July 10th, 2026

Today is July 10th which means that yesterday was my birthday. Wow! Another year, gone, *snap* just like that.   As of yesterday, I now have to answer "73" when asked my age. Dang that sounds old.  Which is only because it is.  That said, there lots of different sorts of age 73!  I consider myself to be very fortunate to be the sort of 73 that is still active, as social as I ever was (which isn't all that much really), capable of getting into all kinds of trouble AND with most of my facilities still intact.  Not too bad.

I have interests and hobbies, family and friends, a sense of purpose and a calendar filled with loads of things that are not just doctor appointments.  For this I am truly thankful though I couldn't say exactly why I have been so lucky. It could be due to some really great genetics I suppose - my family tends to be quite long lived, historically.  Or perhaps I can take a little credit on my own because, outside of a penchant for cookies and ice cream, I have taken pretty good care of my health.  Or maybe it's simple blind stubbornness in my refusal to give in or even acknowledge the carnage associated with being elderly.

Wait a minute, 'elderly'?  Whoa!  I am not elderly. Am I? Okay I just looked it up. Yes, I am. Apparently, a person is considered elderly past the age of 65.  And I definitely qualify for that.  Dang!  Elderly?  I don't think I like that word.  I'm okay with old.  I'm fine with senior. (I don't like either one, but I can deal with them). Elderly however feels fragile and vulnerable and kind of decrepit.  Not a pretty picture. 

So I'm tearing up that picture. I've mentally put it through the shredder and it's gone.  Yes, I am now Seventy-Three Freakin' Years Old!  But I'm also fabulous!

And now, as per tradition, the Birthday Rules because they will ALWAYS apply regardless of age:

BIRTHDAY RULES

1. Number one and most important on this hit parade:  It's all about the birthday person.  It really is.  No exceptions. If it's your birthday, everything that day is about you. Period.

2. Of course, to be absolutely fair, I am not a person who really likes being the center of a big crowd of people. But a small, comfortable, familiar crowd is fine. In fact it's awesome.  A small group of people that I really care about it absolutely perfect.  If that group consists of me and one other person, sometimes that is the best group of all.

3. And there should be at least one treat that a person rarely has, like cake. Or ice cream.  Or cake AND ice cream.  And for heaven's sakes, if a person is going to indulge, it should be the good stuff. The real deal. No fake, crappy substitutes.  And speaking as a person with Lactose Intolerance, if I'm going to suffer later, I want the suffering to be worthwhile, which means the ice cream must be primo.

4. There should be a few cards, some of them should have sparkles, some flowers, some funny, some touching or maybe thought provoking. I like cards.  I set them up on top of the big display cabinet in the living room and admire them for far too long afterwards.

5. There should be some sort of contact from people far away, whether it's phone calls or emails or texts or facebook posts or telepathic thoughts, heaps of good wishes from folks far away makes a birthday extra special.  To think that all of those people bothered to take the time to acknowledge your existence on your birthday shows that you matter in this life.  That's important.

6. There should be no chores on your birthday.  Not one single solitary gotta-do should be done by the birthday celebrant.  Those things can either wait a day to be done, or someone else needs to do them.  I'm immovable on this fact.

7. The birthday person gets to choose what or where to eat for dinner.  And no matter what they choose, that's what dinner is.  Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.  It is the ONE day of the entire year where nobody else's likes/dislikes/or personal opinion should take precedence regarding food.

8. It should be a happy day.  Only positive comments and thoughts please.  It should be a day of smiles and laughter. If there is something negative or sad that needs to be said, keep it to yourself for one more day.  Not even boredom is allowed.

​Happy Birthday to ME!