The day I got my first curling iron was the best day of my life …

Recently, I had a funny little memory, it was so innocent and happy, I tried to stay in the memory because it felt so good.

I was about to turn 14 and I wanted a curling iron so badly. I begged my mom for one. June 3rd 1976 was the day that changed my life forever. That was the day I finally got my very own curling iron. Silver and shiny … could life get any better?

Growing up with 5 sisters and 2 brothers made for a very hectic house, we shared rooms and clothes and records, it was great … well, most of the time. But, to have something of my very own, something as special as a curling iron. I felt so grown-up, like I could conquer the world with my “surf hair-cut” which I could now curl back off my face.

My dad built an addition on to our war time house to accommodate the 10 of us, the house was busting at the seams. The girls room, affectionately named the girl’s dorm slept 4 with 2 double beds and had a big closet. This sadly was not my room, it was for the 4 oldest girls. I worshiped my siblings, I thought everything they did was amazing. My oldest sister had a pink princess phone, I could have died with envy. But I was little and could only observe their glamours lives from afar, well that’s how I saw it with my child-like eyes.

By 1976, there were less of us at home, and I being the youngest was only 14 and ended up with the whole girl’s dorm to myself. I loved my room, still with two double beds cover with red and while gingham bedspreads with curtains to match. But the closet was my favourite part, it was a walk in closet … no no … not like today’s fancy Hollywood style dressing room walk in closets. It was more of a cubby. It had an old vanity dresser squished between a cloths rack and a shelf complete with beaded curtains.

The stool of the vanity had a secret compartment under the seat, I place to keep my diary, stickers, a free Big Mac coupon and other important things. I would sit in front of the mirror listening to my transistor radio just praying they would play Barry Manilow’s Mandy. It didn’t matter if the station wouldn’t come in and staticy. Whatever, it was all good … I had my cola falvoured lip smacker lip gloss and now my new curling iron. It was a happy time in my life.

Awwwww … Youth, so much of life still stretched ahead of us. It’s a funny thing how something like a curling iron can bring us such joy when we are young and in my case as many of you know … That shiny silver curling iron lead me to a long career as a hairdresser, which I still love.