Some days are just really.......perfect.

I can remember the day that I turned 8. The first thing I did when I woke up that morning was check myself in the mirror because I was sure that I had grown overnight. Now that I was 8 I HAD to be taller. Right? Didn't every 8 year old do that? Conversely, one of my fears the day that I turned 70 last month was that I was getting shorter. It is a fear turned to reality because, yes, I have been slowly shrinking. It is just one of those age things that you can't reverse, like gray hair, furrowed skin and severe gravitational pull on body parts. I have to admit that I have never been bothered by entering a new decade but the thought of turning 70 was difficult. Okay, maybe terrifying is more like it. Probably because I remember reading obits in the paper when I was young and saying "Oh.........he was 70. Not a surprise. He was old, It was his time". And here I am, on the cusp of "old". 

I need to record this birthday in my memory blog because my siblings made sure that I had the best birthday I have ever had. "We want to all get together for your birthday", my sister said. "Where and what would you like to do?". Since we all love the outside and quiet places (a genetic gift from my father) we decided to meet at Bartholomew's Cobble in Ashley Falls. If you have ever been to Ashley Falls you know that it is a wonderful place that time forgot. There are no big box stores, not even any little stores. Just farms and mountains and fields of corn and the Housatonic River. No traffic. No noise. A trip back in time.

We staked a claim on a wonderful little screen house that is secreted in the woods that few people know about. There we enjoyed a family lunch together (like Thanksgiving in September) with no bugs. Everyone very patiently tolerated Paul's need to know the ingredients of everything that went into his mouth. Next time he will probably hand out a check-off list so your ingredients can be quickly and easily evaluated for him. After lunch came birthday cake. Thank you, Lauri for that sinfully good cake. It has been years since I have had a birthday cake. What a treat. And presents! Who doesn't like presents! All so carefully chosen. 

Feeling sated and happy we took off for a hike to the top of the hill and then settled down to recuperate, catch our breath and savor the reward of a breathtaking vista of the Taconic and Berkshire Mountain range.

We then continued on down for a hike along the river, past the largest tulip tree I have ever seen. We heard owls. We heard quiet. We saw forests that looked magical. By the time we finished it was almost 5:30, the end of a truly mahhhhhhhhvelous day.


I can't thank my family enough for thinking of me and spending this day with me. I hope this means that my sister has forgiven me for playing dentist with her and sticking sharp objects up her nose instead of in her mouth. Done when we were children, of course. You are all so important to me and I can't think of anyone I would rather be with. I don't want to get all mushy sentimental BUT, really, what a wonderful gift my parents gave to me when they gave me these 4 very special people. Family means everything. I remember  when we children used to bicker my mother would say "little birds in their nest must agree".  Wise words, Mama! And I know Mama was smiling on us today. The only thing she really wanted was for her children to be happy together.

 
You have all made me very happy.  Thank you......