Today I turned 65, a ripe old age -- old enough for Medicare, and I successfully completed my enrollment early this week. Very satisfying.
From the very beginning of the day, I was noticing things because it was my birthday and it only happens once a year. I took note that loading the three market trucks, while a sweaty job, went smoothly and easily and everyone rolled out on time or early. And then it was only 6:30, not quite light out, and I needed to do a few things. It was foggy and still too early to see colors, but I could see the roadway as I headed off to Parents on my golf cart. I took delight in picking beautiful bok choy as the shapes emerged. Then I went back to the house to get the pig food from the counter, and I had a bowl of cereal while I had a minute. Fed the pigs and headed out in Dooley. Had to stop at the Reston Farmers Market to drop off the sign box that was inadvertently removed from the truck the week before.
I was on the way to Cox Farms to get cider jugs that they had retrieved for us. I didn't have a specific plan for how to find them, so I parked in the middle of the road and walked into the complex of buildings and pumpkin arrangements and refreshment stands. Found Eric Cox unloading bins of pumpkins with a fork lift. The place is immaculate, ready for the weekend crowds that descend on this agri-tainment mecca. Eric hopped off the fork lift and gave me a hug. We walked further through the maze of storage buildings and employee break rooms and I commented on the expansiveness of this enterprise. He asked if I wanted to go up in the cherry picker to have a look. I didn't say that I never go on carnival rides or climb up on ladders -- this seemed like a unique opportunity. He asked if I was afraid of heights, and I only said I don't like shaky ladders. So we climbed into this platform that was about the size of a playpen and he used the remote controls and we went so far up into the air that I just didn't even look straight down. We could see to all the edges of the 100 acre property, over all the buildings and corn mazes and tractors. It was amazing. I don't know how high we were, but it must have been 50 feet up. I didn't ask. He pointed out the half acre (at most) plot where they grow vegetables during the summer (they run a produce stand on the corner of their property), and said that on August 15 they plow it all in and plant it in grass again because it is in the middle of the parking lot. The main parking lot is 20 acres, over to the west. Insane.
I got the jugs and headed to Loudoun to pick beans. I stopped to see the guys who are working on the Stone House and to admire their latest project, breaking a doorway through a stone wall. Not many people have those skills. They are having such a good time. I had told Stephen before that I would be there in the morning if he had time to pick a pony with me. He came out and we picked together for about two hours. It was muddy and hot but the beans were nice. Stephen was supposed to be working with the guys on the house, but he told them he needed to pick beans with me because it was my birthday. So true. It was a nice gift.
Got home to find that we had not had a very good market day (too much rain in the last week, too muggy today, who knows, not too many people needed vegetables) so we have plenty of food in the coolers for tomorrow and beyond. Baked a loaf of sourdough that was rising in the fridge and then the family Zoom call went longer than I expected and I was late for my next appointment. But it was good to see Benjamin and Yael and to see how unruffled they appear to be about living in a country that is waging a war on two fronts. Schools are closed in Israel, and that changes everything for everyone, even more than the sirens and the news. They know we would rather they were here, but traveling this far is too disruptive, and they will only do it if things get really terrible.
Had a lovely birthday visit with three girlfriends. We used to meet every Sunday in the year before covid and then that schedule was disrupted, but the foundation was laid then. Now whenever we get together, we fall right back into easy conversation about everything from politics to the people who are walking past us and what they are wearing to travel plans and family reports.
Alissa was putting the finishing touches on my birthday cake when I got home this time, and I got to taste the cake and the pudding filling before dinner. Scrumptious. Family dinner at Anna's house was about 20 people or more. We couldn't hear the conversation at the far end of the table, but we had Odessa and Zephyr to entertain us at our end.
I had to leave the table after blowing out the candles but before we cut the cake because it is Selichot and I was supposed to be in my choir seat by 7 PM. This particular service is attended almost exclusively by people who have been part of the congregation for many decades -- because no one else knows about it, or thinks it's important. The choir almost outnumbers the congregation. But it feels familiar and home-y and it starts the holidays off by reminding us of all the things we should be thinking about. The themes of the next two weeks are established. The tunes are in our heads. The choir is more ready for the High Holidays than anyone else but the clergy since we have been singing these prayers for weeks and weeks now.
And that was my birthday. Jon and Rebecca are in Boston, but Alissa is here tonight. I had a great day, going from bok choy at dawn to a cherry picker ride to bean picking to tea time at Tatte to family dinner to temple. Without having a real plan, I probably saw or talked to about 50 people today, one way or another. It was a treat to see the stars this morning and the sun most of the day. We have been so saturated all week, with wet socks and shoes all the time.
Many thanks to all for a memorable birthday. I have had a lot of them by now. This one will last me until next year.
