Look Who's 70
When I turned 10, I had plans. I would be a teacher. Thanks to my Uncle George's influence, I would learn to fly a plane. I would swim the English Channel and be a synchronized swimmer like Esther Williams. In the meantime, I would write a book and someday get married.
When I turned 20, life looked grand. Bob and I got engaged. We celebrated by going to Lee's Restaurant. How I loved that man and I still do. The marriage has withstood the test of time and we will celebrate 50 years in September (the good Lord willing).
When I turned 30, life offered greener pastures. We had left our first home on 18th Street and headed west to West Rose. We had a new home, three
kids and a dog. I had a job at the Camp Fire office. I found out I was pretty good at being a secretary.
To mark this milestone, there was a family celebration at Lee's Restaurant. I had just enough beer that I thought I should take a late-night
ride on our Honda 90 motorcycle.
When I turned 40, I was sure life couldn't get any better. We followed the dream which had spawned during the previous decade and headed farther west to Pleasant Dale. We had bought a bigger home in a small town. I likened it to the song "Dear Hearts and Gentle People". I had also completed my Associate Degree in Administrative Secretary (nope not in teaching) at Southeast Community College.
I roared into the 50's as Bob and I dismissed the idea of a grand celebration and headed west to our favorite vacation spot of Harlan County Lake and the town of Alma. Mom and Dad gave me $50, one dollar for each year, and we spent it wisely. We rented a big pontoon boat to cruise the lake on the day I turned 50. The temperature measured right around 100 degrees. The wind was blowing creating huge white caps on the lake. We still tried cruising the lake but mostly we were just hugging the shore and didn't even attempt to cross the lake.
When I turned 60, we had headed west again. Another dream which had been hovering over the past 30 years had materialized. Although we didn't think we would ever leave Pleasant Dale, we had our retirement plans centered on living in Alma near the lake. When I turned 60, we were there in our little retirement bungalow with our own pontoon boat.
On July 8, 2010, I reach another milestone. My decade of the 70's will begin. Life is quieter. Not many years spread out before me. I look back at the memories more than I make plans for the future.
Did I ever pilot a plane? No, but I did take a couple of trips flying in a plane.
Did I ever become the synchronized swimmer? NOPE; but swimming
has been part of my summer activities all of my life and still is.
Did I ever teach? Well, kind of. I raised three kids and tried to pass on to them the
wisdom of my age. Some things they learned, some they politely listened to and some went in one ear and out the other. Kind of like a classroom. I had a
Camp Fire Group with girls I taught about outdoor cooking, camping, and many other life skills. I taught Sunday School for several years. I did
teach adult night classes part time at Southeast Community College for a few years.
And how about that book I was going to write? I settled for a website.
In my looking back times, I sum it up like this. I have been blessed with a good close family as well as an extended family, good friends past and present, good times, life was good. And having reached this point in my life, what would I change? Nothing or I might not be here in Alma with Bob enjoying our golden, retirement years.
EIGHTY? Hopefully I will be writing a Blog. But, I won't ponder the next milestone; it creeps up on a person much too fast.
