The joy of wonder creams, Tena’s and turning forty+.
With my youngest now 10, life seems to be passing by so quickly. More annoyingly is the extra time spent filling in online forms. Not only is it a complete bore it takes soooooo much longer as I have to scroll further and further down the list to find my year of birth!
Mentally I still feel 18 and probably act it a lot of the time. When I drop my two teens at school, the same school I went to, I swear it feels like I just left.
Boringly for the kids, I love telling them this time and time again, along with ‘do you know when I was here…blah blah blah….’ to which they mainly say nothing……because like always they generally ignore me!
However, occasionally they like to pass comment on how I don’t act my age. For once, their negative feedback is greatly received!
Along with growing getting older are the physical signs. Some mornings as I look in the mirror, I find what looks like a stray eyelash on my face. Alas, the reality is a stomach falling out of arse moment when it becomes clear, that’s no eyelash, it’s a line and it isn’t going anywhere!
The arrival of these unwanted residents has resulted in a dedicated box for all my newly purchased wonder creams. It boasts a plentiful supply of poly-fillers, uplifters, instant facelift, revives tired eyes & anti-wrinkle creams.
With their shiny, lure me in packaging, and huge price tag, I am hopeful they will work. Can’t imagine why they wouldn’t, after all, they cost shit loads eh…..!!!
I prefer to go for the ones that are flying off the shelves, clearly, that is validation it works? Although, my hubbie doesn’t share in my 40+ wisdom, he chips in with comments off media hype, blah blah, blah money, sense and women like me!
So, with shovel in hand, on it goes and I stand back to admire my instant glowing, youthful skin. I find this look is best achieved with smokier, dustier mirrors, it works for me.
*Warning DON’T use these mirrors to apply your make up! I wouldn’t want someone’s ‘over-caked- appearance on my conscience*
Creams aside, the truth is, good skin is all about the genes we inherit. No amount of expensive or cheap creams will change that. At 72 my mum has fantastic skin and I hope and pray the Gene-genie doesn’t pass me by on this one.
God knows I’ve inherited a load of unwanted ones so far, such as split nails, fine hair, gallstones, dry eyes to name but a few, so please Gene-genie don’t deny me!
Anyway, it got me thinking about how my life, or more so, my body has changed in the last 16 years since becoming ‘Muuuuummmmmmmmm’ to my four little darlings!
One significant sign of my 40ish years is my back. To be honest I thought back pain was something only my dad and husband moaned, excessively about.
Yet here I am suffering. It only takes a few hours digging my garden, which I loathe completely, for my back to be bloody killing me.
Even kneeling to weed is an ordeal. Going down isn’t too bad it’s the getting back up again, that can only happen in stages, and I can’t seem to do any of this without letting out groans with every manoeuvre!
Nursing an achy back got me thinking about other signs that show I’m a forty-something female.
- I feel on trend when my daughter wears my top and update my FB status accordingly!
- Feeling happy when my weather app tells me it’s sunny so I can get the bedding washed and dried outdoors on my washing line……ahh love the smell of fresh bedding.
- Tena’s are a handbag necessity.
- Feeling quite happy when plans are sometimes cancelled – PJs all the way!
- Ignoring the update message on my I-Phone, I like it the way it is.
- My weekly OK mag has long been ditched for Woman & Home, such a more interesting read!
- The garden centre is no longer boring.
- Chin hairs.
- Remembering when I had a flat stomach and wondering why I ever complained about it!
- I get excited about a new cleaning product and hunt it down in the supermarket!
- Loving girl’s nights in, no preparation of ‘going out’ face required.
- I only go to Topshop now to buy scraps of material for my daughter.
- I love a discount voucher.
- A good hoover is very important.
- When I can’t help but comment on how young all the secondary school teachers are.
- Wondering if my pension scheme is adequate.
- Applying the filter to every selfie!
- Making it a life goal to have an empty linen basket if only for an hour.
- I sound just like my mum!
- Having to just ‘sit down’ more often.
So yeah, these snippets make me think, I’m not actually that young anymore. However, I’m not really complaining as it’s not such a bad thing, or so I keep telling myself.
One thing about hitting my 40+ years is that I am much more confident and comfortable with my lot, albeit chin hairs, facial lines, and aching bones, but hey you know what they say, life begins at 40!