Old Chick With Old Tricks!

I have always heard the saying; "you can't teach an old dog new tricks."  Well, this may be true, but a grandmother teaching a granddaughter some old tricks works just fine. 

Recently my thirteen year old granddaughter got off the school bus excited about going skating with some friends. "I have to get a bath and wash my hair as soon as I get home" she said, "and, I have to straighten my hair."  As we talked, the phone rang...it was her Dad!  He told her to stay at our house, get ready and we would take her to the skating rink, then he would pick her up later.

She was not happy at all!  She said, "I can't'stay, I need to go home and it takes a long time to get my hair fixed, I don't have my makeup here either."

I sat back and fondly remembered the times when it was me in her place, anticipating an event that I knew was going to be a lot of fun, wondering what I would wear, and how I would fix my hair!

I spoke up, "Hayley, put the ironing board up" and get the iron and turn it on medium heat, I don't want  it too hot."  What are you going to iron Gan-Gan, was her question to me?  Just don't worry get a bath and get ready to go skating I told her.  Your Dad has to work, and you will have to get ready here if you go!

Gan, I don't have my straightening iron and I have to get my hair fixed, and put my makeup on. " Get that bath, and wash your hair, I told her, then let me know when your hair is dry. 

While that was being done, I got out a small piece of white fabric and put it on the ironing board, the iron was ready, not too hot. All was well with Me and I was ready to give her the first lesson.
I was standing near the ironing board when she came out, long frizzy hair, and no makeup.  I let out a little giggle and told her to bend over the ironing board and put her head down.  "But, Gan-Gan you will burn me" she said.  "No, Hayley, I won't burn you, just give me a lock of hair."

I thought back of times gone by, then I gently covered her hair, and ironed it straight.  When she lifted her head, and went to look in the mirror, it was then a sigh of amazement that I heard.  I saw a big smile on her face as she gazed at her straight, shiny hair.  How did you know to do that she asked me?  "No straitening or curling irons around our house when I grew up,  we had to make do with what we had," I told her.   She stood, looking at the mirror for a long time, and finally said, "I love my hair, Gan-Gan."

I told her to go into the spare room, and pull out the drawer of my make up container, and she would find what she needed.  Once again, she was without words.  Straight hair and make up.  We had done it.
"Gan-Gan how did you know how to do that,  I am ready to go and it took me no time at all?"


Grandmothers always have a few tricks up their sleeves.  I didn't tell her I had purchased some extra makeup the day before, and my hair had been ironed many times to get that straight look.

As time to leave rolled around, she was all smiles.   As she went out the door she gave me a big hug!  I gave her a sly look...and said, "the next time you come to our house bring me a medium paper bag." "A what, she asked?"  I said, I'll need a medium sized paper bag because I am going to show you how to curl your hair!

She was reluctant to ask me how we were going to the curl her hair.  "I'll show you a new trick, I told her, your Gan-Gan is getting older, but this old Chick can still show you a few Old tricks.

Sometimes, Parents and Grandparens don't seem to know anything, but, what today's kids don't know,is what we "old Chicks" invented what they do now!
Follow my stories as I tell about our four grand-daughters and all the things that they plan to teach us.