Post-Vacation Update

Having survived a 2 week plus vacation with the kids and grandbaby at their place in TN, my nails had grown out.  It was time for a fill.

The nail tech at my new salon had tried a different gel color for them last time. one thin coat of a very light pink, which in practice turned out to put a light-colored sheen on my nails.   This was a little noticeable, but nothing was said by my wife.   This time around, the tech made the single coat a bit thicker.  Now the light color is more noticeable.  I like it, and still nothing has been said, which is good. 

A picture of my new finger nail color...

And she made sure to "not" shorten my nails...she believed they were too short last time, and thinks they need to be still longer.   Plus, she thinks I should wear with a pretty hot pink color for summer.  (not the first time I've heard that.)  She and the other techs have tried to convince me to just "do it."   But since the salon is in my town, the best I can do is promise them that one of these days I'll let them paint my nails whatever color they want, as long as I can remove it with polish remover.   They're OK with that,  for now...

Below is an outfit like what I wear often during the summer.   It's feminine, and quite cool in warm weather.   And now that warm weather is here to stay a while,  my closed shoes are packed away and I'm back in sandals again.  Guess I need to get my toes done to match my fingers...    I wore this outfit to visit Mom in the nursing home (where the picture was taken) and she really liked it...that's a good thing!

I visited a nearby MAC makeup store, to buy some makeup for a scar on my arm from having a mole removed earlier this year.   The scar is bright pink, and about 3/4" in diameter.   Results were much better than from my visit to the makeup store in TN.  And I had not one, but two techs.  Both stayed with me the entire time...one a pro, one a trainee.  I will actually be applying several different shades of makeup to my arm - blending them with a brush, then applying finishing powder.  Not cheap.  Not time-efficient.  But then, the scar is probably permanent, so knowing how to cover it when I need to is essential.

I was dressed in typical androgynous style, and definitely found myself treated as a woman for my entire visit, about a half hour.  It was fun.  They even took time to recite a list of all of the things this makeup regimen can be used to cover, which among other things, includes bruises and "love bites!"  Hmmm...   I truly doubt they'd have confessed those two little facts to anyone but another woman...

Then I visited the eye doctor again, this time to get eye exam paperwork filled out for a driver license renewal.  (I hate the machines at the DMV and would rather have my doctor fill out a form.)   Surprisingly (actually shockingly) one of the assistants at the eye doctor's office  (whom I have known for several annual exams) began to address me as "Ms." I didn't correct her.  Perhaps I should have, because when the female eye doctor entered the room, she referred to me "Mr." and I heard "his" mentioned twice in front of the tech.  But then, for some reason, she began to just use my given name.  (Maybe she saw the light?) 

I complimented the doctor on her beautiful red nails...which is all it took to initiate a several minute discussion among the three of us, about why she switched from pink, and I received compliments on my nails from both of them.   Plus a discussion of my long hair, and then lastly,  "Why on earth haven't you started wearing color on those pretty nails?"  "Yes, your hands would look wonderful if the next time you come in, you have beautiful red nails like mine."

I think they suspect something...

More later...

Mandy