Maine Musings

iStock

I HAVEN’T written a post in six days, so I’m considering changing the name of my blog to The Whenever Droid. But that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue the same way, so I’m stumped. Some possible names I am playing with:

Occasional Musings of Nobody Special
 The Not-Daily Droid
 A Quiet Week in Lake Wobegone

I like the last one best but think it could get me into trouble, legally speaking. So for now I will leave it alone and invite my few die-hard readers to send me suggestions.

Legal issues aside, it’s been a quiet week in Freeport, Maine. One positive development was the return of the belted cows to the pasture on South Freeport Road, an event we all cheer each year about now. But the true highlight was my birthday mid-week. As is the custom I was supposed to celebrate getting a year closer to my death, but I found little joy in turning 73. One person I ran into said, “Consider the alternative,” which I did and decided I like being alive more than being dead, although I have no way of knowing for sure which state is better.

As for birthday greetings, I got only one of note: My dear friend Diana Bond called from Denver to wish me a happy birthday. This was the best (and basically only) gift I got that day. Diana and I have not spoken in a long time, yet she went the extra mile to call. We had a grand time catching up, and once again I understood the truth of the saying that old friends are the best!

Naturally my husband remembered because he lives with me, and took the day off from work to watch me age. Our son completely forgot, but later on came through with a wonderful card and joined us for a delectable sushi feast in Portland, his lively girlfriend adding much to the festivities.

Other than that, the scary highs and lows of my zany blood pressure kept me on the phone with doctors (mostly on hold) and necessitated a blood test to make sure my inner workings were in order. (It was the nurse who drew my blood who said I should consider the alternative.) All results came back as normal, but yet another drug was added to the bunch I already swallow each morning.

So that’s why I haven’t written a blog post all week.

—Andrea Rouda

Andrea Rouda blogs at The (almost) Daily Droid.