I Like Older Men (Happy Birthday, Clint)

Ain't it great--look who just turned 48!

You all know by now without me saying it, but it bears repeating: birthdays are a big deal. I have not been feeling human so great lately, thanks to a run of Covid which has left me hobbled with a horrible flare of rheumatoid arthritis, but when National Clint Day approached, I knew it was time to peel off the lidocaine patches, unplug the heating pad, and get ready to celebrate.

Luckily for me, my spouse does not want, expect, nor tolerate all the fanfare I relish during my birthday month. He basically wants a steak, a loaded baked potato, and a good bourbon—perhaps a gift or two, and then he prefers to call it a day. Well, I had a few more merrymaking moments in mind, so we settled for a birthday weekend and off we went. And I think for a girl with a limp who can’t tie her shoes without assistance at this point, we managed just fine.

Friday night was our fancy dinner out. Clint always chooses a steakhouse for his birthday meal and this year's pick was Ruth's Chris. As you can see, we started with the seafood tower, which made the birthday boy giddy. Lobster, shrimp, lump crab, and cracked crab claws will do that to a person.

He had generously offered to order Door Dash and eat in our sweats (yet again) but after the meal we had, we were both glad we made the effort to have a celebratory evening out. And then: time to head back home for dessert.

Saturday of the birthday weekend bonanza arrived, which means it was Birthday Eve. Much to my shock, the man of the hour declared he had gift cards to use and wanted to shop. I have a bit of experience in that arena and throbbing ankle or no, I do not turn down any type of retail therapy. We spent the afternoon perusing some men’s fashion and spicing up Clint’s wardrobe a bit, then headed home for a little rest and relaxation.

Birthday browsing ("Susie, I feel like I'm in a photo shoot.")

A round of cocktails after some successful shopping. I found a tasty recipe called the "Honey Bee," a tequila, mezcal, honey, lemon juice and jalapeno concoction. The name alone seemed like a good fit for a Georgia Tech man.

Sunday was National Clint Day! We had a lazy morning and then opened gifts before venturing out for a little revelry. I did some research on where to find the ultimate Bloody Mary here in Charlotte, and it led us to a restaurant called Moo and Brew and their “Large Marge.” Clint and I both love Bloody Marys, and over the years we have sampled quite a few, and bedecked them with what I thought was every garnish known to man. I was so wrong. We had no idea what levels this drink could rise to!

Let's get down to the important part: the gifts.

Only my husband would ask for a sprinkler controller for his birthday. An old gold (nod to Georgia Tech again) shirt, a much needed new pair of shoes, and some pretty funny gummy candy to top it all off.

Large Marge Bloody Mary — Spectacular! I am already thinking up other special occasions to go back and have another. Birthdays, anniversaries, Columbus Day....

Needless to say, Marge was a meal. We staggered away, full and Bloody Mary blissed out. On our way home, we stopped by another men’s store (what has gotten into Clint?!) and found a new sport coat and button-down for the toast of the town. Forty eight is going to be looking great! The weather was beautiful, so we spent a leisurely afternoon on our patio, sipping Ranch Waters, playing with the dogs, and listening to Billboard’s Top 100 Songs of 1976. As Clint so deftly put it, “1976 was a very good year.”

We capped off the day with dinner at our favorite Tex-Mex spot, and a little more of that birthday tiramisu for the occasion. Just like the birthday guy himself, the weekend was relaxed and easygoing, mellow and peaceful. I hope that will be the sign of the kind of year ahead for him (although he lives with me, so good luck and Godspeed, babe)!

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Blog Post Title One

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