You can buy bum-shrinking cream in Singapore?

My friend G, who lives in Singapore, turned forty today. Happy birthday G! Apparently her ten-year-old son is buying her some bum-shrinking cream as a present. You can buy bum-shrinking cream in Singapore? To me, this is a totally valid justification for Hubby leaving the army and getting a job overseas (in Singapore). Anyway, the reason I mention that G is now forty is because it reminds me of my own fortieth birthday and possibly the worst compliment anyone has ever given me. It was a very youthful-looking colonel's wife, who was a vegan and did lots of yoga (I bet she never fell asleep before her affirmation - in fact I bet her affirmation was 'I have the skin of a twenty-year-old'). When I mentioned that I was about to turn forty, she looked surprised and said: "No! Really?" in a way that made me think that even though I'm rubbish at yoga and like the odd steak that I've still got it. I began to smile a tiny bit, in anticipation of a big fat compliment. "I would never have known..." she continued, and my smile began to broaden. "You hardly look any older than... thirty eight."
"Thanks," I said, trying not to lose the smile. But I was crying inside.
I mean, there's damning with faint praise and then again, there's just crushing someone's spirit.
Oh well, I'll probably never see her again - the joys of being posted, there are at least some advantages to army life.
I'd better go - I have only managed to write the introduction to the scary essay, and I'm not feeling too confident about that, either (however, I have already finished Morvern Callar, which I only started last night and it is totally brilliant, so read it if you have the chance), so I'd better give it a bit more thought before bedtime.
Night then x