Today is my birthday and I am officially old. Not because of my new age, but because of how I spent my day. Some highlights:
- Ran errands
- Dozed briefly in a comfortable chair
- Paid a bill
- Hand-washed my support hose
- Made a plan to go to bed early (we’ll see how that pans out)
Relax: My day sounds a lot worse than it actually was. In fact, it’s been pretty great. For starters, there’s the obvious reason: I’m still on the right side of the grass.
Over the past decade my high-school classmates have been dying in alarming numbers. And sadly, a former co-worker with a motor neuron disease died last week. The definitive diagnosis was less than a year ago, and all of us who knew her are stunned by how quickly it took her away.
So yes, I’m grateful to be old because it means I’m still here. As for those support hose, I’ve been wearing them for the past five years and yes, they do help reduce soreness. I call them my “old-lady comforts.” Those who know me know it’s on-brand that I got them for free using points from a rewards program.
About those errands
DF wanted to go to the hardware store with a couple of coupons. I wanted to go with him because this store has great fun with its holiday décor. The trees are particularly delightful, because they’re decorated in themes like “The Nutcracker,” camping, gardening, DIY and the like. One tree had an undersea theme; apparently, cat mermaids are a thing.
Yeah, it’s an odd thing to want to do. But it always makes me smile. Bonus: It’s free fun.
To keep the holiday vibe going, I asked him to swing by a local nursery that makes a great to-do about its Christmas trees and poinsettias. The trees are kept indoors, with individual pots of water and regular misting that keep them hale and hearty. And fragrant: I went there specifically to breathe in the evergreen aroma.
They say that smell is the sense most closely linked to memory. Sure enough, I was suddenly a little kid again, lying under the Christmas tree to stare up through its branches and wonder what Santa would be stacking up for us on Dec. 25.
Glad I didn’t have to buy, though. I saw one tree priced at $260. Yikes.
While at the nursery, I got a notification that I’d been chosen to receive a five-pound bag of potatoes from our Buy Nothing group. The giver’s house was only about a mile and a half from our own, and we are fresh outta spuds. Serendipity is always fun; serendipity on one’s birthday is even more of a blessing.
My birthday weekend
Some of those pommes de terre will be cooked up tomorrow morning when Linda B. comes over for breakfast. The menu includes scrambled eggs, oven-fried spuds, and sausage patties and gravy. On the side we’ll have homemade jam, local honey, and a choice of freshly baked biscuits or DF’s amazing rustic bread. I will have some of each, to avoid the pressure of having to choose. My doctor told me to avoid stress whenever possible.
After breakfast, she and I will head out for the Talkeetna Bachelors Auction and Wilderness Woman Competition. We’re lucky to be able to do this, since the tickets sold out in under 60 seconds. Thanks to buyer’s remorse, a pair of tickets was turned back in and I was next on the waiting list.
Recent mid-30s weather has iced over the north highway, so this will be a very slow, careful drive. No doubt Talkeetna’s streets will be equally slippery. Here’s hoping my Icebugs keep me upright as we enjoy the weekend. (As an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a small fee for items bought through my links.)
On the bright side, we won’t have to watch the Wilderness Woman Competition at 20 below.
Incidentally, the local honey was another Buy Nothing score, and those sausages were gratis patties thanks to Fred Meyer’s “Weekend Freebee” promotion. Each week they offer a free item if you spend $35 or more. It’s distressingly simple to do that these days.
How old, exactly?
Forgot to mention my new age: I’m 67. That’s frankly a bit startling, because I always thought that I would feel old in my 60s. Still the same me, even though I make funny noises getting up out of a deep chair.
The big difference is the knowledge that I have a lot more time behind me than ahead. That’s why I’ve been slowly backing away from freelancing lately. Also from writing for my personal site, in case you haven’t noticed. It’s not that I don’t feel I have useful information (or just funny stuff) to share. It’s more that I do have less energy than I did 10 years ago and am choosier about how to use it.
Would I rather spend my time writing about the best personal loans for people with low credit scores, or hanging out with my partner, my BFF, or my niece and her kids? And even though I want to keep writing to (and hearing from) the community that’s built up around my personal site, I also want other things. Sometimes I want to go to the library (currently reading “Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer”), or see a movie, or work in the garden with DF, or just be.
I’m grateful to still have a shot at such things. A lot of my classmates no longer do.
And I’m grateful for those of you who stayed around all these years. While I won’t be writing as often, I will keep the lines of communication open. I appreciate those who listen.
Happy Birthday Donna! I hope you have a wonderful day and great year ahead.
Happy Birthday. You share a birthday with my daughter! Although she is a bit behind you in age. Hope you had a lovely day.
Happy birthday Donna! Your day is one day before my eldest son’s birthday. I am slightly older than you, but I still didn’t get the OLD memo, lol. Remember, it’s just a number (& maybe a few extra aches & pains).
Happy Birthday! As old as 67 may _sound_, I’m even older. And it’s ok. Really.
We have useful experience and skills on how to enjoy and appreciate what we have.
Have fun in Talkeetna!
Gail
True that! I’ve never been happier in my life.
Happy 😁 Birthday 🎈🎂
Happy Birthday Donna. I’m glad you’re spending more time doing the things you really want to do.
Happy birthday Donna!
Happy Birthday, Donna!
I am a little older than you, 73! I know how you are feeling with friends passing and just wanting to do the little things that make you happy! Hope you had a very nice day and have many more of them!
Happy birthday, Donna. Sounds like you’re having a great birthday weekend.
I hear you about being “on the right side of the grass.” An increasing number of friends are joining my DH on the other side of it, including, most recently, the wife of DH’s best friend from high school. (She was 10 years younger than I am. Ouch.)
And this being the case, I agree that you should spend more time doing the things you love with the folks you love to do them with. You’ve inspired me to make that a higher priority for myself. (Don’t forget us or the blog altogether, though.)
Happy birthday, Donna! It was my birthday on the 5th also. So glad to know I share it with my favorite finance writer.
Awww, thanks. Belated natal day wishes to you as well.
Happy, happy birthday!
Happy Birthday Donna! Know that I think of you fondly when I pass your Fathers former residence 🙂 Enjoy doing what makes you happy!
I have nice memories of the chat the three of us had at Dunkin Donuts.
Wishing you a very happy birthday Donna. I’m a December birthday too. The years? Meh, it’s only a number. Enjoy your birthday, I wish you many, many more!
Happy birthday. May you have many more years this side of the grass.
Happy Birthday Donna! I am a little older than you and from that perch of wisdom (ha), spend your birthday the way you want! I used to do big things on my birth day, mostly so I could talk about it when I was back to my normal life working, but now I usually try to have lunch out somewhere frugal and fun and then do as much or as little as I want. Thanks for always being honest and sincere on your site. I know all your viewers feel the same way. You do You!!!
Happy Birthday Donna! It sounds like you had a wonderful day!
Happy birthday and many more! ♥️
Happy Birthday! It has been my pleasure to know you for so long on the computer. You are a great friend to everyone you know.
Happy birthday, Donna! I am 22 months older than you, and find that I am savoring the simple things (like the aroma of that pine tree) as I get older. I just bought a new car, and since I always buy new and then run them for about 200,000 miles, I realized that this might be my last car purchase 😀. Due to the purchase of said car, I am going to pull out your books to initiate economies big and small. Thanks for all your great work-I will be reading if and when you pop in. Beth C. in South Jersey..
Thanks, Beth. My 50th high-school reunion (!) may bring me back to South Jersey in 2026. Stay tuned.
HAPPY B. yet again! Naw, you ain’t old. Old is at least a year older than your current age, no matter high that number is. Young is what I am today, having awakened normally and – hold and below – with nary a single ache or pain from my back or insides! Now, that’s young! Hi to Linda B. and I’ll talk to her on Sunday. Miss you and thanks for the always entertaining and enlightening blogs!
Wishing you all the best! Thanks for your fun take on things.
Happy birthday, Donna. A little late, but heartfelt all the same.
I do enjoy keeping up with you and DF here, and I’m always glad to see a new post. Hope you have a great time this weekend and a safe drive to and from.
Happy Birthday Donna, I’ve been a reader since your college days and I have loved your resourcefulness, your quick wit and so much great advise over the years. I too am now old; I turned 75 on October 5th and most days I feel fantastic but every once in a while fatigue sets in. We just have to pace ourselves at this stage of our lives and enjoy the ride while we can. Looking forward to still hearing about your life when you get the time to fill us in.
Fondly,
Karen
Thanks for your kind words, and for sticking with me this long.
Happy Birthday! I am going to be 72 on Christmas day, and I know how you feel. I retired when I turned 70. I am lucky to have my family close by. Both my husband and I have been offered paid employment, but we feel that we have hung up our capes and no longer wish to do that. We both do charitable work with organizations but do not get paid. Our high school recently had a reunion, and we too were surprised to see how many of our classmates are gone. I will be happy to read more whenever you feel like posting. Have fun! Enjoy this stage of your life. It is very rewarding. I have been reading your columns since your MSN days.
I cannot locate your daughters blog….all okay? Did she stop writing?
It’s a technical issue and she swears she’s gonna fix it. Thanks for your concern. Maybe it will help encourage her to finish it.
Happy Belated Birthday Donna! I turned 67 in August, and I don’t feel 1 day older, well most days anyway. Hope you had a wonderful day.
Happy Belated Birthday, Donna. I am heading toward 70 this year and I also enjoy the little things in life and am learning to be selective on what I commit to. Don’t forget us.
Happy 67th, Donna,😁 and welcome to our team!
Happy birthday! I always enjoy what you write at whatever frequency works for you.
Happy Belated Birthday, Donna! It sounds like you had a good one.