OK, just a quick five mins to spare, so I thought I would tell you about my visit to the Coiffure yesterday. I just picked one to go to at random, as there are literally dozens of ladies hairdressers here! As in every town. Even some villages we have been through on the boat had a Coiffure but not any sort of food shop! They also always have a dog grooming parlour, which is hilarious! No Boulangerie or bar, but you can get your dog washed!
Anyway a very nice French lady called Veronique was in charge, she did the colour, covering up acres of chevaux blancs, then a young boy aged about 12 took over. He spoke not a word of English, but we had a form of conversation in which we established that he had five sisters and a brother, he was the second oldest, he lived with his girlfriend, he can speak Creole, he has relatives in Guadeloupe and Martinique (French colonies somewhere ). He had heard of Portsmouth because of the football. I ran out of French after that!
When he washed the colour off my hair, he used what I can only describe as cold water. He asked me if it was ok and I said it was too cold, but a) either he thought I said MORE cold, or b) they had a problem with their water heating, or c) French ladies always get their hair washed in cold water. So I put up with it.
I noticed they didn't use any conditioner or any products at all, no mousse, blow dry lotion, styling creme, nothing! Maybe I should have asked first.
Anyway, after a very thorough wash, Veronique returned, cut my hair just how I like it, then asked me how I wanted it dried. "not too curly please, just bouncy curls, smooth not frizzy". "I will make your hair like the Quinn ov Inglint". She told me.
OhmiGod I thought, she is going to make me look like an 80 yr old lady with tightly permed grey hair ! Help me! " no no, not too tight curls" I tried to explain. Then I had a thought - " OHMIGOD SHE IS GOING TO DO MY HAIR LIKE CAMILLA PARKER-BOWLES!" as She is also blondish with bouncy blow dried curls! Do they think CPB is the actual Queen? Has there been a death and we've not heard about it?
Anyway I was actually quite pleased with the result, although I wore a woolly hat for a couple of hours afterwards to calm the bouffant style down a bit ...
We're just about to go out for a Christmas lunch with about 10 or 12 other boat people to a local restaurant, so if any of them ask me how Charles is, or where I got my hat for the royal wedding, I'll have to have words with Veronique ....