Last week I turned 61. The year leading up to my 60th birthday was very eventful. I planned out adventures each week, trying something new, visiting a place I had never been to, stopping at the little brown signs along the older highways telling us that something historic happened there.

Now, every time my granddaughter gets in my car she asks if we are going on an adventure. I adopted that as a lifestyle now. Searching out new and interesting things to try or visit.

I have also made some changes in my personal life. I find that getting dressed up is not comfortable and comfort is important. I have also decided that my white hair no longer needs “low lights” to warm it and my face. I have fully embraced it and thanks to the year of adventure and trying a purple color depositing shampoo, I discovered it removed the yellow and bits of brass that show up and makes it white with touches of silver. And I didn’t have to spend 2 plus hours at a salon with tin foil on my head.

I have also come to love press on nails. Sitting at a nail salon for almost 2 hours and having my hands and fingers twisted every which way to have nice looking hands. For less than $20, I can have nice looking nails and feel more like wearing my rings and bracelets.

I have also discovered making my own seasoning blends and creating my own spices from scratch. Such as garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Having autoimmune diseases makes you pay attention to ingredients and discovering “fillers” in things I had used my entire life like dry onion soup mix; some of those things cause my body to out out and rebel. I have even made my own brown sugar and my own powdered sugar, and vanilla. I’m looking at next trying my hand at milling my own flour and corn meal. Also some infused sugar such as lavender sugar or vanilla sugar for decorating cookies.

I have also learned the hard way that I should not try to cowboy through and wind up in a pickle, but asking for help when needed. Being an “Elder Gen X” and the oldest child/oldest daughter, I was in charge by default. Being the oldest, you learn if you and your sibling are told to pick up the toys in your shared room and if the younger sibling plays with the toys instead of helping, you are going to have to save both of you from punishment and clean the room yourself. So you learn to not ask for help, you just do what needs to be done. When you are a single mother, you learn that if things need to get done, you are it. Rearranging furniture, moving across town, paying bills – it all rests on you. Now, a single mother with adult children who has developed a habit of not asking for help, even when it’s needed, you find that even tho your daughter is the “baby” she too is the oldest daughter and tells you that you need to move in with her family for awhile, you take the help. It has been an adjustment, an adventure, and a delight. My granddaughter lives here, and she is the light in my world. So it softens the blow of acknowledging I needed help and taking it.

For my birthday, we tried a Lebonese/Mediterranean restaurant in Golden, Colorado called Ali Baba Grill.

The service was warm and friendly and the food was delicious! if you are ever in Golden, you won’t be disappointed if you dine here! I have some pictures (of course) of our scrumptious lunch

So, 61 has some adventures in store for me, and I’m ready for them and will greet them with open arms and a smile!