Today is my 50th birthday. I don’t feel 50. I don’t think I look 50, either. I shared all this with a friend via email a little bit ago, but I had a pre-op appointment with my surgeon today and his notes said I look my age. I think he’s wrong. Monday I’m having carpal tunnel surgery so hopefully soon the numbness, tingling and pain will go away and the strength will return in my hand and then I’ll really feel like a spring chicken.
So I had this big long post started the other day about the wineries that my son, daughter-in-law and I visted last weekend. And I lost it all, not because of WordPresses fault, but entirely because of my own stupidity. I’m not going to rewrite it tonight, but I will soon.
If you are wondering about the title of my post and you weren’t a visitor here last year, you might be a little confused about wishing Toni a happy birthday, because aren’t I Toni? Well, obviously I am, but I have a friend whose name is Toni and her birthday is today, as well. Toni is twenty years younger than I am, though, and she doesn’t look her age either. So…Happy Birthday, Toni!!
In honor of our birthday, I’m having a give-away. I have no idea at the moment what it will be, but it’ll be something cool. Leave a comment between now and Thanksgiving. I’ll draw the winner on Black Friday, so come back then to see who the lucky winner is. I won’t be posting between now and then, what with the surgery and all, and I want to get caught up with blog visits before Monday so you’ll see me around, out and about.
Start commenting!! 
PS: Photos will be in black and white during the month of November, which is being hosted by Maya at Springtree Road. Join in!
Happy happy birthday, you spring chicken, you. You do not look 50. Regardless, 50 is the new 40. Or maybe it’s the new 30, since I feel like I’m about 12.
Wishing you a year full of blessings. Thank you for brightening up the blogosphere.
elizabeth´s last blog …no. 19
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Hope it’s everything you wish for…and more.
Marcie´s last blog …Bucato Appendendo 2
Count yourself lucky that I am not singing Happy Birthday to you today. My dulcet tones are reknown for being…well…not very dulcet at all!!! Hope you have a great day
-d
donna´s last blog …First Snow
Happy Birthday to you Toni! I hope your surgery will be successful, you’ve got my support. Great shot with the wine and nice mood.
Liang´s last blog …Hakone River
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Ken´s last blog …Birds of a Feather
What? Toni, switch doctors! Happy happy birthday. And to your friend Toni too.
Puna´s last blog …November 20, Making Hay
Thanks for the concern, Puna. Initially I wanted to do physical therapy, but after the doctor who did my nerve conduction tests started out thinking physical therapy but switched to strongly recommending surgery after seeing how bad my hand was, I changed my mind, too. I’ve already lost hand strength and have a hard time feeling things – I don’t want the hand to degenerate any further. It’s the same surgeon who did the surgery on the other hand and he did an excellent job, so I’m not worried about the outcome of the surgery at all.
Thanks again!
Congratulations have a fantastic time.
Commiserations, I too had hand troubles a few years back, miserable, miserable.
Surgery wasn’t the answer for me, a teacher of the Alexander technique and a cranial osteopath helped me unlock the years of tension, anxiety and grief that I was carrying around in my body as scrunched up muscles and knotted sinews; the pain, coldness and lack of grip was in my finger tips, the root cause was in my shoulders, torso and neck. A bit like when a car engine starts to rattle, instead of stopping and fixing it, I turned up the car radio to drown out the sound. Working on through the tough times, not listening to the ‘engine’ hoping the ‘rattle’ would stop. It didn’t.
They stretched my muscles out again, realigned my body and coaxed me back to a more natural posture and stance. They also taught me a lot about me.
uphilldowndale´s last blog …Deluge
Happy Birthday. 50 is a great birthday! (My 74th is Sunday.) Wishing you a successful surgery. Neat photograph. Thanks for all of your recent comments on mine. Jack
Hey!!! Happy Late birthday. I love this shot – How did you get your black and white to look like that? Does it have some sepia tone in there? I love it!!
John Masters´s last blog …Entrez
happy 50th birthday! that’s awesome.
and i love that you drink washington wines.
and sometimes the best wines come
from the late varietals.
Seraphine´s last blog …This girl is not a safe alternative to cigarettes
Happy Birthday (late), Toni! And to your friend, Toni, too. November sure seems to have a lot of birthdays to me. Good luck with your surgery, and have a speedy recovery! Do doctor’s notes really say how old we look?!?!?!?!?!
Candace´s last blog …Lights and Rays
now the party can start! Toni I relish your beautiful images and will back track to see the ones I have missed …but I especially want to let you know I will eat cake in your honor today and wish for a happy healthy year ahead!!
Happy Birthday!!!!
I hope you’ll have a good surgery and a speedy recovery. I’l be thinking of you 
Frida´s last blog …You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your handsome prince.
Well Happy Birthday to the both of you. I hope your surgery goes well so you can continue to post these wonderful photos. Sorry I haven’t been around lately, been job hunting like no other!
BTW, age is just a number. =)
Brian Chen´s last blog …Pinapple Cake
happy birthday ! enjoy your Walla Walla wine!!!!!
Toni my dear, a very happy belated birthday to you! I hope your day was fantastic and 50 is a milestone and a cause for celebration! I wish you all the happiness, success and health in the world.
Bravo to you…and this image is fantastic!
PS — I also hope your thanksgiving was great too! Sorry I am so far behind it’s been a rather hectic couple of weeks for me.
Cheers to you! xo
bluechameleon´s last blog …(the rain) it never stops
Happy birthday!
BoB´s last blog …Hidden Shade
Happy Birthday to you and the other Toni! I think 50 sounds like a great age. I know the decade markers are sometimes a bit more traumatic. As to the surgery, I wish you the best of outcomes! Fine image today with exquisite lighting and mood!
don´s last blog …Three
Happy Belated Birthday!
MaryAnn Ashley´s last blog …Enjoying the Sun
Hope you have a Happy Birthday, Toni and that your surgery goes well. I’ve been wearing those wrist supports at night for my carpal tunnel. Guess that’s the results from all of our years at the computer. Mine goes back to the keypunch days, but that’s before your time. Very nice of you to give away something on your birthday. Maybe a free trip to Atlantic City, I hear they need the money.
I’ve heard 50 is the new 40 too. So enjoy it and live it up. I must say it sounds like you are very comfortable with your age and that is a great thing to see.
Happy Birthday to you and your friend Toni.
Liss´s last blog …Simple Things
Toni, you can tell I’ve been completely out of cyber-touch for about a month. I missed your 50th birthday! My sincere yet belated wishes to you on this 50th year. I agree you DO NOT look your age. When I turned 50 I felt the same with respect to not feeling my age. Thank you for your visits to my photo journal and I sure hope I get time to begin responding to people though it will likely be another few days before I’m in the clear. I LOVE this fantastic photo –- excellent work and love the chocolate processing too. You should sell this as a print, seriously!
Diane´s last blog …What would you fill it with?
Happy belated Birthday…wishing you many more.
One Love.
Se’Lah´s last blog …*GIFT OF JEWELS* GIVEAWAY…
AWESOME, not you turning fifty that is just down right sad and depressing, but the shot is AWESOME. A late Happy Birthday wishing you the best.
Terry H.´s last blog …Safari Guys
Happy Birthday Toni!!
Andy´s last blog …Craisin