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The Sassy Sandpiper: The Other Milestone Birthday

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By M.R. WILSON, TB Reporter

Lots of lessons in our own Personal Holiday.

I recently observed that special birthday the Beatles popularized. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs2aMiyT6es

Maybe there was a disturbance in The Force. I felt crabby most of the day. Maybe it was letdown after a great lunch with my son at Zeko’s.

In my family, birthdays were your own Personal Holidays. Three of the six of us were July-born. Everyone got a party. I’ll never forget the birthday cake in the shape of a swan (maybe my eighth) with cocoanut feathers, licorice beak, and gumdrop eyes. Granny was an artist.

When I get older, losing my hair…

Well, yeah. Not only losing it, but discovering parts in strange places where hair never parted before. What in blazes is that? Oh. My scalp. Lots of scalp. Horrors.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds

Who could ask for more?

A lot of people, and they do. I’m content with my garden and weeds. If they flower, I nurture them. Only a few need digging.

Send me a post card, drop me a line

So quaint, and so appreciated. Birthday cards in the mail! Real, hold-in-your-hands greetings.

Later in the day, some of the dearest people I’ve ever known visited. Thoughtful presents, loving sentiments. Life-affirmation.

Youngsters, you want to get to this birthday. Geezers, it’s good to remember.

Nutrition is key. Some of you have buzzard gullets and can eat anything and do famously well.

Confession: I not only fell off the vegan wagon, I flopped down in the street and let it run me over. Horrible craving. I had to have Kentucky Fried Chicken (Original Recipe) just like we relished in my youth, very likely at one of those July birthday parties. Give.me.the.bucket.now. I ate like a wolf, even though it didn’t taste that great. I became my basest, vilest self but couldn’t gag down all that “original” coating with eleven herbs and spices. I’m glad it wasn’t what I remembered.

I think a lot of cravings are like this—emotional rather than physical—especially the ones that seem to have disappeared only to once again rear their ugly heads. Maybe when the craving is really bad, we should indulge. Our bodies will let us know. The next morning I suffered hangover-like symptoms. Full disclosure: I also ate about a half bag of Hershey’s dark chocolate M&Ms and consumed more Merlot than usual. Woe. Happy Birthday, Dumb Butt.

We humans really do live and learn.

In saner moments of this Beatles Immortalized Birthday, I reflected on learning how much can be done on very little.

Sunday mornings go for a drive.

You can live happily within your means. You can simplify your life.

I’ve unencumbered myself of Classmates and Linked-In. Blogs and Facebook Groups and Pages may be next. Sometimes the cyber-world gets too noisy.

Just try less tech, more tactile—no matter how many candles are on your birthday cake.

Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?

Columns | The Sassy Sandpiper | Birthdays  | TB Reporter

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