Book of Me, Written By You Prompt 3 - Describe your Physical Self

The Book of Me, Written by You.  A writing exercise that I am taking part in because I always feel like I am chasing dead people and not documenting the "alive" people.  I hope to teach you a little about me as I learn about you.

 
Reading through the posts in the group on Facebook for The Book of Me, Written by You I can see many feel the same that I do. This is a hard post to write. So, I have opted to write mine first then go and read the others.
 
I am an average person physically. I have been told throughout my life that I am cute. Sigh. Doesn't every woman want to be the great beauty of her time? Wink. Actually I have good genes. I look younger than my years, at times have shocked people when they do find out my age and the jaw dropping looks from people when they realize that 36 year old man standing next to me is my son gives me a big ole grin for the day. I will take it! Shallow? No, not me, I would prefer to be known for things other than looks.
 
I have often teased that I come from the land of giants. The Duncan's of my family tree are tall. My mother was 5'9", my grandfather 6'7" and his sisters around the 6' foot mark. I ring in at 5'4" and while that is not short, I am the shortest woman in my family (even my daughter is an inch taller) other than my 6 year old granddaughter.
 
I am dark brown of hair, fair skinned (I burn and peel and that is probably why I have helped stopped the aging clock, I avoid the sun) and I have hazel eyes. They tend to be more green in summer, more brown in winter and I am told by one that they can sparkle and produce a smile
 
My dress size is my most frustrating part of my physical person. Weight has been a life time battle.. I am an emotional and a stress eater. I lost a lot of weight when I was sick over the last two- two and a half years. My last year of good health has packed on those pounds again. My doctor feels it is better to tackle healthy weight than to have deprived my recovering body by starving it to maintain that size 12. Well, I have slid into 16's US of late and I am feeling ashamed, defeated and like a failure. I also have to cut myself some slack, I was very ill and being able to write this post is a major life battle won. And, I have realized that things are going good for me I tend to gain weight. That is a long time and very old protective trigger. So, I am trying to accept myself as is and along the way eat for my health.. We will see how this goes.
 
I have a few scars. The scars I am very proud of, or was when I was 10 years old, are a little "v" shape over my right eye almost to my temple and an up and down scar in front of my temple. Those are rights of passage scars. There was a hill that all the boys rode their stingray bikes down and I didn't have a stingray bike and was told that since I was a girl I wouldn't be able to take that hill. So down that hill I went to show them the what for and woke up in an ambulance being rushed to the hospital. I remember my mom holding my hand during my stitches "surgery" (they had to make sure there was no concrete in my head, haha) and then I proudly showed off my stitches at show and tell the day after I had them out.
 
The remaining scars are life scars. Two caesarian sections and then the laparoscopic spots of my gall bladder surgery last year - - there are 5 very small white scars on my abdomen.
 
When I was 40, newly divorced and unsure why now, I got a tattoo. At the time I was very much into the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism) and carried a dagger in my bodice so I suppose thought it would be fun to have a dagger tattoo there. So, I laid there for hours getting a dagger needled down my breast bone. Anyone know how much that spot hurts? The tattoo artist mentioned I had a high tolerance for pain and she kept asking if I needed a break to which I said no.. You just get to the point that you want it done. I don't hate it now but if I were to do that moment over again, I probably wouldn't get it. I am not sure regret comes into play but I just happen to like to feel more ladylike without it. Would I get another one? No.
 
Miscellaneous things about me - My dentist says I have nice teeth. Luckily I was blessed with straight teeth. I love toe polish and you will usually see me sporting a maroony red polish, occasionally purple or navy blue. Rawr! I am busty, could have done without that in high school… just saying. When in shape, my curves are in all the right places. Feet, I have big feet and have always hated that. I want delicate little feet. But.. I wear a size 9 1/2 shoe.
 
Me, in a nutshell.
 
The image in this post was a self portrait exercise done in Art Class in 1974 which would put me at 14/15 and 9th or 10th grade.