Crow's Feet Confession

Libraries can be dangerous. Two days ago as I was browsing the aisles, I saw a book entitled, "How Not to Look Old." What the heck? I checked it out.

To my horror, many of my clothes, shoes, and even eyeglasses had a big red circle around them and a line through the middle. I wasn't doing any of the recommended things to "maintain" my skin, hair, and general appearance. I didn't even qualify under the writer's lowest category of maintenance. At only 45, I had definitely crossed the fashion line into OL-- Old Lady.

I usually think of myself as healthy, happy, and relatively attractive for my age. But with nearly 300 pages of examples to the contrary, I realized that maybe I would feel better if I looked better. And this is where things get ugly.

With no one to talk any sense into me, I purchased an embarrassing quantity of creams, cleaners, and microdermabrasion products. I bought a new recommended shade of lipstick. I "invested" in a few clothing items-- replacing my OL jeans with jeans that are (according to the book) Y&H (young and hip. Also known to me as Yikes & How Much?).

Thank goodness my sons have talked some sense into me. Spencer smiled at me as I sat on the couch reading yesterday. "You know what makes you look old?" he asked.
I looked up from my book. "What?", I asked.

"Sitting on the couch reading a book entitled How Not to Look Old," he replied. We all had a good laugh about that one!

Last night, John Robert saw me as I was doing my new night time skincare routine. He raised his eyebrows and smiled as he watched me.

"What?", I asked; "This is going to make me look a LOT younger!", I said sheepishly. We both smiled at my lie.

"Okay. As long as you don't get so young that I have to start opening doors for you because you can't reach the knob!" We both giggled and said goodnight.

After only two days, I confess that I am already a bit tired of thinking about my appearance. Concentrating on how to look Y&H seems to be creating a furrowed brow. I think I'd rather have fun and leave the expensive facial treatments to someone else. Now my boys will have to think of some different jokes!