Stephanie mentioned that her mother-in-law’s birthday was yesterday.   Nosy person that I am, I asked, “Oh, how old is she now?”   And though I won’t print it here, but suffice it to say she just gently passed a number that contains both a zero and a five, I was like, “What?   Wow-she has good skin!”   Which Steph explained to me has been  protected, life long,  from sun damage.

I just had no idea that allowing myself to burn like a banshee back in the day  was going to be a problem at this age.   My poor children were never screened higher than an eight, and that was after years of ignoring warnings.   I came from the the-sun-gives-you-a-healthy-glow generation.   We were trying to soak every ray in, no matter the kind, not ban any!   We used baby oil to bring on the burn.   I even knew some one who Crisco-ed herself up, doggone-it!   It was all about the brown (which came from the fading burn)!   It was Bain du Soleil for the Saint Tropez tan, baby!

So, though this year, for the first time, I actually purchased an spf of 45, today, in the garden for a brief, but furious planting session, there I was: “naked,” sunscreenless, squinting my eyes to really ensure those wrinkles a place.

I wish I’d known…Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF: Time for a big floppy garden hat?