As I grow older...

Any intelligent adult knows he isn't going to be on this earth forever. And yet, most people under forty don't think about it often. And a young person doesn't have any idea how age can weaken a body, and slow it down. Who knew all those old people were right when they told us how much our bodies would hurt in later life? Finally, the jokes about going to sleep with Arthur (ritis) and waking up with Ben (Gay) make sense.

These last few years, especially in the fifteen months since Cliff's heart surgery, there's an urgency about life, a sense of do-what-you-can-while-you're-able.

My knees hurt terribly when I ride my horse for over an hour. This simply reminds me that I may not always be able to ride, and I ride all the more because of it. And dismount limping and wincing with pain.

Cliff used to be a stickler for keeping his vehicles, including riding mowers and tractors, spotlessly clean. Lately, not so much. The reason? Every time it's nice enough to wash vehicles, it's also good enough weather to ride the motorcycle. It's not uncommon for one of us to say to the other, "We won't be able to ride forever."

There are so many things that, if we're ever going to do them, need to be done now. When we're not limited by time or money, we're doing our best to get to them all.

I've spent three nights at the cabin this week. That's something I could do for several years yet, but we won't always be able to keep up with these 40 acres; and when the place goes, the cabin, of course, will go with it.

Cliff wants to spend all the time here on the place "while he can". I would like to travel a bit, while I can. This is one thing we can't seem to quite get together on. If I had worked all my life and saved money, I'd just go on those bus tours I've read about. Alas, they're priced out of my range. I'm still thinking on a workable solution. For instance, I can fly down and visit my snow-bird sister in Texas for a few days in winter. And I have a good friend near Washington, DC, who's given me a standing invitation to visit.

Meanwhile, there's always the horse and the motorcycle. I'll ride while I can!


Thanks to Midlife Mom for the two awards. I'm not so sure I'm deserving, but I'll take any accolades I can get.