When I'm 102
Had dinner with my Mom last night. It was her 75th birthday. We plan to celebrate later this month with entire gang, but couldn't let the day go by without a little celebration. I arrived bearing a card and small plant - and tons of rhubarb! The woman had over a dozen birthday cards on her window ledge! I've never had that many cards before. Must be nice!
We had dinner in the dining room. She lives in a seniors' place: Not a nursing home or assisted living - but no one under 60 and most in their 70s and 80s. At the next table was their most famous resident - George somebody who is 102 years old. The man was dining with three other men - probably in their late 70s or 80s. George carried most of the conversation. At the end of the dinner he stated in a booming voice, "Nice to have your company tonight gentleman." As he rises he lets fly with this, "Hope you get into mischief, but don't get into trouble." It struck me as funny - never heard it before. I suppose when you are 102 you've heard a lot of things. His companions left by the back-door, but George exited through the main entrance. This resulted in him "working the room" going table-to-table chatting with friends. He does wear hearing aids, but he hardly stoops, walks unassisted, and doesn't look a day over 85. And I mean that as a compliment.
Mom is looking good at 75. Didn't want a big celebration, "Seventy-five is nothing!" she assured me. And it isn't if you have friends in their 80s, 90s, and 100s. My aunt lives in the same building as my Mom. She is 80+ and going strong, traveling all over the US, gardening, etc. Another friend of my Mom's, one of the "girls" as she calls them, turns 90 this week. This 90 year old lives in her own house, mows her own lawn, and recently helped her grandkids redecorate their kitchen - wallpaper and more.
Here's hoping I see 102!
We had dinner in the dining room. She lives in a seniors' place: Not a nursing home or assisted living - but no one under 60 and most in their 70s and 80s. At the next table was their most famous resident - George somebody who is 102 years old. The man was dining with three other men - probably in their late 70s or 80s. George carried most of the conversation. At the end of the dinner he stated in a booming voice, "Nice to have your company tonight gentleman." As he rises he lets fly with this, "Hope you get into mischief, but don't get into trouble." It struck me as funny - never heard it before. I suppose when you are 102 you've heard a lot of things. His companions left by the back-door, but George exited through the main entrance. This resulted in him "working the room" going table-to-table chatting with friends. He does wear hearing aids, but he hardly stoops, walks unassisted, and doesn't look a day over 85. And I mean that as a compliment.
Mom is looking good at 75. Didn't want a big celebration, "Seventy-five is nothing!" she assured me. And it isn't if you have friends in their 80s, 90s, and 100s. My aunt lives in the same building as my Mom. She is 80+ and going strong, traveling all over the US, gardening, etc. Another friend of my Mom's, one of the "girls" as she calls them, turns 90 this week. This 90 year old lives in her own house, mows her own lawn, and recently helped her grandkids redecorate their kitchen - wallpaper and more.
Here's hoping I see 102!
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