August is a big month for me, and this year especially has more milestones than usual. August is my wedding anniversary and my birthday month.
Mary and I celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary Saturday by attending our youngest granddaughter’s fifth birthday party.
We have seven grandchildren, and celebrating the youngest one’s birthday on our 45th anniversary allowed us to reflect on the past 45 years. Mary and I have three kids and seven grandkids. Now that is an anniversary gift we can enjoy every day of the year.
August is also my birthday month. My birthday this year, like our anniversary, is a milestone year as well.
My actual birthday is a little over a week away, but according to Medicare I am already 65.
Oddly enough, after 45 years of marriage I found myself thinking more about the past and all the joys we have shared over the years.
At 65 I constantly find myself thinking about how I am aging and what that means for the days and years ahead.
I jotted down a number of things that remind me nearly every day of the years ahead. Maybe some of you can relate.
I recently discovered putting my belt through the loops before I put my pants on makes that a lot easier.
The other day I found myself running late for work because I was reading the latest edition of the AARP magazine.
The heating pad is my new best friend.
Hearing isn’t what is used to be; eyesight isn’t much better.
This isn’t a new thing, but sometimes I forget where I parked my car.
Tall toilets are a must.
My crappy penmanship is beyond crappy.
Gray hair — who cares?
Senior discounts are automatic.
Conversations are more about who retired, who is sick, and who died.
I take pictures of the menu with my phone so I can enlarge the text enough to read it. And that is with the cheaters.
For those of you who know what the 10-step rule is, does it ever increase to 15 steps?
My daily exercise workout program includes putting my shoes on, walking up the stairs from the basement, and getting in and out of the car, just to name a few.
One of those grabber tools to pick things up off the floor is a must.
In addition to all of the aforementioned aging milestones, this is the one that bothers me the most: Mary and I were looking at a very recent picture of us from the Cardinal Pride Parade. We were doing what most people do when they are looking at pictures of themselves … you know … checking to make sure your zipper is up, checking out your hair, relieved that there is nothing stuck on your teeth. I was feeling pretty good about how we looked in the picture until Mary said, “It looks like you need a bra.”
Anniversary No. 46 is iffy after that comment.