On being a septagenarian

I turned seventy last September. Guess what? It didn't bother me! Nope, not one little bit. In fact, I felt proud that I'd made it. While I still have a couple of years to live longer than my father, I've way surpassed my mother who died at sixty-one.



In fact, I am the oldest surviving member of my family. The last to pass was my uncle who died last year (or the year before - time flies). I have two younger brothers and a host of cousins from both sides of the family. They are scattered from Florida to New Hampshire to Ohio to Texas and one who is RVing till they pick a spot to retire.

Looking back, I have had a pretty spectacular life. I have held a multitude of different jobs and finally "fell into" my IT career. I've lived in close to a dozen different states and I have traveled to all fifty. In fact, I have ridden my motorcycle in forty-eight of those states.

I've dabbled in community theater, I learned to ride a motorcycle at age fifty-five, I lived and traveled full-time in my own little Class C motorhome, I've written several books (to moderate success), I lived in a foreign country for two years (Ecuador) and I've been fortunate to an almost twenty year marriage to my soulmate and after he passed, almost ten years with the perfect person for this stage of my life.

If I were to die tomorrow, I'd be satisfied with the life I have lived. Have I always made the right and best decision? Absolutely not, but my past is what made me the person I am today.

What changes have I noticed in the last year?

• I think a lot less about what others think of me.
• I don't wear makeup (except VERY special occasions and then only lipstick & blush).
• I'm much less fussy about my hair.
• I still love hats but I hate sweating in them.
• My arthritis is much worse and standing really kicks it off. (Will be renting a scooter for our October Disney trip with the youngest grandbaby.)
• I am cooking more than ever - from scratch. This is due to our new lo carb lifestyle.
• I still love to read but find little time while writing.
• I love going to the movies but find less that I want to watch.

Ahhh....life is good!