Ironing

She believed that ironing was an important job that had to be done every day, rain or shine. Every article of clothing on her own body, from underwear to hair ribbons was adeptly pressed the night before. Indeed, standing in front of her tall board and gliding the steaming machine over the obedient cloth, she pretended doing the same to the tissues of her very body -- and by the sheer power of imagination, her skin remained smooth and wrinkle free deep into her old age.