Milestones

On July 21, 2007, I picked up my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I started reading that afternoon and finished the book at 4:00 the next morning. (No delayed gratification for this girl!)

Later that week I checked Leroy Siever's blog, and was pleased to see another grownup state, in so many words, his appreciation for living long enough to read it.

I never said out loud, "I want to live long enough to read the final Harry Potter book." I lived with a secret nightmare - would I make it to summer of 2007? Would I have enough of my faculties left to be able to read and comprehend the story? And - worse - Would my friends and family think it silly of me to attach that much importance to a darned book?

I thought I would jinx myself somehow if I said it out loud. Well, that's not so much the case now. We all need goals in life. I've known people who express a wish to live long enough to see a child married, or to see a grandchild born. Since I don't have children I have to find other things to aim for. So, here's a few on the list:

I'd like to live long enough to see George W. Bush return to private life
I'd like to live long enough to see Saint H retire
I'd like to live long enough to see multiple horses and some sheep grazing outside the house
I'd like to live long enough to see Emma the Ferguson tractor refurbished
I'd like to live long enough to draw money from my own retirement funds

Hmmm. How about: "I'd like to see the Cleveland Indians play the Chicago Cubs in the World Series."

I would LOVE to see that, but somehow that seems to be asking for an awful lot. Best not to tempt the gods. Besides - I'll always settle for the Indians beating the Yankees.