Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Birthday celebrations are highly overrated

Tomorrow I'll be sixty-seven years old.  Hold the applause and the cards, please.  
I was on the phone with my husband's St. Louis sister and she said, "So, what are you guys going to do for your birthday?"  
"Well, Cliff is talking about going up to Iowa to a Farmall tractor museum."  
"That isn't for YOU!!!!  What are you doing for YOUR birthday?"  
I guess she didn't hear the word "going".  Whenever I hear any form of the word "go", I'm ready.  Believe it or not, old tractors do interest me.  I think it's amazing that a one hundred-year-old machine can be restored and painted so that it works and looks better than it did when it was new.  Amazing.  
Besides, Cliff agreed to veer off the beaten track a few miles and take me to Guss, Iowa, population zero.  I spent some of my happiest childhood years there.  I went there several years back with my nephew, his wife, and my mom.  I just want to see it one more time.  
Unfortunately, the air conditioning in our car has decided not to work properly, and this is the hottest time of year.  So we won't be driving two hundred miles for my birthday; that'll have to wait until the A/C works.  
Cliff plans to take the car to a mechanic's shop tonight so the guy can work on it tomorrow.  He mentioned that maybe we should have the son-in-law leave his spare pickup here just so we'd have something to drive.  
"We have a motorcycle, Cliff.  What's wrong with that?"  
"Oh yeah, and it'll be a perfect day for riding!"  
Quite honestly, the only place I've thought of that I'd like to go is Gates Barbecue, the one in Independence.  I like how the ladies who work there yell, "Hi, may I help you?" at everyone who enters.  I know Arthur Bryant's is supposed to be the most famous Kansas City barbecue, but I don't like the way they throw all your stuff together in a sack and expect you to be able to eat it.  It's a mess.  
Cliff told me, "As I recall, Gates isn't the cleanest place we've gone to."  
Neither is my kitchen, but he eats there.  
So anyhow, I have no big birthday plans except for some Kansas City barbecue and maybe a motorcycle ride down 40 highway.  


I'm still off Facebook.  I do miss the little updates I sometimes get from friends and family.  I don't miss Farmville.  I didn't permanently delete Facebook, although I could have.  I'll probably go back, hopefully keeping a lower profile and refraining from reposting the same old recycled stuff that was funny the first time but not-so-funny the fourth.  I suppose I should go back this evening just for the birthday greetings I might get tomorrow.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  

16 comments:

  1. I, on the other hand, hate being yelled at when entering Gates. That's why my first time was my last.

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  2. Meesha, Cliff hates it too. That's why I never ask him to take me there unless it's my birthday.

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  3. I hope your birthday is a wonderful one. Beautiful weather and good food are hard to beat.

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  4. Hi Donna, hope you have a nice birthday tomorrow! You're only a couple of years older than me. But you must be in much better shape! I can't see me riding a motorcycle. Just call me wimpy. LOL! Going out to eat is my kind of celebrating. Have fun!

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  5. Well a happy birthday to you and many many more. At my age I'm just glad I'm still here and standing straight up and down. Some, maybe most people people take birthdays and holidays so seriously.

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  6. I hope you have a GREAT birthday doing whatever you please. ENJOY!

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  7. Happy Birthday-hope it's literally and figuratively cool! I guess I can't be your Facebook friend. :)

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  8. Happy Birthday!!!!

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  9. Anonymous7:13 AM

    Happy Birthday Donna. 67? You are just a spring chicken girl!

    sam

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  10. Happy birthday. Staying home is my favorite thing.

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  11. Well I hope you have a happy day and all of your wishes come true.

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  12. Lindie8:00 AM

    I still prefer Bates City BarBQ. Happy Birthday!

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  13. Vicki8:44 AM

    Have a very Happy Birthday. Vicki

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  14. Happy birthday, Donna. Birthdays are pretty low-key at our home also. Hope you're able to get that motorcycle ride in.

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  15. Anonymous5:41 PM

    I understand. I spent my last one alone..& enjoyed it...but HAPPY BIRTHDAY anyway!

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  16. I missed your birthday because the computer was down. Lost it in a thunderstorm. We are 2 weeks apart in age. You are OLDER, and I think WISER also. I will be 67 on the 25th. Please don't let me say"Where did the time go?" Daarn, I knew I would say it! Happy Birthday, a few days late.

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