One of the YouTube channels I've been following since it started is Silver and Solo, created by Jen, lifelong happy single person and a lot of fun to follow. She's so honest, and her life is interesting. A Canadian, she now lives in Vancouver, and recently turned 60.
Here's part of her birthday present to herself, balloon trip over the Valley of the Kings, and more.
She saved and planned and splurged on a once in a lifetime solo trip to Egypt. Checked all her boxes. Hotel room overlooking the pyramids, see King Tutankhamen's tomb, sail down the Nile, another hotel room overlooking the Nile, even ride a camel!
It was fun just seeing her face whenever she saw something she'd longed to see, and the squeee of excitement. Anyway I was touched by her joy and thought you'd like it too.
My own 60th birthday present to myself was a set of free weights, not as romantic, but they've improved my life.
If you're solo and have passed your 60th, what did you do for yourself for your birthday?
Wednesday self care involved the biannual doctor visit to get assessed again for the Prolia injection. My doctor said nice things about my fitness and was very happy I'd had the successful hip replacement.
Meanwhile I had a couple of interesting convos. Her nurse commented on my cold hands, which led to pastry and how I make it well, because cold hands.
Turns out she started life at culinary school as a pastry chef. I commented there was probably less shouting now, whereupon she said I could tell some stories about restaurant kitchens!
When I checked out there was an interesting discussion in the middle of setting up my appointments, with a receptionist who'd worked way back for Disney. She was explaining to a bearded colleague that Disney required a beard or clean shaven. You had to take vacation time to grow it! Who knew.
Never a dull moment in my doctor's office. I also had a comic interlude when the injection lady called my first name and another lady and I both stood. Then she explained it's the one here for an injection, and we both said still me! Then she specified what kind and my namesake went with her. She returned after a while to the waiting area and when my name was called, dammit if she didn't jump up again. But it was me this time.
Handsome Tenant seems to be studying the heatpump and getting the hang of the system. One thing I liked that they did was reconfigure how to change the filter.
Now it's set up inside the return grill in the living room rather than out on the deck where the furnace is in a storage area. Saves going outside in winter to change the filter, I like this. You just pop off the grill and insert the filter, then close it again. Easy.
Today's yes2next was 20 minutes' resistance band work. I've moved to the blue, heavier, band now. Yay me.
Happy day everyone, give yourself a present, you're worth it.
Meanwhile here's yet another bouquet. When I thought I'd picked the last, the zinnias and daisies evidently took it as a challenge.
Incidentally the chickens have been busted. Some miserable person reported they were ALL OVER, THEY'D ESCAPED, WHO DID THIS, etc. So the HOA is looking into it. I know nothing..
Where it makes sense to alert: I got a text from the bank security department asking if I had authorized the (big) check for the heatpump. I confirmed, and they will pay it.
This is a wonderful post (except for busted chickens), from top to bottom. Yay for solo adventures!
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
I'm hoping nobody is able to give any information about the chickens. I'm certainly not..
DeleteAnd I've done my share of solo travel, but not for fun like riding camels!
My daughter got salmonella from a camel. They spit. She was quite ill.
DeleteFor my 60th, I was still working and as was the custom a huge cake was presented to me in the lunchroom and after everyone had helped themselves the rest was placed in the fridge and I took it home at the end of my shift.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds good! I think every solo person is working at 60, but maybe not with an office. Cake or camels, all good.
DeleteSweet Snoopy cartoon, a wise pup. The 60 year old who did a solo trip to Egypt sure gave herself a momentous gift. I'm doing some resistance band exercise too, and have had 2 of 6 scheduled physical therapy visits to give me exercises to do.
ReplyDeletePhysical therapy does amazing things, and it gives you great sell care ideas.
DeleteLove the Snoopy cartoon!
ReplyDeleteNot only funny, but true.
DeleteOh, poor chickens. I wondered how long that would take. That balloon trip would be amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for the best with the chickens. Yes, I wondered how long before some officious person dropped dime.
DeleteHaving unexpected conversations and random connections are part of a good day. People are so much more interesting than they think they are.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I love it when people respond to interest.
DeleteCatching up. You lead such a full life. I can imagine lockdown was really hard but what a wonderful project to get involved with.
ReplyDeleteMy life doesn't feel full. Maybe because I'm in the middle of it. I bless the day I found the Knitting Ministry.
DeleteI cannot remember anything for specific birthdays.
ReplyDeleteThe question was addressed to single people, so you don't need to answer it!
DeleteGood idea with the air filter placement. Poor chicks. 60th birthday is not in my memory, but 70 and 80 were great family experiences...a whole weekend each in luxury.
ReplyDeleteFor my eightieth I was taken out for dinner by three friends. Complete with cake and candles.
DeleteI can't remember my sixtieth birthday at all. I do remember my seventieth because that's when we got Covid when we were out of town but it was truly not a bad experience.
ReplyDeleteWhoever ratted out those chickens is a jerk.
And Jen looks like a jewel. My mother loved to travel and went on trips when she was getting up in age. She went to Egypt as well.
The birthday only counts in this instance if you were single! Jen is a lot of fun, and I hope people will check her channel. She has done it all herself, no assistance, learned as she went and is doing fine. She's also working full-time and this was her annual vacation time. I'm a fan.
DeleteI honestly don't remember a gift for my 60th but I do remember Rick making a wonderful dinner with a glorious bottle of wine. I saved the bottle!
ReplyDeleteThis question was for solo people! It's about celebrating yourself. It sounds like a nice dinner anyway, and it would be a good wine, I think!
DeleteI'm going to check out that woman's videos. She sounds interesting. Visiting South Africa, a nature preserve, would be something I'd be interested in but it seems so far away. I'd like to visit the Scandinavian countries as well, and Ireland and Scotland. I guess I have a few places I'd like to visist when I start writing them down.
ReplyDeleteI've had the same thing happen when calling patients from the waiting room. I've also had patients get up and come with me because they misheard me and they want to know why I'm asking them these questions:) I even had two patients with the same first and last name.
I like Jen a lot. So unpretentious.
DeleteI used to think it wasn't respectful to just call people in by first name, until a nurse explained not everyone wants their full name called out in a doctor's waiting room, depending on why they're there! Sometimes even both names doesn't help a lot as you've found.
She gave herself a birthday present that will never be forgotten. I took a class in Ancient Egyptian history many years ago. It is fascinating. You seem to have a friendly and interesting doctor waiting room Whenever I go people just look at their phone. The last of the flowers, not yet!
ReplyDeleteI do have good medical people. I think they like their jobs. And they have happy patients. I suspect there's a connection.
DeleteI don't remember what I did for my 60th birthday (2010) but I got divorced in 2009 so I'm sure I was celebrating! ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, you were single and eligible for the question! I'm guessing you were recovering from the events of the previous year.
Delete60 is a long way in my past so I can't tell you what I even did. LOL Nice to give oneself gifts of a lifetime though. Interesting at the dr's office. They don't seem to be that nice here. Have a wonderful day today.
ReplyDeleteThe question was addressed to single people, so your don't need to! I have is lot of good medical people.
DeleteI will be 60 next year. I guess I need to think about my options! East Africa, maybe?
ReplyDeleteDave and I went to Egypt right before the pandemic and did a Nile cruise. It was fascinating. (Little did I know how drastically our lives would change just a few months later!)
It will be nice to switch out that filter without having to go outside.
Nice to hear your plans, however, the question was addressed to the single among us. You just made that last trip in time.
ReplyDeleteI like the filter moving idea, the HVAC man's suggestion.
I don't think I did anything of note. I did take myself off to England when I retired. I had not seen my daughter since before covid. I hightailed it there the same month I tetired.
ReplyDeleteI think England is nice for tourists, at least my sisters said so. We couldn't get away fast enough!
DeleteI was given a place on a two hour session on the Geraint Thomas Velodrome in Newport in Wales, by my Pirate..that got me back to riding and racing on the boards!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can expand on that in your blog? Sounds interesting.
DeleteI don't remember what I did for my 60th birthday...almost 9 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThen I hope you do something blockbusting for your seventieth. Time to plan!
DeleteOh, I am single, been divorced since 1998.
ReplyDeleteNoted!
DeleteShe looks like she'd be fun to follow!
ReplyDeleteTurning 60--don't remember but there was nothing special. No party or trips or anything. Usually nothing done on my birthdays. I do get some birthday cards in the mail, but I pay little attention to my birthdays. Same for 70. Just home with the cat. And I am fine with that. :)
I hope they don't take away the chickens.
That's supposed to be the secret of being happy: wanting what you've got!
DeleteSsshhhh, I saw the chickens out playing yesterday evening..
Birthdays have never been celebrated much in my family, nor in the RC's, so presents or a celebration aren't a 'thing'. It wouldn't change if I were on my own.
ReplyDeleteThat trip to Egypt must have been so exciting and definitely a bucket list item.
As for the chickens, I would like to put a big mound of chicken poop on the doorstep of the ratter.
The trip was a high point for her readers as well as herself! I've seen the chickens out playing since whoever it was dropped the dime. I hope everyone's suddenly as mute as I on where they live.
Delete