So, last night at the beginning of Children's Choir (Better known as the Treble Makers), we had sharing time, as is our tradition. I went last, and shared that I had a big birthday coming up on Sunday. My compatriots clamored to guess my age. I was pretty pleased as they were all trying numbers in the 40's. To each guess, I shook my head no, until one little fellow jumped up out of his seat and executed a perfect "Sha Na Na" knee slide over to my chair. As he arrived at my feet he smiled and shouted "You are 36 and Beautiful". Seeing as how I am fixing to turn 55, he got a gold star and the first piece of candy!!
This birthday is a tough one. I was 18 when my Mother died - at the age of - you guessed it......55. To say that I have been in a "bit of a mood" is akin to saying we had a "bit of rain" last week (You do remember those record rain totals and generalized flooding, right?). SO, the laugh those little guys gave me last night provided for a much needed lightening of the spirit......you know what they say....no good deed (or evidently no good mood) goes unpunished.
The fancy pants school that Babiest attends in the next town over is on Fall Break as of 1:00 this afternoon. It has become our tradition to enjoy a nice lunch out on these early release days, so I was looking forward to the time. I got up at the hiney crack of dawn, did my chores (I wanted a clean house for my 3 day weekend - I even have Sunday off!), donned a snappy outfit, complete with red cowboy boots, and left a couple of hours early, so I could get in some good mall time before pickup.
I made my usual rounds, looking at this and that....sampled the tea at Teavana, allowed myself to fall prey to the dream that is Pottery Barn, and then ended with some quality time in Sephora. While there, I doused myself liberally in Physiology's "Pure Grace" (my second favorite perfume), applied some new blush, a little eyeshadow, and some wickedly expensive neck cream. Hey - they ARE labeled "tester" for a reason, right? Looking at my watch, I determined I had just enough time to pass by the new skin care place where the girl outside the door insists you take a sample (It really IS good face cream), before I needed to head out to get Babiest.
My only defense is that I was still in that Pottery Barn/ Pure Grace trance. I allowed the lovely girl to lead me into the store, for the purposes of demonstrating the miracle that is their Glycolic peel ....and what a bargain, at only 120.00 per teeny tiny jar. As part of her sales pitch, this beautiful girl asked me what I did. I told her I was a Children's Minister. The very handsome man at the counter, who turned out to be the Manager of the fine establishment, said "You? A WOMAN?" He drew close, and spoke to the girl in their native tongue (Something velvety and exotic). He then turned his mega watt smile on me and explained that they were not accustomed to a Woman having a job in a Church. After that - he was all business. He examined my skin with a fine tooth comb....turning my head this way and that, muttering as he did so. Asking my age...looking some more......he was distressed by my "advanced Rosacea" (which, I don't think is all that noticeable....just sayin)....finally, this Handsome man was ready to make his Pronouncement. "Dear Lady", said he....."you are looking pretty good for your age....really." (Please - to get the desired effect, you must be reading this in a really dreamy middle eastern accent) And then.....his eyes and hands left my face, and dropped a .....little lower. "But these wrinkles here......" He took a deep breath, and waving his hands dramatically over my neck and.....ummm....decollete (OK fine - my shirt may have been cut a little too low), pleaded - " I KNOW you work for God Almighty, but Please dear lady - you must DO something about THIS!"................color me speechless,and in search of a good turtleneck...it's WAY more frugal than the Glycolic Peel.
