Recently for my 69th birthday, I had the exciting plan to clean out my clothes closets. I know, that doesn’t sound fun, right? But I actually enjoy purging stuff I bought ages ago and have yet to wear. Marie Kondo who wrote, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, says “Discard everything that does not spark joy.” Sadly, I can’t say any of my clothes are joy sparkers.

My sister Vicki’s birthday is two days after mine so our brother Bill planned to take us to dinner that night. But originally to celebrate my birthday, I planned to play tennis and have lunch with friends Hilary, Annette, and Laura. But Hilary had Covid so we scratched that. Since most of my friends were out of town I thought, closets here I come!

On my birthday morning, friends called to wish me a happy one, or in the case of Sue and her family in Lake Tahoe, they sang it. (I gave them an A-.) Then Sharon called and said, “How would you like to join me in Calistoga?” Hmm…decisions,decisions. Closets or Calistoga? That was a tough one but I’m guessing you know which I chose. Closets can wait but Indian Springs Resort and Spa was calling my name. Calistoga, here I come!

On the hour drive there, I couldn’t help thinking how I came to be 69 already. Guess it sorta sneaked up on me when I wasn’t paying attention. Now don’t get me wrong; it’s not like I wasn’t expecting (or hoping) to be old someday. Granted, I look 69 with white hair I no longer color and with wrinkles and increasingly sagging skin that’s shouting for Crepe Erase. But actually, most days I feel 39.

When I reached the resort, I was quite happy to forget the closets and grateful that Sharon invited this old broad. I am, after all, two years older than she is. In fact, within my longtime group of girlfriends from back in high school, I’m the oldest. Sue is closest in age, being younger by a mere 12 days. Needless to say, she shamelessly reminds me each birthday.

I have to say Indian Springs Resort and Spa is a gem. It’s 16 acres of beautifully manicured grounds. Palm trees frame the resort, giving it a Hawaiian-like feel.

We immediately headed for one of the largest pools in California —their Olympic-size mineral pool built in 1913. For two hours, in 86 degree heat, we lounged on pool floats, enjoying the therapeutic, healing properties of the natural thermal pool.

As always, we gabbed as though we hadn’t seen each other for months when we’d actually been in Calistoga together a couple weeks before. Eventually we moved to the adult pool (as they call it) which is smaller, quieter and more intimate.

We did some reading, Sharon fell asleep, I started writing this blog post, and we ordered pizza and Caesar salad to eat pool-side. We skipped the cocktails so as not to make fools of ourselves drinking in the hot sun. Yes, it’s true — with age comes wisdom.

Sharon’s hubby, Jim, kindly asked me to dinner with my godson Martin and his fiancée Jenny. He even planned to make a cake (Sharon taught him well) but I had to get back to pick up my latest foster kitten I’d neglected to collect the day before (I plead old age) so we packed up around 6:30 and went our separate ways.

As it turns out, being 69 isn’t so bad. But can you guess what I did the following day? You got it. Closets here I come! Gotta make room for clothes that will spark some joy.