Earth-shattering updates

I realized over the weekend that I have left a lot of unfinished business on the blog lately. I bring up topics, but then I never provide an update on the outcome.

Well, on Saturday afternoon after several days of battling a cough and runny nose and taking about five naps a day, I got a sudden burst of energy. In fact, I started feeling like the old Emily I have been missing so much!

It was time to complete some unfinished business.

You might remember back in May when I wrote about the devastating news that my hair stylist Shea was no longer allowed to cut my hair at the swanky salon where she now works. You might also recall that I broke down crying right in the middle of the salon over the news that she was hired as a colorist only and would have to hang up her scissors.

I have continued to visit her for my color, but another stylist has been cutting my hair. It's been OK. But considering I drive about 40 minutes and spend a small fortune at this salon every SIX WEEKS to get my hair cut and colored, I haven't been ecstatic. I wouldn't mind to go to all the trouble for Shea, but my new stylist isn't Shea.

Then about a month ago, you might remember I took my daughter to Super Cuts and she walked away with this super cute haircut. I've been wondering ever since if maybe Jenna, my daughter's new stylist, could cut my hair.

But this would require me to go to Super Cuts. You know, S-U-P-E-R C-U-T-S where you don't even need an appointment and where they can cut your hair in about five minutes and where tons of people come and go on their way to Target and Kohl's. You know Super Cuts where they don't offer you a shoulder massage or a cup of tea? THAT Super Cuts?

I have had so many bad haircuts in my life that it took me two weeks to work up my nerve to even call.

Oh, but it was worth it.

Jenna did a great job cutting my hair, plus she did my color AND highlights for about the same price I would have paid for a hair cut ONLY at the other place. I am so excited that I can now get my hair cut for $13, and if I start cutting coupons, I might even be able to get a hair cut for $8. I don't think I've had a hair cut that cheap since I was about 5 years old.

And I don't have to tip the guy who washes my hair, AND the colorist AND the stylist. Heck, I probably paid less for my services at Super Cuts than I paid for my tip at the other place!

I was so excited about socking it to my high-priced salon with my discovery of Jenna that I was suddenly ready to take on the world.

You might remember that I mentioned over the summer I have been on a cleaning rampage to try to locate an extra room in our three bedroom home. I think I did it! Sort of.

I cleaned out the master closet in our bedroom and decided this will be baby's "bedroom" for at least the first few months of her life. We talked about putting her in my daughter's room or putting the crib next to our bed. I'm thinking we all are going to need the ability to close the door.

I filled three large storage containers with all of the clothes that I won't be wearing for a while. See ya, size 4 and 6 pants. I hope we can be reunited someday, my dear old friends.

I got rid of about 15 pairs of shoes. Then came the fun. It was time to empty out the contents of 10 purses and bags, which I haven't used in a while. I found about 42 ballpoint pens, six tubes of lipstick, 100 business cards and at least $2.65!

On the way to drop off all of my old shoes, I decided to make a determination once and for all in the Great Pumpkin Custard Debate that has been raging in my head. You might remember that I've been having a little issue with pumpkin lately.

Well, Andy's Frozen Custard has been advertising it's pumpkin pie concrete. It's a big cup of custard with a full slice of pumpkin pie mixed in.

I have been avoiding the taunting billboard and the e-mail advertisement from Andy's and instead have made several trips to Culver's for their pumpkin shake. I'm thinking the creamy shake has to be lower in calories than a solid cup of custard. Right?

Finally, after not eating much more than chicken noodle soup the past few days, I was hungry. It was time to give Andy's a try.

You will be happy to know that after much deliberation and a careful cost analysis, I have determined that the Culver's pumpkin shake is more flavorful and a better deal than the Andy's concrete. However, the people who work at Andy's are extremely nice and helpful, so please ignore this recommendation if you were thinking of going to Andy's.

All the time I spent rummaging through old shoes and eating pumpkin-flavored custard got me thinking about one thing: the gift card to DSW Shoes I have been carrying around since my 40th birthday.

I have been saving that gift card for a weekend just like this one.

I'm feeling ginormous. I only have a few clothes that fit. And I had a significant void in my black shoe selection. I had no black shoes for occasions that fell between my black Skechers and my long high-heeled boots. And that had been creating a serious problem.

But the gift card had been given to me by my highly-fashionable, shoe-loving friends Michele and Debbie for my 40th birthday. So, I was feeling a lot of pressure to use it wisely.

I knew what I wanted. Black suede. Something with a boot-like look, but without the boot. And a heel that is dressy without endangering my life, now that I'm a little off-balance.

And I found it. I have been searching the Internet for a picture, but I can't seem to find one. We'll just call it the Shoot, since it's a shoe that looks like a boot with your pants covering the top. Or we could call it the Bhoe. Whatever works for you.

I also fell in love with this more casual shoe, but I wasn't willing to spend $60, even if it was with a gift card.

So, I went to Kohl's and found this similar, but not-as-cute model on sale for $22.

And by the time I was done with all of that, my runny nose had returned, and it was time to go back into hiding, away from all of the germs lurking about our city.

And that my friends, should answer all of the burning questions that needed to be resolved for a while. I'm sure you'll sleep better tonight. I know I will.

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