Aged to Perfection

I'm beginning to think 43 is the new 33. Well, let's not get carried away.

Tonight we had our next-door neighbors over for supper to celebrate the fact that someone else in the neighborhood is finally as old as me! Mick isn't the type to call attention to his birthday, so we had to do that for him. It tends to work better in an "off year" (non-milestone) because people don't expect it and they appreciate it more.

It wasn't a major party or anything. Just good Ski's Meats brats on the grill with other summertime fixin's. Good stuff. Ate too much. But I'm young yet so I'll be OK.

Today also is my niece Beth's birthday and nephew Travis' birthday - one year apart. This is the part of the day that makes me feel old, really old.

The summer Travis was born, I was living in the Twin Cities with my very pregnant sister, babysitting my nephew Timmy. That was the summer I was saving up to buy my first pair of contacts. (I keep telling Carter he is lucky he doesn't have to wait until he's 18!)

A couple things I remember about the day Travis was born. I swear my sister was in labor and still making chocolate chip cookies. But that may have been the day before. I know I was nervous and kept asking when she was going to the hospital! I also remember she had a tough labor, but thank the Lord, every one pulled through with flying colors.

To celebrate, there were some beverages consumed and some cigars smoked. Don't tell my mom, but I smoked my first cigar that night. I don't think it was the whole thing. But I got sick enough that I vowed not to do that again -- I don't care who is born!

Hard to believe that was 25 years ago already -- or a quarter of a century, as I used to tease my older sisters when they were turning 25. Now, it's not so funny.

Thankfully, I can just say I've lived through one quarter century so far. But it's a been a darn good one. I bet sweet little Travis would agree.