Many of you have asked where in the world I've been.

All I know is that after 7 plus years of blogging and a different lappy, which I don’t like, I seem to have lost my blogging fervor.

Someday, when you least expect it, I will post again.

For those of you still waiting I say thank you.

Meanwhile, I am rather prolific on twitter. Find me: @KeethaB
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The Eclectic Company - Waitin' on a New Adventure!!
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Thursday, December 31, 2009

So This is What it is to Be 56

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Well, it came and went.

I'm talking about my birthday.

Once you face the fact that you CAN'T stop the progression of years, and all the wrinkles, sags, and bags that they bring - - - you are left with two choices.

Maybe three.

You could give up and die. Not for me. Wrinkles beat death every time.

You could get cynical and bitter. Of course then you'd be friendless and alone, but you COULD go that route.

Or - - - you could look the wrinkles in the face, and other places, and laugh.

I choose laughing every time.

I'm a vintage thingie. Isn't an antique something that is 50 years old? Then I are one, because yesterday I slipped right into my 56th year. I choose to think of my wrinkles as my crackle finish.

:-)

I hope that like fine wine, cheese, and pickles - - - I'm getting better with age!

And here is how I celebrated this monumental event of my life:











At 8:45 AM I got my nails redone. This was not particularly a special birthday event - - - I do it every two weeks. HOWEVER, do you see that lovely little piece of bling that April, my wonderful nail tech, gave me for my special day????

Oh yah, and I took the first picture with my hand hovering over my leopard skin snuggie just so you'd know it is really MY hand. (As if the wrinkles wouldn't give me away!)

Can you guess what my hand is hovering over in the second photo???



In the afternoon we picked up our friends Mike and Diane and headed up to Fort Wayne to eat at Red Lobster.

Now, all you folk who live on the coast where FRESH sea food is available - - - please DON'T JUDGE us for LOVING Red Lobster. Red Lobster is the BEST we can get here in the frozen tundra of north central Indiana. Besides, the Red Lobster TV ads this holiday season have been making me DROOL, so I'm also a product of commercialism.



Our meal began with these scrumptious biscuits and salad.

Notice how I edited that salad right out of the photo! I mean, it was a GOOD salad, but who wants to focus on something that might be a bit HEALTHY when we can zero right in on these biscuits?

Red Lobster's biscuits are buttery, cheesy, and garlicy. They are soft. They are hot. They slide down with the greatest of ease. I ate two. DON'T JUDGE, it was my birthday! (Thanks Laura, I learned that phrase from you this morning!)



Then they brought me my dinner. It's called the Ultimate Feast. Just look at all that seafood goodness - - - and butter, don't forget the butter!

Again - - - remember - - - apply Laura's phrase!



Let's zero in and look closely at that shrimp scampi. YUM. Do you see how it is postively SWIMMING in garlic and BUTTER?

I ate it all. The shrimp, the lobster, the crab legs, and all the drawn butter. (Well, I did leave the exoskeletons - - -)

Remember, we aren't JUDGING here.

Besides, we went to the mall and walked for about an hour after we ate, so I'm sure that took care of all that butter, don't'cha think? DON'T ANSWER THAT!


We finished off our evening at DeBrand. I'm really sorry for all of you who don't live in or near Fort Wayne - - - you won't be able to experience DeBrand LIVE and in PERSON anywhere but Fort Wayne.

But just TRUST me - - - it is not only a CUTE place, the chocolate they serve there is the BEST ON THE PLANET. The best.

The others had fancy hot drinks.


I went straight for the GOOD STUFF - - - the chocolate. Some of this chocolate was for Fisherhubby, but DON'T JUDGE him either.

:-)

This blog is a no judging zone.

I ate- - - - no, strike that - - - I savoured my chocolates with the greatest of joy. Those of you who know me well will probably be able to pick out which belonged to me and which to Fisherhubby. Go ahead, guess.


It was a GREAT birthday.

After DeBrand we came home and I watched Nebraska SHUT OUT Arizona in the Holiday Bowl. GO HUSKERS!

Now, for all you young little things, those of you whose mother or GRANDMOTHER I could be - - - here's my word of advice about getting older:

Don't knock it - - - it sure beats the alternative!
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34 comments:

Coloradolady said...

Happy belated Birthday Keetha...and by the way...we love Red Lobster too, and glad you cropped the salad right out of the photo, I'd much rather look at those wonderful rolls that I have no business eating or looking at......Hope your New Year is great and Have a great VTT!

Keetha said...

Happy Birthday! I love that big smile you have in those pictures - it looks like you had a great birthday!

That chocolate....YUM!!!

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year!

nancygrayce said...

What a great birthday!!!!! And since I'm 57, I'll always be older than you!

And here in Florida, the seafood capital of the world, we also love Red Lobster! I could eat that entire basket of cheese biscuits....

Your nails are gorgeous! I won't be showing my hands.

Maureen said...

Love your wrinkles...you earned them! Happy Birthday & Happy New Year!

Unknown said...

Mmmmm. Looks like you had a delicious time!

Lori E said...

My hands are either in dirt or water so I don't do my nails. They look about 10 years older than the rest of me. Or at least I hope they do.

As long as one enjoys life as much as you do Keetha aging is a breeze. Keep up the good work. Apparently butter agrees with you.

Postcardy said...

Happy birthday!

Another possibility... Take off your glasses and turn down the lights, and you won't be able to see your wrinkles.

CC said...

Happy Birthday and ohhhh yummmm, to Red Lobster and to that scrumptious chocolate. Love your nails too..
Happy VTT..have a safe and wonderful New Year. I hope the coming year is filled with love and blessings to overflowing.

Ann in the UP said...

Pah! I can see why suggesting cake was such a lame notion!

Red Lobster and Killer Chocolate! Birthday comes but once a year, and when it comes....do everything that makes you the happiest!

For your birthday gift I will send you the RL Cheese biscuit recipe along with the address of the nearest WW meeting. (I know, I know, don't judge.) That's empathy, honey, not judgement.

j said...

Keetha, this isn't one of those blowing smoke just trying to be nice and make you feel good comments, OK?

YOU DO NOT LOOK 56 YEARS OLD!

You look ten years younger than you are!!! Your hands even look young. Obviously you have taken care of your skin.

Happy 56th Birthday! I hope it was wonderful (duh, Red Lobster Cheesy garlic biscuits? It was AWESOME).

HUGS!!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Sounds like it was a wonderful day.
I am so happy for you. I love Vintage! I wish you a wonderful New Year and can't wait to read all your wonderful posts that you will honor us with in 2010.

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

Hahahahahaha....not judging!

It looks like you had a great night out and a wonderful way to say good-bye to 2009, too. If your travels bring you to the Jersey Shore, we'll hook you up with some fresh seafood. Not that I'm judging. ;-)

Vickie said...

looks like you had a great time celebrating your birthday!!!

Brad, Carmen, Braylen and Alea Fleck said...

Happy Birthday, Keetha! Your hands look like the hands of a 20 year old---be very proud! LOVE your nails, I can only dream of my own being that beautiful and I'm only 32.

LOVE DeBrands!! It IS THE BEST for sure :) And while I don't care for seafood, I do love those cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster!! Hubby goes for seafood, I go for biscuits :)

★Carol★ said...

Looks like it was a great birthday, Keetha! You had me at Red Lobster! I would have had that garlicy butter all over my face and in my hair too!
Happy New Year girlie!

Anonymous said...

I love red Lobster and I love your pretty nails and the bling on it.
You have pretty hands, you can be a hand model! Im not sure where your hand was on the second one, was it someones head? or a Teddy bear?
I just found crows feet a few weeks back and was sad that ive hit that stage of my life and my daughter tells me, "you love crows mommy, its a good thing"hmmmmmmmm

Jane said...

Happy Belated Birthday!! It looks like you had a wonderful day. You know they say that 50 is the new 30 so I guess you really just turned 36!
Happy New Year.
Jane

Cass @ That Old House said...

Oh baby, you got that right -- getting older beats the alternative hands down. I've got a year on you -- so listen to your elders, dear -- and don't sweat the years. Like you, I'm grateful for them!

And your hands are gorgeous! I'm not guessing what they are hovering over in the second shot -- but it looks dark and threatening.

And I'm guessing the BIGGER chocolates were yours? We dined (yes, we DINED) at a really neat little Italian place last night, with both our girls, and had molten chocolate souffle cakes for dessert. HOLY MOLY, they were good. And yes, we all at the whole thing, even my size 6 daughter.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
56 is the new 18. Well, at least, mentally . . . .

Cass

anythinggoeshere said...

A very happy birthday to you, you vintage thingie! A a very happy new year!

LV said...

Looks like you had a very nice special day. Thanks for letting us enjoy it with you. Your hands and nails still look great to me. You are a long way from being vintage. Enjoy each day and make the best of the New Year.

Diann said...

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !!!!

I love Red Lobster too! I make those cheddar bay biscuits at home at least once a week! They are delish.

And your hands are gorgous! I don't know what you are talking about as far as them aged...I don't think so!

Have a wonderful 2010!!!

Kristin - The Goat said...

Was your hand on your friends vest? It looks minkish in the last photo and quite possibly may be the same color. By the way, your hands don't look wrinkly at all. Mine look to be about 100 years old,your look positively babyish in comparison.

I have not eaten in a Red Lobster since the mid 80's, but that's because my Dad told me I couldn't go there. lol I only went in the mid 80s because some guy in Albuquerque took me there on a date.

Teresa~ Gardening with Soule said...

First of all, Happy birthday! 56 is young. WHen you are 66, 56 will sound great. I am glad you enjoyed your red lobster dinner. That's my fave too. Love the ultimate feast. I have decided that being 50 (which i became last August) is not so bad... like you said, consider the alternative.

Cindy said...

That looks like it was a GREAT Birthday for a super Great Gal! Happy Birthday and many more! I love Dead Lobster. I really do. One of my college room mates worked there and that's what we always called it. Although we loved it (still do ) and ate there all of the time. My sister's husband was a football star then. He was my bf and she was a HS student so, pre-dating in their history. Anyhoo, we alway got our drinks and or meals bought every where we went. Fun fun times. We enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks for bringing back sweet memories on this New Years Eve. Besides the BD greetings, Best Wishes for 2010 from me to you! xo Cindy

Brenda said...

Now that's my kind of birthday celebration...it ended with chocolate!
Glad you had a wonderful day, Keetha.
I've enjoyed blogging with you. I can't tell you how many times I've cried from laughing so hard. You and Jennifer (dustbunny) have come super close to getting me to have, shall I say, little accidents in my britches. Thank you and God bless your 2010!

Joy Tilton said...

Happy Birthday! Your trip to DeBrand made me drool! I just got their new catalog and I'm so ordering me a box, or two. Oh wait a minute, I'm supposed to be on a diet...Happy New Year sweetie!
joy c. at grannymountain

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! Hey, you may think you're old....but you ain't!!! I've got ya beat, girlie! And I didn't see one stinkin wrinkle on those beautifully manicured hands of yours!

I do agree with your approach to aging....it is better than the alternative.. . and except for the wrinkles and sags, I do feel like I am getting better with age. I don't think others probably see it that way, but heck, I'm the one who counts!

GO HUSKERS....boo-hoo...MIZZOU looked like poo-poo in their game against NAVY today. I guess we should be happy that got to play in some kind of a bowl game, even though it was one we'd never heard of! :)

That R Lobster food looked wonderful....especially the cheese biscuits!

Dana

Anonymous said...

YEY!!!Happy Birthday dear Keetha!!..i'm lovin your nails with a touch of bling, verrry nice!!..and all that yummy food's makin me very hungry indeed..oh and those chokkies, a perfect ending to a perfect Day!

Happy New Year..let's have more VTT fun in 2010 :) cheers, Marian xx

ashley said...

ohh that does sound like a wonderful birthday! i can't wait to try that red lobster biscuit recipe!

Tonja said...

Red Lobster is a fine place to eat! We have one here, too. However...it really doesn't really matter WHAT you have for dinner...when you end the meal with lucious CHOCOLATE!!!! It looked divine!
Glad you so enjoyed your special day!
"RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT THOSE WHO HAVE THE MOST BIRTHDAYS LIVE THE LONGEST!"

Kathy (Pearson) Troyer said...

Happy birthday, Keetha - sorry this is late! Looks like RL and Debrands were amazing. I love both of those places.

Next time you and Greg are in the FW area, let us know and we can meet you.

Toevs said...

Happy belated birthday!

Shirley said...

Happy BD. And I'm wishing we had a Red Lobster in my town. I would just love some crab legs, lobster or some good scallops!

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Looks like a fantastic birthday! And you are fabulous and do not look 56, though 56 is by no means old, frumpy or farty. And your hands look like a 23 year olds. I wish my hands looked as soft and lady like!
The chocolate looks yummy! Glad you celebrated by living it up!!!
The second photo looks like fur? Or perhaps more chocolate-DARK.