362 Days

It just dawned on me that when my next birthday rolls around I will be turning 60.

 

These are the things I am committing right now to do between now and then so that I can stay young (as promised in the book "1001 Ways To Stay Young"):

 

1. Spin until I fall over

2. Hang a hammock in my living room

3. Never admit I don't know how to use my i-pod

4. Paint the walls in my house pink to give my complexion a youthful glow

5. Switch my birthday to February 29

6. Call my friends "Grandma" (or "Grandpa")

7. Drink chocolate milk with a straw (and blow bubbles)

8. Write memos at work in invisible ink

9. Never complain about a drafty room

10. Quit pinching baby cheeks (it's a great way to be mistaken for a witch)

 

 

Plus, a few quotes that I will memorize:

"The only disability is a bad attitude,"
- Oscar Pistorias (paralympic runner)

  

"Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul,"
- Douglas MacArthur

 

"You can only be young once. But you can always be immature,"
- Dave Barry

 

 

I don't have any problem with the aging process. Well, except I really don't like gray hair, spider veins and age spots, but otherwise I like the getting older and wiser stuff. I like looking at my life and knowing it's been - and continues to be - nothing short of wonderful. I love the time family and friends take to remember my birthday, and the kind and funny greetings sent my way. I love the unexpected remembrances.

 

 

And of course, I love all the good food that came with my birthday this year:

 

BeeYouTeeFull cookies from my kids - so special that nobody at work would eat them...

...but they were willing to eat these yummies, also from my kiddos
 

Chocolate Mousse Cake!

When I arrived at work I found my entire desk covered with cookies, cards, cake and decorations. It was such a fun surprise, and even more fun to share it all with the great people I get to work with.

 

 

A dreamy dinner at Ardavino's - red snapper with the most lovely vegetables and orzo. Keven was quite happy I didn't bring my camera along; you will have to trust me that it was as yummy and as beautiful as you can imagine.

 

 

 

A perfect ending to a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of birthday!

 

 

And the very next day:

 

5:45 am - my first run as an older woman, and my running buddies didn't abandon me. Neither did my blue moon!