The Bestest Day

Yesterday was my 54th birthday. I was glad to see it, which is really quite unusual for me. I really don't like getting older, well it's not the getting older, it the looking older part that I don't care for. My face shows time passing quite well. The ravagers of life and time show on my face in the form of I40 going east and west on my forehead and I5 and I95 going north and south along my cheeks. But that is all a part of aging, and there is nothing that can be done, apart from medical surgery, to make me look younger. The fact is, if my face looked younger, there is the neck and chest thing, and the old hands, so why lie.

One of the reasons that turning 54 was important to me was because my dad had a heart attack in his 53rd year. It was a difficult time for me, I had just had a miscarriage and wasn't able to visit with them. I also knew that I was his daughter in every way. So much of who I am, how I look and my health mirrors his. The heart attack seemed to begin the domino fall of his health. While he did live a healthy few years before the motorcycle accident, he lost his ability to fly his plane, and that was just the saddest thing. Flying was his life.

I was afraid that I would follow in his footsteps, that my 53rd year would be like his. I love living, I love my family and want to remain active and medication free for many more years. I made it. It certainly doesn't mean it couldn't still happen, just that the constant reminder of this past year is gone. I feel like I have beaten something unseen.

Topping the day was spending the day with the bestest Girl ever. The Girl came home for a couple of nights on Thursday and Stick Dog totally mauled her. He loves her, I would even say adores her, and hasn't had much of a good mauling lately. He slept with her last night. I know he was in dog heaven. She made red velvet cupcakes with chocolate frosting for my cake (YAY). She and I went out to Mimi's for dinner, since her appetite hasn't returned from all the sickness. Our original plan was a steak house, but we will do this on another day. It was a good day, and I truly enjoyed myself. On Monday, the Husband and I will celebrate by going to breakfast. It's all good.

For my birthday, I got an elliptical machine. I have a hard time walking in the neighborhood. I sort of scare myself because sometimes walking up and down the curbs causes my hip to catch and I am afraid of falling and looking like the fat, old lady laying in the gutter. That tends to scare small children. I have to put it together, still. Maybe today. I'll have to take a picture of the machine when it's together.