Birthdays, I used to love them now not so much. Years whip around faster than a merry-go-round it feels. At 11:37 Eastern time tonight, I turn 41. I'm still technically 40 and holding on to it for dear life. Statistically half way to being dead. Morbid I know, but it's true. Back in 1972 I was born in Whittier ,California a town outside of Los Angeles at 7:37 p.m. PST and weighed 5 lbs, 11 oz.

Today hasn't been one of my better birthdays, but life is funny and has it's ups and downs. Tomorrow will be better, I'm sure. The day started out with the dryer dying. Not sure what happened, but if I were to guess, the motor blew. Nothing like the smell of burnt metal or wires while sipping on coffee. The thing was like 10 years old, so it's time to bite the bullet and get a new one, I suppose. It's funny how today we think of replacing something long before we consider fixing it. A great post for another day.

Today wasn't all bad, Lynn made me steak, corn and a noodle-type side. A great dinner as always. Lynn and I don't really do gifts on each of our birthdays, if we do, it's small. Just her smile, cooking and cake work for me. Especially where it looks like I'm going to have break out plastic to buy a dryer. The income tax refund will be long gone before it's in.

Back to birthdays. One that stands out is one where Mom gave me a surprise party when I was 17. I was truly surprised. Mom took me out to dinner at a place called Swiss Chalet, sort of like what Kenny Rogers Roasters was before it folded, or maybe similar to Boston Market. Anyway, after dinner when we got home and there were about 10 friends in the living room and they yelled, "surprise" as I opened the door. My very first reaction was one of shock. I immediately thought Mom was going to be mad that all of my friends were in the house without anyone home. Wrong, as she set it up.

Another I remember was my 19th. In Canada turning 19 is like turning 21 here. I remember being at a bar for about an hour and I think I had about eight shots. Before anymore drinks and before getting sick I was heading home and it wasn't even 10 p.m. I remember someone dedicated "Strokin'" by Clarence Carter that night and couldn't tell you who. For those who knew me back then or were maybe there, remember Bogarts? That's the place it all went down.

I remember a few as a kid. One where we all pretended to be the superheros from the Justice League or something. We acted out scenes from Star Wars and maybe even played Dungeons and Dragons? Who knows, but we were geeky.

One of the more special birthdays in memory was the one in 1999, my 27th. Lynn and I had just moved in together, she was about three months along with Dylan and we had close to nothing. We were living in a furnished efficiency on Court St. in Auburn next to the water/sewage billing office and Auburn Savings Bank. I think we paid $80 a week? That night in 1999 for supper we had chicken patty sandwiches with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Nothing special, no frills just quality time together. For a while, those chicken patty sandwiches became a tradition. Not sure why we stopped, but we did.

Thank you all for your birthday wishes on Facebook and in person. I will do better to wish you a happy birthday on yours. I celebrate with hockey player, Jaromir Jagr who is also 41 today. Also born on February 15th, astronomer Galileo, SNL's Chris Farley and former Red Sox shortstop, Alex Gonzales.

 

 

 

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