TBW Daily Diary

I am 73 today as of 7:30 p.m. I am beginning to feel it and it certainly has begun to show . . . There are certain moments, even seconds, in life that are unforgettable and will be with us forever. One such occurred this morning. I answered the doorbell to find a grinning JJ, his arms stacked with boxes. He was so excited and eager to show what he had chosen for my birthday. The boxes contained decorated cupcakes and cookies all of which he had picked out himself. He pointed out the merits of each and was especially taken with a "Frankenstein's Monster" cookie. "I would even like that myself," he said a little sadly, giving away something he would have enjoyed himself. The moment was heart-warming and charming. I said perhaps I would share after school. I guess he thought of it all day. When Daddy Eric picked him up at day care the cookie came immediately into the conversation. He was sure that the cookie was so desirable that Uncle Ronn would have eaten it. What a delight to find that it was still waiting for JJ to claim when he reached The Bare Wall . . . sentimental, perhaps, but so wonderful to see a happy child . . . my post about trees elicited a response from a neighbor facing the probability of removing another tree in our area. I thought I would share it: "I know it's Thursday and I'm responding to Tuesday's blog . . . Much as I love trees, they do invade sewer lines. Little ones, like Lindsey, Guy, and Mike's, will take a generation or so. Others are happening now, and sentimentality doesn't change reality. Since the City of Harrisburg apparently doesn't have arboreal expertise, it behooves the home owner to know just what to plant and where. The growth requirements of shade trees and the growing conditions of city streets are mutually exclusive, to some extent. Something to do with urban planning, perhaps? Or maybe just the fault of the trees! After all, they were used to living in a forest! What do they know about urban culture? It'd be a lot easier if we just lived in Bellevue Park or maybe Camp Hill." . . . My thanks to all who have made my birthday very special this year, especially to Bob who has prepared my favorite dinner . . .