Dear Daughters,
First of all, I wasn’t about to include a photo of a wrinkled face in this letter.
This is a zinnia variety called La Senora. Isn’t it wonderful?
Back to wrinkles.
I didn’t listen to my mother who often said , “Laura Ellen, you better take care of your skin.”
I confess I gave her cause for concern.
Each summer I slathered myself in my homemade baby oil and iodine suntan mixture
and then stretched out in the hot South Texas sun at the Kelsey Bass Exxon Camp pool,
a mile from our house on the ranch.
(Aside: Did any other baby boomers do this? I had a friend at boarding school who added sheets of aluminum foil to her routine to increase the results!)
While there, when I got hot, I dove into the water, cooled off in the pool, practiced my water ballet a la Esther Williams, raced my brother to the pool drain in the deep end, jumped out, slathered on more baby oil and iodine and stretched out for another round.
And even though, sweet daughters, this is a cautionary tale about the adult after effects of sun tanning, this
time in my life was also great fun.
I drove a stick shift jeep to the pool, tried to get KTSA on the radio in hopes of hearing the Four Tops,
pondered in angst if ‘he’ liked me or not, probably threatened to leave my little brother if he didn’t hurry up, and I had a library book in tow.
At the end of our swimming, I also knew we were going to stop at a tiny store situated at the entrance to the camp, where we would buy ice cream sandwiches that we charged.
I learned early about signing charge tickets-which is a topic for another letter.
I was in heaven.
So here is my mother’s (Nonnie’s) ‘Laura Ellen’ speech to you.
You need to take care of your skin.
You may not have wrinkles now, but they are sneaky little devils who surface when you thought you were home free.
Trust me- I know.
You need to cleanse your skin, apply sunscreen, and any other potion you find that works for you.
Contrary to what people may say, these products do not have to be expensive.
I have gone that route, and the guilt of spending that much money on a problem I caused, I believe, cancelled out their good effect.
(I know… that’s a stretch. Just agree.)
Go to Ross or TJ Maxx or Marshalls and look through their ever changing stock of face creams.
Find serums that contain vitamin c or hyaluronic acid or alpha hydroxy acid
or if you are brave, retinol.
Spend $20 instead of$200.
I know you love all of these tidbits of great advice.
I also know you have been making faces during the reading of this letter and you need to stop right now.
That causes WRINKLES!
I love you, Mom
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