It’s in my blood, and it must be in my husband’s blood as well. Home haircuts, I mean. My husband’s grandfather had a barber’s chair in his basement and gave the kids haircuts. My great-grandfather used a kitchen chair, but did the same for his four boys. And now, I carry on the tradition and sit my dad, husband and son down for monthly haircuts at home. (Well, dad NEEDS a monthly haircut but usually only makes it once every three months.)

My repertoire of hair-cutting instruments consists of a spray bottle, comb, scissors and clippers, and a smaller battery-operated trimmer for the hairline and around the ears. My husband tells me stories of how he and his brother played with his grandfather’s straight-edge when they were kids. It’s amazing they survived. I once asked if he’d ever trust me with one and he just chuckled and handed me the disposable razor.

The leather strap here was used to sharpen the straight-edge. And the clipper, well, it was manually operated instead of electric. The tools look pretty much the same, it’s just that today’s haircut takes about 10 minutes; a quick shave takes 5 minutes. Back then, a trip to the barbershop was an all-afternoon, male bonding experience.

I guess our home haircuts are lacking in the overall experience. But it makes up for it in money-savings.

Until we walk again …