candles

Today is my birthday.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You can sit down now, please. Thank you.

Today marks the 71st anniversary of my mom’s giving birth. I was her first child, the experimental one, but she did her best, and who am I to complain. She was a good little mother.

I have outlived both of my parents as well as my step father. My grandfather had a heart attack when he was younger than I am, then went on to live another 30 years. On my fathers side, my aunt Ruby is 93 this year. She is not going strong, but she is still going.

I have always been a bit introspective, and as I get older I am more. My head spins with ideas and wonderents and joys on a good day. On a bad, that same brain is full of dread and sadness.

We will travel to see family today. Tomorrow, grandson #3 graduates from high school. He is a real good kid. I am very proud of him. And it is always good to visit family.

We each have a lot of control over our lives, but not ultimate control. Still, we have more than we use. That is true for me at least. I often wonder about the ways I migt have made life better.
Anyway, I am glad to be here. Last year my oldest daughter sent me a box of 70 of her home made chocolate chip cookies for my birthday, this year my sister gave me 72, then ate one herself, so it would come out even!

Thank you each for making my life more enjoyable. Maybe 71 isn’t so bad after all.

I love you.