Of Last Roll and a birthday

It is a week and a year from five decades. A short span, geologically, half a life time measured in what really matters, one's age. I am at a point where it is not so much what I've accomplished, but what remains. It's not addition but subtraction--what will be subtracted from the net--that so much occupies me anymore. So Carole said she had a surprise for me, for this birthday, and it was something that I always wanted to do. Furthermore, she let the kids in on it, and a few choice others. They all concured, smiling and nodding knowingly: It was a truly good gift. So we took Friday off and headed north to Philadelphia (first clue) and lined up an organic vegitarian resturant in China town. The sun shone. I felt special from attention and Carole's excitment at the day's event, still wrapped in mystery, was contageous. Excellant meal. Then off to the Rodin muesum. A handful of studies can be seen on my Last Roll link, several turning out quite nice actually. Then dinner. Funky and good. I guessed. Wrong. Guessed again. Then she exploded: Springsteen. Yes! We got home around 2:30am. Music still pounding. It was most excellant of days.