Reflections of an Old Man Turning Seventy-Six

The not so big day is over. Thus far, i have thanked everyone who sent me a social media birthday greeting. If i missed you, i apologize. It has pretty much filled up my day.

i did watch some football. My son-in-law and a dear lady named Linda, who just happens to be married to a complete nut like me, Major Linville, and the son of another of the curmudgeons are huge, some fanatic Kansas City Chiefs fans. And as you would expect many of my friends from back home are fanatic Tennessee Titans fans. So i was ambivalent. When it was obvious the Chiefs had it locked up,  i fast forwarded to confirm the obvious. In the NFC games, since i am on the left coast, i have a number of friends who are 49er fans, and i have other friends and my father who are/was big Packer rooters. So again, i was ambivalent. When that game looked like the home team had it sewed up, i fast forwarded to confirm and finally turned the television off.

Maureen bought a pre-marinated tri-tip from a hoity-toity place in North County for my second birthday dinner. Of course, i had to grill it on my egg knock-off grill.

This was good. Even though the recent rains had dampened the grill, taking longer was a good thing. i took out my computer and put the iTunes control on “genius,” which plays one genre of songs until you change it. Now with my set up, i have rebelled against the unlimited selections from the web “apps” — and “apps” to me sounds like some body parts that need exercise. There is nothing wrong with that. Both of my daughters are experts in such things, and their music selection is excellent with high quality. But i am not a aficionado in music by today’s definition. Not only am i old, i am old school. And my time at sea kept me away from most new fangled stuff after the mid-1970’s. So my iTunes is stuffed with my 45 ‘RPMS, my LP’s (to which i am still converting), and my CD’s. That’s what is on my “genius” playlists.

As i cleaned and greased the grill, i listened to Julian Bream and Andrea Bocelli. Then i hit the “genius” again, and that old genius boy turned it into country. So while i watched the grill heat to 500 degrees and then grilled the steak, i drank wine and listened to Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Bobby Bare, Roy Acuff, and the Sons of the Pioneers among others, shuffling my feet as if dancing like i used to, singing along and not caring if neighbors might be listening and laughing.

The tri-tip was superb. Maureen’s succotash, tomatoes, and potatoes were excellent, as usual, and the wine was just right.

But as i grilled outside, i looked up my hill to the flag, not well lit but enough to meet flag regulations, i saw one light in the sky. It was Venus, bright enough to burn through the onsetting evening clouds. She was a light in the mist, a point off the starboard bow of the flag on the hill.

A signal? An omen? Of what?

i don’t know. i am old enough to not jump to conclusions. Yet i couldn’t think but consider this was a good sign.

Another year. Perhaps it will be as good as the seventy-five past. Perhaps there will be more connections and reconnections with friends and family. Perhaps not.

But old Venus, she knows, and she ain’t telling.

That’s okay. It’s a new beginning. And the new beginning might have an ending sooner than expected. But you know what? That’s okay too.

Goodnight, Venus.

4 thoughts on “Reflections of an Old Man Turning Seventy-Six

  1. I love reading your thoughts on everyday life and events. Thanks for sharing them. “…..and if sounds a little scratchy, it’s just the gold dust in the grooves…”

  2. Happy Birthday, my dear friend. Thanks for your jokes, laughter and hugs. Hope you have a great year. Love ya, Evelyn

  3. Sorry i missed your birthday. I wasn’t online this past weekend until today…..Tuesday. So, Happy Birthday Jim from Nashville.

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