Sunday, December 24, 2023

And So This Is Wifey's Birthday...And What Have You Done?

 It's Xmas eve in the city, and I already had a great breakfast with Norman at LOL. Funny thing -- used to be that most places closed Xmas Eve and X mas -- now many are open.

We'd typically be limited to Chinese places to celebrate Wifey's birthday -- no more. Tomorrow the family is all going to the venerable Casa Juancho in Little Havana -- Wifey has a hankering for paella, and theirs is the best.

Meanwhile, Wifey's phone died, and I decided to check my phone's battery health. It came up "serious issues." Turns out the battery only charges to 70% of its original life. Now, if I had the same vitality I had as a 20 something -- I'd be happy, but for phones you can go for the gold. I went on "what to do," and it came up that they'll change the battery for $89 at a Genius Bar. Lo and behold! There is an opening at the Falls Apple Store at 12:15 today, so I'm doing something I never do -- visit a mall on Xmas Eve. I have no plans until the Fins kickoff at 4:25, so hopefully I get this chore done. If not -- there's next year.

I really need a new phone, but am happy with this one -- especially with a new battery. More first world problems.

So it's another year on the planet for Wifey. I am absolutely not allowed to mention her age, anymore -- even the fact that she was born one month after Eisenhower won his re-election in a landslide. She was born in Israel anyway -- so presidential elections weren't a big deal to her parents then.

As I am a cub to a cougar, I was born when JFK was president. I don't recall his Administration, or where I was when he was shot in Dallas, but his son and I were the same age. Fortunately, I never became a pilot, and if I did, would NOT have flown into the gloaming of a NE evening...

But back to Wifey. I bought her a gag gift, and she likes it: a T shirt that says "Who'd Have Thought I'd Become A Spoiled Wife Married To A Grumpy Old Man -- But Here I AM -- Killing IT. It's personalized -- a blonde woman with a gray haired man, with the names our oldest grandson calls us --- Ippi and Dave. It's really Dev, but I figured the T shirt person would screw that up.

It's funny. When I met Wifey, she had just returned from a visit to her friend, who gave birth to a baby girl -- that girl is now 40. When Wifey showed me the picture and made a face. "My friend is a SUBURBAN MOM!", she said, like she was telling me her friend had become a crack whore.

And now, decades later, I think Wifey's identity is fully that of a mother and grandmother to 2 amazing boys. She keeps dropping less than subtle hints to D2 that she wants more of the aforementioned grandkids -- and a red haired baby girl is a special request. Jonathan has red hair...

I guess we'll have to let the Big Man decide. All I know is, I knew Wifey when she celebrated her birthday in 1983, and somehow 4 decades have passed. And her years have been fine ones.

So I'm happy for all our friends who celebrate Xmas, whether they truly honor Jesus's birth, or simply enjoy the getting together with those near and dear. 

For us -- no tree, no lights, and no holiday music. Wifey REALLY DISLIKES Christmas music -- I like the old standards myself, but will stick with non holiday stuff on the Sonos tomorrow.

I plan to rise early, make Wifey Daddy eggs and sourdough toast, and the coffee the way she likes it. She says it never comes out as well when she makes her own -- my secret is continually stirring the milk as the Keurig does its job.

So Merry Wifey's birthday -- oh yeah -- and Xmas, too.

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