Three Beautiful Things 12/27/13 (My 60th Birthday): Casino Relaxation, Baked Ziti Dinner, Sharing Six Decades of Wisdom ;)

1.  If I'm in Kellogg for my birthday, I enjoy going to the Cd'A Casino with friends from up here and relaxing, playing some machines, eating some lunch, and having a few beers.  That's exactly what I got to do today.  Ed, Jake, Byrdman, Stu and I had a great shaved steak sandwich lunch and enjoyed some good gabbing a ton of laughs and I had a successful day playing machines.  It was a great way to see lifelong friends and a relaxing way to spend some time on my birthday. 

2.  I asked my sisters for a baked ziti dinner and, like magic, that's what happened:  green salad, fresh green beans with garlic, almonds, and bleu cheese, baguette, baked ziti, extra sauce on the side, and some fine red wine.  Magnificent.  We had desserts left over from our Christmas dinners and I loved having another piece of pear mince meat pie.  It was better than a birthday cake! 

3.  Carol's family, Christy, Mom, and I wrapped up the evening by playing Pass the Popcorn, a movie trivia game that was a lot of fun and gave me the opportunity to share with my family the wisdom I have accrued at the age of sixty, particularly when it comes to being overly competitive.  I tried to model the virtues of calmness, fair play, and not shouting.  While family members may not have appreciated my wisdom tonight, I think in the long run they will remember my lessons gratefully and apply them.  Ha!   :)