This is my new dilemma.  I am in search of a hairdresser.  Italian women go to the hairdresser weekly.  They have their hair washed and set, the color touched up, a little snip here or there.  They always look perfect.  I've mentioned before how much of their time and money goes into their appearance.  Even the school cleaning lady, who spends her days pushing around a wheeled bucket and mop, is impeccably coiffed.  Moi, not so much.  I find it all exhausting.  I'd been going to Super Mario in the city but he is too far and too expensive.  Frankly I just don't care enough about my hair to spend half a day and half my salary for a cut and color.  He's too high end for me.  A while back I tried a place down at the bottom of our hill with a distinctly less chic look.  When I walked in everyone stopped what they were doing.  When I started talking everyone stared.  I don't think they'd ever heard an accent before.  The problem is that when I suspect someone doesn't understand me, instead of slowing down, I start to speak more quickly thinking that speed will cover up any grammatical deficiencies.  Strange, but that rarely helps with comprehension. The woman who cut my hair didn't speak to me at all but just pointed at the chipped sink and the worn chair when she wanted me to move.  I'm not going back.  I really would rather not be stared at like a zoo animal, the cut wasn't great and I think they overcharged me.  So maybe that time I aimed too low.  I asked around at school and an American mom I know said there was a place very near me that she'd heard good things about.  It's close enough to walk, looks good but not too good, and when I stopped in to make an appointment I was greeted at the door by a chocolate lab, a big smiling bald guy and a laughing little old lady in curlers you kept pointing at the dog and saying, "That's the hairdresser, that's the hairdresser!"  I'm going in on Tuesday.  I feel like Goldilocks.  The first place was too hot, the second too cold and hopefully this one will be just right.  xxoo me