Well hello there! I know at least 2 of our regular readers just fell off of their chairs when they saw that I had written this article and not Ralph. It has been a long time since this site has been much of anything except Ralph’s other blog. But fear not! Ralph is not the only one ready to Cantankerify your brains. I have grand plans of a series about Mother in Law’s that has taken a month to get the venom out of. More on that to come.
Cover of Yes
So gentle readers I am back. And here is what I have noticed. One of the key words for this site is Old. Yes, old. And I am getting old. Granted, I am almost 38 and in the grand scheme of things, that is not considered old. These days, even Bob and Ralph are not really considered old, retired or not. But, I am getting old.
Long time readers of any of my blogs (links here to my other blogs…..well maybe not) know that 5 years ago my 1 year old daughter ended up in kidney failure. 2 years of dialysis, a kidney transplant, and 3 years later we took her on a Make A Wish Trip to Disney World(can’t help that link it is the whole trip). That whole experience during those 5 years aged me. Enough to be a viable member off this blog, even if not old yet.
Life has thrown me some cement curve balls the past couple of years and I can’t catch very well. So I have been knocked down bleeding, but I still have managed to stand back up. But it ages me further. So here I sit, with 4 kids growing up, a pile of bills (that could really use some help from you if you happen to be shopping at Amazon. Just click to Amazon through my link over there in the sidebar. Thanks.) an attitude that is becoming more and more cantankerous, and a body that just feels old.
Ralph is always jealous of the sweet music that emanates from the kettlebells. I still like using the things but my rapidly aging body keeps telling me to slow down. I have finally got my elbow back to useful after 2 weeks. And then there are the grey hairs, and the unwanted ear hair that my wife seems to find great pleasure in curling with her fingernails if I don’t get it trimmed fast enough.
(St Mary and St Barlok)Monument to Sir Ralph Fitzherbert,d.1483,and his wife:detail of tomb-chest. Ralph’s children are shown on the side of the tomb. first three are Richard, Thomas and John – this is John who was Ralph’s heir. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
And the need for sleep. And it goes on and on. And it will not end until someone is nailing shut my pine box. One of the most disturbing things that my wife and I have been looking at over the past little while is what to do with our kids if something happens to both of us. That is a, well necessary thing but good hell it is depressing. And then looking at life insurance for both of us, and on the kids. Not to mention retirement savings.
As much as I hate thinking about it, one of these days, hopefully about 65 years in the future, I will be gone. My kids will need that life insurance to pay for the funeral or at least the dynamite to blow me up with. And maybe they will have a bit left over at the end. There is insurance for that as well. Now I am bumming myself out.
We all get older. in reality it all happens at the same rate. There are still 365.25 days in a year and the years go by one after the other. The adage is still true, “The only certainties in life are Death And Taxes.” And they will tax the hell out of you when you die. Bah. I need to get with Ralph and have him teach me how to not feel so old. But for now, I have kids to raise. 16 more years and the wife and I are buying a 1958 Corvette 2 seater and cruising the country….sans kids.
I had better get writing, but first some liniment and a nap…..in the middle ages I would be an old man…and most days lately, I feel like it.
What about all of you out there reading this? How do you feel?
Anyway, here is to more blog post from someone other than Ralph, as much as we love his take on things.
-Justin
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Justin,
You poor boy. You don’t even have a clue.
Ralph, I actually have several clues, they are just all mixed up in the bottom of a shoe box with some old coins and rusty screws. One of these days I will get it sorted out. But that is why I need you, some sort of mentor
Now you are really asking for trouble.