I've noticed that I've been called "ma'am" a lot lately....in stores, at work, at church.  We even have a new, younger girl at work and she consistently answers me with a "yes, ma'am".  It's funny how I kind of see her as being sort of my age, but she must kind of see me as........well, sort of not her age.  I must be entering that gray area where the younger set doesn't know exactly where I fall.  Maybe, on one hand, they see a youthful spark in me, but, on the other hand, something about me reminds them of their mother.   

If that wasn't depressing enough, I got a robo call today.....and with all of the care and concern that a female, automated voice can exude, she says, "Hello.  This is Suzanne.  I am calling with exciting news for women suffering from menopause....."

Listen, Suzanne....I don't know where you get your information, but why don't you mind your own business? 
  
We've also got these sweet, young, fashion forward neighbors across the street, who are a constant reminder that we may have crossed over to the other side.  They're ultra cool and very cutting edge.  Even when they play out in the yard with their children, they all look like a Gap commercial in their little sweater vests, hats, and all manner of fashionable layers.  On any given Saturday, you may find them outside looking like this...

That's a lot of pressure for us over here on this side of the road.  You kind of feel like you might need to freshen up to go down to the mailbox......you know, just in case they're outside.

They'll drive off all decked out.....probably going out dancing or something like that and we're just over here like....."Hey, well.... tonight is the night we give the dog her heartworm pill and then flush yeast down the toilet to maintain a healthy ratio of good bacteria/bad bacteria in our septic system."  So..... never let it be said that we don't still know how to have a good time. 
            
I have to really watch Davis because I don't think he even realizes that they are way cooler than us.  It's like he's oblivious to things like that.   I'll even look out the window and he'll be mowing the grass in his tennis shoes and dark socks.  "No, Davis.....not in front of the cool neighbors!!!"  Ugh.  Sometimes, I have the urge to say things like........"You're not going to wash the car looking like that, are you??" 

We're not yet to that age when the neighborhood kids think you smell like a delicate mixture of mothballs and Mentholatum......and maybe we're not to the point when they start expecting you to drop a couple of boxes of raisins and an old butterscotch from your purse into their Halloween bucket.......and we don't yet turn out all the lights right after Wheel of Fortune. 
     
We're not quite there yet, but we've definitely been promoted from the young couple category on up to the middle-aged sector for quite a while.  We're ma'ams and sirs now.  We're over here on this side of the street.  We're in that gray area.  And we're on Suzanne's call list.

Y'all have a Happy Wednesday!