Most of last week’s hassles are now behind me.  The plantation shutters are going to be replaced, the dog has stopped itching, and the air conditioning is working.  Costs were under $500, but there was a lot of dining out, and even some antique shopping to expand on that total.  It just goes to prove that when you dodge a bullet of expense, it is logical  justification to spend it on something else.   I will someone spend all this retirement money I saved – and quickly – even if it kills me!  Let’s hope it doesn’t.

I’m celebrating a birthday today – my son turned 43.  He just reminded me that I was a year off, having  turned 21 for the second time last year, so that was worth a toast.  I can’t even remember his 21st birthday, although I think we went to a baseball game.  Since he has never been a drinker, it was not a much-anticipated event.  He is probably working today at his restaurant, anxious to get home to some cake.  It’s hard to believe that half of a lifetime has passed since he was born, and that I will be very fortunate if I can live long enough to see him reach my age. We’ll celebrate his 43rd in San Francisco in two weeks, and work on spending more of my retirement nest egg.

The birthday of a son or daughter is a mortality wake-up-call, often more sentimental than our own birthday celebrations.  After all, I’ve stopped celebrating my birthday!  (See post #58)  I do remember, as if it was yesterday, the rush of excitement the day he was born.  I wasn’t quite 24 years old, working in a factory while I searched for a career in-line with my college marketing degree.  I was certainly not ready to be a father, but I was surely proud to be one, and shared my enthusiasm with my co-workers by passing out blue bubblegum cigars. He’s much bigger than I am now, but I prefer to see him as that tiny, helpless bundle of joy.   He’s given me more birthdays to celebrate with a daughter in-law and two grandchildren.

With my wife out of town on business for a couple of days, I’m being a temporary slob.  It’s four o’clock in the afternoon and I haven’t shaved or showered.  I’m not usually this lazy, but the dogs can relate to me better when I’m sweaty and stinky.  I just finished my second run of the day (see Post #186), that was hot and grueling.  I’ll relax here at the computer for a while longer before I hit the showers.  I’m trying to lose about 10 pounds by the end of August, but had a bit of a setback yesterday evening with a typical bachelor’s dinner of fried chicken, deep-fried potatoes, biscuits, and beer.  I’m staying in tonight and watching the calories.  Another training day tomorrow-maybe I can get up that hill!  I thought that at age 40, you were over the hill – I guess I’m not there yet.

The only things that I have that are older than I am are in my collections.  Some Photos, a baseball bat, jewelry, a cash register, coins, stamps, baseball cards, and some antiques have all “out-lived” my years.  When I’m gone, they will become unwanted, sold, or donated.  It doesn’t bother me what happens to my “stuff,” since they can’t be buried in some tomb along with me.  I also won’t need them to pay the tolls on my final journey to the afterlife. Besides, a Sherm Lollar baseball card isn’t going to get me far.  My only legacy will be these daily posts that will also someday disappear from the internet cloud.  Today, however, I will celebrate the birth of my son, wishing that his life turns out as good or better than mine.