Party til you... nap?

 Yesterday I was invited to a barbecue, it was a sudden decision of the moment for close friends and neighbours of mine. She decided to text a bunch of people and see who would come. I didn't see the text until almost time to go, the only thing I had to bring was pop, beer and pickles, I went to a local store and bought chips but any other option would take a couple of hours and I was running late getting there as it was. It stressed me out a little because I don't want to be one of those people who shows up to everything empty handed.

 They have a beautiful setting, large trees for shade and two lakes close by to enjoy. I didn't know most of the people there but it didn't matter, I trust the judgment of the couple, they wouldn't tolerate a rude person. Everyone was easy to talk to and I had a really good time. That is something I would have had trouble with at one time, being surrounded by strangers but I think you get more confidence as you get older. Plus my job has given me a lot of experience speaking to groups of people.

 The funny thing is that sometimes I forget how old I actually am, I identify with the thirty somethings but their parents were there as well, some of them are middle to late fifties so they are closer to my age than the kids. I'm not ready to give up on feeling young, I would like to not think of myself as a senior in waiting lol. However life steps in, the younger people had to leave because of kids waiting at home or jobs, pets etc. That left the wild fifty somethings to party on, we moved indoors to escape the cloud of mosquitoes that rise when the sun sinks. We decided to play cards, some drank wine, some drank tea, how wild and crazy is that, although to be honest I always liked dinner parties better than a big loud drunk.

 Sitting around the table, by eleven o'clock I could see everyone was having a hard time keeping their eyes open, including me. I decided to call it a night. When I got home it was 11:45 and I was ready to sleep standing up. I remember when it usually took until two or three in the morning to feel that way. I kind of laughed at myself because it used to be that we would say, "let's party til we drop" and now it's more like party until it's after eleven. I'm not ready to give up on my youth but I think my body sent it out the door when I wasn't looking.

 I think I am going to make up t-shirts and coffee mugs with a little saying that I have come up with, my friends always ask if they can quote me. I tell people that I am entering a stage in my life where I feel every little job I do deserves a nap.