Thursday, July 23, 2015

Dear Daughters: Wrinkles

La Senora Zinnia 2015

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

 

 

Linking to:

Simple Sweet Fridays

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

 

29 comments:

Terra said...

Wrinkles, what are those? Ha ha! Your advice is good.

Jemma@athomewithjemma said...

Oh goodness, we are both in the same spot! Yes, baby oil lots of it, lots of sunshine, the radio and it was like a snippet of heaven, wasn't it...and now we are paying the piper!
Darling post-
xo
Jemma

Stacey said...

We've lived similar lives my friend!

Just went to the dermatologist last month and he told me to use Neutrogena Advanced Wrinkle Repair with Retinol. It's my new favorite item.

Simply LKJ said...

I can so hear my mother saying the very same thing as we lathered with baby oil, climbed up onto the roof of my BFF's carport and used aluminum foil to attract the sun!! What were we thinking???? Oh wait, we were naive, young and no one talked about skin cancer back then.

Patty Marker said...

Love this! They are sneaky little devils aren't they?

Marigene said...

What a memory jogging post, Laura...I am sure most mothers gave the same speech, I know mine did! I never used the baby oil/iodine combo, but my younger sisters always did, along with their space blankets that they would bravely lay out in the snow to get a head start on their tans!
Have a great week...

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

What a cute, cute post and such truth and as someone else commented, my Mom said many of these same things to me. I did not get in the sun much, not because of damage or anything, I just wasn't given many opportunities. Guess that served me well now. Happy week-end!

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

Age happens to us all, if we're blessed to live long enough. I remember my first wrinkle. It rocked my world. :)

Sarah said...

Yes, my baby oiled body baked under that same south Texas sunshine. I also drenched my blonde locks in lemon juice to get them even blonder. '-) Trips to Padre Island resulted in blistered skin to which my parents lathered on treatments of a vinegar application. Yuck! All the while having to listen to the lecture on taking care not to get sunburned in the first place.

Jojo said...

Best advice from a friend's mother growing up: "Don't forget your neck!" I just wish I'd listened!

Debbie Petras said...

I had to laugh as I was reading your post. I think we both grew up in the same era. I could identify with much of what you wrote.

Donnamae said...

Ha...I was up here in Wisconsin slathering on the same concoction! Wrinkles are sneaky little devils aren't they! ;)

Patty said...

We must live fairly close since I listened to KTSA also. I'm in Castroville. I also went the baby oil direction. I wish someone had mentioned the neck protection, too. That's one thing I like to keep covered up. I'm thankful for an older woman friend (who did not look her age) who told me when I was about 20 to start using Oil of Olay. I am often mistaken for a much younger age, and grateful for it! Age spots have popped up instead because I am lax in using the spf that I should have when I go outside. Now big hats are a must!

Blogoratti said...

Great thoughts and advice indeed. One should always strive to take good care of the skin. Greetings!

Lisa said...

Pay day all always comes, doesn't it! LOL If only we had known then what we do now. BIG SIGH!

Christine said...

PS: Don't lean with your hands on your face.
Don't rub your face.
Don't touch your face, in anyway!

Amy at love made my home said...

I am sure that if my Mum knew what I don't do to care for my skin that would give my Mum another cause for concern!! I will keep quiet about it! xx

Theresa said...

Yes, I did it too! We just didn't pay attention to the harms of the sun back then! Today? A different story! The wrinkles have appeared and I also shop for anything that might help! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

Creations By Cindy said...

Oh I love this post! This was my topic of conversation with my 3 daughters recently! I too was one that used the baby oil and even crisco oil (If I could sneak it out of the cabinet) My skin is still paying the price for misuse!!! Sharing this post with my girls. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

Great post and I'm guilty, as charged! I hate to think of all the sun damage we did back in the 'good old days' - LOL. Yup - paying for it now!

Pura Vida said...

omgosh you tell about my exact summer teenage days...except when I was 16 I started being a lifeguard and we would go to the Dairy Cream and get a hot dog and a sprite for a quarter.

I would charge my baby oil and iodine at the drug store...."CHARGE IT!"

My girls take good care of their skin...and I manage the damage! Who knew??

Hope your summer is fantastic friend!!!

Nancy's Notes said...

Miss Laura, so happy to drop in and see another great note to your precious daughters! What great advice!! Oh dear, I did all that too!
Miss our chats with coffee in hand and your always great make up tips!
Hope to see you soon~
Hugs, dear friend.
Nancy

Jas @ All that's Jas said...

I'll trade wrinkles for my skin cancer...take care of your skin, daughters!!!
Thank you for for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things. Have a great weekend!

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Ha! Laura... you crack me up. Not in a dried-on- mud-pack-caked-on-way... No just in the cracked up laughing sort of way!
Love the truth of this letter.
Loved going along for the ride in the Jeep, tuning the radio, and diving to the drain to prove a point to the little brother, you can't beat me! I win!
It's like I'm there when I read your letters. You always take me back and put a smile on my face. If I get smile lines. I'm blaming you. ;)

Unknown said...

I recommend using the salt to clean your face three times every day. That is more effective and competitive than products of cleanser.

Helen @TeFl Classes

Unknown said...

I recommend using the salt to clean your face three times every day. That is more effective and competitive than products of cleanser.

Helen @TeFl Classes

janice15 said...

Great advice for sure i spent hrs in the sun and I baked in it just to have pretty tanned skin. I don't dare and haven't for years I have these tiny not sure what they are called. But dr says there from the sun. Ugly spots.. Take Moms advice stay out the sun, it's worse than it's ever been for us. With love Janice

Decor To Adore said...

Yes, I too am from the old school babyoil camp. And can I get a cheer for Sun In for hair? Oh my! Orange hair and now I must have my first precancerous skin lesion removed. #notfun
Hope you are enjoying a cozy Monday.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

I never listened when I was young to my mother's good advice, but now looking back I see her wisdom. Great letter!

 

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