Cat's Litterbox

Day 12

Such a little turkey boy!!

These were taken tonight of Gus wearing a cute sweater that the Fechter Four bought him for Christmas. I think they're super cute!!!

So today was a fun day spent with Wendy and the girls. I went with Wendy to Fuquay to pick up a laptop thingy from one of the members in our MOMS Club. After that, we headed to Applebee's for lunch and then when we were done with lunch we drove back to HS.

I decided that today would be the day that I have my gel nails removed. It's been something that I've been wanting to do for a while, as going every two-three weeks is honestly more of a pain than pleasure. I was spending $38 each time to have them filled and while they looked nice, after starting FPU, I just said that it wasn't worth $76 a month from our budget. If things have to be cut, that was a luxury that I was willing to remove from my life.

Now, I've had my nails on for about six years. When my Grandma Ghrist passed away in February of 2005, I went to get my nails on before her viewing. I'm not sure why I decided that it was the right time for nails, but for whatever reason, that's when I had them put on.

I started going to a girl named Ayleah and loved her- she was like a therapist and very funny. I was going every two weeks to see her and enjoyed it very much. I think I was paying $28 each time. Then she quit the salon that I was going to, and I called her new place to make an appointment and she never got back in touch with me. I took it as a sign that she didn't want/need my business very much, or she would have gotten back in touch with me.

Then I found Dreama. She did the nails of a person that I taught with. Dreama is/was wonderful! She was so sweet, very funny, and so easy to talk to. More than anything, I really enjoyed her friendship and looked forward to my nail appointments with her. I eventually brought my mom in for her very first pedicure for Mother's Day... and she was NOT going to do it, and then Dreama was so good, my mom went back again and again.

Then we moved to NC. When we moved down here, I didn't have a nail person and looked everywhere for one. Unlike in MI, there aren't nail girls in the salons down here... the only places to get your nails done are at Vietnamese places in strip malls. Now, don't get me wrong, they're great... but in MI, you avoid those places at all cost because they usually aren't licensed, or do a really bad job.

So when I came down here, the first thing I did was try to find someone to do my nails. It had been almost a month since my last nail appointment with Dreama, and my nails looked TERRIBLE. I ended up going to Wal-Mart and buying the nail remover stuff.

I tried to remove my acrylic nails myself and it was horrible. Not only did the stuff not really work, but my nails HURT and I had to use this tool to get the nasty gunk off my nails. It was a mess, and I was in pain.

I started teaching and one of my fellow teachers said to me, "No offense Cathy, but your nails look terrible." She literally said that to me. Then she told me about her nail girl... I asked if it was a Vietnamese place... and she said that it was, but the girl was American and was wonderful. I called and made an appointment with Jennifer.

I absolutely clicked with Jennifer immediately. Not only was she funny, but she and I liked the same television shows, and read a lot of the same kinds of books. We became instant friends and I looked forward to my nail appointments with her.

This past September, Jennifer told me that she was going to be going to Vietnam to visit her family and would be gone until December 5th. I was shocked that she'd be gone for so long, but she assured me that I'd be in good hands and be taken care of by her husband Peter (he owns the salon) and her mother.

I think it was while Jennifer was gone that I realized that I only enjoyed my nails because of the time it gave me for myself. I liked talking to her and catching up on her life and her catching up on mine.

I should mention that while I was in MI for Gus's adoption, my mom hooked me up with her nail girl, Sherri and she was WONDERFUL and it was great to have someone to do my nails while waiting to come home.

Anyway... the last time I got my nails done (about two weeks ago), I asked when Jennifer was coming back (because she was supposed to come back at the beginning of December and then she was going to wait until after the new year to return). I was told that they weren't sure... not a good sign.

I ended up emailing her and asked her what was up and she said that she wasn't sure when/if she was returning and if she did, it'd be part-time during the week (I always go on a Saturday so Steve can be with Gus while I go).

All that put with a tight budget made me decide to get my nails off. I'm now free of going every two or three weeks... and I am free of spending $38 each time.

I went to the place in our local Wal-Mart... and while it wasn't my first choice for a place to remove my nails, they did a great job. They hurt like a bitch... and are very sore to the touch, but five years of protection will do that. The girl said that they should feel better each day and by next week should be a lot better. I hope so... because they're sore!!

I decided to get french nails with a manicure and when I showed Steve my hand tonight, he didn't notice anything different. I had to point out that I had my nails removed and he didn't see a difference. I guess that's a good sign.

Now I'm tired and ready for bed. Tomorrow Gus gets his follow-up flu shot. I hope they'll weigh him and measure him... I'm very curious to know how much he's grown in the last two months!!!

Until tomorrow...
>^..^<