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Monday, April 21, 2014

No One Here Looks a Day Over 30

As is required, Easter dinner is ham-centric, cheesy potatoes and dinner rolls orbiting the bone-in delight like little side dish satellites.

And there is, of course, wine.

“I don’t know,” my sister says.  “I mean, look at us.  We’re getting old, right?”

As the oldest, I feel it my duty to stare at her.

“Seriously,” she says.  “I’m 50.  Do you know what that means?”

Fully two years older than she is, I reach over, jab a particularly juicy morsel of ham on her plate.

“Pearl,” she says.  “I’m 50.  Is that old?”

I grin at her, push the ham into my mouth.  “Yes.”

My father – salesman, catamaran captain, ex-crop duster and pilot, former drummer for an all-lesbian country-western band, holds a hand up.

“Old,” he says, hazel eyes dancing with barely hidden mischief, “is always 15 years older than you are.”

My mother takes a sip of wine.  “Bear in mind,” she says quietly, “that your father will be 75 in two weeks.”

Karen looks at me, jabs at my plate, liberating me from a spear of asparagus.  “Did ya hear that?  The old guy at the head of the table says that 90-year-olds are elderly.”

She holds her glass up, and I lean forward with my own.  Clink.

“Damn right,” my father says.  He holds his plate up.  “Mumma?” he says.  “We got any more of that delicious ham gravy?”

My mother sighs, rises anyway.  “It’s on the center island, Paul,” she says.  “Right where it was 10 minutes ago.”

My father winks at me.  “She likes to keep busy, your mother.  Keeps her young.”

My mother returns to the table with the gravy boat.


“I heard that,” she says.

31 comments:

joeh said...

That formula seems about right. Problem is I feel about 15 years older than I am.

Happy Easter, sounds like you had a wonderful dinner.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh Pearl this sounds just like my sister who is 11 years younger than me, she just turned 50 what is with those people?:). I am with your Dad he is awesome and wise and your Mom must be very young waiting on him with love and gravy:) Perfect Easter dinner Pearl. Hug B

Anonymous said...

We peruse the obits and find that 72 is 'so young' to have passed away...
you're not really old until you stop enjoying life.

Dawn@Lighten Up! said...

Ah, my "old" friends Karen, Paul, Pearl and Mumma. :) love them.

Anonymous said...

Our families are about the same age. We went to Chili's for Easter. The southwestern egg rolls are not sitting well...

Should Fish More said...

Let me rain on everyone's parade....average life expectancy in our schizo country is around 75 for men. Middle age is something few like to admit to, right? Middle age calculates to....37.

Do enjoy your day.

jenny_o said...

Keeping busy DOES keep you feeling young. Refusing to grow up (in a good way) also does that. And a sense of humour. It sounds like your parents have all that and you "kids" are right behind them.

Hope you had all the chocolate you could eat :)

Murr Brewster said...

Old is okay. It's dead I have a quarrel with.

Terra said...

I like to think old is a few years older than I am, but actually I admit that I am old in years. Your dad has the right idea tho.

Catalyst said...

Sounds like a good (and delicious) family dinner.

Steve said...

I look at folks and refer to some of them as that old guy, My wife asks how do you know. I say he looks it. She says, I guess you don't look in the mirror often. True. That old guy probably says the same about me.

Jinksy said...

What an inspiring conversation for a 73 year old to hear! LOL

Z said...

Having recently appointed a school principal who's younger than two of my children, I know I'm old. That's ok by me - I'm liberated from the middle-aged requirement to be sensible.

Jono said...

It feels great to know I won't be old for another fifteen years!

Bill Lisleman said...

all-lesbian country-western band - wait wait don't tell me, I'll think of it.
Cowgirl Range Riders?

Say thanks to your dad. I'm going to try to remember the reasoning for women staying busy.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Ugh... you just posted the argument am having in my own head and body - facing the 55th annual this week. We are not a long-lived family. so add 15 to that it means I gotta get busy right now... YAM xx

Elephant's Child said...

I hope that I am more than middle-aged, because I don't want to double my current years on the planet. Unless my debility can be reversed.
Love your family though.

vanilla said...

Witness in support of your father's position. Right now, old is ninety-five.

Joanne Noragon said...

I used to cringe when people said they were on the right side of the grass. I haven't said it yet, but sometimes I think it.

Anonymous said...

Ah, that dad of yours. I will remember those wise words about aging.

Geo. said...

60 is the new orange.

Connie said...

Ah well, it's all relative. In my head I'm only about 30, but unfortunately, the calendar says otherwise. :-)

Easter dinner sounds like it was pretty tasty!

fmcgmccllc said...

I say is a very lucky man, in my house he would be wearing that gravy.

Sioux Roslawski said...

Cathy C. Hall--I mean, Pearl--I wish I had been at your family's house for dinner. I imagine there are always lots of "I heard that" and lots of laughter.

And 50 means you're a classic. Tell your sister that.

HermanTurnip said...

But I was told 50 is the new 30. Does that mean 20 is the new 5? It's so hard to keep up with societal norms nowadays...

Twisted Scottish Bastard said...

I may be over 60, but I still think of myself as young-ish.
I've got a mental image of me as 30.

That's why I shut my eyes when I pass any mirror, especially first thing in the morning.

Twisted Scottish Bastard said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

My brain thinks my body is one age my body thinks it is another age I am somewhere in between

raydenzel1 said...

age slowly creeps up and goes into a full out sprint! may the race and the chase never end!

Indigo Roth said...

See? I KNEW you were the same as me!

Gigi said...

That 15 years from now type of thinking sounds right to me.

Hope you enjoyed that ham-centric dinner. We had lasagna....fabulous lasagna but still. I missed the ham.