Chapter 65: Still Manufacturing Sunshine! ☀️🎂 ☀️
Today was a big birthday for me—65! And for Americans, that means entering the wonderful (and somewhat bewildering) world of Medicare. Signing up isn't for the faint of heart, with all the options, decisions, and online paperwork. Thankfully, Bill was my Medicare guru, helping me navigate the process so I could enter this next chapter with confidence. Wooohoooo!!
I will always be grateful to him and the new health system I entered at the beginning of the month.
Energized, I woke up to a few calls wishing me a happy birthday; it felt so good to be thought of and celebrated - especially when my two-year-old grandson called and sweetly said, “Happy Birthday,” which melted my heart. Really, I wish I could bottle that up.
When I finally got to the bathroom, I flipped my page-a-day calendar to the next day, or today, November 12. While brushing my teeth, I like to read the saying or admire the drawing about life, wildlife, poems, and more. I was a bit shocked to read today’s, as it fit me perfectly (or maybe it’s more ironic since I just finished a big quilt yesterday that is quite significant - the reveal soon)!
Yes, Love is the thread that binds us - it was like this page was made for me! Ha!
The rest of the day progressed quite nicely. I had a chocolate-glazed donut from DD early in the morning (thanks, Bill). I only eat a few a year, so this treat was one of the three I’ll eat in 2026. I quilted another quilt. I walked around the block with my sister; we cleaned a room that was a two-person job, and I enjoyed other phone calls with birthday wishes from friends near and far.
By late afternoon, showered and dressed, Bill, my sister Kimberly, and I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Washington, DC - Founding Farmers & Distillers. We had delicious crab cakes and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. This was all before we went to the Sixth & I for a lecture by best-selling author Yung Pueblo (his real name is Diego Perez), hosted by Alex Elle (another award-winning author). He was great, and I can't wait to dig into his new book, Journey: The Year That Changes Everything. His writing focuses on the power of self-healing, the creation of healthy relationships, and the wisdom that comes from working to know ourselves.
I'll wrap up this day feeling incredibly grateful for the wisdom earned over the last 65 years, the adventures I've had, and especially the lovely folks who reached out today via phone, text, or social media to wish me a happy birthday.
That little calendar message this morning couldn't have been more fitting. Love really is the thread that binds us, and at 65, I've got a whole lot of beautiful threads woven into my life, and I'm truly blessed.
And you know what? I had an A-Mazing day!
Seriously, though, I can't believe I'm 65 with a Medicare card in my wallet and all!
bSoleille!
Terri
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