Like My Mom

This past week, my husband started to call me Florence, my mom’s name.  I wasn’t offended; I was entertained and then flattered, kind of…but I did ask, “What makes you say that?”  He responded by saying nonchalantly and quietly:  “You are starting to look like her.”  Really?  How so?  Hmmmm...

Could it be – dare I say – the relaxed, braless look I've been sporting for several days, I mean weeks?  I know I’m not alone in this, right ladies?  Why do I have to wear a harness all day when we are hanging out at home?  My mom rarely wore one; in fact, I’m sure she burned hers way back in a rebellious act(s) in the 1960s and may never have thought to replace it/them/whatever her stash was.  

Or was he talking about my…growing…belly?  I’ve always been self-conscious about this, ever since those child-bearing years.  But after decades of trying to exercise it away with no success, I’ve given up.  Besides, it’s one of the things I remember so lovingly about my mom:  her “pouch.”  It brought me such comfort to lay my head on her lap while she stroked my hair.  

But now I’m extra focused on my mid-section once again, given our eating habits of late.  Those 5 or 10 banana breads I’ve made – I’ve lost track of the number – flashed before me as I wondered what David was referring to with his comment.  

I’ve been able to justify this baking habit by adding sweetness to our stress during these anxiety-provoking times and not wanting to waste our continuing inventory of brown bananas.  Plus, with a recipe name like "Healthy Banana Bread," maybe it's not all that bad.  

One day I must admit, however, that I almost made 2 of them, because we polished off the early morning treat so quickly that, by nighttime, I couldn’t even remember if it was the same day as I had made the other one. 

The mystery ended when he said, pointing to my head, “There, on your temples, you have gray, like your mom.” 

Gee, thanks.  I hadn’t noticed.

Nope, never saw the 1-2” gray roots any of the 200 times I glanced in the mirror.  I’m sure if David were taller, he’d let me know the gray is on top of my head, too.

He did reassure me, however, that he finds gray/silvery hair sexy. In his defense, he has been saying that for years. 

There is a practical aspect to the gray, he said proudly.

If I were to venture out to Target or a supermarket, I wouldn’t get carded during senior hours.