Expanding my comfort zone

I’m not out and about a lot. I homeschool the boys, I work from home, take care of the house and the kids, socialize with neighbors in the park, and all this pretty much occupies most of my time. I get groceries, of course, go to my prenatal check-ups, choir and music group practices, and run errands, but this is all within walking distance. I’m not the kind of mother who explores markets, souks, shops around for the best manicure in town, visits fares or exhibitions, go for drinks, or try new and interesting restaurants with my friends. I always imagine these activities take a lot of car rides, time, and effort that I just don't have.

Today though, I did something I haven't tried here in Beirut before. I desperately needed new glasses, went out, and found a shop close to campus where the optician seemed competent. I got a new prescription, and even got a new set of frames, that were not brown or black. I know, right! The optician was really helpful in recommending a style and color, and I didn't have to pay an arm. 

Then – oh yeah, it gets even better! – then I went to get my hair cut at one of the places that one of my more chic friends had recommended - also close to campus, but still! – AND I threw in a pedicure while I was there. And I didn’t choose blue or transparent nail polish, but went with a winter color; a fancy dark Bordeaux. It looks great. The hair cut is so-so, but I’m never going to be happy unless my sister-in-law cut my hair, so I count it as a success that I didn’t run home crying. It’s not badly done, but nothing like the hair cut I wanted. It’s 2-3 inches shorter than I asked for, and while I wanted him to cut my hair straight off, he rounded it towards the front and layered it. Then he blow-dried it into a really strange arrangement which pretty much blew away as soon as I left the salon.

Exhausting. But... interesting.