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The family weekend
Sep. 8th, 2009 10:56 amI'm back from Oregon, where I had a nice, laid back time with the family. Felt pretty wiped out and slept quite a bit. The weather was cool, so we mostly stayed indoors. The one expedition was to look at a petroglyph out by Lake Billy Chinook. Didn't know that the tribes in the area had done any petroglyphs. It was pretty cool, although nobody seems to know what the design represents.
Other than that, it was good food and lots of talk about family, the economy, health insurance, the mind, the spirit, football, and politics. My sister-in-law and my niece's husband (who only stopped by briefly on Monday) had never heard of "death panels". Maybe I'd feel less wiped out if I had never heard of them either. On the other hand, my brother saw a joke somewhere about how Obama was proposing death panels for children who failed in school, called "Cash for Flunkers".
Next year I turn 50 and my dad turns 80. He told me that 50 was the hardest birthday he's had so far, but he thinks 80 is going to be even harder. Both my parents say that what they see amongst their peers is that quality of life can really go downhill in the 80s. On the drive to the airport yesterday, my mom said 30 was her hardest birthday. Then again, she said, she's always had Dad around to blaze the trail, hitting the milestones three years before she does, so 50 wasn't a big deal for her. I suppose I've had my siblings for that, too. 50 seems significant to me, but I've already hit the realization that I'm No Longer Young. I say we have a big party and to hell with it.
Other than that, it was good food and lots of talk about family, the economy, health insurance, the mind, the spirit, football, and politics. My sister-in-law and my niece's husband (who only stopped by briefly on Monday) had never heard of "death panels". Maybe I'd feel less wiped out if I had never heard of them either. On the other hand, my brother saw a joke somewhere about how Obama was proposing death panels for children who failed in school, called "Cash for Flunkers".
Next year I turn 50 and my dad turns 80. He told me that 50 was the hardest birthday he's had so far, but he thinks 80 is going to be even harder. Both my parents say that what they see amongst their peers is that quality of life can really go downhill in the 80s. On the drive to the airport yesterday, my mom said 30 was her hardest birthday. Then again, she said, she's always had Dad around to blaze the trail, hitting the milestones three years before she does, so 50 wasn't a big deal for her. I suppose I've had my siblings for that, too. 50 seems significant to me, but I've already hit the realization that I'm No Longer Young. I say we have a big party and to hell with it.
