Everything Everywhere All at Once

Season 45 of Survivor begins tomorrow.

I’ve never missed a season, don’t plan on missing this one, but the thing is Big Brother has yet to conclude (I’m rooting for Matt to win) and Amazing Race is waiting in the wings ready to jump into the lineup.

What with Halloween Wars, the Halloween Baking Competition, Cookie Challenge, Outrageous Pumpkins, et al., it’s everything everywhere all at once.

The seniors had yet another food fest hosted by Activity Director today — a Welcome Fall Luncheon.

I wasn’t planning on attending, could not have attended even if I had wanted to because I was scheduled with Nora at 11:00.

Inasmuch as the seniors were being encouraged to "Wear your favorite football team to show who you’re rooting for this football season", had I gone, I’d have worn my Twilight Team Jacob tee, cause that’s the only team shirt I own.

Eleven o’clock with Nora almost didn’t happen.

I’m a punctual person. Actually, always early so as to not inconvenience others. So, arriving 10:50, I checked in, took a seat, and it really chapped my hide when eleven o’clock came and went.

I don’t know if the client she was working on was late, which pushed into my 11:00 but, along about 11:20, I had this urge to just get up and walk out.

Shame to do so, thought I, because I really liked the vibe of the salon, and loved this sign on the salon wall.

I knew that, had I walked out, it would be another salon I can never return to so, desperately in need of a mani/pedi, I forced myself to be patient but, making the decision to be patient only for so long, set the alarm on the phone to 11:30 and, if not called to Nora’s station when the alarm went off, I’d get up, walk out, no explanation.

She called me up at 11:28.

Happy with the work she did, the vibe of the salon, I told myself to not be so annoyed if it happened again which, looking at the popularity of the salon, it will. So, I’ll be prepared for a wait next time with a book to read, because the work she did was worth the wait.

As you can see, done waiting for October 1 — the First of Halloween to get here, I decided yesterday was close enough and put up the front door decorations, and a new header this afternoon.

I’ll probably string the candy corn lights on the patio railing before I take off for the weekend, and return on Monday with only having spider webs and Skully the skeleton to put in place.

BTW, Nori isn’t any older than the other girls in the salon. They’re all about the same age, and are Swifties — fans of Taylor.

It’s a good thing I’m a bit of a Swiftie myself because, along with my favorite country music, they played quite a lot of Taylor in the salon, while speculating she is in fact dating that football player.

All in all, looks like I’ve at last found a nail salon and no longer have to do my own mani/pedis.

The thought did occur to me that, inasmuch as I now know Nora will likely always be running late, that I should arrive late.

Thing with that is, it would be just my luck she'd be running on time the day I showed up late.

I once did just that with a hairdresser who would stay home until I arrived ... on time, have someone from the shop call her to say your client has arrived then, after having me wait, she would leave home, arrive at the shop acting all important and stuff.

Why?

I've no idea, except it pleased her to do so.

When I decided to not play this game with her again, to not book her or return to that salon in the future, I pranced myself in very late.

She was in the salon waiting and looked shitfaced when I walked in saying I was late because I knew she wouldn't be there anyway, would have made me wait.

Too stunned to react, and embarrassed — because the other stylists were smirking at her (they knew what I'd done, why, and enjoyed the drama), she nevertheless did my hair, and that was the last of us.

I bet she learned her lesson, and never tried to play that game again with another client.