Happy Birthday, Mom!

I just tried the second time to call my mom to sing Happy Birthday but her line is tied up. Either other folks are calling to sing and wish her well or she is on the Internet reading the newspaper and hopefully my blog! She is 84 years old today, and when you are this age, it is not embarrassing to have those numbers noted.

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So, when does that happen? When are women, or people in general, not hesitant to share their ages? My blogging friend, Jami, had a real hard time facing the onset of age 40, but has since realized it is not such a big deal. In fact, she is meeting her friends in Las Vegas to celebrate this rite of passage. I like to remind her that I had a baby at age 40, so it is not so bad! When people are "back on the market" doing the whole dating scene, are they going to be straight forward? Girls wants to appear older so they do not get carded, and when they are older love the fact that they are still carded! Old guys going out certainly do not want people to know they cannot sleep through the night because of prostate troubles.

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Someone I used to know made the comment once that "age was just a number", but that might have been when no back muscle spasms have occurred for awhile. Nothing reminds one of their age like a health problem, as I mentioned about experiencing the sciatica problem which kept me homebound for a couple weeks. Oh, I hated feeling like that. Thanks to Dee and Julia for getting me fixed up with Carol, the massage therapist!

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One time when I did a huge amount of pressure washing at church, getting ready for our 25th anniversary, my hands and arms were affected by the vibration. The doctor sent me to have "shock treatments" (now it all makes perfect sense, does it not?) to determine why my hands and forearms were feeling so funky, and the tests showed I had carpel tunnel syndrome, a result of the lengthy pressure washing. It was so worth it, believe me, to have things spruced up for our big event! I got braces to wear on my wrists and had to use them whenever I used the lawn mower or blower or my beloved pressure washer. My former spouse did not like that, I think he associated the wrist band wearing with his sister who has numerous ailments. We certainly did not want to show signs of human fraility, now did we??!!??

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Surgery was not required for the carpel tunnel syndrome and although it has been years since I moved into the condo and was not able to use the pressure washer or blower, I have my wrist supports standing by for when the occasion will arise again. I sold my "old" pressure washer at the church yard sale, because it was losing its ability to perform and plan to replace it for church use once we have our garage/storage ability back again. Until then, I look sadly at the stuccoed sign in front of the church, covered in mold and mildew, and sigh that I have no pressure washer to clean that off!

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My sister, Lori, who is a few years older than me, had her first and only child at age 40. She is a real trouper, that Lori, strong like bull! But one day she told me a sad story. She knew she was getting old when David and she were trying to carry a sofa from their downstairs up to the living room and she had a terrible time trying to support her end. In her younger days, she could pick up her little hubby and carry him across the threshold, as it were, but now, it was all she could do to hold up her end of the sofa. It was a humbling experience for her to realize she was not as strong as she used to be. Perhaps if they moved furniture up and down stairs more often, she would build up her muscles!

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A p.s. to the original posting: My sister, Lynn, sends the most beautiful greeting cards, and her birthday card to me was no exception. The message was perfect for this posting today and I will include it:

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You'll always be young in spirit, no matter what the years may say, if you live life to overflowing and with joy, embrace each day! May your birthday be blessed to overflowing and may God give you the gift of a spirit still growing!