an NFL player crashing his motorcycle without a helmet. That's not the real me. I'm strictly a wash, scrunch, and go person.

Today I lucked out. My post-appointment look doesn't make me cringe. I bet Fritzi would have been pleased to leave the beauty shop with this hairstyle. So there you have it! Being fifty-one means never having to say you're sorry to have your mother's hair! What happened to those flowers and San Francisco? What do you mean the Summer of Love was nearly forty years ago?!

The good news is it's a good day for watching hummingbirds going crazy around the blooming cannas on the patio. Wish Fritzi, Petula Clark, and Georgy Girl could join me.

If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there
--Lyrics by John Phillips

Yes, it's a good day for singing a song,
and it's a good day for moving along;
Yes, it's a good day, how could anything go wrong,
A good day from morning' till night
--Lyrics by Peggy Lee



So you can color my world with sunshine yellow each day
Oh you can color my world with happiness all the way
Just take the green from the grass and the blue from the sky up above
And if you color my world, just paint it with your love
Just color my world--(Tony Hatch/Jackie Trent)