It’s my birthday week, and spring is in full swing! The older I get, the more I enjoy spring. It wasn’t even that bad a winter. Still, I’m just loving every minute of it, even the rain. The world here in Mahoosuc Mills is greening up and just bursting with color.
Of course, it’s not officially spring until my toe nails are painted. I’d be hard pressed to wear open-toed shoes without painting my nails, though I respect people who do. It’s a personal choice. For me, the minute the weather is warm enough to wear sandals (and that has to be pretty warm because my feet tend to run cold like the rest of me), my toe nails need to be painted. I let them rest during the winter, to recover from all that polish. But spring makes me feel frisky and optimistic, and my toes want to get in on the act.
Painted toe nails have always been a sign of spring in my family: robins, pansies and a pedicure. I remember being little and watching my mother paint her toe nails, the smell of Coppertone and nail polish, counting down the days to the end of school.
Mom would paint my toe nails, too, and my sister, Irene’s. It was a regular pedicure party. Us girls could never quite decide between the pink and the peach, so she’d use both, going back and forth, one nail pink, the next peach. “Painting your toe nails helps you make friends with your feet,” she’d say.
I didn’t quite get that back then, but now I do. Feet, among other things, do not age gracefully. But nail polish can cover up a multitude of sins. Men, sad to say, aren’t so lucky.
Between you and me, Charlie’s starting to get old man feet. You know what I’m talking about, some of his toe nails are a little yellowy. And the nail on one big toe is starting to tent up. It’s the perfect compliment to my bunion. But hey, my feet have served me very well for sixty years. The least that I can do is bring them in for a tune up every once and awhile.
So this Saturday, me, my bunion and the Women Who Run With the Moose are going to Bangor to celebrate my
birthday. We’re going to this place that my niece Caitlin told me about that does these wonderful foot soak thingies with herbs and stuff while they serve you tea and munchies. I know! And it gets even better. The foot soak is followed by a lower leg massage and reflexology. Then the usual: they pumice the hell out of your tired, winter feet, and spiff it up with some color.
I’m going do the Lavender Rose Moisturizing Foot Bath. Doesn’t that sound heavenly? I was trying to decide between the “Tickle Me Pink” or “Peachy Keen” polish, but I think I’ll do both in honor of my mother, who taught me many things, including how to make friends with your feet.
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: Making Friends With Your Feet
Upcoming Shows and Book Events: Spring/Summer
May 18: Book Reading: Finding Your Inner Moose & The Sweet Life, Winslow Public Library, http://www.winslow-me.gov/departments/library 6:00pm, Winslow, ME
May 27: Ida’s Havin’ a Yard Sale!, The Castle on Charles, http://www.castlenh.com/ 8:00pm, Rochester, NH
June 2 & 3: Ida: Woman Who Runs With the Moose, The Footlights Theatre, http://www.thefootlightsinfalmouth.com/ 7:30pm, Falmouth, ME
June 9: Book Reading: The Sweet Life, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library Literary Luncheon, https://bbhlibrary.org/ 11:30am, Boothbay Harbor, ME
July 8: Books in Boothbay: Maine’s Summer Book Fair, Boothbay Railway Village, 9:00am to 1:00pm, Boothbay, ME
July 15: The Best of Ida, Fundraiser for the Moose River Valley Historical Society, https://www.sites.google.com/site/jackmanmooserivermuseum/ 7:00pm, Jackman, ME
July 18: Book Reading: The Sweet Life, Rangeley Public Library, http://rangeleylibrary.org/ 6:00pm, Rangeley, ME
August 5: Ida’s Havin’ a Yard Sale!, Deertrees Theatre, http://www.deertrees-theatre.org/ 7:30pm, Harrison, ME