I’ve reached the end of another successful anniversary/birthday week. Not even a stretch of 100+ degree days could prevent us from celebrating. It just prevented us from celebrating outdoors — for the most part, anyway.

For our 31st wedding anniversary we decided to keep things low key and opted for dinner at Mama Roja’s, near Lake Hefner. We had a great conversation with our waitress, a young lady who had just got back from Colorado and was heading to Seattle this fall. Not only were we familiar with all the places she had been but we were able to recommend things for her to see on her future travels. Sometimes I forget how many places Susan and I have been together. Having been to all 50 states and half a dozen countries together, it is rare that someone will bring up a state or a city that we don’t have something to talk about.

For my birthday Susan and I got to have breakfast with my mom, lunch with my dad, and dinner with our kids. Everyone gave me cards and presents but the older you get you realize the best gift is time spent together.

I am now officially 53 years old, which means I have to stop telling people I’m in my late 40s and have to start saying I’m in my late, late 40s. That “5” number is tough to grapple with, even though my little sister turned the big 5-0 earlier this month.

This week, Susan has a conference in Ireland… and I am joining her! We have a ton of things planned to see and do. I’ll try and post once a day here on my blog, but will be doing more frequent check-ins and picture posting on social media (Facebook, X, Discord, etc). No matter where you follow me, you will get your fill of my first (and Susan’s second) visit to the motherland!