I turned forty yesterday. Cuarenta años. Supposed to be a big deal I suppose, but I’m not feeling much drama. I look in the mirror and can see that I look older these days—which would really suck I suppose if I were single and trying to date twenty-five year-olds, but being a married man all I’m really required to do is keep my nose hair trimmed. So there’s that.
And I’ve managed to weather all these years with my body intact, no aches and pains, and no tire belly. So there’s that.
And I’ve got two young kids, so despite what my appearance may tell people they’ll always guess I’m younger than I am because what forty year-old in his right mind would have two babies? So there’s that.
And I’ve got some pretty tall tales I can tell should I ever be invited to a dinner party. So there’s that.
And there’s the fact that I just don’t really give a shit. So there’s that too.
All in all, forty isn’t so bad. Not nearly as bad as my twenty or thirty year-old self would have led me to believe.
Now fifty, that’s a different story all together. Good god, I don’t want to turn fifty. Imagine the grief my teen-agers are going to give me.
What did I do on my fortieth birthday? Well let me tell you, it was not just any ordinary day, it was wild.
We started out the morning at the roller skating rink. We tore up the floor until Maddie, Emma, Elizabeth, and all the rest of the eight to ten year-olds with their soccer moms started showing up for their birthday parties at eleven o’clock and crowded us out. Little runts don’t have any idea what’s in store for them thirty years from now. I tried to tell them all, “Seize the day. Live life to the fullest while you are still young, because before you know it you’ll be forty like me and beginning the long downhill slide.” But they wouldn’t listen.
When we got home from there Lowe insisted on going sledding. It was like fifteen degrees—a veritable heat wave by Minnesota standards—so I obliged him. After twenty minutes my fingers were numb and I thus assumed his were too. I forced him inside kicking and screaming only to find that he was warm as wool. I guess I’ve reached the age where I’m always cold.
In the afternoon the whole family gathered, ordered pizza, and sang me a lovely tune while I stared down one measly little candle. Apparently I’ve reached that age—forty candles on a banana cream pie is no longer viable. Probably the worst part of getting older.
At seven the kids were in bed and party night could officially begin. At eight-fifteen I crawled into bed, and after getting up just one more time to go to the bathroom, I fell asleep for something like three uninterrupted hours of sleep. Then Lowe woke up because he couldn’t get his blanket back on. Then Ouest woke up with a bad dream. Then I had to go to the bathroom again. Then it was morning, and I was forty years and one day old.
No, getting older doesn’t bother me one bit. Nope. Not one single bit.
40 Comments on “Forty Years”
Warm birthday wishes to you from a fellow 40 year old with toddler. 🙂
At 50, the AARP starts sending you junk mail, just to add insult to injury.
Happy Birthday Pat … keep on doing what you do…time goes by so fast and before you know it … it’s all gone.
Felicidades! It’s not the years in your life it’s the life in your years. And you my friend have a lot of life in your years! Happy 40th from the Davis Family
And getting pretty cheeky to boot!
“And there’s the fact that I just don’t really give a shit. So there’s that too.”
Heh . . . 😉
Happy Birthday Pat!!!!! That’s the best part of turning 40. Not giving a shit.
Love it!!!!!
Happy Birthday Pat! Been following this blog for a while now with great interest. Wish you even more adventures in the upcoming years! 🙂
I have always enjoyed your posts — have been reading it for few years (about the time when you were expecting your first baby – while the subject matter for the blog changed quite a bit from then on, it does not bother me at all — I do not have kids — not that you give a shit if it did).
Congrats on your 40th! I am sure you will be delighted to be in your fifties when you get there and dread turing 60 – now that is old. Keep up your good writing and atypical lifestyle! I am in my 40s and I like it better than being in 30s – knowing how the world revolves is a great plus!
Happy birthday bud! I’m right behind you (in April), so theres that.
Now, give us all a birthday present and post the photo of you on roller skates. I know you got one in the reel. 🙂
-TREE
Damn, you could almost be my dad. I’m just going to start calling you grandpa. Sounds better than “dad.”
Happy Birthday! I want to go rollerskating! Looks like Lowe is seizing the day with that sled…
When my mom called me on my 40th, I told her I couldn’t believe I was 40. She said she couldn’t believe she had a son who was 40!
I thought that was so funny, when my gran called, I repeated it. She said she couldn’t believe she had a grandson who was 40! Then she paused for a bit and said, wistfully “40. Those were good years…”
Congratulations! 40’s good, until the reading gets difficult, and you realize you need reading glasses. Age just creeps up on you. But you already have the basic down… not giving a $h1t.
“And there’s the fact that I just don’t really give a shit.” This is a perfect summary of why I continue to read.
Happy Birthday, Pat!
Happy birthday Pat. No, age 40 is no biggie. Now, when you reach 60, that IS a big deal. The 20 years between 40 and 60 pass quickly. Continue seizing the day!
I did not like turning 40…not at all but then it was much easier to turn 50 and 60 was a snap and 65 meant Social Security and Medicare and now I just turned 69 and am a widow….70 is looming in the not too far distance….and it’s all ok.
..and you are younger than any of the vehicles you own. So there’s that..
HaPpY bIrThDaY!
Why is it kids won’t listen to their parents yet years later, it’s the parents that won’t listen to the kids. Go figure
Happy birthday old man!
Happy Birthday The thing about turning 40 is that the guy who has his fingers on the gravity control knob starts to turn it up. Forties are the best time of life ,the world was made for forty year olds. You know how the world works, you know what you want and don’t want ,what you’ll tolerate and not tolerate and the road seems to get clearer. The next 20 years will pass in a blink. Then when the kids are on their own you can rekindle the Gypsy life style. Love the blog.
Happy Birthday Pat, the 40’s are the good old days.
When I was 40, I never thought about being 75. Well here I am. Really old! Swam about a quarter of a mile in the pool today. (Sunny Southern California) Age is a number. I really get upset with those “old” people who are about 80 and can’t drive very well in front of me. Congratulations on reaching 40 and having a great family!
By the way! You don’t watch TV but that last picture is “priceless”!!
Congrats! Ride your forties big time! You’re peaking, intellectually and physically. After this, strength falls off but you will be “wise.” Fifties. Are okay for me so far, but you’ll notice the difference, keep up the muscle mass. Ali is like what. 28? Cradle robber! And kids are great anytime.
Happy Birthday Pat! You’ve lived life to the fullest in those short 40. I can’t imagine what the next 40 may hold! Enjoy!
– Katie and Mark
Happy birthday hombre!
Hell yeah, the 40’s were my best decade ever, I had so much riotous fun that I am somewhat jaded in that respect but still very pleased to be turning 60 with all my active friends, still surfing and skiing and road tripping. Stay out of the office, work out at something, keep a clean diet, never watch TV, crank up the music and rock it to 70 like Mick Jagger.
Love your view of life!
I don’t give shit..never did.
You are not quite old enough yet that when you forget to put your pants on, it’s okay.
Mark and Cindy
That’s freakin’ too funny!
Looks like you had a great Birthday. Lowe’s rosey cheeks are just the cutest ever. Pat, 40 is fun, but 50 is even better (seriously)…the only number that ever “HIT” me was 60!! I feel like I’m still in my 40’s. Enjoy it…..life goes by waaaay too fast. My oldest son is almost 40 (impossible) and my baby is almost 30. I must have had these children when i was 10…LOL
Funny, my husband says “what 47 year old would want two babies?” I respond “you honey, cause that’s what you’ve got.” Oops! Happy Birthday!
40- you sure?? Seems like I been following this blog for longer than that (-:
Happy day!
Enjoy! The enormity of 50 hit me like a ton of bricks.
that’s what i said about 60, don’t know why but 50 didn’t bother me at all….
The part about not giving a shit was the best. Happy birthday, man. I’m 6 years behind you. And oh, like you really think all you have to do is trim nose hairs? With a wife as gorg as Ali? Pshhhhtttt. Excellent work on the no fat belly too. Seriously. Dudes be letting themselves go!
Happy birthday, Pat!
40 is nothing. I’ll be 49 in a few weeks and still feel half that. Even with kids 20, 17 and 15. They make me feel like they were Ouest and Lowe’s ages just last year. Time flies.