Today is my seventieth birthday. Hell, I’d need a fire extinguisher to blow out that many candles.

It’s been a fun ride, and I’m thankful to still be rolling forward, if not quite as fast as I used to. Got married for the second time on June 20th.  Does marriage age a man?  Well, judge for yourself:

That morning, my oldest kid was 41 and I had four grandchildren.  Ten minutes later, my oldest kid was 44, I had more kids and grandkids, and I was now a great-grandfather.

And less than a month after the marriage, I’ve become a septuagenarian.

My olditude is obviously…her fault!

<<Oops, error note.  My birthday is the 20th. This was supposed to be programmed to put this entry up on that day, when I will be 3,000 miles from home in a place with poor internet connection.  (Hey, I warned you early on I’m clumsy with these new-fangled computer things.)

Apologies.

And, damn, marrying that woman is aging me worse than I thought — I apparently just got two weeks older, sooner…>>

70 COMMENTS

  1. Well, Happy Early Birthday! Many more healthy & happy one to come. Burn some powder!

    Our best to you and your Supervisor and family!

  2. Well well, Mas

    At the rate you’re going you’ll be likely to hit three figures. Stay active, involved, keep your mind stimulated, spend time, GOOD time, with your Sweetheart…. and the years will roll on by like a herd of buffalo. Oh, and eat well, too… quality not quantity.

    I’m not quite a year in your lead, but so what? It wi’t the number of trips you’ve made round the sun that matters, but what you’ve done during those trips, many or few. I know some folks half my age that will be gone shortly, and I often think I will still be knocking about when I have their age added to mine.

    I do appreciate all your hard work in educating and challenging we who love the gun. T’was YOU who, thorugh one of your books, properly introduced me to carry. You are the one infected me with Kahritis, though you will never cure me of my strong affinity for the venerable BHP. Your practical and measured approach to all things that say BANG also led me, agsint my prior predilection, to consider the venerable wheelgun… and I now own and enjoy a few great ones.

    One of these fine days, as you pull of another of your events past the end of the roughly paved macadam out Onalaska way, we shall meet again, and this time YOU will be the active instructor. I happen to have found some friends live in that tiny town.

    SO.. don’t let the strange new first digit of your age intimidate you. I know more than a couple oldtimers who in their mid eighties still go out and drop trophy bucks in their tracks with one round at 400 yards.

  3. Mas, keep going. We will let you retire when you are 90.

    As a Christian, I’m actually looking forward to death. But, of course, I want to die in my sleep.

  4. So I don’t forget (since I’m only a few years behind you ) I am wishing you the happiest of birthdays now. Wow !! 70 years old. Who would have thunk it ?

    It has been my privilege to have known you for the last 35 years and I look forward to the next 30 plus years. You will no doubt outlive us all.

    Happy Birthday my friend 🙂

  5. Mas, the only thing worse than getting old…is NOT getting old! We’ve had too many good friends who didn’t make it.

    You seem to be aging well, my friend. I think Gail is good for you. Bonnie & I thought you two were up to something when we saw y’all at the Pin Shoot. Best of luck in life. Remember, since women actually own the world, it’s our job to agree with them and make them happy. They will return the favor many fold.

  6. Congratulations and Best Wishes for many more. Don’t measure by years, Mas, measure by those you have helped and those they in turn have helped i.e. the Von Steuben principle. You are legion!

  8. Remember rabbi – George Burns on his 100th birthday was asked if he had one wish what would it be.
    Fingering his stogie for moment he said “ah, to be 90 again”.
    So – you’re still young…ish.

  9. *senior moment* did you bring us up to date concerning the “knives in the eyes?” if ya did i missed it, sorry. well?

    i get a monthly injection in my right eye for “age related macular degeneration” and um… yer getting KNIVES, i am getting a NEEDLE, month after month until?

    HAPPY BIRF-DAY and once again congrats on being a NEWLY WED!

    70 years OLD and a NEWLY WED, amazing!

    Stay safe.

  11. Happy Birthday, Mas!

    I’ve been offline for awhile myself (poor internet, likewise), catching up on some reading today and figured I’d be wishing you a Happy belated yet nope it’s right day! 😀

    All the best to you Sir, for your personal new year. May it be the best yet.

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