Well, it’s happy #30 for me with a trip to Gettysburg and a reunion with old Army buddies. It is an occasion for reliving old memories and returning to Iowa to finish the unfinished business of my life.
Journals, Carlisle, Penn., Dec. 28, 1981.
Today is my 69th birthday and I’m happy to be among the living. It’s especially true given the alternative. We have no celebrations planned, no special meals, no gifts. That’s normal in our two-person household. We would enjoy getting back to normal.
With the coronavirus pandemic we’re even more inclined to stay home and indoors — to take care of ourselves. I didn’t want to retire from my part time jobs this year, yet here I am because of risk of contracting COVID-19. If I drew a map of our neighborhood, the houses I know that had at least one case of the virus surround ours like a fortress. According to yesterday’s news the pandemic in the United States has not peaked and one of every thousand Americans died of COVID-19. I’m learning about the term “excess deaths.”
My blood pressure was normal this morning. My weight has been the same since before Thanksgiving. There have been no dietary surprises to throw the vitals out of whack. At a certain stage one wants life to be normal. Better usage at age 69 is “as normal as it gets.”
Today’s forecast is for wintry weather, although the snow is mostly west of us. Even though I am home most days there is a feeling of the holidays during this quiet time between our wedding anniversary and New Year’s Day. Just like it was 39 years ago, “It is an occasion for reliving old memories and returning to Iowa to finish the unfinished business of my life.” There remains a lot of living to do.
Journey Home 
2 replies on “1981 Reunion”
And here I thought Stassen was running again, again,* but instead the news is that it was your birthday. Well that’s reason enough to wish you well now and for next year.
*Does the Constitution actually require that a Presidential candidate on the ticket be living? Article II just says natural born, “have attained” age 35, and lived in the US 14 years–that all seems placed in the past tense. Stassen’s backers could claim they have all the checkmarks. The 25th amendment would have something to say about how things might go if Stassen was elected, but maybe the Lincoln Project folks will actually run Abe in 2024?
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With all the machine body parts these days there could be a cyborg presidential candidate eventually. Some argue that Reagan was one.
It was a bit disappointing to find that front page on the internet. Murder, theft and mayhem. My birth may have been the best news that day.
Happy New Year, Frank.
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