Tidbits from A Hairdresser’s Diary /Scissors Retired

Now we were into early 1974. Four more years had passed and there were even more dramatic changes in our lives. We had happily reunited with my Baba and Guido only to have Guido pass away just a few weeks before our son Douglas Ronald was born. I also had a second chance to get to know my father. I must say I had a burning curiosity to see him again. I was not sure if it was to confront him or forgive him. Maybe a little of  both. I was biding my time until I was comfortable about asking Baba how I could get in touch with him. Once reunited, our visits were sporadic but we were trying to get to know each other. I was looking forward to having our kids and Ron get to know him as well. This reunion did not sit well with my mother so we didn’t discuss it with her. I had not seen him in 26 years. We had so many years to catch up on. I also had the good fortune of cultivating a good and loving relationship with all the siblings I knew as my brothers and sisters. Now we were grown and could think for ourselves, we as a family decided to be just that – a family. Nothing pleased me more. We started going to the family Christmas gatherings, something we had not done for many years. This was great for our kids – they now had a very large extended family.

The smartest decision we ever made was to take the four thousand dollar settlement from the accident – not more than an insult for the extreme loss we suffered – and use it as a down payment to build our tiny one floored castle. We could not know how this one important decision would have such a positive impact on our young family. We would no longer look back. We went from Windsor Housing to becoming homeowners. How proud we were of that accomplishment. We would take a horrible experience and make it something special and wonderful – ‘a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’ – or so they say. One of the things that made it so wonderful was we brought our beautiful, seven month preemie, miracle baby boy, Douglas, home to our new home the first week we took possession. We had to leave him in hospital for five heartbreaking, frightening weeks after he was born. He was too tiny, sick and weak from fighting for his life to come home with me. We knew he was our son when he fought and won. Christine was the typical big sister who wanted to be a little mommy and Terry the big brother who wanted to protect his baby brother. The doctor was worried about my health and arranged for a tubal ligation the day after Doug was born. We were concerned another pregnancy might land me up in a wheelchair. God gave us three amazing, caring and loving children who rarely complained when they had to chip in and help. It did not matter if it was helping with Doug, housework or just running errands.

Doug was only a year old when I had to have an emergency hysterectomy. I was shocked but so very thankful that my mother came to the rescue to take care of Christine and Terry. They were old enough to go home with her and they genuinely loved their Nanny. To my delight, my mother and I had found some common ground. I no longer wept for the mother I never had. What she lacked in motherhood she made up for as a sweet, loving grandmother who the kids called, Nanny. She showed her love not just to our children but to the rest of the family as well. She showed no favoritism. We had too much baggage to let bygones be bygones but we could have comfortable and enjoyable visits. I must confess I had painful moments when I caught myself feeling jealous, these thankfully were short-lived and fleeting. It was important to me that our kids had grandparents that I was deprived of. It was obvious she was still oblivious to the bad treatment she bestowed on me. She acted as if it never happened. When I tried to talk about it she would look at me as if I was talking about someone else. I put it aside for our kids’ sakes. Ron didn’t want Doug to be so far away so we had a friend come stay at the house and take care of him for the week I was in hospital. She also helped for the six weeks I needed to recover.

The final words written for A Hairdresser’s Diary / Scissors Retired

Good morning all. It has been awhile since I have been here to visit with you. I can give you the whole list of excuses and most would be valid and accurate but who needs to be bored with those. Everyone has them and no one wants to hear them. So I will give you some good news. This past Mother’s day I wrote the final words to the sequel to A Hairdresser’s Diary. I was so excited to have finished although we all know it is not really finished. Now comes the hard part edit, edit, edit.

I though you might like a taste of what I have accomplished so far. For those who have read my first book this will make sense to you. For those who have not it might be a little confusing. Anyway here is a taste. I will add more to morrow.

A  Hairdresser’s Diary

Scissors Retired

Chapter One

It was a long and painful, five years that followed the devastating car accident that targeted me in mid-June of 1970. The memories were overwhelmingly painful for me. So horrifyingly vivid were those first hours after being hit by the unconcerned, uncaring drunk driver those memories remained fresh in my mind. The life altering accident happened in a split second, but in my mind, it repeatedly played back in slow motion. There were even freeze frame moments. I was overcome with anger as I recalled the way my back was twisted so severely and grotesquely. Seat belts were not installed in vehicles as of yet. I was sitting facing Ron, my husband, both my knees rested on the front seat, my feet on the console and my left arm on the back of the seat. Then, in a flash of a second, a drunk driver sideswiped us. He was driving a stolen car, and was on probation from prison and had no driver’s license. He was eventually charged with dangerous driving. When he hit us the whole top of my body twisted to the right. I hit my forehead on my passenger side window. My knees remained on the seat. I thank God that Ron was not badly injured, even though our car was totaled. Fast thinking and in shock, Ron was able to get us to the OPP station safely. He was smart enough to get the description of the car and had part of the license plate memorized. It was not long before an OPP officer had the driver in custody. Remorse was not in this uncaring person’s personality. For someone who caused so much devastation and destruction he got off easily, his sentence was few more years in jail. My sentence was far greater. Although I was the injured one, my sentence would be for life. How profoundly unfair, one drunk drivers inconsiderate choices changed the lives of a whole family. At the time, Ron and I did not know just how much fight God had instilled in us. In the next few years, we would have many an opportunity to show the world just what we were made of. I still remember those family members who thought these two, nineteen-year old kids wouldn’t last a year together, let alone have the guts and gumption to get through this life-altering circumstance.

This is just one of the reasons we, as authors keep writing

This is just one of the comments on my Amazon book page for my book “A Hairdresser’s Diary.” Thank you Debi.
When I know that I have touched someone so deeply I feel blessed. God has given me away to share my story and bring memories back to those who lived it with me.

WOW Chris! When I went into fb and saw there was a suggested friend for me named ‘Christine Hannon’ I figured maybe it was the younger one…but NO it was YOU!! YAY! Then to find out you had written a book about your life and tales of hairdressing..some of which I had heard first hand from you a ‘few’ years ago as we sat having tea as friends or as I or my daughters Donna or Mindy sat having our hair done by you. In fact if I remember correctly my oldest daughter Donna was going through something at one time and you wrote a little poem for her. Now back to your book…so on May 6th I bought your book for my Kindle Fire and on May 7th @ around 11:45pm I finally could put it down…FINISHED! You see sometimes reading a book is easy and refreshing, like ice cream on a hot summer day. Compulsive and addictive, like a drug you just can’t get enough of..and these I found in reading Chris’s Memoirs. I cringed and cried at the life she lived as a child growing up but I first handed lay KNOW and have SEEN the BEAUTIFUL woman inside AND out that Chris has become due to the trials and tribulations she has gone through, and when Chris tells us she’s a ‘Chatty Cathy’ please BELIEVE it!! She is, but in the most awesome way! Thank you Chris for this awesome read! I CANNOT WAIT for the sequel
Lovingly Always
Debi xox

Finding ones way back! Renewed and refreshed.

 

It has been several months since I have posted on my blog. So much has happened that I would have to write a novel to explain it all. I have had my heart-broken for I have lost a son, not to the grim reaper but to unfortunate circumstances. I have been subjected to three more surgeries, watched my husband’s health suffer, moved to another town, turned sixty-nine years old and celebrated fifty years married. The last three events should have been happy, joyful and memorable experiences but because of the first heartbreaking events they were not. I know I am not the only mother who has suffered this painful, gut wrenching and devastating loss but it sure felt like I was the only one at the time.  

Our other children, grandchildren and family did their best to see we had an anniversary to add to our memory bank and we love them for that. But our hearts would not allow us to rejoice the way we deserved.

It is time I take God’s hand and ask Him to help guide me though a time of healing. I know I cannot do this alone and was not strong enough to ask for His help before now. I am ready and I can see there is a light at the end of what seemed like a very dark  tunnel into the unknown. I pray for my son who someday may find his way back to his family.

So I am writing this post today, and tomorrow I will get back to writing the sequel to my book “A Hairdresser’s Diary”. I will take one day at a time and cherish each of those days. As far as my Anniversary, Ron and I will be married fifty years for a whole year, and will have lots of time to celebrate the way we imagined we would.

Thank you all my friends for your past support and I can only hope you will keep visiting me once again.

Something cool to read by the pool – A Hairdresser’s Diary

If you have not already read ‘A Hairdresser’s Diary’ now might be a great time to enjoy this inspirational memoir. You can find it at any of these links. Read the reviews and then write your own. You can get it in e-book or printed form. If you prefer an autographed copy you can now get a digital signature for your e-book on Amazon.ca or .com.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hairdressers-Diary-looking-reflection-ourselves/dp/1475164289/ref=zg_bsnr_220855011_12

 

http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=A+Hairdresser%27s+Diary&categoryId=100501

 

http://www.ahairdressersdiary.com/

My 2nd interview with Michael

 

                         
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/guest-authors-revisited-christine-hannon.html

Thanks Michael
The Cult of Me Blog: http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/

Find out about my book releases and read posts about writing, reviews, guest posts and interviews

Thank you Michael for this wonderful opportunity to share with all your friends and other authors. You are most kind to do this for us.  

My Flabbermouth Series – chapter 2

Chapter Two

 

Sometimes remembering the flabbermouth moments are painful. This is especially true when I realize just how dumb I really sound. In some cases, it might take a few minutes or so to sink in. Remember the reference from the last story, my not being the brightest bulb on the tree? This is one of those occasions. I however cannot believe my family still has it in their memory bank. They cannot remember my birthday, but this is burned into their brains.

The family and I were sitting on the couch watching a science – health show one evening on tv. The discussion was on how individual parts of the body function and moves.
The first part of the program was based on the problems and function of our joints.
The second part discussed the damage that could be done by smoking and what it does to the organs and growth hormones. I found all of this rather interesting and it had me thinking. I was taking it all in as at that time, Ron was a heavy smoker. I on the other hand had never parted my lips for the deadly cancer stick. So in my mind part of getting Ron to quit smoking, would be in this new-found knowledge.

When the first part of the show was over. Ron noticed I was staring at him intensely, “What on earth are you looking at?” He said with a rather inquisitive look on his face.
“I was just thinking.”
“Oh no, not again.”
“Yes again, the show has made me think,”
With that, he rolled his eyes and the kids laughed.

“Oh oh, moms thinking again,” piped up one of our rug rats.

Now I was determined to show them I could say something smart. So out it came. “Honey I want to be serious now ok? I have an important. When we talk, what jaw moves our top or bottom one?”
“You are kidding right?” Ron questioned with a furrowed brow.
“No!” I was annoyed he would put it that way.

Then as if the family had rehearsed the response for weeks, they in unison started talking. Moving their heads up and down, pushing their heads back trying to keep their bottom jaw still. They were laughing so hard they almost rolled on the floor. “Anymore questions dear. Does any one have anything to say to your mom?” Hysterically one after the other they teased me. I soon saw the humour in the latest ‘flabbermouth’ moment.

That night when we went to bed Ron apologized for being so hard on me but he said, “Honey you have to admit it was pretty funny?”
“I know now it was.” I said embarrassed but still able to laugh.

And then, ‘flabbermouth’ hit me again. “At least I didn’t tell you I was worried about smoking stunting your growth.”
With that, Ron reached over and patted me on the head and as I turned around to face him he said, “Like this?” There he was with his tee-shirt pulled up over his arm with only his hand showing wiggling his fingers at me. I slapped him and rolled over but not before hearing. “Honey life would be so dull without you?” With that, he got one more giggle in before falling asleep.

My Flabbermouth Series

Swirls of colour

I have been wondering what I can do to keep my blog interesting while I continue to write the sequel to “A Hairdresser’s Diary “

http://www.ahairdressersdiary.com/Home_Page.php

So I thought I would post some of the stories I am writing called “MY FLABBERMOUTH SERIES” ( flabbermouth is my word for foot in mouth moments that leave one flabbergasted ) these are true events that have happened in my life over the last 50 years. I hope you enjoy reading them and at least get a chuckle. In some cases those who know me personally these might bring back a memory or two.

Chapter One

I am what the world classifies as the queen of ‘flabbermouth.’ I am always saying something at the wrong time or in the wrong place. I am the unpaid family clown making everyone laugh although most times it is not planned.

My kids would say, “Oh it is just one of mom’s ‘flabbermouth’ moments again.” The sad part for me, but the entertaining part for my friends and family, is that I don’t realize what I had said until it is pointed out to me. Then even I can’t believe I said it.

Poor Ron just shakes his head in embarrassment or disbelief. One would think after so many years he would get used to me right? Wrong.

I love to cook and experiment with many different dishes. Each member of my family has their favourites and on this particular night it was Ron’s turn to have his choice. – Breaded deep-fried squid.- Yuk! As much as I didn’t like the cleaning, cutting, feel and look of these creatures, I sucked it up and did the dirty deed. I made Ron his favourite no matter what the sheer yukkies did to me. The kids teased me that the tentacles looked like baby spiders, so that didn’t help the situation in the least. The thing I detested more than squid was any type of creepy spiders.

Passionately I cleaned, and then cut (into perfect sized rings) I floured, battered and fried these discussing looking morsels. All the time working with my nose turned up. Every so often taking the time to reminding Ron how much I must love him, to do this wonderful loving thing for him.

Now the moment of truth, the taste test. Was it up to par? I had the squid all set out on a nice white dish with condiments ready for him to dig in. If I say so myself, it was a very appetizing looking dish. The kids each took a fair-sized portion and started to eat, when Douglas said, “Dad don’t the tentacles look like spiders? Annoyingly, I told him to stop talking and eat. I gave a shudder. Ron looked over at him and smiled. The most devilish smile I have seen in a while. Winking at the kids, he picked up one of the tentacles and placed one hanging out of the corner of his mouth. He then started to chase me around the house and into the back yard. As I ran, I was squealing for him to stop. My neighbour Delores who was outside watering her lawn hollered to me, “Why are you squealing?”
Out of breath, I pointed and said, “Ron is chasing me with his testicles hanging out of his mouth.”

With a curious look on her face she said, “Oh my, how talented he is” and started to laugh hysterically. Before long, it was going around the small neighbourhood how gifted my hubby was. I was teased, for a very long time. Some snickered and one friend made reference to the ‘squid on sale.’Some of those friends even pretended to have something sticking out the corner of their mouths teasing me unmercifully. That was until I did or said something else which made them forget that ‘flabbbermouth’ moment for another.

All the teasing was in fun. I however have not lived this one down. Even to-day when my kids or Ron sees squid. I think I can hear them say, “She’s not the brightest bulb on the tree.” But, we love her. Lol. This is something I have never doubted.

My granddaughter Shandra

Anyone that has read my book “A Hairdresser’s Diary” knows how much styling long hair meant to me and my career. My granddaughter Shandra is getting married this July . My dream has always been to be the one hairdresser of choice for all the brides in our family including in laws. Well I have been blessed as I have had that chance. What you are seeing in this picture is my granddaughter. This is the dry run before her wedding. You might ask why this would be necessary? well as most of you know I am just getting over another surgery this time on my left knee. Being the kind and considerate granddaughter that Shandra is, she has been concerned that I might cause myself pain either with my back or my knees on her wedding day and not be able to attend or enjoy her special day so she asked me to do her hair and take pictures now. This way I will have the pictures  of my loving work  for my ‘grandmothers album’ I am making for her. She looks like a Greek Goddess and I am proud to say she was in love with her hair. 

If you look hard enough you can see fine braided woven throughout her hair. This was one of my signatures that made my styles set apart from other stylists. Remember this was over 50 years ago and are no longer a rare embellishment. I enjoyed every second of this special day.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hairdressers-Diary-looking-reflection-ourselves/dp/1475164289/ref=zg_bsnr_220855011_12

http://www.ahairdressersdiary.com/

 

A chat with Sherri

As an author, especially a first time author, I am excited when given the opportunity to share my story. It is awesome when a reader e mails or calls me with a wonderful testimonial or  when I get five-star comments on Amazon or any other media site. I have been honoured with many wonderful interviews through the posts of many amazing people, some being authors themselves. So on Feb 26th at 10:30 PST I will be privileged to do a radio interview with Sherri Rabinowitz and a chance to get the word out about my book A Hairdresser’s Diary and the sequel I am now writing. If you have a moment on that day, please tune in at the link below.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rithebard/2013/02/26/chatting-with-sherri

http://www.ahairdressersdiary.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Hairdressers-Diary-looking-reflection-ourselves/dp/1475164289/ref=zg_bsnr_220855011_12

http://www.amazon.ca/A-Hairdressers-Diary-ebook/dp/B007V3CTO4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360763470&sr=1-1