A milestone of sorts

tomorrow I will be 65.....65.. My God, I'm getting old.
That was the first thought that went through my head when my son, who can never remember if my birthday is on the 28th or the 29th and to his credit always calls on the 28th and again on the 29th when I tell him thanks for the wishes but he's a day early. So I am looking forward to his "best wishes" call again tomorrow.
There was a time when I didn't relish the thought of another birthday, even tried to ignore its approach on several occasions and now remember with a smile the year I went into a two week funk when I realized the year I thought I was turning 28 I was actually turning 29. But no more.
It take getting older, aging so to speak to realize age has benefits. Reduced airfares, senior priced meals, AARP, reduced movie tickets, etc. Besides, there is only one other alternative.
Age = Wisdom, maturity, growth of character as well as sense of self. All benefits I realized about 10 years ago. And I finally feel grown, even though I was still a daughter.
(My mother is still alive and doing quite well)
Another benefits of aging occured to me more recently and that is I can do what pleases me as long as I am not with malice of fore thought stepping on someone else's toes or dreams or feelings. And I no longer have to make excuses. I simply can say to myself I don;t want to. And to others, no.....or NO!!! With no guilt.
Because the women in my family live long lives as a rule I have always had role models to follow. Guides so to speak on the art of how to age well. From my Great-grandmother who lived until I was almost 14 and my Grandmother who died just 7 years ago and now my MOM, from them I learned that age does not give you the right to be mean, contrary or a royal pain in the behind of those younger than you, for example, your own children and grand-children. From them I learned that age doesn't give you the right to moan and groan and bore everyone around you, neither friends or family, with complaints of how bad you feel or with tales of what ails you.

So for this birthdday I am forgoing the cake. There are ballons in the garage I might blow up and pop and I just I might indulge in a dish of ice cream with a little strawberry topping, nuts and whip cream later in the day of my birth too as a way of saying Happy Birthday to myself.

What has been keeping me busy?
Knitting... Yes knitting. Knitting is a mindless hobby for me. Something I surely need to keep my fingers busy because I have become completely engrossed in the elections. Both local and national. Of course at this point, I possibly could give both Sen. McCain's and Obama's stump speeches by heart... well, maybe not... but I do know all the talking points at any rate.
Because of the historical nature of this year's presidential election, I knew until these contests were settles there was no sense in me trying to keep my mind on developing all the new ideas that have been running through my head since returning from Nancy Crow's place almost a month ago. So I have been parking all my thoughts in my sketch book and journal which I keep close at hand.
So with no quilts to report on or show off, I'll tell you as far as the knitting goes, I am almost finished with a kimono style sweater I am making for myself. Two weeks ago while browsing through Barnes and Nobles, I picked up this book "Knit Kimono" by Vicki Square and was struck by the simplicity of the designs in it. To date I have two sleeves, both the left and right fronts and the neckband completed. I started on the back, the largest piece, this evening and plan to have it done by the weekend.
Maybe I can have it all assembled in time to wear it or take it with me to finish up when I fly to Louisville next Monday morning to help jury Form Not Function, the art quilt exhibit that will be held at the Carnegie Center next January.
This will be a really fast trip. My flight if on time arrives in Louisville at 9:30 a.m which will get me to the Carnegie Center around 10:00 am.
It will be good to see my friends and fellow quilt artist, Kathleen Loomis, Marti Plager, Pat Darif, Valerie White and Joanne Weis. We should be done with our selections in time for me to have dinner with two other friends, "The Kathie(y)'s if they can meet me in downtown Louisville. Then sleep fast, take a taxi to see my Mom for a quick hug, on the way back to the airport. Again, if all goes well I should be back in Columbia by 2:00 pm on Tuesday in enough time to VOTE. And from the comfort of either my bed or Wing backed styled Lazy Boy chair I plan to watch the election result come in.