The birthday weekend begins this morning.

We’re blogging, packing, and getting ready to head to a one-night stay in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Some great birthday gifts for me – a play today, a play tomorrow,  some great Asian food tonight in between.

It’s going to be 100 degrees again today and tomorrow, so we won’t be walking around much, talking and reading instead, which is lovely.

I’m taking Great Man Theory by Teddy Wayne, it’s the story of a hapless and failed academic struggling to survive in the Trump era, and The Angel Of Rome, short stories by Jess Walter.

My birthday is actually on Monday, but why not get a weekend out of it?

Maria is threatening to buy me another one of those lobster rolls I love so much on my birthday, which is Monday; we’ll see.

We have to go to Bennington, Vt. to an ice cream stand to get one.

I don’t like making a big deal of my birthday, but this one does feel like a big deal.

We both have a lot of work to do on Monday and in the coming week.

I’m proud to have made it to 75; I often doubted I would get that far. So did a lot of other people.

A friend congratulated me on getting this old; he said it was a real accomplishment to be 75 and be happy and busy.

I guess I never thought of it that way; I did play some part in it.

We can’t do long vacations or leave the farm for that long, but we have perfected one and two-night short getaways.  I call them hit-and-run vacations.

They are inexpensive and great fun. Even though they are short, they are refreshing.

We canceled our four-day trip to the ocean in October; it’s just too expensive right now.

We have a super-competent person who comes and stays on the farm and cares for the dogs and other animals. There is no problem she can’t handle.

Superman of all trades Mike Conklin is her backup if she needs one. I don’t think the dogs even know we’re gone. They can’t be outside for very long this weekend.

They’ll do a lot of sleeping.

So thanks for your good wishes and support for our work. I am happy and lucky to be alive; I am grateful for every day and am looking ahead to many more.

On this 75th year of my life, I am content, more so than ever before.

I have everything I want, and I need nothing that I don’t have. I even have flowers.

I will continue in the coming year to do good whenever possible (and every day) and to take care of myself so I can be around for a while.

Peace and compassion to you all. I’ll be back tomorrow night (Sunday.)