Wrinkle remedy

This past weekend we were walking in a local park when we ran into Larissa, a Russian woman who Jon tutored in English 20 years ago while we were preparing to leave for the Peace Corps.  We have run into Larissa now and again over the years, always outside and always while she is doing something active.  About 7 years ago, it was up at Camp DuNord over New Year's.  Jon was helping a ski group push a car out of a snow pile when he looked at the pusher to his right and realized it was Larissa!  Then 2-3 years ago I caught up to her on a bike path down by the river.  So it was not a huge suprise to find her out hiking through the woods on a beautifully sunny and warm November afternoon.

What did suprise me is that Jon asked her how old she was.  Which I admit, I was wondering.  But to ask outright shocked her a little, I think.  I tried to smooth it over by saying, "Forty, not a day over forty."  She gave me a little pat and said, "You're close.  I just turned 80."  80!  This caused me to take a closer look- trim, fit, active, and virtually wrinkle free!  I mean her forhead is smooth as a baby's.  Maybe some laugh and worry lines around the mouth and eyes.  But seriously.  She was born in 1932.  Things have happened since then that would cause a person some wrinkles. 

We chatted, introduced our kids, and then it was clear she had miles yet to hike and so she was off.  As we walked on Jon and I both proclaimed to our kids how much we liked that little woman (she is shorter than Theo).  I remarked on the lack of wrinkles.  Jon then recalled that her secret to health, 20 years ago, had been to take a cold shower every morning.  I do remember her trying to talk us into this habbit, and we did end up doing it for a while, but that was only because we were living in the Carribean and we had no hot water, and really no need for it as daily highs were 85.  I remember being committed to cold showering upon our return to the states, but by the time we hit October here in Minnesota, I had the hot water on and seriously so.

But now that I see her at 80 and so incredibly wrinkle free, I get to wondering.  In my 43 years, I spent about 2 cold showering.  But not really 2 because often during those Peace Corps years we had no water so I didn't shower at all. But I would take 'sea baths', the Antiguan remedy for everything.  Those had to count for something, right?  So, if I spent the next 40 years taking TWO cold showers a day, could I reverse current trends and end up in my 80s looking like Larissa?  Please?  But me thinks the trend that has started will carry on its intended course.

I told my mom of this theory of cold showering, and she said, "I'd take wrinkles any day over the prosepect of a cold shower."  I think I agree.