June 7, 2008 Saturday

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Four days ago I turned 64. And well-meaning folks played, sang or quoted the Beatles "When I'm 64" all day long.

My spouse gave me a new set of seat belts for my recently restored Triumph (one of the originals wouldn't latch, and the other wouldn't unlatch one day - while I was in it).

So I figured I'd spend the day yesterday installing them. A simple task involving four bolts for each belt. There is a prediction of high temperatures and humidity for the weekend, but yesterday felt pretty good.

But it took my 64-year-old bones and muscles all day to complete one belt. After contorting, tugging and stretching into the Triumph's confining spaces to attack each bolt, I had worked myself into a dehydrating sweat. After each bolt I had to retreat into the air conditioning to revive myself.

After being away from hot for a winter, you forget how miserable hot can be.

By 5 pm I had finished the installation of one belt, so I figured I'd accomplished enough for one day. These kind of projects never used to take so long. And I was really exhausted. I blamed the heat and humidity for sapping my strength.

Or maybe this is what I should expect - when I'm 64 :)