Happy Birthday to Me!
Well, maybe that was a mistake … I kind of miss that me. But one of my brothers once famously said on someone’s advanced birthday, “Think of the alternative.” And yes, it is fabulous to be alive.
My blessings far outweigh my thorns and high on that list is the fact that our furniture got delivered in the St. Nick of time by the reupholsterer [on Monday, and my octogenarian in-laws arrived on Tuesday]. We had been living without it for almost three months because of a fabric procurement issue and the thought that we would pick a difference one after the insane process of getting agreement on what to do in a house resistant to change, that lets the dog on the couch, and has what one might consider strong opinions, was not on the table.
The couch and chair came from my father’s office at Emmanuel College, in a beautiful old stone building with marble stairs that were actually worn down by a century of scholarly and not so scholarly [mine] footsteps.
Dad’s office was actually two offices, and the one that housed the Mill Project was a massive hall on the second floor. My parents would give me the keys and let me go down there and work on essays because they got a very early word-processor [a Wang – what a name!] and I lucked out and was able to do all of my university essays on computers, a huge advantage I now realise. It was both creepy and awesome to be in there at night and have the whole building to myself. There was even a basketball court that doubled as an auditorium. They have definitely filmed a bunch of horror movies there and in the quads behind. They even filmed Chicago in Toronto!
But back to the real heroes of the story, the couch and chair.
When the Mill project was over, unfortunately the office had to be given up, and there was a corner with this beat up old couch and chair and nobody knew what to do with the furniture. I remember calling my hubby-to-be or hubby [the timeline is foggy] and him coming over and double-checking the astonishing fact that he could lie comfortably on it full length. It has wing arms that are just right to support your head.
When I was first going to get it recovered I remember a sister-in-law questioning my judgement and mentioning horse hair or something and it not being worth it. Well, there was horse hair, and that was twenty-odd [and I mean odd] years ago, and now here we are, three grown children, a third dog, and the same couch and chair, just rebuilt to last another generation, or three, if you are a canine. [And if you are a canine, I would really like to congratulate you on your reading skills!]
And so while I miss that beautiful younger me, I could not be happier to get to be this somewhat rumpled older me. A lot like the couch and chair, except I am not off to the reupholsterer. Age is a victory really, and why should one hide those well-earned lines? Let’s just hope they are mostly laugh lines, and sometimes that is a matter of choice and perspective, I remind myself most sternly today of all days.
And speaking of well-learned lines, don’t forget to watch A Christmas Carol today [but only the version with Alistair Sim]. I have been lucky enough to watch that every birthday of my life, well, not the first, and many of them from this same old couch that I am sitting on writing this now, fifty-two years later. That is incredibly lucky!
Thank you very much for putting up with me. Like Ebenezer, I don’t deserve to be so happy.
I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a most excellent my birthday. Here’s to us indeed!
and it’s called : white berry.
more Jackson.
sheepish
thank you for the right angle Pete.
and this.
yep. and baked deluxe….white berry friends. forgot my tune for you. maybe this.
good tune w/ strange video. ..heavy rains here. hi Woodpecker.
funking out and getting the junk out…
so g00d…
Good morning – and what a beautiful one here. Brilliantly sunny. That was a great thaw but clear and just a little cold is worth it to feel the sun. I would go bonkers living in the far north in the winter.
but Xty, some would say that you are living in the far north now.
we received what they are calling an arctic plunge last night. but it is sunny!
in other news, Giada DeLaurentiis and her husband are splitsville. depending on your point of view, that may be either good or bad news.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/12/30/giada-de-laurentiis-husband-divorce-todd-split/21044183/
i only thought that worth mentioning because i’m a “foody” myself, as you already should know.
Just checked in after a while…
#1. Xty, I think you missed my birthday wish, go back a post.
#2. Remember Moby Dick- “call me Ishmael”? Well call me “Amish”. Really. I am a Pacifist. Really (again for emphasis!!) Not Liberal, not Conservative, not Libertarian. No club, Lone Wolf. The masses are asses. Plurality rules. That means we here, as enlightened minority voices are assigned the virtuous task of shining light on the alternate path. We’re a team. Let’s act like one.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dudeflickr/sets/72157649962055086/
Matters not what you think (take that to the next level)- I like this and the goddamned song too.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dudeflickr/15963712130/
contemplating your points. we forgot m44’s b’day. no one knows my birthday so you are all screwed. and nice pics.
Well my birthday has been mentioned- Dec. 17th and I was not on your collage…………. Myopic prick…………. Didn’t mean it, it just sounded good. Love ya’ all. HaHa. Peace, Motherfuckers!
he had more money than god, no way he could piss it all away, and some of the worst plastic surgery in recorded history. and now he does those maddening geico commercials.
life is bizarre,
is on the case.
hi dude and rest of you all.
isn’t that you towards the middle? peckerwood 1, Dude 0.
……the history of history as rewritten by the rewrighters…..
Pete, if ya wanna see a goofy Geico thing, check out the one where guy gets a “million bucks”- they’re all ‘shopped females with antlers on backwards.
hoping i can post articles again. this is from ZH, but it’s not apocalyptic, partisan, or even sensational. i just feel that the subject of the real economy needs more public discussion. i believe that positive change will come to this country, eventually. i just hope that we don’t have to hit rock bottom first. that is my only reason for posting these type of articles – to inform. we are spoon fed a story by the corporate owned media. it is pointless to even argue that point. so peace all, and i will post something happy next to balance things out.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-30/annihilation-middle-class-beginning-end-modern-america
yep Dude. commercials are confusing and irritating to me, but we ain’t the target anyway. and i’m amazed at how much info gets jammed into 30 or so secs. good to see you.
i was trying to neaten up your square Dude and something went terribly wrong.
Hi 44. long time no see. you got the night shift. i am going to try sleeping tonight.
oh no!
Who had more money than god and now does irritating Geico ads? I seem to be suffering from old timer’s …
Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter … I am not sure it really makes sense, but it sounds excellently profound, and very like one hand clapping. Which reminds me of one of my hubby’s favourite t-shirts, the Zen Pizzeria with a fellow walking in and asking the baker to make him one with everything.
And Happy Belated Birthday Dude and anyone else who feels the need!
Kenny Rogers. Good Morning. Off to work.
“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” — Winnie the Pooh
sunny but very cold. kitchen warm. late breakfast. buttermilk biscuits from scratch.
before…
Zen moment. (warm tummy)
hope everyone’s New Year’s Eve is
http://phokingrestaurant.com/
I have been thinking about being profound, but I am apparently profoundly shallow! I am not a big fan of fancy New Year’s and a movie and leftover spaghetti is the plan … if you call that a plan.
And it will be midnight in Newfoundland at 10:30 …
French doesn’t have a word for shallow … just pas profound, as in not deep. Seems self-reflexive.
i e-mailed a friend in Viet Nam earlier this afternoon to wish him a Happy New Years, but i had already missed it. he will probably check his e-mail soon as it is 6:00 AM Thursday Jan 1 there. but that is where i got the idea for the pho t-shirt… if you were wondering.
i am having stuffed sole filet tonight. i have been saving it for some time. it was part of a timely and thoughtful gift package i got in the mail. spaghetti sounds fantastic. with a glass of wine.
Cheers and let’s hope 2015 sees some improvement.