p.s. I'm 51 today!

Rowing years, that is! In rowing, every January 1, everyone turns over a year in the calendar and becomes whatever age they will be the coming year, just like a racehorse. Well, for this old nag, I guess it would be more precise to say that I am like a Northern hemisphere race horse. I kind of like that!

I was pondering today why 51 sounds younger to me than 50. Perhaps because no one makes such a production of it. For some reason at rowing recently we have been talking about age a lot. Perhaps because it is so cold and dark at O Dark Hundred when we get down to the boathouse, and it makes us all feel old, I don't know. What I do know is that it is so inspirational to me to be competing with men and women well into their seventies. Can I still be competing in twenty five years? I sure hope so. I aspire to be like them. God willing and the years consenting, I'll still be at it. I am posting a picture because I think I look about 51 in it!

It also occurred to me today to remember Roger Barbey, long time friend and rower who died a couple of years ago. Roger used to serve up ramos fizzes at the Boathouse every New Years' Day. We would erg a little, have a Ramos Fizz and greet the New Year. Roger, we remember, and will make it happen...next year!