End of a long year

Today marks the end of a long year, one of the tougher ones in memory. It’s my birthday and I’m looking ahead to the next year being better than this one.

I’ve been thinking about this for a while and wondering whether there’s really anything cosmic about passing from one year to another. If so, which was difficult, being 53 or it being 2007? Which year do I need to have pass to the next?

Let’s try being 54 and see how that goes. Sure, there will be some rocky times ahead—completing chemotherapy and getting into radiation (which some people say is harder than chemo, I’ll let you know). Maybe it’s premature of me to think that throwing away 53 will be the turning point, but it’s worth a shot, right?

So far the day has been fantabulous. I took the day off from work, slept in, drove to Kittery to have lunch with my sister and mother (Warren’s Seafood Restaurant, salad bar and a Coke with lemon, slice of birthday chocolate mousse cake delivered by the “Happy Birthday” serenading staff), and now Dave and I are heading out to meet our friends Chuck and Gail at the Topsfield Fair. Next to my birthday, the fair is my favorite thing about October.

So, I’m off to look at chickens, the giant pumpkin, BK’s dahlias, piglets, baby chickens, walk the midway and have no trouble resisting the temptation to throw darts at balloons or rings at bottle necks in a useless attempt to win a stuffed animal, maybe ride the ferris wheel, watch Dave enjoy a sausage-pepper-onion sandwich, and try to decide between a plate of tempura or a baked potato with broccoli and cheese.

Life is good.

UPDATE: Had corn chowder in a bread bowl and bought a wicked cool "Betty Boop" skull cap.