>You're right, 50 is right around the corner for you. I imagine you are taking it all right.

Yep, next September. The numbers aren't very meaningful to me. What hit me hard was Nathaniel leaving for college, but that was 3 years ago, and I've adjusted.

On the numbers, in fact, I realized when my birthday came this year that I found 48 (2^4 * 3) a much more interesting number than 49 (7^2), and 49 much more interesting than 50 (2 * 5^2).

>Whil may be having a problem with it if I don't miss my guess.

I dunno. He's planning to live to 120, so what's 50?

>I will be happy if I live to 80. Dying, you know, in the proverbial arms of a spicy young redhead.

80 seems young to die to me these days. In fact, both of our (Marshal's and my) fathers will be 80 next year and our moms are only a little behind that. While they've clearly aged, none of them seems ancient yet. In fact, Marshal's father is planning to retire after his birthday; I'll believe it when I see it.

Tamar