November 8th - What a drag it is getting old....

40 with 11 years more experience.

Really though, I need to be honest with you guys - I am having a difficult time with the whole aging thing. Last year was easy - probably in large part because I was on a cruise ship preparing to swim with stingrays and climb Mayan temples.

This year, it's more about mood swings, weight gain, a bad knee, and eyesight that's still good enough to be horrified by all the new wrinkles I see in the mirror. And just to reinforce the whole gloom and doom mood, this weekend's mail included an offer to participate in a clinical trial for a new depression medication.

Did they key in on my birthday the way that AARP did and decide I must be depressed because I'm old? Perhaps someone at work thought I must be "off my meds" and recommended me. Or maybe it's just one of those random bulk mailers.

I can smile (well at least raise the corners of my lips a bit) now because I'm slowly finding my way back up into the sunshine, thanks to the amazing people I am lucky enough to have in my life.

First off, I get a whole slew of birthday greetings on Facebook...and I didn't think I'd even listed my birthday there - go figure. Then one of my friends mentioned my joie de vivre (if you don't read French that would be my love of life - not my big butt)....and another said I was one of their heros. I read a blog about how I'd introduced another friend to the wonder of having a hot tub and how much she was enjoying hers (even if she does have some issues with frostbite). And just now, I got a birthday call from my friend John in Australia - how cool is that.....

My son came over yesterday and helped make a big dent in the huge brushpile out back. Best of all he got the area cleared well enough that I can start tossing branches down across the creek rather than having to lug them up the ridiculously steep hill.

My dad was going to buy me a gas trimmer but instead he gave me money to buy exactly what I wanted......and so by this weekend I'll be taming the wilderness with a lot more power.

I even have enough money left to buy myself this concrete vibrator....

Someone please assure me that Harbor Freight hasn't really started selling marital aids.

Hmmm....looks like I'm only maturing in a physical sense, eh?