The New Math

I thought I was flying under the radar.  It was my birthday yesterday and I was planning a little dinner in a restaurant with Bob and then cake later with Bob and Joe.  I was thinking, " Good!, I sure am lucky that everyone doesn't know that today is the big 5-0 birthday.  Then I heard a knock on the door at 3:02.  Standing in my front yard were about 25 friends holding a banner, giving me ballons and flowers.  I live in Dallas, but our neighborhood is like a small town where nothing goes under the radar for too long.   This is Karen.  She taped up the banner and realized that she forgot one letter.  It was pretty funny to her students because she is the 6th grade teacher and one of her subjects is spelling. 

Look at these beautiful flowers!  I feel so blessed.

This is the lttle key-lime cheese cake we had.  Joe kept complaining because there were not 50 candles on the cake.  Bob explained that each candle represented ten years.  I think Joe just wanted the record me trying to blow out 50 candles or lighting the house on fire.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to wish me well.  I was really surprised, honestly.  And this is the second surprise that I experienced over turning 50.  The first party happended on Spring break when my neice invited us over for a hot tub party.  When we got there the whole house was decorated in black balloons, and other signage appropriate for the near dead.  I was given the ugliest orthodic shoes I have ever seen, reading glasses that were new, but I swear were stolen from my father, and various other items to help me deal with the problems of people of extremely advanced age. I think my sister was trying to get me back for her 40th birthday party when I gave her a bra with some quote attached, like, "Help!  I've fallen and I can't get up."

Honestly, I remember going to a friend's 50th birthday party about 18 years ago.  I couldn't believe she was that old.  I was amazed at how good she looked for her age.  It is amazing how those thoughts come back now.  The way I am looking at it, I have about 50 years to go! 

One of the best gifts I got yesterday was a computer program John wrote for me proving that I was 29 not 50.  He is at the Naval Academy studying computer science and Information technology.  He wrote it in c++:

#include

using namespace std;



int main(){

bool everybodyIsHappy;

bool momIs29Not50 = true;

if(momIs29Not50)

everybodyIsHappy = true;

else

everybodyIsHappy = false;

if(everybodyIsHappy){

cout << "Happy Birthday Mom!\n";

return 0;

}

else

cerr << "You liar! Mom is 29!\n";

return 1;

}"

So there you go.  I am 29.  It is a matter of national securtiy.