Turning 70

I haven't posted anything on here for a while. This is due to achieving the milestone (or should that be the pending tombstone?) of making it to seventy years old.

The effect on me has been far greater than I ever imagined. Prior to my birthday, I really looked forward to achieving something that three prior generations in my family had never attained.

I woke up on the morning of my 70th to the usual aches and pains, hobbled off to the toilet, as usual, grumbled as I fed my dogs, as usual, grumbled and abused my noisy pet galah as I fed it, as usual and mumbled under my breath as I woke up my wife to get up and get ready for work, as usual. Nothing had changed! Except that I now felt OLD!

I looked into the mirror, prior to shaving and noticed that the few lines on my face now looked old. I'm sure that it took at least five minutes longer to brush my teeth to the same whiteness as the day before. No matter how much I scrubbed myself in the shower, I was sure that I smelled old. All the shampoo, mouthwash, soap and aftershave couldn't disguise the smell of old! Even my regular efforts in the toilet smelled older!

It sounds terrible, doesn't it?

All very negative and old. Until my birthday party! A few of my favourite people attended, plus a few others, all bearing gifts and good wishes. One of the bottles of wine the one of the "others" brought must have cost at least $3. I actually heard the bacteria scream, as I tipped it down the sink. I should have saved half and tipped it down the toilet. They say that it's the thought that counts, not the gift. I'm still not sure what they thought about my waste water system.

All in all, it was a wonderful party and made me appreciate the special people in my life.

What's more, I'm enjoying every day and stretching the boundaries of how much bad behaviour is tolerated by society towards the elderly!