My Favorite Relative

Today my favorite relative is one of my nieces - Rebecca. She did something that I have been doing almost since Mike and I married and I absolutely HATE it! You see, Becca is a cosmetology school student. She only has a few more hours left to complete her training and a few exams to score well on and she will be certified and ready for a license.  So, yesterday, she cut Mike's hair and trimmed him up and I didn't have to do it!  Yippee!!!

A little over a month ago Mike and I trekked to my sister and brother-in-law's house and plunked ourselves in a metal folding chair so that Becca could snip and trim our hair.  She did a marvelous job on both Mike and me.  The best part was, I didn't have to do that chore for Mike anymore!

A couple of days later, Mike had the brainchild that my late, great-uncle's barber chair might be available for her.  So, we suggested that Daddy give his cousin a call and check into getting the chair for her.  Uncle Carroll was a barber for more than fifty years in this area.  Even after he closed his barber shop in town he kept cutting hair in a shop set up in a little building just off his house.  His first customers might show up before daylight and the last one leave long after dark.  Even after he retired he continued to give a few haircuts.  He would even go to places like nursing homes and give fellows a trim long after he retired.

My family all have had their hair trimmed while perched up on that chair in front of Uncle Carroll.  Each of us has lots of wonderful memories and tales to share about getting our hair cut and the juicy piece of bubble gum he gave us when he finished.

One day a couple or three weeks ago, Daddy, Mama, Becca and her two sisters, Megan and Madalyn, Bryan and Jessica, Mike and me assembled to load and haul the antique barber chair to my sister and brother-in-law's home for Becca to use.  Daddy's cousin is glad that somebody in the family is carrying on the tradition. Becca is excited to have the antique heirloom.

So, yesterday we trekked out again to get shorn.  Here she is trimming on Mike.

 She really does a wonderful job - and not just because it means I don't have to do it!  I truly HATE to have to cut his hair.

Both of them seemed to enjoy the experience today - and I really, really did!  Not only did I get a nice cut and style, but Mike did and I didn't have to be his barber because I absolutely HATE doing it.

The above picture shows a little bit of the heirloom chair.  We got a full tour showing it off.  She jacked it up and down, laid me back into a reclining position, bragged about getting to plug her clippers and hair dryer into the back of the armrest.  It is easy to tell that she is really pleased to have the antique barber chair.  I'm really glad she has it, too!  Have I mentioned that I HATE to have to cut Mike's hair?

Making Uncle Mike look this handsome requires that Becca concentrate and hold her mouth just right!  Didn't she do a wonderful job?  I'm so, so, so glad to have a barber in the family.  Becca is easily my favorite relative right now!