19_am
The eyes and face are looking much more normal. I don’t look 29 or even 39, but, despite all my whining, looking younger wasn’t really the goal. Being 51 is just fine with me. There are freedoms with age that you will never know till you get here. ‘Bout time.

I just didn’t want to look tired all the time. You know, puffy, like I really tied one on last night. I haven’t tied one on in years unless you count eating whipped cream straight from the can.

Yesterday was the first day I didn’t feel like a total freak. Still not looking completely refreshed as I had hoped to before our Thanksgiving trip. But better and, silly wabbit, I have hope! Here are all the photos, if you can bear the sight.

In honor of our upcoming visit to KY (my family), Naples (Jal’s mom) and Key West (life as we knew it), I went to the Beauty Club yesterday so I would be as fancy as possible alighting from the plane. If there are beauty salons in the states that pamper you like the Beauty Club does, I’m sure a day there costs a million dollars. I spent $72 here and enjoyed every minute. Even paying the bill didn’t dampen the experience!

PamelaI started with a manicure ($8) and a pedicure ($12) with Pamela (pah-MELL-ah), one of the many incredibly beautiful ticas. Jal and the boys are slack-jawed at the women here. I would find this tiresome but even I can’t look away. The beautiful and charming Pamela did an expert job on my nails, with a lovely massage (not nearly long enough… it never is). For the massage, she poured a packet of sugar in her hand, added lotion and rubbed that in. Whoa. That was great!

Natali
While she was doing my feet, Natali started on the roots ($52). When I first considered bleaching my hair for the play, I was warned by many long-time expats not to do this, that the products used here are much inferior and I would most likely be bald in no time at all.

Natali_1
Not true. I don’t know from products, I always buy the cheapest available. But my hair is in great shape and I love the blonde. Natali as well as my friend Tica Teri (a recovering beautician) both told me to get colesterol, cheap and widely available and to treat my hair with that occasionally. I do and I gotta shine. No problem!

Tericita
One of the treats of my Beauty Club visits is seeing Tericita. She is a doll, brings you coffee, speaks slowly, hugs and kisses. And to top it off, she gives the Best Shampoo Job I’ve ever had. Nice strong fingers… I’m relaxing now just thinking about it. Of course, it wasn’t long enough. I could have laid in her chair all day!

It’s the strangest thing, but I have always wanted to be the Shampoo Girl at a beauty parlor. I am not kidding. It’s right up there near the top of the list of Brilliant Career options! It’s a job I would love although it probably wouldn’t pay the bills… But I would love the shampooing, the bubbles, the warm water, the massaging, watching faces… Giving a massage can be almost as relaxing as getting one. I’ll bet getting Mo to wash his hair would not be such a struggle. Everybody likes a good head rub. I just need one of those chairs. Wonder if the boys would pay me…

Katie_me_elenaThis is Katie, the receptionist, very sweet, with the gussied-up me and Elena, the owner. Elena is
very exotic and very lovely. We trade plastic surgery
tips now. Apparently, Elena has quite the story and one day I will post it… I
need her permission and to get the whole thing from her. From what I’ve heard, it is dangerous and book-worthy. If it’s all true, I am in awe. Can’t think how I will broach the subject… but the wheels are turning. Stay tuned!

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