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Forty-Four

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For the next 364 days I am living the dream.

44.

Shouldn’t have any problem remembering my age. 😉

Slightly facetious, but for some reason 43 just never felt “right”. Meaning I often responded to questions about my age as either 42 or 44.

At this age it is the simple things. It is all about perspective.

For example, Mary and I took the day off yesterday to get an early start on my birthday and our Thanksgiving celebrations. As part of my ‘day off’ I:

–had to go into work for about two and a half hours.

–discovered that four out of the five sets of net lights I bought on Monday, for outdoor Christmas decorations, were burnt out (lost my temper a bit there, let me tell you).

–fell backwards over the lawnmower while hauling a wheelbarrow load of wood out of the garage.

–got dog poop on my shoe while grilling and tracked it across the kitchen carpet.

On the flip side I:

–got the outside lights up and they look great.

–discovered a new (to me) set of trails at Landahl Park that we hiked and that I can’t wait to run.

–had grilled steak, mushrooms, and red potatoes for supper.

–had a bonfire out in the backyard with my wife, daughter and her fiance.

–drank cinnamon apple cider (made with red hots) around said fire…yum!!!

–toasted marshmallows and had delicious smores made with Special Dark candy bars.

–watched Oscar (one of my favorite Stallone movies).

–played games and laughed about all the crazy stuff that happened throughout the day and generally had an amazing time celebrating an early birthday.

As I said, it is all about perspective.

I won’t quickly forget yesterday, and I wouldn’t want to. My last day of my 43rd year was a great one, filled with the the small triumphs and minor tragedies that make a life.

I hope every day of my 44th year is as memorable.

57 thoughts on “Forty-Four”

  3. Happy birthday! Sounds like a great start to the holiday weekend, the holiday season and a 44th year! 🙂 Enjoy.

  4. Happy Birthday and Thanksgiving! Sounds like you had quite the day of contradictions! 😐 And the whole latter part of my thirties never felt right and I always kept answering people with the next birthday’s age versus the correct one! Oy vey.

    1. Thank you Natalie, I hope you have a wonderful holiday as well. It was definitely a day of contrasting one thing against another, perhaps with farther ends of the spectrum than usual, 🙂

  6. Happy birthday and I am sure your 44th year is going to be great. I am quite a ways past 44 and barely remember what it felt like… but I still have the problem of not being sure exactly which year I am at. You are looking really healthy. Looking forward to the Science Fiction Experience in January. Have my books all picked out.

    1. Thank you Tracy, I am looking forward to it. And thanks, I am feeling healthy as well. Certainly healthier than last time year at this time.

      I too am looking forward to the Experience this year. I have a way too large pile already. 🙂

  7. Happy birthday Carl! This is a wonderful post and you’re right–all about perspective. But I might have chuckled a little about the dog poop. 😉 I have to keep a very close eye on my toddler in the backyard because she likes to poke at the Dah-hee’s (doggie’s) mess…

    Enjoy!!

    1. I couldn’t help but laugh about all of it…except the Christmas lights which took awhile for me to see the humor in.

      Yes, babies and dog doo are not a good combination.

  8. What a brilliant idea – to start celebrating the day before. I am totally stealing that. You sound like you had a fantastic time.
    Another confession now – not only have I never had pumpkin pie but I also have no idea what a smore is – sometimes I feel like I live on the moon!! Even if you said you would give me all the books in your collection I couldn’t tell you what one is. How ridiculous. Oh well, like you said, it’s about perspective!
    Lynn 😀

    1. It worked out really nice this year for us to have a celebration with the kids the day before and to have today with just Mary and I to relax and celebrate.

      Smores are graham crackers with melted marshmallows and a section of a chocolate bar made into a little sandwich.

      Good stuff!!!

      Try the pie, its pretty good. 🙂

      1. I’m learning – however, what is a graham cracker. You’ve started something now, I hope you realise that!
        Lynn 😀

  9. Happy Happy Birthday! Always, always look at the positive side – life is so much better that way. You had an interesting last day of being 43 but I think the good outweighed the bad. So cheers to a wonderful year of 44 and the good outweighing the bad. Sharing in your great day since I turned 53 today. Cheers and toasting our days with a bottle of bubbly ~clink~

    1. Yes, I’d much rather be optimistic and hopeful than be pessimistic and fearing the worst. Life is a gift.

      And how cool to share a birthday! Happy 53rd to you!!!

  11. Happy birthday, Carl! I wish you a great year!
    As for celebrating early, I did that too this year and it was nice. Remember that 44 is just a number, what really matters is how you feel. Everything is a matter of perspective.

    1. Thank you Delia! I don’t mind about the numbers at all, I feel great and every year added is a positive. Much better than the alternative, 🙂

  12. Happy birthday Carl! I hope the good outweighed the bad both today, and this whole past year, and hope that your next year is just as good. 🙂

    1. Oh yea, its been a really good year and the day was a fun one too, overall. Thanks so much, I am looking forward to a great year ahead.

  14. Carl happy birthday! Sorry about the dog poop. I slipped on pigeon poop the other day and almost fell down in it. that had me chuckling. and Happy thanksgiving. sounds like you are off to a good start for the holidays!

    1. Your story is much worse, at least I didn’t come close to falling in it! So sorry to hear that. Glad you got a laugh out of it.

  17. There are few things more irritating than holiday-lights-gone-wrong, so it was fortuitous that you had such a grand day otherwise…well, mostly, with the good stuff outweighing the rest at any rate. Happy birthday!

  18. Happy Birthday, Carl! You’ve had a lot of changes in the past year and I hope your 44th year is just as amazing.

  19. Happy birthday, Carl, enjoy being 44!!! You and Mary both look great. I like the mix of temper and joy, peacefulness and annoyance in your post – just like an every day, made better by the perspective of love. It sounds like you had a good meal, and warm enough for smores and no snow! so a good day indeed, any day!

    I’m going to be 50 next year, so am thinking and wondering how I will celebrate it. It is a milestone, and I’m looking forward to it. That’s what life is, celebrating all we can, isn’t it?

    1. You should definitely plan a big, embracing celebration for your 50th. I know that Mary and I will when we get there. Life should be celebrated, no doubt about it.

  20. Happy Birthday, Carl! I’m right there with you…I turned 44 in October. Has a nice ring to it, huh? Hope you had a great day, despite the dog poop incident. I HATE that! I also hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. 🙂

    1. It does have a nice ring to it, I like the symmetry. Happy Birthday to you too! Thanksgiving has been wonderful, I hope you are finding it so as well.

    1. Thanks George. A more appropriate nickname would probably have something about dog poop in it given the incident Tuesday night, lol!

  22. So fun to feel your joy coming off the screen into my own. I’m celebrating with you, all the happiness you experienced, all the joys to come, and all the dreams/goals you’ve accomplished! Way to go, Carl! Happy, Happy Birthday, friend. May God continue to bless you and keep you always.

    1. Thank you Bellezza, God has definitely blessed us this year and been with us through the rough periods, which is itself a major blessing.

  26. Happy birthday! What a funny day. You are going to have an amazing year!

  27. Happy belated birthday! 44 is awesome and I can say that since I’ve been 44 since 4/4 of this year. I had the same trouble as you when I was 43. I’m thinking when I turn 45 I might just have to keep saying I’m 44 🙂

    1. 44 since 4/4! How fun! I’m okay with us just sticking at this number. It is easy to remember.

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