seventy

...sounds really old.  But my dad makes it look realitively easy.  Yesterday we all got together and my mom made clam chowder, shrimp and my favorite spinach salad.  It was delicious.  It was a birthday celebration.

A celebration without a lot of celebrating. No one could figure out a present for my dad.  He has everything and wants nothing.  I guess that's a good life, but it makes coming up with a gift really rough.  Especially when you feel like you should do something really nice for someone who has accomplished 7 decades of life.  But I don't think my mom ended up giving him something beyond a card.  My sister made overcooked snickerdoodles, the way he likes them.  My sister in law (and brother) gave him pounds of Gouda cheese because Dr. Oz recommends a slice a day.  I gave him 70 songs complete with uploading it to his Ipod Touch for him, which he has owned since they first came out and was surprised yesterday to learn it had internet and apps on it-- or any functionality beyond playing music.  That's just par for the course.  He won't use anything I showed him on it anyway.  And he definitely won't listen to 70 new songs.  In fact there is only one he cares about right now-- which he will listen to on repeat 70 times in one day, because that's just how he works.  "Colder Weather" by the Zac Brown Band.  Oh well, the repeat button pressed 70 times is much cheaper than the "buy" button pushed that often.

But TODAY is his actual birthday.  So, Happy Birthday Dad!  I love you!  SEVEN-0!  That's big.

And on a not as celebrated number, but noteworthy none the less, Happy Birthday Marjorie.

Off to make my phone calls to the Birthday Boy and Girl...  Leslie

Birthday Girl and Baby Brother

L to R: His Dog, Him at 69 & a half, My Dog that he stole