And, so it begins... the week I turn 70

[susandennis]

I'm not sure why turning 70 is such a big deal to me. Usually my birthdays go by without much notice. There have been some notables...

When I turned 16. I got my driver's license that day. It was also a big birthday for my Mom as I also ran my first errand for her that day and chauffeured my brother and sister to wherever they needed to be. She called it Mom Liberation Day.

When I turned 21, I could vote and buy booze. That was a big deal.

The next big one for me was 40.

I was working for IBM in Rochester, MN. There was a portable highway sign that popped up all over town for various events. It was a true Rochester thing. My friend, John, arranged for it to be on the side of the road outside the IBM plant as I drove in to work that day.



It led to an entire day of celebration where ever I went. We were also entertaining a very big customer that day with several IBM executives in from New York. I was the speech writer supposedly invisible in the back to the room. Except not that day. And, at the end of it, at the big customer dinner, they rolled out a huge birthday cake. It was quite the birthday.

For my 50th birthday, I met 3 friends in Las Vegas for the weekend and we had a ball.

70 promises to top them all. And it happens this week. My brother arrives tomorrow afternoon. Then my nephew and his wife on Wednesday.

Today will be tidying up day. The sewing room needs to turn back into a guest room and the fabric stash needs to be reshelved so that it does not look like an unholy mess.

My Zappos shoes arrive today in two batches - one via UPS and one via FedEx. I hope to love one pair but no more. The rest will be boxed up and taken down to the UPS OUT boxes in the package area of the garage.

This morning's swim revealed that I'm going to be making a new swimsuit after all my company leaves. My favorite one is failing. The spandex just gives out. And, I usually have 4 or 5 to rotate through but lately it's been only 3. I should make a couple of new ones. I have the fabric already. I just need to do it.

The gym opened late the morning. The regular guy - Frank - wasn't there... in fact, no one was. Finally the maintenance guy showed up at 5:07 and let us all in. But about a dozen had left by then. 7 minutes seems way longer at 5 am especially when you don't know if it's going to be 7 or 70. Turns out Frank had switched with Amanda and Amanda forgot. Bad bad bad Amanda. She's lucky that everyone loves her so much. BUT, it is the second time she's been late recently so the love is getting some crust on it.

Ok, time for me to get shakin'... this birthday week ain't going to start itself!

Comments

[topum.livejournal.com]

I hope you guys go really wild.
We can buy booze (beer and wine) at 16, which is great.

[susandennis]

Back in the olden days, you could - in some states - buy/consume some beer (depending on the alcohol content) - at 18. Most states required you to be 21 to buy booze and wine. Now, I think, it's all over the map. Different states, different laws. Also some states it's illegal to consume if you are under 18 but you cannot buy until you are 21.

Also now you can vote at 18, I think in all states.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

The drinking age in New York was 18 for all kinds of alcohol until (if my memory is correct) the Federal Highway Administration made everyone change it to 21. (Which was mildly annoying to me, since it occurred shortly after I started in college in Massachusetts, which had just lowered its drinking age from 21 to either 19 or 20, I no longer remember which).

The voting age was set at 18 for all Federal elections sometime in the early 1970s.

[lostincandyrain.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday week! I love the sign. I hope this birthday is even more amazing than you are anticipating!

[susandennis]

Thank you!

[ozswede.livejournal.com]

I shared some of the same "landmark birthdays" - 16 (driver's licence), 21 (able to vote and legally drink) and 40 (big party as Life beings at 40). I didn't get a sign like yours (what a hoot!) though I did get 40 flamingos on my front lawn.I pretty much ignored turning 50 and 60 though.

I do hope that you have a memorable birthday week with your family. You only turn 70 once!

[susandennis]

God, I hope it's only once! Thank you.

[lenine2.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday Week! I'll look forward to see how you and your family celebrate.

[susandennis]

Thank you!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

Happy pre-birthday!

That sign was certainly something!

[susandennis]

it sure was. Thank you.

[christalin80.livejournal.com]

Have a wonderful birthday week!

[susandennis]

Thanks so much.

Birthday

[sweetwilla.livejournal.com]

Hi Susan, Happy birthday! Hope some good fun ensues. 70 is a biggie. I've been ruminating about mine since January and mine isn't until August :o(

RE: Birthday

[susandennis]

Thanks

[fauxklore]

In both New York and Massachusetts, the drinking age - for everything, not just beer - was 18. Massachusetts raised it to 20 around 1979 (after my 20th birthday) which was really dumb because it was still 18 in New Hampshire and Connecticut (and probably Rhode Island), all of which are within a half hour drive.

It got raised to 21 everywhere in the early 1980’s. That was tied to federal highway funding.

[susandennis]

ahhh interesting dets. thanks

[rsc.livejournal.com]

I notice that this is slightly different from what I remembered above, and more likely to be correct than mine was. Well, except that I don't think the change in MA was that late, but I suppose I could look it up.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

I'm already vicariously enjoying your birthday week - hope it's great! It's odd how some birthdays hit you harder - I had a lot of trouble with 30 and 50 for some reason, but none of the others. I love your cow sign! What a great memory. The best work birthday I had, back when I was still working for someone else, was one where I came back to my (tiny) office to find it full of balloons and streamers. It still makes me smile. Have a wonderful week!

[susandennis]

balloons and streamers would do it for me, too! thanks. i'm really looking forward to it.

[timbear.livejournal.com]

Have a fun birthday! It's nice to be surrounded by family on any day, on a birthday even better.

[susandennis]

i'm not really a family girl - but this time it will be nice.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I love your 40th ;0)

[susandennis]

it was a big day

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Enjoy your birthday week! Sounds like it should be fun.

I only remember a few of my birthdays as Events.

One of my co-workers arranged a surprise party for my 25th (it was fun; I know some people hate them).

When I noticed, some months before my 65th (which fell on a Sunday), that (1) the New York branch of our contra dance community had a dance on the Friday, (2) the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Wagner's Die Walküre was being staged on Saturday afternoon, and (3) The Red Sox were playing a series at Yankee Stadium that weekend, I informed jwg that he was taking me to New York for my birthday (which he did). (We went to Sunday's game, which the Sox won, which was a nice way to celebrate the day itself.)

My 66th and 71st happened to fall during overseas trips that had been organized by someone else (Ireland and France, respectively).

I don't remember a special celebration of my 70th, other than that I marked it by sponsoring our local contra dance on the night before it (which means I paid for the band, something I did again for the dance nearest my birthday last year, and plan to do again this year).

[susandennis]

those sound like some pretty fun birthdays and I do love your now tradition of paying for the band.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, I'm actually the coordinator of the sponsorship program, and we encourage people to sponsor for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, so I figure I really ought to step up myself.