I had the pleasure of turning 60 on May 16th. I think the worst part of this milestone was receiving an envelope from the Ohio Department of Aging a month before the big day. Who even knew there was such a department?! I'd like to know the average age in that department and what they do all day. Enclosed was my official Ohio Buckeye card. I mentioned receiving the Golden Buckeye to a young man in his 20's at work. A co-worker informed me later that he thought it was a peanut butter candy with the chocolate on the inside instead of the outside! When I told him that it meant I was a card-carrying 60-year-old, he walked around stamping his feet saying, "NO WAY! NO WAY! You are NOT 60!" His previous stupidity aside, Julian is now my favorite person at Lowe's. I bought him a drink to celebrate (16.9 oz. bottled water).Did I mention that I look incredible (for a 60-year-old)? The past few years haven't been gracious. . . weight gain, loss of my business, financial ruin, unemployment, employment . . . to name a few, but I did manage to lose 15 pounds before my big day and thanks to a generous pre-birthday gift from my big brother Gary and his wife Kalleen (Houston, TX), I had a shopping spree at Chico's earlier in the week. Gary is 61 1/2, so I think it was more of a sympathy gift than a celebration. Either way, I was grateful! I started off my big day getting a free haircut at Salon Rapport in Loveland. I recently gave my testimony at a girls' sex-education event at Goshen High School and the haircut was generously donated by the owner. Loved Julie, the haircut and the salon. I was ready for my big night, dinner with Ashley, Brent, Cory & Brandi.
Ashley and Brent insisted on picking me up. On the way to dinner, Ashley pulled into a UDF and asked me read a card that started tears flowing and makeup running. Great! Oddly enough, she didn't even go in. I didn't realize till later that it was a stalling tactic. Then she had me close my eyes. When I opened them, I had a copy of a beautiful surprise birthday invitation and found myself at the clubhouse in her Dad's complex! SURPRISE! A surprise party! For ME! I know everyone assumes I should have had an inkling, but I was TRULY surprised. Perhaps it was losing touch with so many friends over these past few difficult years that made it hard to believe I was worthy of a party. But worthy or not, it was wonderful!
