wrinkles

I Can’t Win!!!

by Penny

Well, I’m back! It’s been several months since I last posted. I have no excuse because I have most certainly had the time, but this damn Covid sucked the motivation right out of me. In my last blog post, I talked about my plan to hopefully lose some weight. I made NO promises to either myself or to anyone else for that matter; that way there would be no guilt. Most people would probably say I was setting myself up to fail, but at my age, I had been down this road many times, and I knew pressure to be accountable does not work for me.

I am pleased to say that to date, I have lost 30 pounds. Honestly, no one is more surprised than I am. It was a very gradual process, and all I really did was count my daily calorie intake. When I reached my limit each day, I stopped eating. Simple! Every morning, before I started my day, I stepped on those new scales that I purchased online during my Covid shopping spree. Apparently, that was the only motivation that I needed. As I watched the numbers come down, I had a lovely feeling of accomplishment.

So, I am sure you are wondering why the title of this post seems so negative. I can explain in one word…. WRINKLES!

When I went on my weight loss journey, I did not take this into consideration. Old skin has no elasticity. My body looks like a wrinkled jumpsuit that I have slept in and not ironed ever. I am not impressed! Yes, I am pleased that my clothes are fitting better, but at this rate, I may resort to wearing a long sleeved, floor-length sack.

My knees sag, my belly hangs, and my arms flap in the breeze like flags. And don’t even get me started on my face! I honestly think the only solution is a full body lift and a few gallons of Botox or perhaps I could bathe in anti-wrinkle cream.

I considered the idea of exercise as a viable solution to my problem, but let’s be real, I don’t have a snowflakes hope in hell of that happening.

Well, I am temporarily out of possible solutions, except perhaps ……..

Thanks for reading,

Penny xo

Aging vs Getting Old

by Penny

97d5c2f8f67c2175c2de49f63b3e4c80

Well, now that I have your attention, I’d like to get your opinion. Are aging and getting old the same thing? The reason I ask is that over and over I constantly hear complete strangers say, “I hope I can have as much fun as you and your friends when I am your age.” It’s puzzling to me. Do these people think that we are unusual? Do they think they have to wait until a certain age to enjoy their selves?

9303fad3b7332e77bc8a9f08be02bf9d

I especially cringe when I hear, “You look great for your age,” or “You don’t look your age at all”. Is there some kind of measurement standard that I don’t know about yet? I always enjoy going someplace and running into people that I have not seen since my twenties. Admit it! We all do it! We compare how they look to how we “think” we look. Now sometimes this backfires when they say, “You haven’t changed a bit and I have no clue who they are because they have changed a lot.” This happens a great deal with former students. I am sure I have that “deer- in- the- headlight” stare because they were eight when I last saw them. When I hear comments like, “You look exactly the same,” I secretly laugh because I like to think I look better now (just joking).

A very close friend called me one day. She was furious! She ran into a very old friend who she hadn’t seen in quite some time. This friend was in her wedding. My friend spoke to the woman saying, “Hi, how are you?” This comment was met by a blank stare. The friend from the past had no clue who she was. My friend explained and they laughed and had a brief conversation, but my girlfriend was offended so she called and asked if she really had changed that much with age. a74604d51ab735b64a6292f1b7c23b45

We all change as we grow older. Our hair grays, our skin sags and wrinkles, we often put on a few extra pounds, and our aches and pains often show as we may move slower or have a limp. However, none of those things have anything to do with getting old. We get old when we stop enjoying and participating in life.

 

Just because we have a few more birthdays, doesn’t mean you have to give up everything you loved to do. Well, within reason I guess!

3fd1e7cbb83b7c25314a119884b97805

We all come to know our own limitations, but it really has nothing to do with the number of candles on your birthday cake. I know people much younger than I am who do very little in life other than going to their job and sitting in front of the television. I feel sorry for those individuals. They are missing out! If you enjoyed a certain activity when you were younger and you are still physically capable, then do it again. Do not let anyone tell you that you are “too old”. And by the same token, If there is something you have always wanted to do, then do it; you may not get the same opportunity again.

3d741ae1bc545024ca5f784e43d7f93f

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, if you will excuse me, I believe there is a lovely, chilled glass of wine sitting on the bar waiting for me. b1f0e9a96abbb9fd68cc6dfd9487bc55

 

Thanks for reading,

Penny xo ♥

Wrinkles and Other Stuff

by Penny

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought or even said out loud, “Whoa! How did that happen?”. I know I have. Aging just seems to sneak up on us. Now we all know that individual who never seems to change or look older, but they see the changes too. Perhaps, they are just better at hiding those telltale  signs from the rest of us.

I think the scariest piece of beauty equipment that I own is this little device below.

20180215_133258-e1518720252788

 

That’s right! It’s the dreaded magnifying mirror. When I have to use it, I try never to look at my whole face at once. It’s  terrifying!!! I just kind of sneak up on the area I need to work on, like chin hairs for example.

Don’t you just love the hunt for chin hairs? I swear they spring up overnight. Sometimes they are dark and easier to find, but now as I get older, they are white. I run my finger over my skin to feel for them. It’s like Braille. Then I have to be a contortionist with my face to expose them for plucking using another tool of torture…. tweezers. Ugh!

Once we have our face cleared of unwanted chin hair, there is the mustache. Please do not shave! There are any number of do-it- yourself products on the market such as depilatories and sugars or  waxes. Of course, you can always have it removed at a salon. I tend to like to remove it myself. For some reason, I like to feel I am in control of my own pain. Pick your own method, but don’t neglect this area.

 

Once our facial skin is smooth, we are ready to tackle those wrinkles and age spots. It always reminds me of spackling a crack in a plaster wall. No matter what your age, there is no denying the importance of a good face cream and there is no shortage of products at all price points. Those products promise us the fountain of youth in a jar, but we know their limitations. After all, we weren’t born yesterday. A product that I have found that helps is……

20180210_103921-e1518732690884

 

I use it after I have moisturized. The creases around my eyes seem considerably less visible, and the skin feels like satin making foundation glide on easily.

We all have our own individual make-up routines for eyes. They are my favourite part, and I don’t feel complete without doing them, but many people prefer a natural look which is great too. Do your own thing ladies!

Lips make me crazy. Where do they go when we age? Mine seem to shrink with each passing year. I am not into Botox or fillers, so I have taken to over-drawing them. Before you get some scary picture in your mind, I keep it very minimal. Experiment with your own, if this is a problem you have as well.

82e7b873d766084330ef19f781fa0ba2

Well, I have shared my own issues about my aging face, but we all know the problems don’t stop there. As one of my girls put it, “I use to look at my naked body in the mirror and see Perky, Pointy, and the Black Cat. Now, I see Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail.” Add to that the moles and skin-tags that grow in profusion like barnacles on a boat, and you get the picture. We don’t have to like it, but we might as well accept it. Smile, those wrinkles are coming anyway.

Thanks for reading,

Penny xo