January 28, 2015


What a wonderful birthday I had. It actually began on the 26th when I received a card by snail mail from Kimberly. This quote by Don Marquis was on the front, “We look forward to a disreputable, vigorous, and disorderly old age.” After stating that in no way was she implying that I am approaching anything like old age. She wrote, “I am encouraging you to be disorderly, as in continuing to be your vocal, joyful, loud-fun-public-places kind of self. Be vigorous in pursuing your dreams and pleasures, like writing and the arts and your family loves. By all means be disreputable in acting like no other 69 year old we know!” Kimberly, I promise to continue being me.

When I woke on the 27th (on the right side of the grass), I found a wonderful, sentimental card from My Sweetie. As I walked downstairs, I wondered if there would be another, as there has been in years past. Of course, there it was leaning against my bowl, which he puts out every morning, along with a spoon and a glass for orange juice. This card’s sentiment was so beautiful that tears welled up. I am one lucky woman.

The rest of the day before dinner was filled with laughter on FaceTime with Lise, during a long, lovely phone call with my sister Diane, and on FaceTime with my granddaughter Rayna. I missed a call from my dear, longtime (since 1980) friend Elizabeth but she did sing to me on voice mail.

My Facebook friends chimed in with good wishes. I thought it unusual that My Sweetie had not posted on my wall. Due to the vagaries of Facebook, his post did not appear on my wall until today. But all my friends saw it. It was worth the wait. He wrote, “Happy Birthday to my best friend, travel buddy, and the love of my life. What a time we have had these almost 18 years with many more birthdays to come. Happy Birthday Love.”

After a yummy dinner prepared by My Sweetie, he surprised me with bakery delights. (We have completely changed the way we eat. But that is a topic for another post.) We voted for the lovely chocolate mousse in a hard chocolate shell with a raspberry on top as our favorite. The key lime tart came in second. The other two tied for third.

Then it was time for me to build a fire and settle in for binging on Downton Abbey since the DVDs had arrived just in time for my birthday. My Sweetie willingly stayed up until after midnight to watch episodes 5-8 but even I could not stay up to watch the Christmas special. But now we have. The Bonus material contains a hysterical piece with Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes) and Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore).

All I can say is wow. Julian Fellowes certainly knows how to get one’s attention. And that is all I will say until all episodes have aired in the United States. Just hang onto your hats.