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"What do you have there, girlie?"

Aw, c'mon, you don't even want to take a guess?

"Well, if I were to venture forth a hypothesis, I'd have to say it's mileage related. I just don't know where you've been that would make it remarkable."

I've been spending my nights with the Dane for almost a week. This will be my first night in my own bed again.

"So Tony and Laura did make it home from their vacation in Missouri! Good!"

Yes, they did, and I no sooner confirmed that earlier this afternoon than I took off for the AMC cinema for a double header! Rain or no rain, my dog-sitting was done and I didn't need to be 'home' by a certain time to feed him. Not that I had total control over that, but I did try to be conscientious about it.

"Yes, I know you did."

Now, I'm back in my driveway for the night and I know it's the right place, right time! Just look at that odometer reading! Such a nice, round number, isn't it? My little Saturn now has two hundred, forty-seven thousand, and five hundred miles. That boils down to 9900 miles per year over 25 years. LOL!

"What? You've driven much more than that..."

Nope! Over the last few years, ever since the A-fib came around, I've hardly logged in 6000 per year. I had hoped to remedy that this summer with a trip to Augusta for baseball with my cousins and a trip to Alabama to see my stepmom and nephews. None of that materialized because of my right leg issues. Now, cooler temperatures are on the way, so it'll be next year before those become possibilities again. Meanwhile, I'm looking for physical therapy to make those realities, not just maybes.

"For sure that needs to happen. You've got a big birthday coming next year, so you need to be able to celebrate it in style."

I don't know that many folks would consider 69 to be a "big" birthday, but I know my brother Ronnie would have. That was his favorite number, you know.

"Yes, dear. Everyone who ever knew him knew that. (smile!)"

I'll have to plan some special trips that he would have liked, too. Yes, celebrating for two sounds like the right thing to do. (smile!)