from this newsletter

Oh the shock and horror when I looked closely at photos from our family reunion that Russell had taken with his new camera. There I am with my head thrown back, laughing at some obviously hilarious joke. My hair is lovely, my skin is glowing and there in all their glory on my chins (?) are a cluster of hairs. Curse those extra mega pixels and digital zoom and other complex features…Did I really need to know? I zoom in, just out of curiosity, and yes there they are bigger than ever. My chin looks like Phyllis Diller.
It’s confirmed. I’m on the slippery slope of my summer years and the autumn ones are about to hit me in the face. We chuckle among ourselves we women, at our funny little ways. That errant chin whisker that you can feel but can’t find, the occasional sugar bowl in the fridge and milk in the cupboard (who did that?) and where the heck are my car keys, only to find them exactly where you left them. It always happens when the teenagers are around to laugh hysterically at poor old mum. Shame they’ve outlawed beating oh sorry I mean spanking children. Sigh!
Oh the dilemma of needing to read a label in the kitchen only to discover that someone has wandered off with the kitchen glasses, or the bathroom glasses, lounge room glasses, computer glasses; telephone glasses, sewing glasses and realising you need glasses to help you find the glasses. There is also that big step when you brave the optometrist and emerge with your first pair of prescription glasses. Apart from the fact that you instantly look so much more intelligent and suddenly everyone wants you on their trivial pursuit team, there is however that small adjustment period as you get used to travelling life with your first pair of optical aids. We thought Janelle was being particularly agreeable as she nodded her way around the shop learning to wear her new bifocals.
I love my age and when ever I reach a new milestone I delight in the riches that open up for me. Where I may a littler vaguer, I think I’m a lot wiser.
I’m more patient and happy to agreeably disagree in a discussion. I delight in all the different kinds of people in the world. You can’t make fruitcake without a few nuts and mixed peel. I may be ready for bed closer to sunset, but I relish the early mornings when I have my little chat with God. I was lamenting the other day that for all the exercise I was doing, my arms and legs were getting thinner and my middle was getting rounder. I worried that I may be turning into a chupa chup.
“Don’t worry” Janelle reassured me “at least you’ll have great legs!”