Thursday, May 9, 2013

Through the Window


Through the Window

Except for one unfortunate and blessedly brief anomaly when I was about eight, I have had long hair all of my life.  Therefore I know the value of the six week trim and follow that schedule religiously.  Upon making my latest appointment, I put the phone back in my pocket and could almost swear I heard my Mother’s voice once again. 

“You’ve made an appointment at the salon”.
“Yes.”
“Are you going to get it styled this time?”
Sigh.

“Styled” was my Mother’s little euphemism - slightly snarky, but ever hopeful - for a haircut that would, finally, yank me from the brink of contumaciousness and plop me solidly down in the clover of risk-free respectability.  Really, who could blame her? When she was young hardly any woman over forty had long hair and, if they did, it usually came with some sort of iconoclastic t’shirt and often without the appropriate ladylike undergarments.  It is laughable to think of any of my schoolteachers with long and frequently windblown hair such as mine is now.  But then, I dare say few of us resemble our schoolteachers these days.

Don’t get me wrong, I know full well that I’m getting, ahem... older.  Everyone is, after all.  But I’m grateful that the oft unspoken, but still ironclad, rules that governed my Mother and her friends have for the most part been jettisoned along with eight-track tapes and girdles.  My sartorial choices have infinitely more to do with personal taste than any sort of age restriction and I never turn down any experience just because I think I’m too old.  Case in point... last week, upon returning to town from our little sabbatical whilst the floors of the cottage were being redone, I found myself barred from the bedroom because the hallway floors were not quite dry.  What to do?  The Songwriter took Edward and Apple out into the back garden to bunk down in the studio but somehow that just didn’t seem all that comfortable to me.  I was tired, I’d been driving for most of the day with two large dogs in the car and I knew my soft, lovely bed was just out of reach.  So, just as I would have done when I was sixteen... I carefully crawled inside the newly budded rose bush, jimmied a window and climbed up, up and in.  Never gave it a second thought.  Never once considered such an activity might be ill-advised till I told several people the next day who, upon hearing of my adventure, laughed just a little too loudly for my liking.  Let them laugh.  I slept soundly in my own bed and climbed out the window next morning fresh as a daisy.

(Of course the really funny aspect of this story happened following a midnight phone call from The Songwriter who informed me that Edward had no intention of sleeping away from me.  So... you guessed it, in a few moments I spied at my window the happy, grinning face of a big white furry dog, framed by pink rose buds, as Edward was hoisted up and into the very same portal I’d tumbled through earlier.  Edward, of course, acted as though this were an everyday occurrence, calmly hopping up on the bed, placing his head across my ankles as usual and falling immediately asleep.  Dogs keep us young as well, you know.) 

In speaking about her new book, Living the Good Long Life, the uber-active lifestyle doyenne, Martha Stewart, tells us that seventy is the new fifty.  Of course, she’s seventy-one, so she would say that, I suppose.  But I do appreciate her attitude and have no doubt she has some wisdom to impart in this latest publishing venture.  For myself, I never really thing about age.  When I do, it’s rather stunning to realize that it’s happening in spite of my long hair and climbing capabilities.  Ah well, I still left the salon yesterday without resorting to any sort of “style” and from her heavenly portal, I have no doubt my Mother was still shaking her head in frustration.
Maybe when I get to be Martha’s age, I’ll just wear it up.



Find it HERE

31 comments:


  1. Well, I'm only 17, and I can ATTEST that you are younger than me.... ;-)

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  2. So they say you are only old as you feel...I'm 55 now and had long hair most of my life cut it a few times and cut it off two years ago..and just loved it...lol but I'm once again growing it back..Whatever makes you feel good like my son says..If that's who you are then so be it..lovely story...Happy Mom's Day..with love Janice

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  3. Don't ever have it 'styled' Pamela - it looks gorgeous as it is. I must say I hear my mother's voice too - for years I had a pony tail and she hated it. Her way was to say that a (one of my friends) had such lovely hair -meaning I didn't!

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  4. I think long hair worn in a bun or French knot or whatever is lovely. If you've not watched The Great British Sewing Bee on Youtube, check out the first episode and look at Ann, 82. I think she's brilliant!

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  5. I am absolutely in love with your writing!!!!!!!!

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  6. Your hair is lovely !
    and i love all of the animal stories!
    i just tried Yorkshire Gold tea(i remembered it from one of your posts)-it's so good !!
    have you read The Thirteenth Tale ?
    your blog is one of the only blogs i still read, it can be difficult sorting through the pages and pages of blogs out there !
    well, those are the things i've wanted to post to you ! hope the house is back to normal for ya'll! :) jade

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  7. Your hair is lovely and as a young 63 year old, more than ever, I think it is important to be your authentic self!
    I loved imagining Edward being hoisted through the window to be next to his best friend.
    Lol
    Karen

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  8. Well Pamela, I laughed and laughed at your delightful story (hopefully not too loudly for your liking). The idea of you and your pup climbing in through your bedroom window just so you could sleep in your own bed makes me like you even more.
    My mother was always going on about a bouffant. I thought it was something from a box of chocolates like nougat, fondant or caramel until she gave me one for my seventh grade class pictures.

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  9. A gorgeous story. If times ever get tough at least you now know that you hold the key skills for becoming an exquisite upper echelon cat burglar, with Edward as your lookout of course.
    x

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  10. I always wanted long hair but mine would never grow lower than about shoulder height. It also always seemed straggly. I always envied people with thick hair, but they used to complain about it too, for different reasons. If that's your photo on the right, your hair looks great!

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  11. I have the same long hair story as you and now that I have become a true "60's" chick, I am wearing lovely chignons and knotted buns.

    I would have climbed through the window also.

    Got to close, the basset hound wants to go outside and one never makes a basset wait.

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  12. I had very long, thick hair, mostly in pigtails, as a girl - then recall having it cut off and permed at about age 13 - gosh it looked awful in the old school pics I have! Only other time it was long again was in the early sixties when 'beehives' were in style and I grew it out so I could do a French twist with a back-combed beehive top! My God, what were we thinking then!! My hair has been bobbed and stick straight for years - it's red, it's me and I have it cut and colored every five weeks so it's healthy for an old gal!! I'm so glad you have your lovely hair the way you want it too. It's our 'crowning glory' and a special part of us, right Pamela!

    Picturing you breaking in with rose petals in your hair, and followed by Edward - you should have had the Songwriter take some pics for us! I want to do hardwoods but keep putting it off because I know it means moving out - perhaps this Fall I'll get around to it!

    Lovely post as always.
    Hugs - Mary

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  13. I think it's lovely that you found a way to return to your bed! And I'm not one to talk... long unstyled hair is just fine by me! Leaves more time to focus on more important things...

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  14. If you have princess hair, then you are entitled to scaling rose bushes to your bedroom window. Age shouldn't change who you are. Some probably cringe at my long dye free curls, but an author friend borrowed that look to give her protagonist character. I'd be sorry if you changed your hair as it matches Edward so well too. Listen to your heart, not your mom.

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  15. Pamela, age really is a number. And frankly you are only as old as you feel, last year at 66 my mother skied for the first time! She fell a few times but she loved it!

    Keep your beautiful hair because it matches your beautiful spirit!

    Have a wonderful day!

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  16. Hello Pamela

    I must say I questioned Edward taking off with the Songwriter and Apple to the studio. I felt this would not last and would love to have seen him climb through the window and then hear him sigh in contentment as he rested his head on your ankles and snored.

    Helen xx

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  17. My hair will be long until the day I chose the next adventure.
    I just like long hair. On ladies and gentlemen alike.
    I am comforted by it in some way.
    x

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  18. Take no notice and may you stay forever young.

    When my father was 96 his doctor took me to one side and said, "Promise me you will confiscate your father's stepladders", of course I did no such thing but did manage to persuade my dad not to attempt any more roof repairs.

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  19. i laughed and loved this post. and totally related.
    i am at the opposite end of the spectrum however...
    at age 14 i had my long hair cut into a 'pixie' and have never looked back. i will die the proverbial peter pan.
    i every-so-often wonder if it is feminine enough for a 67 year old peter pan. but then i remember my husband who was delighted with me.
    and i just smile a secret happy smile. an ageless smile.
    just like your own.
    love,
    tammy j
    ps... am re-reading the spring and summer of your wonderful book.
    it is so beautifully made and written. thank you again and again.

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  20. Good for you, Pamela, both in well-defined and earned sense of self, and of your agile ability to be able to climb up and through your window. I love it!

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  21. What a delightful post reading about your window climbing feat and imagining Edward being hoisted through the window and tumbling into the room. Your are both true companions and friends.

    Your hair is lovely. Age shouldn't have anything to do with how you wear it or the length.

    Stay young at heart!

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  22. Just loving the idea of you climbing through that window and Edwards lonely heart without you. So sweet! I read your post the other day and downloaded Martha's book to my Kindle...I shall read in secret, looking forward to it.. xx

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  23. Dear Pamela,
    Your hair is gorgeous to me! The bangs give you a special style. My hair has gotten longer this past year. I do often pull it back in a loose bun or a ponytail! I say be true to yourself!!


    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  24. I just barely read a piece in a magazine about older women having long hair now!

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  25. Pamela and Edward climbing through the bedroom window! Next you'll be stepping through the looking glass with Alice, or tumbling down the rabbit hole with me! Just a few days ago I climbed to the top of a tall rope "spider" on our playground with my 7th graders. It was great fun! As for long, straight hair: Still have it; still like it, even as I become a "woman of a certain age." And as for those highlights that soften the grey, well, only my hairdresser knows for sure!

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  26. Hmm, the image of Edward being hoisted through the window conjures such precious pictures in my head that it just sounds like a perfect book for children! I'm still chuckling.

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  27. I think this my 1st time responding to your blog... I couldn't even finish reading this post - in and out of your bedroom window?!?!?!?
    I am 48 and you are awesome! Oh, and I vividly remember being 16 and "gently" pushing mom away from me while she trapped me in the bathroom with a hot curling iron

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  28. Such a funny, sweet, and very 'mom' like memory of your mother Pamela. My mother thinks I should still wear the spral permed style I adorned at my wedding in 1991...it's something I'll always cherish with a big sigh, and an 'oh mother', forever. ♥
    Love your evening escapade through the window, especially the part about Edward joining you!

    Hope you're having a lovely time on the Ilse...
    xo J~

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  29. Speaking of hair styles,
    Renee just cut her dogs hair,
    we call her Jackie O now.
    I love your dog, miss sleeping with my old Thor. He was a snuggle bunnie.
    No matter what cut you get, you will always look sharp.
    yvonne

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  30. Your hair is lovely. It's an oft discussed topic between my friends and I, to cut, wear uo or wear long at that certain age. But just what is that certain age anyway? Nice illustration too. Minerva x

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  31. If my hair looked as thick and lovely as yours, I'd wear it long too!!

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!