I love summer.  I love the long days.  And I love that in summer we see more of our relatives and friends. Everything is a little more relaxed.

What I don’t love so much is what summer clothing reveals.  For example:

My neck: I haven’t been happy with my neck since Grady asked me, “Grammy, why do you have a neck like a skeleton?” Wintertime is turtleneck time, and turtlenecks are great for covering up skeleton necks.

My legs: I like skirts, especially brightly-printed summer skirts that swing when I walk.  In the winter, I wear opaque tights that hide the imperfections of my legs. Summer is too hot for tights.

My knees: I am grateful that my knees work.  But like much of my body, they droop. And to make things worse, I have a long scar marking a replaced knee.  All are more obvious in summer.

My arms: Short sleeves are my summer staple.  My arms are well-toned, thanks to my compulsive weight-lifting.  Nevertheless, when I hold my arms at a certain angle, I have visions of crepe paper. 

Perhaps if I keep a big smile on my face, people won’t notice.