Another year gone by....
You take it from there. But I'm told that I look younger than I am and I feel that way, though maybe I'm just deluding myself. I suppose that I would not be totally responsible for that delusion, however, because I live in somewhat of a time warp.
We live about 5 blocks from the house I grew up in and some of the same folks I knew in the 1960's still live in the neighborhood and I see them constantly. I drive by my elementary school and my junior and senior high schools almost daily and run into old High School classmates quite regularly. I had a nice chat with my sixth grade music teacher last year.....she said she remembered me as quite talented. She lied, but how kind and how nice to see someone that knew me as a young lad. Though Midland has in many ways certainly grown and changed in the five decades my family has called it home, in more ways it is still the same. And now though physically I'm xx years old, it's not hard to imagine myself cruising the streets as a teenager. I sometimes get that feeling quite literally when a Beach Boys tune airs in the car.
But tonight I was officially xx years old. It was a great way to spend one's xxth birthday, with only close family nearby. Julie and Jack, my older brother his wife and their two young girls [girls 5 and 8 years old, and he's older than me....but that's another story] and my folks. A combination birthday celebration for me, one of my niece's whose birthday is Friday and Thanksgiving since my brothers family departs for home tomorrow. A fine turkey dinner and entertaining conversation chiefly provided by three young kids. And then there was my surprise present....a complete Sporting Kilt Set provided by my trend setting bride. As reported previously, the Craig family has a strong Scottish heritage which she wishes to accentuate. And lest you think that she sees me as a new metrosexual go to the previous link and notice who is wearing this latest fashion statement.
And here's a hint that comes with the experience that being xx years old brings. Under no circumstances do you ever want to get a birthday cake with large amounts of blue icing involved. Don't ever do this. Kids and adults alike dove into the delicious cake that had large amounts of dark blue ornamental frosting. Then we all nearly choked with laughter when we looked at each other with blue stained lips and tongues. Semi permanently stained I might add. This frosting had all the best properties of India Ink.....I still have some on my hands as I type. Jack's tongue above doesn't do the totality of the blue frosting episode justice.
 | Today was my birthday, my xxth. I'm not ashamed of my age, but it rather scares me to know that all of a sudden I'm xx. As one gets older, it takes more time for the actual number of the years of your existance to sink in. I will tell you that I graduated from High School in 1967....and I was one of the youngest in my graduating class. |
We live about 5 blocks from the house I grew up in and some of the same folks I knew in the 1960's still live in the neighborhood and I see them constantly. I drive by my elementary school and my junior and senior high schools almost daily and run into old High School classmates quite regularly. I had a nice chat with my sixth grade music teacher last year.....she said she remembered me as quite talented. She lied, but how kind and how nice to see someone that knew me as a young lad. Though Midland has in many ways certainly grown and changed in the five decades my family has called it home, in more ways it is still the same. And now though physically I'm xx years old, it's not hard to imagine myself cruising the streets as a teenager. I sometimes get that feeling quite literally when a Beach Boys tune airs in the car.
But tonight I was officially xx years old. It was a great way to spend one's xxth birthday, with only close family nearby. Julie and Jack, my older brother his wife and their two young girls [girls 5 and 8 years old, and he's older than me....but that's another story] and my folks. A combination birthday celebration for me, one of my niece's whose birthday is Friday and Thanksgiving since my brothers family departs for home tomorrow. A fine turkey dinner and entertaining conversation chiefly provided by three young kids. And then there was my surprise present....a complete Sporting Kilt Set provided by my trend setting bride. As reported previously, the Craig family has a strong Scottish heritage which she wishes to accentuate. And lest you think that she sees me as a new metrosexual go to the previous link and notice who is wearing this latest fashion statement.
And here's a hint that comes with the experience that being xx years old brings. Under no circumstances do you ever want to get a birthday cake with large amounts of blue icing involved. Don't ever do this. Kids and adults alike dove into the delicious cake that had large amounts of dark blue ornamental frosting. Then we all nearly choked with laughter when we looked at each other with blue stained lips and tongues. Semi permanently stained I might add. This frosting had all the best properties of India Ink.....I still have some on my hands as I type. Jack's tongue above doesn't do the totality of the blue frosting episode justice.
