Tuesday, July 28, 2026

It's Been Mighty Fine

 


Me on my 72nd birthday, ready to go to town. I did put on shoes before I left. 

It has been a funny day and not much birthday-related stuff went on except for the fact that I got so many sweet birthday texts and some calls, including one by Lis and Lon, doing their traditional birthday greeting which involves them singing Happy Birthday, accompanied by one of them playing along on an instrument. Daisy, their dog, used to sing along with them but she has passed. Still, we all miss her voice. Lon played ukulele on this year's arrangement and I have to say it may have been my favorite ever except for the absence of Dear Daisy. 

I took my time around here this morning and then got dressed (see above) and went to town to try and get my iPhone Air stuff transferred back to my iPhone 13 Pro because I just can't deal with this stupid camera anymore. I gave it every chance, I figured out how to do work-arounds, I managed to get a few good pictures. And then I said, "What the fucking fuck? Get the phone you want."
The iPhone Air is a fine little phone, no complaints, it's just that the camera will not do. So yes, I had the fantasy that I could just give it back and they would do their magic and I could walk out of Costco which is where we got our new phone plan with my old phone in my pocket. 
Boy. What a dimwit I was.
I could go into a fifty page description of all that went on there with the very sweet man and woman who helped me but I won't. To sum up- no. Not under the plan we have. Nor any plan as far as I can tell. And this means that to get the camera I want, I'm going to have to get a completely different, more updated phone which is so not what I want but sometimes you simply cannot get what you want. 
Carrying on the theme, you can though, if you try sometime, say it with me, get what you need. 
So my problem was not completely resolved but it probably will be soon and the phone will be ten thousand times more capable of probably controlling the universe than I need it to be, but it will have a camera that will take decent pictures, especially macros, that I don't have to spend ten minutes and two hands doing the work-arounds that the one I have now takes. 

Glen had met me by the time that whole situation was dealt with and supposedly I will get a call from...someone? within a week and things will go on from there. A solution will be found! 

We went to lunch, as it was already 2:30 and that was not an extremely groovy experience but needs must, right? And by that time, our needs exceeded our patience in finding the perfect restaurant and I wanted to get home so we could go to the river. 

Before that, though, I had to stop by Publix for a few things and a Lily hug.


I gotta tell you, I love Publix carrot cake. It has lots of spices and raisins and you can depend on it for all of your carrot cake needs. And it was on sale! 

I also bought some salmon and a few other things and then hightailed it back to Lloyd where Mr. Moon was already waiting. We got the groceries put away and put on our bathing costumes, and drove to the river. 


There were far more people there than I expected but the Wacissa is a mysterious place and one never knows what they'll encounter. It was beautiful, though, and the water was as cold and clear as ever. It took me even longer today to fully immerse than usual and I am blaming it on the fact that I am 72 now. But I did it and over an hour later I still feel calmer, cooler, and more at peace than I did before. 



The mother cypress standing watch over us all. 



Look up! 
I did indeed. 

And now we're home and having birthday martinis and I'm going to go cook that salmon and then we're going to eat some Publix carrot cake. 

Maurice giving me birthday love.


That's a damn lie. She wants her evening treat. 

I am happy again. Good Lord! 

And thank all of you for your beautiful birthday messages and good thoughts. I cherish each and every one of them. 

Big 72-year old love...Ms. Moon

59 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, Mary Moon! Sending you love and wishes for a wonderful year!
    Becky (from Ohio) 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Becky from Ohio! It has started out well.

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  2. That sounds like a good day, Happy Birthday!

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  3. Happy Birthday, Mary! Best Wishes, good vibes and fabulous martinis!
    Paranormal John

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    1. Vibes are vibing around here. I'm loving it.

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  4. Cheers to 72. Looking great MM.

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    1. I feel like I am living a different life. Does that make sense?

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  5. Happy birthday Mrs. Moon. Wishing you much love health and happiness. I hope I look half as good as you do at 72 - I’m 10 years behind you! Each day is such a gift and I try to remind myself each and everyday not to waste it. Much love to you and your family.

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    1. Thank you, Anonymous, you young'un you. I have to tell you that I believe I am having more fun at 72 than I did at 62. This is hard to believe.

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  6. Happy 72nd, beautiful human! -Nicol

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  7. Happy birthday! You look great.

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  8. I say find yourself a six year old tech wizard and tell him/her you want stuff on this phone transferred to this other phone and let the wizard do what ever magic they do. Of course you have a "plan" so maybe it can't be done, but worth a try? I don't do "plans", I do prepay by the month, so I'm not under anybody's rules but my own.
    Your photo looks lovely, the blue is nice and I'm glad you put shoes on, restaurants prefer that over bare feet. I love carrot cake too, especially with cream cheese frosting.

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    1. You're right- it can't be done on my plan and we get our internet here and at the cabin on the plan so we don't want to lose it.
      Jessie got me that little linen jacket sort of thing and I love the color more than I can say.
      Shoes are important, aren't they? Sometimes.
      One of the things I really like about the Publix carrot cake besides the delicious moistness and spices is that the icing isn't very cream-cheesy. I believe I may have burnt out on that back in my young mama hippie days.

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  9. Happy birthday, dear Ms Moon. 70s are the new 40s, no?

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  10. SG and I ageee that you are a beautiful 72. Or any age. Except for the iPhone annoyance, it sounds and looks like a wonderful day. And Norman Rockwell-ish at the river.

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    1. Oh, please tell SG thank you and thank you to you too. I feel prettier and that's just a fact.
      Going to the Wacissa is always a different experience. Sometimes it's all mamas and little kids, sometimes it's teenaged boys preening and performing for teenaged girls. Sometimes it's all rednecks who think everyone needs to hear their own personal music (country) and sometimes, if you get there very early, it is simply serene.

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  11. Belated birthday greetings Mary and welcome to the 72 club! It ain't so bad gal. As for "Sometimes you simply cannot get what you want" - didn't Mick Jagger sing that in slightly different words? By the way, I hope that the real you looks as good as your reflection in that mirror.

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    1. Yes. I believe Mr. Jagger, or should I say Sir Jagger, did say something very much like that once. Or twice. Or a thousand times.
      I sort of hope the real me looks that good too. I certainly didn't edit the photo at all but it's not real close up and I do have clothes on.

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  12. You are beautiful Mary! Just beautiful!

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  13. Glad you had a good birthday! Now I'm craving carrot cake!

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    1. This carrot cake is one thing that comes from a grocery store bakery that I would rather have than the homemade version. I think they put crack in it. Delicious crack.

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  14. That's a great photo of you at the top of your post! The river looks very inviting. Of course, the northerner in me wondered..."are there alligators in that river?"

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    1. Oh, definitely there are alligators in it! We sometimes see them in those hyacinths. But I've never heard of one threatening a human there. We also saw some gorgeous Swallowtail Kites and an osprey and an otter. Oh! And there was a water snake situation too.

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    2. I really don't know if I could go in the water knowing that there could be an alligator!

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  15. Happy birthday darling Mary! You look wonderful and svelte and I love your dear face. The river with your love sounds like a perfect late afternoon reclamation of the day, capped by martinis no less. 72 looks good on you. I’m glad we share this world.

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    1. Even with a lot going on at the river, there is still a peaceful serenity to be found, sitting under that cypress and looking out at the water. I love going there with Glen.
      Thank you for all of the sweet things you said. I'm thinking 72 is feeling pretty good so far.
      And I am glad too, that we share this world and in some ways, are sisters.

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  16. Happiest of birthdays dear friend! How lucky we are to do the dance on the same planet, same time. Love you! Liz

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    1. Yes. Despite these pervlious, anxious, weird, sometimes terrifying times, there are still things to dance about. Thanks for dancing with me all these years.

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  17. Belated happy birthday, Mary. And thank you for that title - that was a favorite expression of my grandfather from Tennessee. Thanks for bringing him to mind.

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    1. Oh! You are so welcome! I have people from Tennessee and I wonder if that's where I learned that expression? I think it's just generally a southern expression and I like it.

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  18. Glad you had a good birthday and as someone else said, 72 looks good on you. You look happy.
    I'm having issues with my phone which are driving me crazy. My husband bought me a phone online which was a Verizon unlocked phone which he thinks is the issue. Today I will go get my own phone and sort things out myself.
    Time beside, or in a river, is time well spent.

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    1. Yes! Take this matter into your own hands! Quit messing around with half-assed solutions. We use our phones for so many things and they need to work the way they're supposed to.
      You are so right about rivers.

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  19. Sounds like a lovely birthday and you do look fabulous, Mary.

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  20. Sounds like a good day except maybe for the less than delightful lunch. You do look lovely all dressed up to go to town. And a dip in the river. And I hope you get the camera you want. I'm surprised your couldn't just do a trade in.

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    1. Well, the lunch was okay, just not one that you'd necessarily think of as a birthday lunch place. I mean, basically it's a sports bar but the food is not so bad.
      The river was fantastic as it always is.
      Yeah. I thought the whole phone thing would be so easy. Haha! Silly me.

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  21. Happy birthday, you look lovely.

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  22. Hello my dearest darling! I thought about you ALL DAY and am so happy you all your special river time together. You know I will never find all the words but i love you from the bottom of my heart to stardust. Please note when I return, I am bringing you your very own birthday cake that I make just for you as you have lovingly made the 62,543 birthday cakes for us all your life. 🩷🎶🐦‍⬛ ✨*MWAH*✨

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    1. Oh, my darling! YOU are the one who has made 62,543 birthday cakes. I will never forget the first birthday cake you ever made me. I swear- it was one of the best cakes I ever tasted. And oh, the wedding cakes! And groom cakes. Be still my heart.
      I love you so! Thank you again for the birthday song that made me dance.

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  23. Gorgeous 72 woman! I love Publix carrot cakes…sad there aren’t any out here in Durango (that I know of anyway). Wonderful times remembered in Florida rivers and sinks and. Springs! I feel calmer and cooler just thinking about those cool wet times.

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    1. Aren't they good? What is the magic in there?
      I am still thinking about your story of the midnight swim in the Apalachicola River. I will probably ALWAYS think of that now.

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  24. Happiest of happies! - VT Sarah

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  25. God, I hate a rope swing. I have injured myself in minor ways on more of those things than I care to remember.

    Glad you spent some time at the Wacissa and had a birthday martini. It all sounds very rejuvenating. I love the Publix bakery in general. Do they still call it the Danish Bakery? That was the name they used for it back in the early '80s (and probably before that). We used to get cookie club cards there, and somehow we collected stamps on the card and eventually got a free cookie, or something like that. Maybe it was one free cookie per month? I can't really remember.

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    1. I have never nor will I ever enter the water via rope swing. I am a huge sissy when it comes to any type of water-entering other than walking in. Always have been.
      Oh my gosh. I had forgotten about the Danish Bakery. No, now I think it's just The Bakery. By the time my kids were little, I think the cookie cards had disappeared and it was just store policy that every child who asked got a cookie. They make special smaller ones for that. And yes, they're still doing it. There is also a little tray of free fruit in the produce section for the kidlings.

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  26. My husband saw that carrot cake too....and I just finished it for him!

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    1. Glen certainly had a heaping helping of my cake!

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    1. Oh, thank you so much John. I do not take that lightly.

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  28. belated Birthday wishes from me....you look fabulous...and really....IMO....that periwinkle color is *your* color....it is divine. Your day sounds exactly as a Birthday should be.... fully enjoyed
    Susan M

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    1. Isn't that shade of blue simply the best color in the world? Jessie found me that linen jacket thing. It is perfect. And I did very much enjoy my day.

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  29. Happy birthday! I discovered backing into the cold water this summer. Just want to ease on in, but I am in the way of the cannon ball jumpers.

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  30. A Happy Birthday to you. That Cypress is Magnificent. And Maurice is just Adorbs giving you that Birthday Love, even tho' she can usually be such a Stinker. *Smiles*

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.