Saturday 1 April 2017

The Habits Of A Lifetime Versus Lunchtime.

The European way...

Was it the hot South African climate or the long working day that made it impossible to have a warm cooked lunch every day? The term lunch in the world of hairdressing is more of a vague and nebulous idea. Usually there is none as quite often there is a client floating about either under the dryer, at the basin, in your chair or on the way.

Lunch was a quick bite of a sandwich while mixing colour or others would sneak outside for a few puffs on the old faithful companion of hairdressers...the cigarette. Nerves of steel are needed to stand the various booby traps connected to hairdressing. Rinsing off the perms, tints or highlights isn't without worry. Worry that at best the hue is a tad too much and at worst that strands of over-bleached hair might be rinsed out as well. Not surprising then that most stylists smoke like chimneys!

Just imagine having a big warm cooked lunch that might even be swished down with a glass of wine or beer. Feeling sleepy one might forget to rinse the colour off in time or leave the perm under the dryer a few minutes too long. Those crucial make or break minutes... Honestly, after a big meal there would be no chance of working without a nap first. But, that is how life in Europe goes.

Suddenly the thought of booking your next hair appointment is fraught with pitfalls. When will your stylist be in top form? Eh, I wouldn't book an early Saturday morning time slot!

In Austria warm cooked meals are eaten at lunchtime. Kids come home from school to the sight of a Schnitzel and French Fries, workers will fill the restaurants in town and Omas are the ones slaving over the hot stove.

Even now despite not working at a nine to five job, I don't like eating a warm lunch. Sandwiches are more my thing. What got me started on this topic? Well, yesterday afternoon I went to do an English extra lesson and as I walked into the house I smelt lunch before I saw it. A nice aroma of some sort of schnitzel with salad and all the trimmings.

The young girl had just returned from school and finished her last bite as I arrived. Fair enough but predictably not far into our hour, the yawns started. Despite trying to twist and turn the English Grammar into something exciting the yawns kept on coming.

You know, I just can't break the habit of a lifetime... I will stick to sandwiches and their ilk for lunch. Because the local custom of only having bread and cold meats, spreads and cheese for supper fills me with dread. Nothing nicer than a cooked supper shared with my Schatzi.

Biggi

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