birthday ramblings......
So today was my birthday.... For as long as I can remember, it never is really that big of a deal. I don't
like the attention or the fuss, and am at a stage in my life that it can just come and go quietly and that's
ok. My only little thing....that I try to do every year...is to look at the clock at the time I was born. I know,
a bit odd, but hey...if that's my birthday thing...so be it....
So work has been really hectic, and today was no exception, and on top of that I'm monitoring the wind
and wave forecast the last couple of days, as I have charters the next 3 days to finish out this season,
and of course the forecast is bad..... and I don't want to cancel the guys too soon...but they are coming in
early and it looks like it will be rolling at best......so I finally make that call, and second guess that the rest
of the day....
But then I'm thinking....we had a really nice man on the boat the other day who was going in for a potentially
serious medical procedure the next day, and although we didn't get a lot of fish, he seemed to have a good
time with his group and with us; and then I had a group call for information later that evening, and when I
returned the call the next day, found out they weren't going to be able to book a day because one of the guys
had a heart attack between their call to me, and mine to them...
and I'm thinking... you know what, I got up today and was breathing, and even though I had to cancel the charter
(for which I always feel bad for the people), the boat's going to be in for a few more weeks so there will be a few
more days yet...and my wife and son took me out to dinner for my birthday, and got me some Guiness and a
Tim Horton's card for tomorrow morning's coffee....and our good friend Sean McGraw did sing Happy Birthday
to me during his show on Sunday at the Merritt Winery Fall Festival.....
so I guess compared to how it could be....things are pretty good.....
like the attention or the fuss, and am at a stage in my life that it can just come and go quietly and that's
ok. My only little thing....that I try to do every year...is to look at the clock at the time I was born. I know,
a bit odd, but hey...if that's my birthday thing...so be it....
So work has been really hectic, and today was no exception, and on top of that I'm monitoring the wind
and wave forecast the last couple of days, as I have charters the next 3 days to finish out this season,
and of course the forecast is bad..... and I don't want to cancel the guys too soon...but they are coming in
early and it looks like it will be rolling at best......so I finally make that call, and second guess that the rest
of the day....
But then I'm thinking....we had a really nice man on the boat the other day who was going in for a potentially
serious medical procedure the next day, and although we didn't get a lot of fish, he seemed to have a good
time with his group and with us; and then I had a group call for information later that evening, and when I
returned the call the next day, found out they weren't going to be able to book a day because one of the guys
had a heart attack between their call to me, and mine to them...
and I'm thinking... you know what, I got up today and was breathing, and even though I had to cancel the charter
(for which I always feel bad for the people), the boat's going to be in for a few more weeks so there will be a few
more days yet...and my wife and son took me out to dinner for my birthday, and got me some Guiness and a
Tim Horton's card for tomorrow morning's coffee....and our good friend Sean McGraw did sing Happy Birthday
to me during his show on Sunday at the Merritt Winery Fall Festival.....
so I guess compared to how it could be....things are pretty good.....
John- I read your birthday ramblings and thought I would offer this comment. I work nights so I am able to have coffee almost every morning with a bunch of what I affectionately call "old farts". There is about six of us at any given "meeting", all are or were sportsman in a period of their lives. One fella who is 82+ years was moaning & groaning about being old, everything falling apart, aching and so on. I am a respiratory therapist and work at the local hospital and in the course of 30 years in this profession have seen my far share of humanity. I listened for a moment and when he finished I explained to him that first of all, YOU DID WAKE UP THIS MORNING, some did not. You were able to wake up, get out of bed on your own, tend to your ablutions, your constitution, and in that particular order. Some don't or can not.(it took a moment, but he figured that one out) You were able to drive on your own, walk unassisted to the local coffee shop, have spirited conversation and debate the problems of the world. Some cannot walk or speak their name. He smiled, called me a SOB and never complained about his condition again.
By the way, Happy Birthday!
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