Turning 73

I got up at 6:00, later than normal, since I’d stayed up to midnight watching the Florida vs FSU football game, where the teams traded scores back and forth, until the last seconds when UF couldn’t make their  touchdown to tie the game into overtime. Final score: FSU 45, UF 38. 

Following my routine, I went pee, then used my headlamp on red to check the scale. 163 lbs, meh. Walking back to bed in the dark, I stepped on something cold and wet. I had done this several months ago, when Gracie had encouraged a Cuban tree frog into the bedroom.* Both times, it was right under my arch, so no damage other than to my heart. I turned on my lamp, again to red, and tried to locate the dang thing. Gracie helped by playing with the light like laser tag. Not finding it, I turned the light to white, and there it lay, not moving. Because it was a piece of chicken skin. I threw it in the toilet. When he got up, Grant admitted he’d given the cats a treat, but he swore he put it in their bowl. Perhaps a kitty brought me an early morning birthday present.

With that jumpstart, the rest of the day was anticlimactic: finishing laying the chips around the vegetable beds, digging and perhaps finding the AC drip outlet, then watching unranked Georgia Tech play #1 Georgia, which wasn’t nearly as bad as all predicted: GT 14, GA 37. Grant made me a lovely pan-fried steak dinner with smashed potatoes and garden salad. Dessert was a huge slice of the birthday cake Stephane made and presented at Thanksgiving, which she hosted this year. I hesitate to think of what the scales will reveal tomorrow.

All in all, I’m not too bad for an old lady. I’m still shocked when I notice myself in the mirror. The one downside to cataract surgery is that I can see well in the bathroom without glasses. On the other hand, I’m fairly fit, and I seem to have most of my mind. Sometimes I do despair ever getting strong enough to go out in that dang kayak that I bought 9 months ago.  Small potatoes. I have a wonderful family who worry over me more than they should. We have enough money to do what we want. I live in a safe and comfortable house. I am so lucky.

Nancy and I celebrated our birthday on Tuesday with breakfast at the Dixie Cream.

* I caught the tree frog by covering it with a Tupperware dish, then put it out the front door. I know they are invasive, but I didn’t have the heart to kill it. 

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