The road ends, but the journey continues...

Here's to the Nines!

Here’s to the Nines:
Entering
and
Exiting


2014: my year for exiting the Nines.
Of course, by interpolation, 2013 was my year for entering into the Nines.

Joe and Michelle with GranPa (9/14)

Joe and Michelle with Dad/GranPa (9/14)


Dad turned 90 in April 2013 and I turned X9 last October 2013.  We got to share life in the Nines for an entire year.  As well, I’m blessed to have visited Dadland for a goodly portion of these past 12 months.
My times in the Nines have tended to be fraught with trepidation.  Starting with the one where I joined Jack Benny in declaring to be eternally 39, my journey through the Nines can be a bit rocky.
Okay so it’s not like Dad where he’ll be in his version of the Nines till he reaches his 100th b-day.  But still…
My Decade Cake

Count the layers on my decade cake*!


Once flipped over to the other side and into a new decade, I usually find it’s not such a bad age progression.  Ah, but those Nines…both entering and exiting…are a perilous roller coaster of highs and lows; ohs and nos.
Ironically, the number 9 itself has been loads of fun for me.  Perhaps I should focus on that…number 9, number 9, number 9…anything’s easier to tolerate when George, John, Paul and Ringo (my personal order of preference) sing about it.
That said; I am an October baby.
The month of my birth lies smack dab in the middle of the best fall has to offer and I brazenly claim this time of year as ‘my’ season.  Even if I’d not been born an October baby, I’d declare the autumn season as my very own.
Fall is when Mother Earth herself dresses to the Nines in color, texture and all out majesty.  With a little help from her friends, a natural Mandela was made from the colorful fallen and dying plant material found within the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh last year.  What a beautiful symbol; especially now as I’m leaving the Nines behind.
Mandala in Royal Botanic Gardens, copyright Karen Shewan Art

Mandala copyright Karen Shewan Art


*Decade Cake made by Chris Bruno

8 Comments

  1. JRNine

    And I thought you were really taking about my family — The Nines !!
    Love your thoughts, Laura!
    🙂 Jerry Nine

    • laura bruno lilly

      Naw, that would be the Turkey Peppers 😉
      Consider yourself served a virtual slice of my ‘decade’ cake, Mr. Nine!

  2. Anna Scott Graham

    Somehow I missed this entry; great shot of the kids and your dad, and a pretty sweet pic of that cake! 29 was a terrible transition for me, otherwise I’ve survived the nines fairly well. May this new decade be teeming with creative notions from all arenas, and perhaps a tad bit more of that stupendous cake!! 😀
    sweetzeropeace

    • laura bruno lilly

      I enjoyed making a big deal out of 29, but really, it was one of the funnest for me. 🙂
      I’m in for more cake, too…great excuse for use as NaNo snacking, eh?
      outtatheninesfornowpeace

  3. Nancy

    Happy, Happy BDay, Laura! I so enjoy reading your blog posts–they brighten my day–and I wish you all the best as you NaNo in Nov 🙂

    • laura bruno lilly

      Hello Nancy! So good to hear from you. Perhaps you’re still plucking away on that EVD guitar? I think of you and Robby often…really good times.
      peace

  4. Oliver

    I was almost tempted to say Happy Nine-niversary Laura! 😉 I hope you enjoyed the “decake”!? 🙂
    Also lovely to see you sharing some of the “awetumn” spirit and some Edinburgh colours, much appreciated!!
    Enjoy the last bits of Golden October and keep in touch…

    • laura bruno lilly

      Well, the next ‘nine-niversary’ won’t happen for another 9 years, and baking a ‘decake’ won’t be appropriate for 10!!!!HA!
      Meanwhile, I’m happy you noticed my subtle reference of your post; regardless of the inability to ‘reblog’ in the WP.org system…where there’s a will, there’s a way, eh?
      Thanks for stopping by, Oliver.

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