90 Years Young

Here we are at my Dad's 87th birthday dinner in 2017.

In two weeks, the Cohens of California, New York, and Massachusetts, will converge in Florida to celebrate my Dad’s 90^th birthday. We are taking my Dad to his favorite Mexican restaurant and the party will include presents, balloons, and an enormous chocolate cake with a LOT of candles.

Although my Dad has slowed down physically and his short-term memory is not what it used to be, his long-term memory is razor sharp. He is active, engaged, and still interested in current events. If you ask my Dad what he likes to do, he will tell you that he enjoys shopping (aka bargain hunting) and weekly visits to the library. His favorite stores are Walmart and Target. Dad is an avid reader and is partial to mysteries. He still putters around the house and my Mom recently had to hide the step ladder after she caught him climbing up to change a light bulb.

It is amazing to think of how the world has changed since my Dad was born and all of the things that he has seen. My Dad was born during the Depression. An Electrical Engineer in civilian life, he also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and helped develop radar and nuclear submarines. He started his career with a slide rule, moved on to a calculator, and then a computer. My Dad has always embraced technology and we were the first family I know to own an answering machine, a VCR, and a TRS-80 (one of the earliest home computers). Even today my Dad owns several computer tablets and enjoys looking up facts on Google.

My Dad is an only child and we have a small nuclear family. So ten years ago when my Dad turned 80, I asked all of my friends (and their friends) to send my Dad a birthday card. My co-worker Michelle posted his name on her pen pal group and he received cards from Japan and Australia. Other friends passed his information along and he ended up receiving over 100 birthday cards. My Mom said that my Dad would eagerly await the arrival of the mail man every day. Ten years later, they still have all the birthday cards in a special box.

Want to send my Dad a card to help celebrate his 90^th birthday? Let him know that you read about him on the PugMom Quilt's blog. He will get a big kick out of it. His birthday is January 17^th. Here is Dad’s info:

Alan Cohen
10604 Royal Caribbean Circle
Boynton Beach, FL 33437

Have you had a milestone birthday recently? How do you celebrate a milestone birthday?

For more historical fun and facts:

25 Moments That Changed America

How America Has Changed Since 1940

The 50 Biggest Changes In the Last 50 Years

 

Thanks for visiting! 

Pugs and kisses,

Nancy