Turning 60

Taken in Coeur d'Alene, ID at the park (Nov. 2010)

Gene is having a birthday two weeks from tomorrow.  He is turning 60. I know he can hardly wait to ride the Benton Franklin Transit for free.  That's all he's talked about since we moved here. (tongue in cheek)  He'll have to visit the bus station to get a "ride free" pass and then he can be like others I see who proudly wear that pass around their neck & cruise around on the bus for free. I don't know where he'll go but I hope he gets the pass. He earned it, damn it.  

The older I get, the more I understand why they hang that bus pass around their necks.  Last week, I was in town for a Wednesday night committee meeting and I got home about 8 o'clock, after having been up since 4 a.m. When I got up to go to work the next morning, I was panick-stricken when I couldn't find my purse. Turns out I left it in the car overnight. I never leave my purse anywhere.  Okay, so with my purse found, I go out to start the car and my mind flashes back to the night before and I couldn't remember if I had picked up my leather bomber jacket from the meeting I was at. I called Gene on the cell phone to have him check the closet for it. Even though I was describing it, "You know, Gene, the brown bomber jacket that used to be yours and now I wear it all the time ....".  Silence. He says, "well, there's this leather jacket with big pockets on it hanging in the closet".  I lost my mind.  Literally. I wasn't mad at Gene, I was mad at myself for not remembering if I had worn the jacket home.  I cried all the way to work. What has happened to me?

What an awful feeling to not be able to remember things. This blog has helped me bring up some great old memories and it feels like some of them were just yesterday. But the brain is a funny organ. I don't really understand how I can remember the words to "Little Green Apples" by Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell from over 30 years ago but can't remember if I wore my jacket home from the night before.  I wish someone could explain that to me.  Back to turning 60 ....

Well, Gene, if you're reading this, I promise I'll take lots of pictures at your 60th birthday party in Hillsboro.  I'm right behind you, honey. You were the same age I am now when I met you. I'm glad we get to grow old together.  Some days it's really hard ~ I get it.  For me, it's hard to accept sometimes. But you seem to do it so beautifully.  You just get more and more handsome. What's up with that?  love, Susan