Sunset in Florida

Okay. This is really weird, but I want a bikini top. I’ve owned one once in my life—for my honeymoon (when it still looked good on me). But suddenly I want another one, stretch marks and all. Not because I’m skinny, but because I want to feel the sun on my stomach.

Hmmm . . . can I even admit that I, a conservative homeschool mom, want a bikini top? (There’s that theme again. No hiding.)

This is a beautiful, safe beach. Most everyone here has 10-30 years on me. The sliding glass doors of our condo literally open onto the seashore. In the mornings there is a steady stream of people who walk up and down the five mile stretch of white sand.

So healthy!

I’ve been watching the women, thinking. Here are my conclusions:

• Older women, for the most part, seem more secure with their bodies
• Fat looks better when it is tanned (maybe that’s why I want the bikini top?)
• While I am wowed by the two robust women riding a bike in bikinis through the middle of town, I don’t want to be quite that brave. Well, I do. I mean how awesome is it that they just don’t care? But . . .
• I like the looks of the women who walk the beach in modest swim suits and shorts. I want to be trim and wholesome like them. (But I still want a bikini top to lie in the sun. Weird.)
• You can still look fit and good when you’re over 60. (I’d better conquer the weight thing now!)
• The older women enjoy their men. Most are here with a husband, and by the way they interact, I’m thinking they are husbands of many years. I want to hold hands with my husband and walk the beach in ten, twenty, thirty more years.
• Older women still love their girlfriends. There are clusters of tourists who are here with a group of friends. I like to watch them giggle and talk non-stop, fully engaged. No matter our age, we need girl time.

Kathleen and I have found a rhythm. We have eggs, turkey bacon, and one piece of toast first thing in the morning. Then we walk along the beach. (The first day it was barefoot, but thanks to the blisters from the sand we now start out in tennis shoes, though I usually have to shed them as we near the end of our trek so I can splash through the ocean.)

We come back, hot and sweaty, and guzzle water. We relax in our lanai with shakes made with frozen fruit and chia seeds. (I use my BeFull and almond milk. She does her protein stuff and coconut milk.) Then she stays inside, and I seek the sun. Later we have a healthy supper in our lanai while we watch the sunset—usually salad, a protein, and a glass of wine.

Healthy, low calories, elegant. (And yes, Kathleen has more veggies in her salad than I do. Be impressed there is salad!!)

I’m learning a lot from her about eating better and exercising. About not sacrificing taste or elegance even though we’re careful with calories. Kathleen makes everything beautiful.

Real Time Update:

Yesterday I warned you today would be a little weird. But I guess it wasn’t too bad. It does get deeper, so hang on. But seriously, what was up with me and that bikini crave??

What About You?

What have you learned as you’ve matured that you wish you could tell your younger self? What do you look forward to once you pass middle age? How do you make healthier, low calorie foods elegant?

Tagged: almond milk, BeFull, benew, chia seeds, eating healthy, elegant food, girl friends, healthy, husbands, maturing gracefully, older women, walking